Instituting a Design Engineering Program at the University of the Philippines

1. Instituting a Design Engineering Program at the University of the Philippines Wilfredo I. Jose Department of Chemical Engineering, University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City

2. Introduction • Basis of development: knowledge creation and translation of knowledge into value • Primacy of engineering education in knowledge based global economy • Achieved through engineering design process

3. Introduction • This paper is a welcome result of conducting two parallel activities that were initially unrelated • Finding the reason for the failure of implementing the process design option of the Graduate Program of the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of the Philippines • Developing a technique on how to generate new ideas

4. Background • 1987: Process Design Option for the masters program in Chemical Engineering proposed – failed to take off • 1994: Process Design Option again proposed for the doctoral program – no success again • Reason for non-implementation: We could not pinpoint the exact reason • We still continued to offer experimental courses on process design

5. Solution • The problem was solved in 2002 • The technique “Generate new ideas through probing paradigms” was used • This is the author’s interest on the application of concept of paradigms to his profession • The National Research Council in the US issued a report that described the paradigm of chemical engineering in 1988 • The author attended a seminar by Stephen Covey in the same year

6. What is a Paradigm? A paradigm refers to a model, pattern, theory, map, perception, frame of reference, etc. • According to Thomas Kuhn: • The paradigm of a profession is the knowledge that defines or guides a profession • According to Manfred Stransfield: A paradigm is a model of a portion of reality, with fewer dimensions and a manageable size, mass, and energy.

7. Paradigm = ideas and knowledge A Paradigm comprises paradigms each consisting of paradigms and so on and so forth.

8. Plot the paradigm directly to the brain that acts as a neural network computer

9. Probing Paradigms • Study, analyze, and thoroughly explore paradigms • Find insights, perspectives, points of view, etc. • Systematically organize the ideas and map them in the mind • Connect ideas within paradigms, to come up with new ideas

10. How the problem was solved • I probed the paradigms of chemical engineering and design engineering • Essentially the proposal was based on the undergraduate design course , which serves as a capstone course • The capstone course is a training course which requires the knowledge the student has learned • If we extend The philosophy to the graduate courses the natural tendency to follow the existing paradigm • The perceived paradigm restricts introduction of fresh ideas, adaptation of techniques, method of implementation, etc.

11. Expanding the solution • Adapt appropriate paradigms to chemical engineering design • Use principles from other engineering disciplines • from industrial, mechanical, metallurgical, materials engineering, etc. • Then we realize that design engineering really requires the knowledge from all disciplines • Thus the institution of a multidisciplinary program was proposed

12. Courses for the Program • Core courses • Principles of Modern Design Engineering • Creativity and Innovation in design engineering • Design for Environment and Sustainability • Technology Based Courses • Specialized Courses • Specialization from different departments • Chemical Product Design • Machine Design • Design for sustainable materials • Design for sustainable energy • Design for X • Software design • Etc.

13. A Research Program for Implementation • Development of Integrated Sensor-based, Cost-effective, Energy-efficient Light Machinery for Processing Agro-Industrial, Fisheries, Other Food, Nutraceutical, Herbal, Essential Oil and Drug Products

14. Initial Project • Development of a Production System for the Manufacture of Coconut Sugar and Other Products from Coconut Sap

15. Applications of Probing Paradigms to Generate Ideas • Formulating teaching strategies • Developing teaching innovations • Crafting new fields of study • Teaching a class consisting of students from different disciplines • Carrying out Inventions and patents • Applications to biological, environmental, and energy systems • Etc.

16. Conclusion • Establishing and implementing educational programs can be beset with problems as presented in this paper • The design engineering program presented may not be unique. • But the method used to solve and improve the program can be applied to similar situations

17. Acknowledgement The financial support extended by the Engineering Research and Development for Technology (ERDT) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) of the Philippines is gratefully acknowledged.

18. Muchas Gracias!

19. 16 November 2011 Dear Dr. Wilfredo Jose, I wish to thank you for the knowledge on “concept of probing paradigms" that you have provided me during my struggle on my PhD study. It is really working in me. Here are some instances, as a matter of fact 2 major instances, which I used the “concept of probing paradigm” that helped me, and continue helping me, on my profession. The instances are: a) During my dissertation period in which sometimes it seemed there was no solution to the problem, something like a dead end. Every time I was in this state I made a short break on what I was doing and refocus my mind looking at the problem on a different perspective. Upon doing this I find a solution. Now, it is very obvious that the concept of "probing paradigms" is really working in me because I have the PhD degree now. b) Almost all my professional life have been in the world of industry and never came in my mind that I will work for an academe. My outlook before was to work for the industry as by doing so can help our country better and to have satisfactory earnings. However, when the concept of "probing paradigms" came into my knowledge, made me refocus to academe and started entertaining the idea that working for the academic institution is a great legacy and a much better strategy to help our nation. I hope that this concept could help others, too, succeed in whatever endeavor they have in life. Again, thank you so much for sharing this knowledge. Very truly yours, Delia B. Senoro, PhD In-charge, Sustainable Development Research Office Coordinator, Environmental and Sanitary Programs School of Civil, Environmental and Geological Engineering