Researchers in the College of Engineering at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State have been awarded a $350,000 grant from the National Science Foundation and The Lemel Foundation to integrate environmental and social sustainability into the engineering curriculum.
As a land-grant institution, NC A&T is committed to improving the human condition through innovative education and research. Dr. Steven Jiang is a Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering professor and the grant’s principal investigator. He emphasized the importance of incorporating sustainability principles from the beginning of engineering education.
“So often we see sustainability taught as an afterthought,” said Jiang. “With this grant, we want to continue to integrate environmental and social sustainability into our curriculum, so our students are always thinking about how their systems and designs will impact the community.”
Guiding the Next Generation of Engineers
Guided by Lemelson’s “Engineering for One Planet” framework, Jiang and other faculty members will align the ISE curriculum with competencies mandated by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. This ensures that graduates are equipped to design socially and environmentally responsible solutions, promoting a new generation of engineers who are “Leaders, Integrators, and Transformers.”
The grant also establishes an advisory board to guide this curriculum integration. It will be comprised of experts in sustainability curriculum design, an industry practitioner, and a representative from a human life and environmental health nonprofit organization. This collaborative approach ensures that students emerge as innovative engineers committed to fostering a sustainable future.
The grant’s co-principal investigators include ISE faculty members Paul Stanfield, Lauren Davis, Muyue Han, and Vernal Alford. Jiang noted, “The core of ISE is systems thinking. “We, by nature, are multidisciplinary, so we are a great starting point to integrate our curriculum with sustainable practices.” This initiative promises to equip students with the skills to make a meaningful difference in their communities.
