Lack of Technological Innovators Threatens Michigan

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich., Aug. 11, 2008 -- A sharp decline in engineering-school enrollments in Michigan will have an adverse effect on the state's economy and also threatens the long-term recovery of the nation's domestic auto industry.

"In the past six years new engineering enrollments at Michigan universities have plummeted by more than 13 percent compared to a nine percent increase nationally," said Dr. Leo E. Hanifin, dean of the University of Detroit's College of Engineering and Science. "In Michigan, this precipitous drop is clearly linked to layoffs and poor performance within the domestic auto industry."

Hanifin noted that the United States is facing a crisis in the development of engineering talent.

"Forty-five percent or more of all Chinese college students currently study engineering compared to just 4.5 percent in the United States," he reported. "Nationally, low enrollments at engineering schools are tied to poor high-school preparation and low interest levels, especially among women and minorities."

Speaking at a major automotive conference in Traverse City (on Monday, August 11), Hanifin pointed out that studies indicate that 80 percent or more of the nation's gross domestic product (GDP) comes from the introduction of new technologies, adding that "engineers are essential for technological innovation."

He said factors that will contribute to the nation's shrinking pool of engineering talent include:

  -- Massive retirements among "baby boomer" engineers,
  -- A general drop in the number of college-age students,
  -- Fewer foreign engineering students studying in the U.S.,
  -- Fewer foreign students choosing to remain here after graduation, and
  -- Increased global competition for technical talent.

"More and better-educated engineers are needed if our nation and its auto industry are to thrive or even survive," he said. "The problem of low engineering enrollments can only be solved by decisive action that includes changes in public policy and national programs, as well as increased collaboration within the educational community, government and the private sector."

Hanifin pointed out that UDM has been a leader in the development of collaborative programs such as the Product Development Leadership Coalition and the Michigan Ohio University Transportation Center (MIOH).

The Product Development Leadership Coalition is a collaborative effort involving the Rochester Institute of Technology, MIT, U.S. Navy and six global corporations. Led by the University of Detroit Mercy, MIOH focuses on research and education in alternative fuels, intelligent transportation systems and supply-chain efficiency.

To remain competitive, major changes will be required at both a state and national level, Hanifin warned.

"After our engineers and technological entrepreneurs are educated, we'll need to gather them in adequate numbers to concentrate their technical and creative capabilities in order to form 'engines for innovation' similar to what occurred several decades ago in California's Silicon Valley," he said.

"We've seen this phenomenon occur more recently in Bangalore, India; in Helsinki, Finland; in Dublin, Ireland, and in Singapore. We need to take similar initiatives here.

"The future of industries, economies and nations rests squarely on the shoulders of technological innovators. If we want a brighter future for our state and for our nation, we need to collaborate on aggressive programs and public policy to attract, educate and assemble those innovators."