Using Systems Thinking to Examine Social and Environmental Impacts in an Integrated Solid and Fluid Mechanics Course

The future engineering workforce demands professionals who, in addition to their technical skills, are equipped to evaluate and address the environmental, social, and ethical factors impacting their engineering decisions. As one approach toward this need, training in systems thinking can support students in examining how their technical work is one part of an interconnected environmental and societal system. This talk will focus on the development of a Systems Thinking Framework for undergraduate engineers. This Framework is a collection of skills, learning outcomes, and questions designed to support systems thinking instruction across engineering disciplines. We will showcase the integration of Systems Thinking Framework modules into an integrated introductory solid and fluid mechanics course, as well as preliminary assessment of Systems Thinking Framework activities in an introductory thermodynamics and chemical processes course. We will also highlight opportunities for faculty and future faculty development in systems thinking instruction.