The Science of Sustainability

As the reality of growing threats to our environment becomes apparent to the American public, a few exceptional institutions are responding with forward-looking programs that hold much promise. Two of us "GreenWorkers" recently attended a presentation by the School of Engineering at Southern Methodist University offered at the offices of the Beck Group in downtown Dallas.

 

The department, which offers degrees and performs research in civil and environmental engineering, has recently announced a new one-year certificate program in sustainable engineering beginning in the fall of 2008. Far more than an executive vanity course, the yearlong graduate-level program will feature top professors and teaching professionals, and a rigorous curriculum demanding both individual and team-based performance. The program will survey the current state of "green" engineering, LEED and other certifications, green building methodologies and real-world projects. Should demand for the program prove sufficient, it can quickly be upgraded to a full master's degree program with broadened certifications.

 

For Tony Tomlinson, an SMU Business School graduate with a degree in finance, the program offers a focus for his varied interests. "Sustainable engineering is where everything I've learned can come together-finance, sales, protecting the environment, innovating solutions. Here's a school willing to try a new program, betting that we can engineer a more sustainable future. That's why I'm here," said Tomlinson.

 

The goal for students, apart from certification, is to develop a true sustainable mind-set and skill set, so as to empower green thinking and even green innovation. Someone, after all, must lead the sustainability revolution, and SMU's School of Engineering has taken up the challenge of preparing those leaders.

 

Attracting an interesting mix of students was no accident. The SMU School of Engineering's mission statement is to "Educate engineers and engineering leaders who can compete in new and emerging technologies and markets by teaching them to think critically, plan strategically, communicate effectively, and to be adaptable to social changes."

 

And as Bob Saint John, Marketing Director for a Dallas MEP engineering firm, pointed out, "Since high energy costs have brought the need for sustainability into such sharp focus, it has become evident to every branch of engineering and business that big innovations need to happen."

 

All of this is very encouraging news. Thus far, the "green revolution" has been more of an evolution as miscellaneous players have contributed sporadically to the development of new technologies and design standards to advance sustainable practices. Now, with leading universities such as Southern Methodist contributing well-grounded (pun intended) leaders to the process, we can look forward to more intentional sustainable development across all relevant disciplines, which is precisely what we need about now.

 

GreenWorks salutes the sustainable thinking of Southern Methodist University's School of Engineering. For more information about its Certificate Studies in sustainable Engineering, please contact Rie Watts, Director of Program Research and Innovation at SMU, at rwatts@engr.smu.edu, or call 214-768-1488 or visit SMU Engineering's website at http://engr.smu.edu/index.html.