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.

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!
 

On July 24, 2023, the U.N. General Assembly proclaimed August 11 as World Steelpan Day, acknowledging that Steelpan promotes inclusive societies, sustainable communities and the creative economy and can positively impact mental health and well-being, gender equality and youth empowerment.

In commemoration of World Steelpan Day, the Alma Jordan Library, in collaboration with the Faculty of Engineering, invite you to visit the Alma Jordan Library to view an interactive display showcasing the innovative developments in Steelpan by the Faculty of Engineering. This exhibition will run from August 11 to September 15.

Engineering Innovations: G-Pan and the Percussive Harmonic Instrument

• Genesis Pan (G-Pan)

The G-Pan was unveiled in 2007; unlike the traditional pan made from oil drums, the G-Pan is made of durable, high-grade steel sheets (Smith 2012, 141-142). In 2007, under the leadership of Emeritus Professor Brian Copeland, PhD, the Genesis Steelband Project Team was awarded the Chaconia Gold Medal. 

•  Percussive Harmonic Instrument (P.H.I.)

It looks like a steelpan, sounds like a steelpan, and travels like a tenor pan, but the PHI is no steelpan. PHI stands for Percussive Harmonic Instrument and is more akin to an electronic synthesizer, so why does this new instrument have this strong pan character? Click here to learn more about this latest development to emerge from the Steelpan Research Lab of the Faculty of Engineering.

Selected E-Resources

Steel Drums and Steelbands by Angela Smith

ISBN: 9780810883420

Publication Date: 2012

Steel Drums and Steelbands: A History is a vivid account of the events that led to the "accidental" invention of the steel drum: the only acoustic musical instrument invented in the 20th century. Angela Smith walks readers through the evolution of the steel drum from an object of scorn and tool of violence to one of the most studied, performed, and appreciated musical instruments today. Smith explores the development of the modern steelband, from its roots in African slavery in early Trinidad to the vast array of experiments itechnological innovation and to the current explosion of steelbands in American schools.

 

 

TTS 412:2015, Steelpan – Terminology by Trinidad and Tobago Bureau of Standards

Publication Date: 2015

This Standard defines common terms that are unique to the steelpan industry. It includes terms related to: instruments; manufacturing; personnel and performance; and accessories and facilities. 

The Steelpan as a tool to incite interest in Engineering Education by S. E. Maloney

Publication Date: 2021

There is an economic imperative to increase the level of innovative activities in developed and developing countries. Universities have been encouraged to increase the number of science and technology graduates. One of the approaches used by universities is the encouragement of minority students, in particular, Black African- American and African-Caribbean students into undergraduate engineering. However, to realize the potential of these students, programs need to build understanding of engineering principles in a manner that appeal to multiple learning styles. The steelpan, a percussion instrument invented in Trinidad and Tobago, can provide a possible solution. The steelpan also known as the pan or steel drum is produced by creatively deforming metal sheet. The pan is a unique musical device and offers an opportunity to teach engineering concepts using an instrument that is a part of the cultural heritage of some of these students. The technology of the steelpan is multidisciplinary and requires knowledge in the areas of materials science, production processes, acoustics, vibrations and music. By decomposing the production of the instrument into these underlying bodies of knowledge, it provides an ideal opportunity to explain and demonstrate engineering principles at low cost.

The Absence of Standardization of Mid-range Steelpan Instruments and its effects on steelpan players in Trinidad and Tobago by Garcia, Nicholan

Publication Date: 2021

 

Experimental Investigations into Manufacturing Processes Used to Produce Musical Steel Drums by Winston G. Lewis and Aaron O. Ameerali

Publication Date: 2010

This paper explores innovative manufacturing processes, which can be used to manufacture the national musical instrument of Trinidad and Tobago, the Musical Steel Drum or Steelpan. The main manufacturing process used today is the manual or Handforming technique. In order to achieve more consistent and deeper formed components while maintaining the high quality of the instrument, it is proposed that the Marforming process and the Flowforming process, an adaptation of the Spinforming process be used to replace the traditional Handforming method. Experimental investigations using the Flowforming or Spinforming and Marforming processes proved to be promising in achieving the required strain distribution of the formed component. Evaluation took the form of strain analyses of preformed steel drums. It was found that the Marformed components had the smallest range of % strain values while the Spinformed components had the largest range.

References   

Smith, Angela. 2012. Steel Drums and Steelbands. Blue Ridge Summit: The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group. 

The University of the West Indies. 2009. “Why PHI?: This Latest Synthesizer Is Worth Its Weight.” UWI Today, September 27.  https://sta.uwi.edu/uwitoday/archive/september_2009/article6.asp.

UN (United Nations). n.d. “World Steelpan Day: 11 August.” Accessed August 11, 2023. https://www.un.org/en/observances/steelpan-day.

Every year on April 22nd, stakeholders of all backgrounds come together to advance sustainability and climate action in commemoration of Earth Day. This year, the theme “Invest In Our Planet”, highlights the importance of dedicating time, resources, and energy to solving climate change and other environmental issues. Investing in our planet is necessary to protect it and the best way to pave a path towards a prosperous future. To learn more about Earth Day, visit https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-2023/

To commemorate Earth Day 2023, the staff of the Engineering, Food, Agriculture, Science and Technology Divisions at the Alma Jordan Library mounted a special display of books on climate change, environmental issues, and renewable energy. The books provide an opportunity for some supplemental reading on this topical issue. Stop by and browse the books on display, and remember... all the books on display are available for check out.
 

Selected eBooks