Creative Design in UCD Engineering

On November 16^th, I was invited by Dr Amanda Gibney of UCD Engineering to view exhibits in Creative Design by First Years in Engineering. I was also invited as President of Engineers Ireland to present the awards to the winning First Years students. These awards were sponsored by three firms - Arup, Deloitte and Innovation Delivery.

Left to Right: Conan Sherlock, Lisa Sherin, Sean Sheridan, Daragh Shirazi, PJ Rudden and Amanda Gibney

The assignments involved some 20 teams of 5 First Year members each looking at how information technology (IT) could help people in and around the city of Dublin to access information and services.

Each team performed research and field investigation to identify the parameters of different areas of study eg Eating Out in Dublin, Recycling Points in Dublin or Bus Shelter Interactive Technology. Each project was supervised by Innovation Consultant Keith Finglas and mentored by Masters students in Structural Engineering and Architecture (SEA). 

Keith Finglas (Innovation Consultant), Kelly-Ann Farrell (SEA Student),
PJ Rudden (President of Engineers Ireland), Amanda Gibney (UCD Lecturer), Louise Campion (SEA Student)

All of the projects tested the 'problem solving' skills of the student engineers as they commence their formative engineering education at the age of 17 to 18.

Innovative leadership is a module for 5th year students of Structural Engineering with Architecture. The aim of the module is to develop and improve leadership skills, problem solving abilities and lateral thinking skills by performing a number of practical assignments as well as tutoring 1st year students in design and innovation skills for team based projects.

'Bus Shelter Interactive Technology'.  Left to right: Amanda Gibney, Shauna-Anne Carney and Louise Carroll

UCD Engineering School is to be congratulated on this initiative to develop creative and problem solving minds in our First Year Engineering Students. Credit to Amanda, Keith and the students of the 5 Year Masters in Structural Engineering with Architecture.