Stanford seeks to create new breed of engineer

San Francisco Chronicle (Wildermuth) - Stanford is training a new type of engineer for a fast-changing world and James Plummer wants to get the word out that students needn't be a total techie to apply. "We're looking for kids who think of the world in terms of finding solutions to big problems, like global warming, international development, the environment," Plummer, dean of the School of Engineering, said in an interview. "We want to attract students ... who might have a wider world view" than those in the traditional math- and science-laden programs featured at the nation's top technical schools.

"We are not - and should not be - a technical institute," Plummer told the university's Faculty Senate last month. "If (students) come here, they can take advantage of all the other pieces of this campus, which are equally as good as the School of Engineering."

Still, Stanford's push to broaden the student experience has had consequences, Plummer said. "We end up on the edge of an accreditation," he said...The concerns of potential employers are also a concern..."Some employers believe every engineering graduate should be technically competent on his first day," Plummer said. "They want students stuffed with as many tech classes as possible." Others are more interested in how these new graduates will perform over time. This approach is a focus of Stanford's program, Plummer said. Hat tip: Innovation Daily