News & Events

Global Creativity and Innovation Day

World Creativity and Innovation Day is an event observed on April 21, emphasizing the vital role of creativity and innovation in problem-solving and advancing human progress. For engineering students, this day serves as a reminder of the impact of thinking on shaping the future of technology and engineering.

The Significance of Creativity and Innovation in Engineering

Creativity and innovation are elements in engineering that enable the creation of solutions to complex issues. According to Cropley (2015), fostering creativity in engineering education helps generate innovative solutions that meet society’s evolving needs.

Throughout history, engineering has been about individuals discovering solutions to an array of problems spanning from architecture to medicine. It tackles challenges like earthquakes, transportation systems, clean water access, and increased lifespans. Engineering not only enhances life but also impacts the economy and overall quality of life.

The Engineering Division at the Alma Jordan Library has a wealth of information on engineering, creativity, innovation, entrepreneurship and other relevant topics. Here is a brief list of selected e-books that may be of interest to engineering students seeking to foster creativity and innovation.

Selected E-books

How can Engineering Students further Enhance their Creativity and Innovation Skills?

Engineering students can further enhance their creativity and innovation skills during their university studies by following the steps outlined below based on practices for creating a culture that fosters creativity (Higuera et al., 2021);

1. Apply creativity and innovation techniques to explore opportunities and challenge thinking boundaries. Experiment with approaches and methods to uncover solutions for complex problems.
2. Keep a mind without any ideas or biases allowing for a fresh outlook and the ability to consider things from different perspectives. Embrace thoughts and viewpoints to spark creativity and encourage ideas.
3. Avoid assuming that creativity is beyond reach or unnecessary. Understand that creativity can be nurtured and honed through practice, dedication, and a positive attitude. Let go of self-doubt. Believe that everyone possesses the potential for creativity.
4. Experiment to test theories, discover insights, and challenge established conventions. Adopt a mindset of learning and exploration recognizing that failure often paves the way for innovation and progress.
5. View failures as opportunities for learning. Acknowledge that setbacks and errors offer lessons and insights. Learn from failures, adjust your approach accordingly, and use them as stones towards achievements.
6. Pose thought-provoking questions that challenge the state of affairs. Explore possibilities by asking "why" and "what if," fostering thinking and generating innovative concepts. Dare to question assumptions or prevailing norms.
7. Generate numerous ideas through brainstorming sessions and thinking exercises. Encourage an exchange of ideas without criticism or constraints.
8. To enhance the quality of your ideas, aim to generate a number of them, as quantity often leads to outcomes.
9. Collaborate with others to benefit from viewpoints, expertise, and backgrounds. Embrace collective thinking to create an innovative atmosphere. Share your ideas, seek input, and work together to create solutions that are more impactful than efforts.
10. Integrate elements of art, music, literature or nature into your process for inspiration. Look beyond engineering for perspectives and innovative approaches.
11. Stay informed by reading literature in your field to gain insights from experts. Keep up with the research and trends to expand your knowledge base and spark ideas.
12. Utilize resources from organizations to connect with peers at conferences and workshops. Engage with professionals from different fields to exchange ideas and experiences that can fuel innovation.
13. Diversify your skill set by taking courses outside of engineering disciplines, such as design thinking or psychology. Explore subjects to broaden your perspective and enhance your creativity.
14. Engage in real-life design endeavours during your time to put your skills and imagination into action in situations. Undertake projects or team up with others to create solutions that tackle needs and difficulties, refining your problem-solving and inventive thinking capabilities.
15. Join movement-oriented classes that promote activity, such as dance, sports, or yoga. Physical motion can trigger thoughts, enhance abilities, and nurture diverse thought processes that pave the way for innovative concepts.
16. Participate in a lab specially crafted to cultivate creativity and innovation. Immerse yourself in an atmosphere that fosters exploration, experimentation and teamwork. Utilize specialized tools, resources and mentors to bolster your journey.
17. Broaden your expertise beyond engineering by embracing education. Delve into fields such as business, marketing, psychology, or design to develop a grasp of industries and boost your capacity to innovate across disciplines.

Keep in mind that creativity and innovation extend beyond engineering. To foster creativity and innovation among engineering students, educational programs should surpass instruction. Badran (2007) stresses the importance of an approach to enhancing innovative skills through interdisciplinary courses, workshops, and hands-on projects. You can unleash your potential by incorporating these strategies and nurturing a mindset that embraces creativity. Become a driving force for positive change in any field or pursuit you decide to embark on.

On the occasion of World Creativity and Innovation Day, it is crucial to acknowledge the role that creativity and innovation play in the realm of engineering. By cultivating a mindset and offering access to resources, the Alma Jordan Library continues to empower engineering students to emerge as inventive problem solvers and influential figures in their domain. We request that you embrace this day as an opportunity to delve into concepts and embrace risks. Push the boundaries of what can be achieved in engineering.

