ASM-TMS Distinguished Lectureship in Materials and Society: Dr. Viola Acoff, Dean of the School of Engineering, Professor of Mechanical Engineering, University of Mississippi
Reimagining the Development of a 21st Century Workforce to Address Society’s Need for Materials Engineering and Technology
It is well known in the field of materials science and engineering that materials have been vital to the development of civilization and technological advances. For example, the major periods of the prehistoric era are named after the materials that were used to advance and improve the lives of humans: the Stone Age, the Bronze Age, the Iron Age. The field of materials engineering continues to have a fundamental role in technological advances in the 21st century. Yet, the general public oftentimes attribute the technological contributions to society that are made by our profession to other disciplines. The American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Profiles of Engineering and Engineering Technology reports that the number of metallurgical/materials degrees awarded in 2021 are less than those awarded in 2019, with the largest decreases occurring in the number of bachelor’s degrees (decreased by over 250) and doctoral degrees (decreased by nearly 200) awarded. In 2022, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that women made up 50.5% of the U.S. population. The U.S. Census Bureau also projects that over the next 40 years, the United
States will continue the trend of becoming a more racially and ethnically diverse society. However, these demographics are underrepresented in materials engineering like most engineering disciplines. To develop the workforce needed to effectively address society’s need for technological advances for the 21st century and beyond, it is necessary that we reimagine how we build and maintain the pipeline for materials scientists and engineers to be more in line with the demographics of our society.