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Undergraduate curricula in a changing world Engineering and the Liberal Arts and the pursuit of a sustainable future Jeffrey D. Corbin (Union College) Christopher H. Conley (USMA) Increasing carbon dioxide in atmosphere... ...loss of biodiversity... ...and dwindling water supplies an oft-quoted and paraphrased definition of sustainable development: “Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” from: Our Common Future, a report of the World Commission on Environment and Development, Oxford University Press, 1987 (available on Amazon) from www.nasa.gov, assessed 06 May 2008 William McDonough framed it a bit differently: “Our goal is a delightfully diverse, safe, healthy and just world, with clean air, water, soil and power – economically, equitably, ecologically and elegantly enjoyed.” from www.ted.com, accessed 06 May 08 Sustainability in higher education • A major theme on college and university campuses - Over 500 signatories to CUPCCC Sustainability in higher education • A major theme on college and university campuses - Over 500 signatories to CUPCCC • Most colleges are advertising their green initiatives Sustainability in higher education • A major theme on college and university campuses - Over 500 signatories to CUPCCC • Most colleges are advertising their green initiatives • But GREATEST contribution will be training the generation that will design the responses and solutions “the generation that will design…” The developing sustainable world will need: Natural & Engineering Physical Sciences SUSTAINABILITY Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences The developing sustainable world will need: Sociologists Engineers Scientists Economists Lawyers Political Scientists… all working on the problem… creating collaborative solutions. as importantly, it will need a populace who understands the issues and who can form educated opinions about potential solutions. The developing sustainable world will need: Sociologists Engineers Scientists Economists Lawyers Political Scientists… “Techno-liberalist” “Planetologists” the American Society of Civil Engineers has a version too: “Sustainable Development is the challenge of meeting human needs for natural resources, industrial products, energy, food, transportation, shelter, and effective waste management while conserving and protecting environmental quality and the natural resource base essential for future development.” This definition, and its inclusion in the ASCE Code of Ethics date from 1996. from www.asce.org, accessed 06 May 2008 Building a sustainable world: • Modeling sustainable development oncampus • Curriculum that prepares our graduates – the sustainable generation – to deal with the problem that previous generations has created What is that curriculum? Building a sustainable world: • Modeling sustainable HOLISTIC development on-campus • Curriculum that prepares our graduates – the sustainable HOLISTIC generation – to deal with the problems that previous generations have created What is that curriculum?