KEENzine2

Engineering Unleashed L et’s start with a truism. The key to instilling an entrepreneurial mindset in engineering students is for professors to teach it. But it’s not always that simple. Professors may not immediately recognize the need for or value in such an approach. Even if they do, it’s not always clear how entrepreneurial learning can be melded into an existing pedagogy or curriculum. Fortunately, the concept of entrepreneurial engineering is spreading – and being adopted in classrooms and labs around the country. Turn the pages in this issue to see stories of how professors evolved from skeptics to champions, inspired students in unforeseen ways, blended entrepreneurial learning with technical acumen and academic rigor, and transformed entire departments. There are also stories of how these principles prepare students for the workplace and promote creativity that generates economic growth. The need to instill an entrepreneurial mindset in our nation’s undergraduate engineering students is urgent and clear. In a complex, global environment, engineers need to be curious and persistent, to habitually think about how people, processes, and systems are connected, and to find unexpected opportunities to create value. An entrepreneurial mindset is increasingly essential to a fulfilling life for our young people, especially for engineering students who will lead tomorrow’s job creation and economic growth. This is what we mean by “engineering unleashed.” Students, engineering faculty, and business leaders alike are unleashed when their passions and training are directed at a problem or need, and the result is surprising and positive. We are inspired by the examples of this that we see every day. Our hope is that the stories in this issue excite and motivate you in the same way. The KEEN program team Doug Melton, Steve Hasbrook, Karen Wilken WELCOME