References

Badran, Ibrahim. 2007. "Enhancing Creativity and Innovation in Engineering Education." European Journal of Engineering Education 32 (5): 573-585.

Charyton, Christine. 2015. "Creative Engineering Design: The Meaning of Creativity and Innovation in Engineering." Creativity and innovation among science and art: A discussion of the two cultures: 135-152.

Cropley, David H. 2015. "Promoting Creativity and Innovation in Engineering Education." Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts 9 (2): 161.

Higuera Martínez, Oscar Iván, Liliana Fernández-Samacá, and Lizeth Fernanda Serrano Cárdenas. 2021. "Trends and Opportunities by Fostering Creativity in Science and Engineering: A Systematic Review." European Journal of Engineering Education 46 (6): 1117-1140.

United Nations. “World Creativity and Innovation Day.” United Nations. Accessed April 19, 2024. https://www.un.org/en/observances/creativity-and-innovation-day.

Photo: Ritesh Man Tamrakar, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

As an engineering student, your brain is your most powerful asset. From tackling complex equations to developing innovative solutions, cognitive function is crucial for your academic success. Did you know that your diet plays a significant role in optimizing your brainpower? Let's delve into the science behind brain-boosting foods and highlight some key resources at the Alma Jordan Library that can further your understanding of this vital topic.

The Science Behind Nutritious Foods for the Brain

The brain is a high-energy organ that utilizes 20% of the body's energy. Your food choices can hinder cognitive abilities such as memory retention, concentration, and mental acuity. Harvard Health suggests that specific foods offer benefits for brain health.

Healthy foods, such as fish, berries, nuts, and leafy green vegetables, are all important for supporting brain function by providing nutrients.

Key Nutrients for Brain Health

• Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Essential for brain cell maintenance and forming connections, omega-3s found in fatty fish like salmon are vital for learning and memory.
• Antioxidants: Blueberries, known for their antioxidant properties, help protect the brain from stress and inflammation that can impact function.
• Vitamin E: Nuts such as almonds and walnuts are sources of vitamin E, which helps combat the decline associated with ageing.
• Folate: Leafy greens like spinach and kale are packed with folate, a nutrient for brain health that reduces the risk of neurodegenerative diseases.

Top Foods to Boost Brain Performance

An article from Thrive Global highlights power foods" that can improve brain function and are easy to include in your meals.

• Dark Chocolate; Contains caffeine and flavonoids that enhance memory and cognitive abilities.
• Avocados; Rich in fats that promote blood flow, to the brain.
• Whole Grains; Provide sustained energy by releasing glucose into the bloodstream. Turmeric is famous, for its ability to reduce inflammation and enhance brain function by increasing brain derived factor (BDNF) a protein for learning and memory.

When it comes to making choices that can improve brainpower having a grasp of food science is essential. McGill University highlights the significance of understanding the chemistry, biology, and nutrition of foods in determining how different components influence our health and cognitive functions.

For students studying engineering, incorporating brain-boosting foods into your diet can be as simple as starting your day with a smoothie filled with berries, spinach and flaxseeds in omega 3s. Snacking on dark chocolate between classes and including fish and whole grains in your meals can help maintain consistent energy levels throughout the day.

To delve deeper into the link between diet and brain health the Alma Jordan Library provides an array of resources. Some recommended books available include:

Functional Foods and Biotechnology by Kalidas Shetty (Editor); Dipayan Sarkar (Editor)

ISBN: 9781003003830

Publication Date: 2019

The first of two related books that kick off the Food Biotechnology series, Functional Foods and Biotechnology: Sources of Functional Foods and Ingredients, focuses on the recent advances in the understanding of the role of cellular, metabolic, and biochemical concepts and processing that are important and relevant to improve functional foods and food ingredients targeting human health benefits. This volume explores sources of ecologically-based diversity of functional foods and food ingredients that are available to enhance diverse nutritional values and functional benefits of foods for better human health outcomes, especially focusing on emerging diet and lifestyle-linked non-communicable chronic disease (NCDs) challenges. 

 

Nutrition in Neurologic Disorders by Ethem Murat Arsava (Editor)

ISBN: 9783319531700

Publication Date: 2017

This book offers focused and concise coverage of all issues relating to malnutrition in the field of neurology, and in particular addresses practical aspects of nutritional support from a neurology perspective. In addition to providing basic knowledge on important nutritional concepts (body metabolism, assessment and diagnosis of malnutrition, epidemiology, enteral/parenteral nutrition), detailed information is presented on nutritional support for various neurologic disorders handled in a variety of settings, including the neuro-intensive care unit. Much consideration is also given to the diagnosis and management of dysphagia, which is a common and highly critical cause of malnutrition in these patients. Finally, the newly developing concept of neuro-nutrition (or brain foods) - the use of certain nutrients for treatment of neurologic disorders - is discussed. 

