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4 Recommendations Based on the results of their research, the NAE's consultants formulated a set of draft recommendations, which they first reviewed with a small advisory group drawn from organizations with members on the CPAE. Based on this feedback, a revised set of recommendations was drafted for the CPAE to consider at its meet- ing in Washington, D.C., on April 16, 2002. The CPAE heard NAE Executive Officer Lance Davis outline the genesis of the Public Awareness of Engineering project. The consultants presented their survey findings and described selected current outreach activities by the engi- neering community. Dr. Davis then presented the draft recommendations. CPAE Chairman Steve Bechtel led the Committee's discussion of the recommendations and next steps. The preliminary report was finalized and sent back to CPAE members for approval. The recommendations and next steps, as approved by the CPAE on June 24, 2002, are as follows: SETTING THE STAGE Public awareness is a driving force, not a guarantee of desired outcomes. Awareness is a necessary milestone towards desired outcomes. The inventory demonstrates that the engineering community is engaged in trying to improve public awareness. The engineering community recognizes that awareness cur- rently is marginal and coordinated efforts would significantly improve effective- ness. It appears timely to capitalize on the collective desire to improve awareness. 47
48 RAISING PUBLIC AWARENESS OF ENGINEERING GOAL: IMPROVED PUBLIC AWARENESS OF ENGINEERING Improving public awareness of engineering will have the following outputs: more technical literacy among decision makers; more technical literacy in the general public; and more and better prepared students in engineering. Improving awareness will lead to the following long-term outcomes: increased global competitiveness; improved public policy; increased national security; a public more intelligently engaged in technology issues that affect their lives; and an improved standard of living. Achieving the Goal There are two equally important methods to achieve the goal: In the short term, focus on public relations/public affairs. In the long term, focus on education. Public Relations/Public Affairs Objectives: · Increase the understanding among target audiences of what engineers do and the role they play in our society. Target audiences include students, parents, teachers, guidance counselors, the media, policy makers, and the informed public. Increase the number of people who can "play back" a positive message about engineers when asked. Increase the use of engineers as information resources by journalists (who influence public opinion). Increase the use of engineers among decision makers and the informed public as resources on technology issues. · Increase engineers' involvement in public policy decision making. . Recommendations: Public Relations/Public Affairs · Current activities: Maintain the current interest level and participation in local grassroots efforts by the engineering community. · Current Outreach Programs: Share with the engineering community. · Consistent Messages: Determine effective messages (through testing) and encourage the engineering community to use them. Provide guidance nationally on effective use of messages. · Develop nationally-coordinated grassroots efforts to reach new/larger audiences. · Measure effectiveness of efforts: Encourage the engineering community to measure effectiveness of its initiatives targeting key audiences.
RECOMMENDATIONS 49 Initiatives for Consideration: (Not prioritized and all should include developing measures of effectiveness J . . luternet Information Create a web-based "clearinghouse" for information about engineering outreach accessible not just to the engineering community, but to teachers, parents, students, media, etc. Media Education Programs These would include interaction with reporters at high-level fore, one-on- one meetings with influential media, and small group presentations for regional newspapers. · Movie and TV Show Development These should be geared toward children. · Advertising and Public Service Announcements A targeted ad campaign could be developed, but needs to be cost effective and should be unified through consistent messages, taglines, and logos. The campaign should generate awareness through focus on basic social issues: standard of living, global competitiveness, economic growth, and national security. _ d 5 · Public Lecture Series and Exhibits . Encourage lecture series and exhibits on engineering topics (perhaps in conjunction with engineering schools) on topics ranging from "hot" practice areas to new engineering developments to large projects in local areas, directed to a generally educated audience who are not engineers, and using engaging speakers. Grassroots Outreach Harness and build on the interest and enthusiasm of current outreach activities across the engineering community. Support these efforts by developing common messages, sharing experiences through a web-based clearinghouse, and providing guidance on objectives, execution, and mea- surement of effectiveness. Unify the efforts through consistent messages and increase efforts to bring activities to more schools and communities on a continuous basis throughout the year. · Competitions Appeal to the competitive spirit of young people to generate interest in . . engineering.
B 50 Objective: RAISING PUBLIC AWARENESS OF ENGINEERING Use existing local, regional and national competitions to generate more visibility and create more opportunities for greater interaction between students and engineers. Work to expand participation within the engi- neering community including industry, societies, national labs, and academia. Education Intervention Strengthen the U.S. K-12 education system to include greater emphasis on engineering and technology, as well as math and science: An education solu- tion. Specific Objectives: Increase the numbers of high school seniors applying to engineering col- leges. Increase the quality of applicants to engineering colleges. Increase the quality of math instruction at the K-12 level. Increase the quality of math comprehension at the K-12 level. · Increase the awareness of engineering as a career option among elemen- tary and middle school students. · Increase the numbers of states that set standards of learning for engineer- ing along with math and science. if Recommendations: Education Intervention . Share information on existing local programs with the engineering com- munity. · Convene a summit of deans of engineering schools, education schools, and teacher groups to share experiences and brainstorm solutions on train- ing the next generation of teachers. · Commission a study to determine the dynamics of how children learn technical concepts and the gaps in the research addressing this area. · Provide guidance on developing new K-12 curricula in engineering/tech- nology/math/science. · Develop a public policy program to influence decision makers on all levelsnational, state, and local to address education issues.
RECOMMENDATIONS . . 51 NEXT STEPS: Next Steps: Public Relations/Public Affairs The entire engineering community, to include professional societies, industry, academia, government, and national laboratories, should come together to establish specific programs and mechanisms that will achieve the recommendations and objectives set forth above. NAE should convene an initial symposium with working groups to begin this process. Next Steps: Education Intervention · The engineering community should bring together a blue-ribbon council or conference of engineering, education, and public policy communities to develop a specific action plan and intervention strategies for changing the K-12 education system. · NAE should begin this process by convening this blue-ribbon council.
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