“Are we preparing them well for their profession future?” is the question you raise in the title of your plenary lecture. Were you prepared (well) for today and what are the lessons learned?
"A (bio)chemical engineer never stops learning, so after graduation I learnt a lot more, but the fundamentals and the inquisitive, problem-solving approach I learnt during my studies set me on the right path."
New breakthroughs in artificial intelligence are moving the boundaries of almost everything. How can we prepare anyone for the future?
"This is certainly a challenge as the rate of progress is increasing much faster than the education systems can respond. But making sure graduates understand the basic characteristics of the evolving tools and their limitations and that they check the sensibility of their outputs is essential."
Men still make up the majority in engineering professions. What do you think is necessary to ignite a passion for engineering in women?
"I’m not convinced the problem is a lack of passion although exciting engineering examples and positive role models always help. We must make sure that societal perceptions and work conditions promote inclusivity. Examples of other cultures show much greater female representation in engineering graduates and the achievements of girls in numerate sciences in early schooling in most nations at least equal, if not outperform those of boys."
DECHEMA e.V.
Theodor-Heuss-Allee 25
60486 Frankfurt am Main
Germany
