Technology, Society and Engineering

Practice (ENGG2600)

Dr. Y.Y. Li
1

Course Information

Coe website: http://elearn.cuhk.edu.hk

Instructor:

Y.Y.Li () Tel: 39438476; Office: ERB 315B;

yli@mae.cuhk.edu.hk
Tutors:
Name
Phone
Office
Email
Lau, Kachun 39438040 ERB322 kclau@mae.cuhk.edu.hk
Tang, Pengyi 39438060 ERB202 pytang@mae.cuhk.edu.hk
Tian, Xiao
39438056 ERB106 xtian@mae.cuhk.edu.hk
Yan, Xiaohui
SHB507 xhyan@mae.cuhk.edu.hk

E-learn assess:
Direct your browser to

http://elearn.cuhk.edu.hk

and login using your CUHK Computing ID and CWEM

password.

You should then be able to select

2013-14 Term 2 -2013R2-ENGG2600D Technology, Society
and Engineering Practice
Main communication channel among teachers, tutors and
students
General info./announcements, Assignments, Grades and etc.

Textbook:
There is no textbook. Reference materials will be listed at the
end of each lecture.
Lecture Time: Monday 1:30pm 3:15pm, LSB LT1
Office Hour: 3pm -4pm Friday, or by appointment

Tutorial: There will be not fixed time slot for tutorial class. The
tutors will be involved in the teaching of this course,
e.g., to conduct Discussion section, to organize filed
trip, and etc..

Course Syllabus:

Impact of technology on society;

Introduction to engineering as a profession (different engineering fields,
professional societies and registration, soft skills for working in a team);
Engineering design and innovation;
Introduction to intellectual property (copyright, trademarks, registered
design and patents);
Engineering project management; product safety; professional ethics;
liability and responsibility; workplace safety; environmental impact and
market requirements;
Global energy policies and standards;
Case studies and experience sharing from industry;
Industrial and professional workshops or seminars as required by the
Major programme.

Course Component
Lecture

Invited talks and Filed trips

Summer Training

Grading
Two term papers + One Project Proposal 40%
Test

40%

In-class activities (e.g., discussion, exercise, attendance,

etc) 20%

Academic Honesty
Students are expected to conform to the highest standards of
honesty and integrity. Students are encouraged to discuss
course material to foster the motivations of ideas and produce
high quality works. They may work together in the
preliminary stages of individual homework assignments but
the final work must reflect their originality and individual
efforts. Plagiarism is considered a disciplinary offence which
can result in reduced grades, failed subjects and suspension
from the university.
(http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/policy/academichonesty)

Student/Faculty Expectations on Teaching and Learning

Faculty of Engineering, CUHK
STUDENT EXPECTATIONS: All students have the right to expect:
1. a positive, respectful, and engaged academic environment inside and outside the classroom;

2. to attend classes at regularly scheduled times without undue variations, and to receive before term-end
adequate make-ups of classes that are canceled due to leave of absence of the instructor;

3. to receive a syllabus which should include an outline of the course objectives, entire course content
and schedule, evaluation criteria, and any other requirements for successful completion of each
course;
4. to consult with concerned faculty members and course tutors outside of usual classroom times
through regularly scheduled office hours or a mutually convenient appointment;

5. to have reasonable access to University facilities and equipment in order to complete course
assignments and/or objectives;
6. to have access to guidelines on Universitys definition of academic misconduct within any course;
7. to have reasonable access to grading instruments and/or grading criteria for individual assignments,
projects, or exams and to review graded material in a timely fashion;
8. to consult with each courses faculty member regarding the petition process for graded coursework.

FACULTY EXPECTATIONS: Teachers have the right to expect:

1. a positive, respectful, and engaged academic environment inside and outside the
classroom;
2. students to appear for class meetings in a timely fashion;

3. students to appear at office hours or a mutually convenient appointment for official

matters of academic concern;
4. full attendance at examination, midterms, presentations, and laboratories, with the
exception of formal pre-approved excused absences or emergency situations;
5. students to be prepared for class, appearing with appropriate materials and having
completed assigned readings and homework;
6. full engagement within the classroom, including meaningful focus during lectures,
appropriate and relevant questions, and class participation (for instance, engagement in
conversation or phone-calls not related to the lecture topic at hand should be avoided);
7. students to act with integrity and honesty.

Why Study This

Course and How?

10

Why Study This Course?

Give students a global picture of
a). technology, society and engineering practice
b). what it means to be
an engineer, and of
the skills and knowledge they need to
develop to become
one.

11

Studying the engineering practice to identify the skills, knowledge, values, epistemologies, and ways of thinking of effective
engineers:
will lead to and retain a broader and more diverse
engineering workforce.

Course Objective
Overview of engineering, majors, career paths, and
resources.
Introduction to engineering, its disciplines, and its
interaction with society.

12

How to Study This Course?

13

How to Study This Course?

Learn work experiences and views of the profession
firsthand from practicing engineers.
Learn from other speakers about current issues
facing engineers, career decision-making strategies,
and options such as internships and study abroad.
Explore the field and your interests through field
trips or team projects.

