Changing missions [engineering education programmes]

Summary form only given. Today, the United States faces unprecedented environmental and technological challenges. New and significant advances will require universities to produce first rate scientists and engineers for universities, industry, research laboratories, consulting firms and government. The contemporary scientist/engineer must not only be well-versed in their own discipline but also be able to work comfortably at the interfaces. Moreover, the demographics of California and the US nation clearly show that in order to meet these challenges, we must include and advance greater numbers of underrepresented minorities and women to positions of leadership in science and engineering. The University of California, Davis, College of Engineering and College of letters and Science, Division of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, recently proposed to the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation that a new coordinated model program be developed to facilitate and motivate access to the faculty, students, facilities and experiences that provide the framework for a science or engineering career. The purpose of this talk is to present the model proposed to Sloan and to discuss the expected development of the model program components over the next three years. In addition, the talk discusses issues associated with the changing academic and political climate in California and the process used to develop the model program