David E. Goldberg, a UI professor of engineering, has written a new textbook that aims to create a new breed of engineers through focus on personal, interpersonal and organizational skills.
“The Entrepreneurial Engineer” (Wiley, 2006) challenges universities to stop turning out Dilbert-like technocrats and start turning out engineers with the combination of technical, business and people skills necessary in an age of opportunity.
“During the Cold War, engineers worked for one large organization for most of their careers, and they worked in a narrow technical specialty largely on their own or in a homogeneous group of like-minded specialists,” Goldberg said. As a leader in the field of genetic algorithms and as a co-founder of Web startup Nextumi Inc., Goldberg understands that engineers today must combine passion, communication and innovation to survive and thrive.
“Today’s engineer is on another planet,” he said. “Careers are fast-paced. Companies seek results from a smaller core of team members, and engineers have to broaden their skill set beyond those taught in engineering school to be successful in today’s environment.”
Others see the book as an important contribution.
Electronic Design Online says: “Goldberg’s writing style is conversational and highly readable; the book carries enough illustrative material to amplify its points. All told, it’s a worthy read for anyone thinking of striking out on their own as an entrepreneurial engineer.”
Tim Schigel, director of Blue Chip Venture Co., highlights the book’s understanding of passion in the creation of technology. “The main message of this book – and the secret that Dr. Goldberg is conveying – is that the passion for the idea, doing what you love, and having the persistence required to bring ideas to reality are the fuel of innovation. Without them, the world will not change, and the idea will stay in the notebook.”
Integrating non-technical material into the engineering curriculum remains controversial as engineering degree programs are filled to the brim with technical subjects. Nonetheless, Goldberg believes that engineering schools need to change or they risk becoming increasingly irrelevant.
“Engineering colleges have not kept up with the pace of innovation,” he said. “Their curricula and research programs are in many ways legacies of the Cold War. Other nimbler curricula or programs will evolve unless colleges of engineering can better embrace pervasive change and opportunity.”