Transdisciplinary green engineering education at San José State University

Abstract

Climate change is a pressing issue for the world today. There are an increasing number of technological by-products posing a threat to the stability and quality of the world environment. According to the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), global warming appears to be accelerating, resulting in higher increases in global temperature and higher rises in the sea level. To effectively address this problem, there is a need for transdisciplinary, transnational approaches, reflecting the complexity of the problem and the interdependence of people's lives around the world. Consequently, the Davidson College of Engineering at San José State University (SJSU) has programmatically encouraged and supported the development of new green engineering curriculum and research, collaborating with Silicon Valley companies, many of which are at the forefront of green technologies. At the university level, the college has spearheaded a university-wide curriculum that brings together students from all seven colleges of the university to develop a deep understanding of the different aspects of climate change solutions: economic, political, moral, aesthetic, and technological. Furthermore, to augment student learning with a global perspective, the college sponsored the production of a "global green" documentary that showcases the collaborative efforts of people in both the U.S. and China. These efforts, among other initiatives, highlight a systematic theme of sustainable and green engineering at SJSU. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2009.