FRS 002 — Sec. 009 — (2 unit) — CRN 73053 — W 3:10-5:00pm — 3102B EU III
Great Engineering and Engineers

Instructor: Jay Lund, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering

Description: This is a “great books” approach to engineering, particularly civil engineering. The objective is for students to develop a better philosophical sense of the engineering profession, the origins of major practical successes, and important elements of great engineering work. The subject would be pursued through a series of case studies of great engineering projects and the history of great engineers.

Format: Class will meet once/week for 2 hours, mostly to discuss readings with a few lectures (theories of design, writing, visualization, presentation). The student project would be a term paper with intermediate deadlines. Other assignments would be reading, discussion, and a presentation at the end of the quarter. Some readings would be common for the entire class, with others chosen from a menu. Some example paper topics: The career of a particular great engineer, life-cycle of a particular great engineering project, or evolution of the design of a particular engineered product. Grading: Students will be required to prepare a paper on a topic to be chosen in consultation with the instructor. The course grade will be based on the quality of their written (1/3) and oral (1/3) presentations and on the frequency and quality of their participation in class discussion (1/3).

About the Instructor: Professor Lund is a Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering. His research interests include the design, planning, and management of long-lived infrastructure for a changing society. Current projects include economic-engineering optimization modeling of California’s water supply system, flood control studies, and various applications of systems analysis to environmental and water problems. He teaches courses on computer modeling, water management, and engineering economics.