 

 

Food As Medicine by Maurice M. Iwu

ISBN: 9781315371627

Publication Date: 2016

This comprehensive book documents African plants used for functional and medicinal foods. It contains more than 60 detailed monographs of African foods, describing foods with various characteristics such as prebiotic, probiotic, satiety, immune modulation, stress-reduction, sports performance, mental acuity, sleep-supporting, metabolic syndrome, antioxidant, and unsaturated fats. Plant description, botanical names and synonyms, plant part used, habitat and distribution, folk use, nutritional content, and chemistry are all fully detailed. The book highlights indigenous African food processing technologies up to the modern era.

 

 

 

Functional Foods by Leah Coles (Editor)

ISBN: 9780429090783

Publication Date: 2013

This title includes a number of Open Access chapters. This new book presents a variety of important research on functional foods-foods that have another role related to disease prevention or health. The first section of the book includes chapters on the complicated relationships between nutrition, physical and mental health, and disease. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For further exploration on this topic, you can search the library's catalogue and online databases to discover a wealth of additional resources.

Be sure to visit the Alma Jordan Library to view our display on Power Foods for the Brain, check out resources on this topic, and deepen your knowledge of brain health.

Do you have any recipes or snacks that help boost brain function? Feel free to share them in the comments section!

References

Department of Food Science and Agricultural Chemistry. “What Is Food Science?” Food Science and Agricultural Chemistry, McGill University. Accessed March 19, 2024. https://www.mcgill.ca/foodscience/what-food-science.

“Foods Linked to Better Brainpower.” Harvard Health, March 6, 2021. https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/foods-linked-to-better-brainpower.

Kodoth Prabhakaran, Nair. 2020. Food and Human Responses: A Holistic View. Book. Cham: Springer.

Sons, Tammy. 2017. “Power Foods for The Brain.” Thrive Global, blog. Medium, August 31. https://medium.com/thrive-global/power-foods-for-the-brain-56a28e94ff55.

Engineering Week is just around the corner, and it's a fantastic time to celebrate the ingenuity, creativity, and impact of engineers worldwide. Whether you're an aspiring engineer or already deep into your studies, this week is dedicated to recognizing the importance of engineering in shaping our world. Join us in this celebration and make the most of the resources available to you at the Alma Jordan Library.

What is Engineering Week?
Engineering Week is an annual event that highlights the contributions of engineers and promotes engineering as a vital and exciting career path. This year, it coincides with World Engineering Day on March 4th, a global celebration to raise awareness about the role of engineering in modern life and its contributions to sustainable development.

For more information on the schedule and themes, check out the official websites for World Engineering Day and Engineers Week 2024.

Dive into Engineering Literature at the Alma Jordan Library
As you engage with Engineering Week activities, don't miss the opportunity to explore some of the best engineering books available at the Alma Jordan Library. Here's a curated list of must-read titles that can provide both foundational knowledge and advanced insights into various engineering careers:

Engineer to Entrepreneur by Rick De la Guardia

ISBN: 9780784414415

Publication Date: 2016

Starting, managing, and owning an engineering firm can be a daunting experience. Engineer to Entrepreneur: Success Strategies to Manage Your Career and Start Your Own Firm provides practical steps at key career points to reach professional goals in any engineering discipline. Rick De La Guardia leads aspiring entrepreneurs through the process from undergraduate class choices, through first jobs, to opening an office and running a consulting firm. Divided into three main sections for the student, beginning engineer, and company owner, De La Guardia provides background information, suggested activities, and detailed steps to make the most of each stage of one's career. Personal examples from his own career are used to illustrate real-life issues and decisions facing entrepreneurs as they find their niche, expand their contacts, and launch their firms. Engineer to Entrepreneur will help engineers in any discipline rethink their careers and take charge of their futures.

 

Building a Career in Software by Daniel Heller

ISBN: 9781484261460

Publication Date: 2020

Software engineering education has a problem: universities and bootcamps teach aspiring engineers to write code, but they leave graduates to teach themselves the countless supporting tools required to thrive in real software companies. Building a Career in Software is the solution, a comprehensive guide to the essential skills that instructors don't need and professionals never think to teach: landing jobs, choosing teams and projects, asking good questions, running meetings, going on-call, debugging production problems, technical writing, making the most of a mentor, and much more. In over a decade building software at companies such as Apple and Uber, Daniel Heller has mentored and managed tens of engineers from a variety of training backgrounds, and those engineers inspired this book with their hundreds of questions about career issues and day-to-day problems. Designed for either random access or cover-to-cover reading, it offers concise treatments of virtually every non-technical challenge you will face in the first five years of your career--as well as a selection of industry-focused technical topics rarely covered in training. 

