ASEE in the Media

Media inquiries: Bob Black, Deputy Executive Director, (202) 331-3532 or b.black@asee.org.

The Miami Herald

"U.S. Needs More Engineering Students"

ASEE President Ron Barr’s editorial making the case for more engineering students was published in the Miami Herald on Aug. 11, 2005: “This fall, more than 2.5 million young Americans are entering college for the first time. These freshmen will find themselves confronted with an array of new choices. But their most important decision will be what to study. If past years are any indication, the majority will flock to majors like business, psychology and liberal arts. I am here to argue for engineering.”

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This Editorial originally appeared in the Miami Herald on August 11, 2005. You may view the original article at the following address:
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/opinion/12354523.htm
(You must register to view the article. Registration is Free.)

The Austin-American Statesman

"Engineering America’s Future"

Ron Barr speaks out again on the importance of engineering education in an Aug. 21, 2006 commentary published in the Austin-American Statesman: “We must start with K-12, and convince our youth that the key to ‘engineering America's future’ is through broad-scale science and engineering education. The century ahead belongs to nations that harness the world's technological leadership and scientific superiority. Let's hope America remains one of those nations.”

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The Christian Science Monitor

"Does the U.S. Face an Engineering Gap?"

ASEE Executive Director Frank Huband was quoted in a Dec. 20, 2005 Christian Science Monitor story about the ramifications of an October 2005 National Academies report: "During the 'missile gap' and post-missile gap until the fall of the Berlin Wall the same sorts of issues were being raised about Russia as are being raised now about China and India," says Frank Huband, of the American Society for Engineering Education in Washington.

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Design News

"America's High-Tech Quandary"

In a Design News cover story, “America’s High-Tech Quandary,” Frank Huband discussed America’s need to figure out how to stay competitive with China, India, and other Asian countries determined to become the next engineering superpowers: "I had students from India Institute of Technology when I was teaching at Rice University," notes Frank Huband, executive director of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE). “They were some of the best students I ever taught."

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The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

“Is America Falling Behind?”

Deputy Executive Director Bob Black participated in a panel discussion-- “Is America Falling Behind?”-- at Carnegie Mellon University on Dec. 2, 2005. The event was covered by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

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Bloomberg Radio

“Engineering Education in the U.S.”

Bob Black was interviewed on WBBR Radio (Bloomberg) in New York about the status of engineering education in the United States in comparison to that of world technology players China and India. The interview aired Sept. 20, 2005.

The Indianapolis Star

“Engineering a Future”

Bob Black was quoted, and ASEE data referenced, in a Feb. 19, 2006 Indianapolis Star article on women making inroads in engineering, but remaining a significant minority facing a big pay gap: "There is a sort of discrimination for women engineers, meaning I think it's hard being the only woman (in an office) throughout your whole career," he said. "People need support and to be nurtured in their careers and when they are in the minority, sometimes that doesn't happen."

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Civil Engineering

“Vaporizing the Gathering Storm”

Bob Black was quoted in a March 2006 American Society of Civil Engineers story about the National Academies report warning of the erosion of U.S. leadership in science and technology. Addressing the study’s proposed remedies, Black says “The timing seems to be good on this for lots of reasons.” He points to various reports about competition from China and India that have been covered by the media over the past year, as well as the apparent bipartisan consensus in Congress to move forward on this issue. “Something is going to pass,” Black says of the bills now before Congress. “The question is the magnitude of the funding.”

St. Paul Pioneer Press

“Energizing Engineers”

Bob Black was quoted in a May 16, 2006 St. Paul Pioneer Press story about high schools trying to interest more students in engineering: The nation is producing 5 percent fewer engineers per capita than it did 20 years ago, said Bob Black, deputy executive director of the American Society of Engineering Education . Several factors contribute to the drop, but the most dramatic is the dropout rate among students who enter college majoring in engineering. About half change majors, many because they find the academic work too rigorous, Black said. "We're getting to be much more of a technologically advanced society, but we're producing fewer engineers per capita," he said.

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Pacifica Radio WPFW-FM

“Number of Women and Minorities Pursuing Engineers Continues to Be Small, According to New Report”

Bob Black was interviewed July 6, 2006 on WPFW-FM radio in Washington about ASEE Profiles of Engineering and Engineering Technology Colleges findings: “When you look at the big picture, it’s not totally dismal, but it’s very disappointing especially in terms of women.”

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The Wall Street Journal

“Unemployed Engineers Question Shortage”
“Outsourcing Fears Help Inflate Some Numbers”

ASEE data representing bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral engineering degrees awarded in the U. S. from 1999 to 2004 has been cited in two recent Wall Street Journal articles: “Unemployed Engineers Question Shortage,” page 1, Nov. 18, 2005; and “Outsourcing Fears Help Inflate Some Numbers,” Aug. 26, 2005.

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BusinessWeek

“Engineering Gap: Fact and Fiction”

ASEE data was referenced in a July 11, 2006 BusinessWeek piece about the numbers of engineers China and India are graduating compared with the United States.

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The Boston Globe

"Engineering Gains a Younger Following"

Manager for Outreach Eric Iversen was quoted in an Oct. 15, 2005 Boston Globe article on high schools offering engineering classes. ''It's fine to give people exposure to circuitry and design, but if you don't have the rigorous math around it, it doesn't prepare students to go in and succeed as engineering majors" in college, said Eric Iversen of the American Society for Engineering Education.

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Inside Higher Ed

"The Disappearing Chinese Engineers"

Eric Iversen was quoted in a June 13 Inside Higher Ed piece on the National Academies’ revised report on the numbers of engineers produced by foreign countries: The new numbers don’t seem to have gained quite as much traction. That’s perhaps because “there’s political utility in (the original) numbers, “according to Eric Iversen, manager of outreach for the American Society for Engineering Education.” “The Bush administration has signed onto the American Competitiveness Initiative,” he said, referring to the plan announced in the State of the Union.

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Reader’s Digest

“America’s Brain Drain Crisis”

Director of Data Research Mike Gibbons was quoted in a December 2005 Reader’s Digest piece on why America’s best scientists are disappearing, and what’s at stake.

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Portland Press Herald

“The New Gender Gap”

ASEE data was referenced in a March 27, 2006 Portland Press Herald piece about the gender gap in math and science education: Nationally, 57 percent of undergraduate and graduate students are female, according to the national Center for Education Statistics. But according to the American Society for Engineering Education, only 20 percent of bachelor’s degrees in engineering go to women.

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