Socially oriented engineering education

The increasing emphasis on the application of engineering principles to a wide range of social problems results from a number of social forces. To meet the challenge, "engineering" must be redefined broadly. This article discusses a set of possible goals and specific strategies for educating a new breed of socio-technological systems engineers and to facilitate the permeation of social orientation in engineering education. One of the most signigicant trends in the engineering profession today is the increasing emphasis on the application of engineering principles to help solve a wide range of important social problems in education, health, communications, transportation, public safety, environment, urban development, etc. The purpose of this article is to discuss the implications of this trend and a possible strategy for the corresponding reorientation in engineering education.