 

Engineering in Perspective by Tony Ridley

ISBN: 9781786342270

Publication Date: 2017

Engineering in Perspective provides a unique look into the career of one of Britain's most widely experienced engineers, Professor Tony Ridley. Ridley analyses key moments from his career to identify the real-world skills required for success. Through this, he examines how important it is that a successful engineer has not only traditional engineering skills but also good interpersonal skills coupled with a deep understanding of social, economic and political factors. Ridley's career case-studies include his time as first Director General of the Tyne & Wear Passenger Transport Executive and working on the creation of the Metro; first Managing Director of the Hong Kong Mass Transit Railway; Chairman and Managing Director of London Underground; the development of the Docklands Light Railway; and working through the trauma of the Kings Cross fire. 

 

Women in STEM Careers by Diana Bilimoria (Editor); Linley Lord (Editor)

ISBN: 9781781954065

Publication Date: 2014

Adopting an international perspective, this book draws on current research from the United States, Australia and Europe to examine women's participation, advancement and leadership in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields. The book explores the nature of STEM careers across industry and academia, and presents the latest thinking on successful individual, organizational and educational initiatives related to women in STEM. Along with a select group of international contributors, Diana Bilimoria and Linley Lord provide a fresh perspective, based on success stories and successful initiatives, augmenting contemporary perspectives on the barriers and issues that women in STEM careers continue to face. Women in STEM Careers is a positive and insightful outlook on gender relations, which will be an invaluable resource for scholars, practitioners and policy-makers in organizations, human resources, academia, and government, as well as for women aspiring to or presently working in STEM fields. 

 

Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering by Ömer Aydan

ISBN: 9780367822309

Publication Date: 2019

The two-volume set Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering is concerned with the application of the principles of mechanics to physical, chemical and electro-magnetic processes in the upper-most layers of the earth and the design and construction of the rock structures associated with civil engineering and exploitation or extraction of natural resources in mining and petroleum engineering. Volume 2, Applications of Rock Mechanics - Rock Engineering, discusses the applications of rock mechanics to engineering structures in/on rock, rock excavation techniques and in-situ monitoring techniques, giving some specific examples. The dynamic aspects associated with the science of earthquakes and their effect on rock structures, and the characteristics of vibrations induced by machinery, blasting and impacts as well as measuring techniques are described. Furthermore, the degradation and maintenance processes in rock engineering are explained. Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering is intended to be a fundamental resource for younger generations and newcomers and a reference book for experts specialized in Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering and associated with the fields of mining, civil and petroleum engineering, engineering geology, and/or specialized in Geophysics and concerned with earthquake science and engineering.

 

Food Engineering Handbook by Theodoros Varzakas (Editor); Constantina Tzia (Editor)

ISBN: 9780429171727

Publication Date: 2014

Food Engineering Handbook: Food Process Engineering addresses the basic and applied principles of food engineering methods used in food processing operations around the world.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Story of Industrial Engineering by Adedeji B. Badiru

ISBN: 9780429461811

Publication Date: 2018

Industrial engineering is the profession dedicated to making collective systems function better with less waste, better quality, and fewer resources, to serve the needs of society more efficiently and more effectively. This book uses a story-telling approach to advocate and elaborate the fundamental principles of industrial engineering in a simple, interesting, and engaging format. It will stimulate interest in industrial engineering by exploring how the tools and techniques of the discipline can be relevant to a broad spectrum of applications in business, industry, engineering, education, government, and the military. Features Covers the origin of industrial engineering Discusses the early pioneers and profiles the evolution of the profession Presents offshoot branches of industrial engineering Illustrates specific areas of performance measurement and human factors Links industrial engineering to the emergence of digital engineering Uses the author's personal experience to illustrate his advocacy and interest in the profession

You can access these books and many more by visiting the Alma Jordan Library or checking their availability through the library's online catalogue; UWIlinC.

Get Involved!
Mark your calendars and get ready to immerse yourself in a week of engineering excellence. Engage in the online events via the World Engineering Day and Engineers Week 2024 websites, expand your knowledge with the recommended books, and connect with the engineering community. The future is engineered by those who dare to innovate, and Engineering Week is your platform to step up and make a difference.

Stay updated with the latest events and resources by visiting the World Engineering Day and Engineers Week 2024 websites, and don’t forget to leverage the vast resources available at the Alma Jordan Library.

Happy Engineering Week!