Course Objective (cont.)

14

ENGG2600: Lecture 1

What is Engineering?
(Some materials were downloaded from the
website for teaching purpose only.)

15

Engineering Misconception*

*: Reference 1

16

17

18

Lecture 3: Introduction to Engineering

as a Profession
19

Engineering: Definition
ABETs Definition of Engineering

ABET (The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology )

Recognized in the United States as the sole agency responsible for

accreditation of educational programs leading to degrees in
engineering

Engineering is the profession in which a knowledge of the

mathematical and natural sciences, gained by study,
experience, and practice, is applied with judgment to develop
ways to utilize, economically, the materials and forces of
nature for the benefit of [hu]mankind.
20

According to definition:
Profession

Math and natural sciences

Knowledge acquired by study, experience, and professional
practice
Knowledge applied with judgment
Attention must be paid to constraints (economic, materials,
forces of nature)
Benefit of mankind

Not based solely on trial, error, intuition

Engineering is a profession like medicine, law, etc.

that aspires to high standards of conduct and
recognizes its responsibility to the general public.

Engineering uses scientific, technological, and

mathematical knowledge to solve practical problems.

22

Engineering v.s. Science

Science:
Investigation, understanding, and discovery of nature, its
composition, and its behavior (i.e., laws of nature)
Why
Build (experiments, tools, devices, etc.) to learn
Engineering:
Manipulating the forces of nature to advance humanity
How
Learn to build (products and services useful for humans)

23

Scientists

Understand why our world behaves the way it does (laws of nature)
Study the world as it is
Thinkers

Engineers

Apply established scientific theories and principles to develop costeffective solutions to practical problems
Cost effective

Consideration of design trade-offs (esp. resource usage)

Minimize negative impacts (e.g. environmental and social cost)

Practical problems: Problems that matter to people

Change the world
Doers

24

In brief,
The scientist seeks to understand what is. The Engineer
seeks to CREATE what never was.
---

Theodore von Karman

25

What is Engineering?

What is Science?

+ Technology + Mathematics

26

Scientists

Technologists

Investigate our
natural world

Apply science and

math to designs
Working together
to solve problems
based on societal
needs and wants

Mathematicians
Use numbers and symbols
to solve problems

Engineers
Create our
designed world

27

How are They All Needed to

Create a Product?
Example

Science

Pencil

Discovery of
graphite and
the fact that
rubber
(eraser) will
remove
graphite

Technology Engineering
Creating a
writing
device that
doesnt use
ink

Designing a
device with
graphite
insert,
exterior
holder, and
attached
eraser

Math
What is the
optimal
length,
diameter, or
shape for the
device?

28

What Do Engineers
Do?

29

Like this?

30

Engineers Can Do Anything

Invent Develop a new product, system, or process that

has never existed before
Innovate Improve an existing technological product,
system, or method
Development
Analysis

Invention
Design

Management

Manufacturing

Improvement
31

The focus of an engineers work typically falls into one or

more of the following areas:

Research : Advanced field

- explore, discover and apply new principles

Development : Lab to market

- transform ideas or concepts into production processes

e.g., develop and implement ways to extract, process and use raw
materials such as petroleum and natural gas.

32

Design : Develop specs for manufacturing, construction, etc.

- link the generation of ideas and the production
- Successful engineering design improves quality of life
while working within technical, economic, business,
societal, and ethical constraints.

33

Example: Design under Constraint

1)
2)
3)
4)

Design products.
Design machinery to build and test these products.
Design the systems that ensure the quality and efficiency of the manufacturing process.
Design, plan and supervise the construction of buildings, highways, transit systems.

Production and testing : Verify integrity, reliability,

quality

- manufacture and assemble components or products

Analysis: Use math models to aid in R&D

Operations - maintain equipment and facilities

Construction : Build

- prior to construction organizes bids, during

construction supervises certain components of process

35

Management - optimize the use of resources (equipment,

labor, finances)
Education - teach engineering principles in university and
industrial settings

Consulting - provide specialized engineering services the

clients. May work alone or in partnership other engineers.

36

Whether the end result is a product, a process or

service, engineers need to consider safety, reliability,
and cost-effectiveness.

Engineering is a career based on

logical, systematic problem solving,

generally in high-tech, industrial, or scientific fields.

37

Engineers Work to Solve Many

Kinds of Problems

An electrical engineer may design a GPS for your vehicle.

A pharmaceutical/chemical engineer may find a cure for
disease.
A computer engineer may build a computer the size of your
watch.
A mechanical engineer may create a robot to discover water
on a planet.
An agricultural engineer may evaluate the effects of global
warming on food production.
38

So why not make it a major part of your life's

plans?

Today, men and women are successfully practicing

engineering in a variety of companies around the world.
Others are preparing themselves for careers in
engineering.

39

Discussion Questions

What product or system would make your

life better?

Is this an invention or an innovation?

What type(s) of engineer(s) might work on

this project?

40

References
1.

http://www.mos.org/eie/pdf/research/Pipeline_EiE_evalu
ation_0405_final.pdf

41