Core of Engineering Discourse: Materials Education in Professional Engineering Curriculum

In identifying problems associated with engineering education it has been observed that the product of engineering education does not have an identifiable entity. Unlike other professions such as medicine, law or accountancy it is difficult to associate the work of professional engineers with a defined discourse. However the perceptions of professional engineers as occupations that concern themselves with productive processes and wealth creations are increasingly augmented by views of engineering profession as one that is also concerned with environmental issues. This paper takes the view that commitment to sustainability of the end process of engineering work must serve as the ideological core of the engineering profession and therefore issues of sustainability provide the framework for engineering education. One way of enhancing the education of sustainability in engineering curricula is to raise sustainability issues in areas of engineering science. Another way is to integrate engineering subjects through service subject and weave sustainability issues as an aspect of engineering life. This paper takes the view that students' sustainability consciousness can be raised through service subject such as materials.