|
 |
Teaching Entrepreneurship to Engineering Students
January 12-16, 2003 - Monterey, Ca, USA
| Editors: |
Eleanor Baum, Cooper Union, USA
Carl McHargue, University of Tennessee, USA |
The articles for these proceedings are not peer-reviewed.
|
<Previous article
|
Next article>
|
Entrepreneurship and Engineering Education: The Multidimensional Approaches of Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Thomas W. Mason, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Arthur Western, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
ABSTRACT:
Characteristics of successful entrepreneurs are not so different from those of
successful engineers. Intelligence, creativity, risk management, tolerance of
uncertainty and persistence in achieving an inner directed goal are associated with
entrepreneurship, but they are characteristics of anyone, like engineers, who bring
about innovation. Educating young people to embrace entrepreneurial traits and
behaviors will also help to prepare them for productive careers as leaders in the
engineering profession. Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology
(ABET) requirements have recognized that the 21st Century engineer needs both
breadth and depth to be prepared for the complexities of the modern technological
workplace and the world it serves. At Rose-Hulman, efforts are being made to
integrate entrepreneurship into the students’ educational experiences to prepare
them for this future.
Rose-Hulman has recognized that goals of business and entrepreneurship are
different from those of higher education. For example, business encourages secrecy
and other protection of new knowledge, while universities have historically favored
dissemination. Moreover, education encourages students to make ambitious efforts
and learn from failures, while entrepreneurs must be cautious to match their efforts
to what markets are ready to accept. Rose-Hulman’s response has been to provide a
range of activities with primarily educational focus from entrepreneurship courses
and in-class projects aimed at forming e-teams to Engenius Solutions, a unique
student-managed organization to promote the commercialization of studentdeveloped
ideas. At the other end of the education and business spectrum is Rose-
Hulman Ventures where students and faculty work for about two dozen clients who
are attempting to launch technology-based businesses. This incubator /new-product
development cent!
er provides first-hand experience in both technology and entrepreneurship.
This paper will describe the objectives and results of Rose-Hulman’s various efforts
at technical entrepreneurship and show how together they provide both solid
preparation for engineers and the background to launch independent
entrepreneurial endeavors.
Thomas W. Mason and Arthur Western, "Entrepreneurship and Engineering Education: The Multidimensional Approaches of Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology" in "Teaching Entrepreneurship to Engineering Students", Eleanor Baum and Carl McHargue
Eds, ECI
Symposium Series, Volume P2 (2003). http://services.bepress.com/eci/teaching/21
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
