PROFESSOR E.O.E. PEREIRA MEMORIAL LECTURE

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PROF. E.O.E. PEREIRA MEMORIAL
LECTURE IESL September 13, 2006 byChandana
Wirasinghe Professor, University of Calgary Hon.
Senior Professor, University of
Moratuwa wirasing_at_ucalgary.ca
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EOE MEMORIAL LECTURE

• A GREAT HONOR TO BE INVITED
• I THANK THE IESL FOR INVITING ME AND IN
  PARTICULAR, PROFESSOR LAKSHMAN RATNAYAKE, WHO
  INITIATED THE ORIGINAL INVITATION WHEN HE WAS
  PRESIDENT. I WAS UNABLE TO BE HERE ON SEPT 13
  UNTIL THIS YEAR.
• ALSO AN HONOR TO FOLLOW SUCH DISTINGUISHED
  PREVIOUS LECTURERS SUCH AS MY MENTOR PROF. A.
  THURAIRAJAH, SENIOR COLLEAGUES PROF BL
  TENNEKOON, PROF MP RANAWEERA, MY BATCHMATE DR.
  RANJITH GALAPPATHI AND MANY OTHERS
• MY BATCH, THE CLASS OF 68, WAS, AND IS, A GREAT
  ONE, IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE. I AM PLEASED TO
  REPRESENT THEM TODAY. WE NEED TO HEAR FROM KUMAR
  GUNAWARDENE IN FUTURE.

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E.O.E.

• CHIEF ENGINEER DESIGNS, PWD
• FOUNDING DEAN, FACULTY OF ENGINEERING, UNIVERSITY
  OF CEYLON, 1950 (NOW THE UNIV. OF PERADENIYA)
• VC, UNIVERSITY OF PERADENIYA, 1969
• RETIRED 1971, PASSED AWAY IN 1988
• ONE OF THE BEST ENGINEERS PRODUCED BY SRI LANKA
  IN THE LEAGUE OF KULASINGHE, WIMALASURENDRA ET AL
• ONE OF SLS GREATEST ACADEMICS
• UNIQUE CONTRIBUTION

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PERSONAL ANECDOTES RE E.O.E. - 1

• I KNEW OF EOE EVEN AS A CHILD, BECAUSE MY FATHER,
  P.A. WIRASINGHE, GAVE SINHALA TUITION TO EOES
  TWO SONS AT OUR HOUSE
• LORENZ WAS AT THE TIME WAS THE SCHOOL BOY
  CRICKETER AND I WAS ABOUT 12Y OLD. HE WAS A
  GREAT HERO FOR ME.
• HOWEVER, I FIRST MET EOE PERSONALLY AT A
  ANANDA-ROYAL CRICKET MATCH HELD A FEW YEARS
  LATER, WHEN MY FATHER INTRODUCED ME AS A
  WANNABE ENGINEER

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PERSONAL ANECDOTES RE E.O.E. - 2

• WHEN I INQUIRED ABOUT ADMISSION TO THE
  E-FAC, HE SAID STUDY YOUR CHEMISTRY!
• AT PERADENIYA, I REMEMBER
• - MARCHING TO ASK EOE NOT TO RESIGN AS
• DEAN
• - WORKING IN THE EOE PADDY FIELD!
• - EOE PUSHING A STUDENT
• DHAMITHA AND I HAVE FOND MEMORIES OF EOE AS HE
  WAS ONE OF THE SIGNATORIES AT OUR WEDDING IN 1971.

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IMPACT ON MY LIFE

• I LEFT PERADENIYA IN MARCH 1969 WAS HIRED BY CM
  PERERA, DIRECTOR OF THE HIGHWAYS DEPT
• CAREER PATH HIGHWAYS TRANSPORTATION/
  FULLBRIGHT 1972/ BERKELEY 72-76/ CALGARY 76-to
  date/ DEANSHIP Jan 94-June 06/ TWO PhD STUDENTS
  WHO ARE FULL PROFs IN SL
• FOUNDING DEAN OF THE SCHULICH SCHOOL OF
  ENGINEERING

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WHEN I THINK OF EOE WHAT COMES TO MIND ARE

• LEADERSHIP
• FOCUS
• ENGINEERING MINDSET
• INTEGRITY
• DIGNITY
• KINDNESS
• TOUGH (FOUGHT UP INSTEAD OF DOWN!)
• IN CONTROL WITHOUT BEING CONTROLLING
• LOVED BY MOST STUDENTS

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E-FAC

• EOES MANDATE PRODUCE SUPERB B.Sc. GRADAUTES FOR
  THE ENGINEERING PROFESSION (MOSTLY GOVERNMENT)
• THE EOE FORMULA
• ORIGINALLY HIRED SUPERB ENGINEERS
• (E.G. PROF PAUL)
• SUBSEQUENTLY, HIRED THE BEST GRADUATES AS
  STAFF
• SENT THEM TO SOME OF THE BEST BRITISH
  UNIVERSITIES FOR THEIR PhD IN SELECTED AREAS
• GAVE THEM THE BEST POSSIBLE FACILITIES GIVEN
  LIMITED RESOURCES
• GAVE THEM (ACADEMICS STUDENTS) ACADEMIC
  FREEDOM
• MANY OF US IN THIS ROOM ARE PRODUCTS OF THIS
  FORMULA
• IT WAS A GOOD FORMULA FOR THAT ERA

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ENGINEERING, ENGINEERING EDUCATION, AND LEADERSHIP

• ENGINEERING CONTINUING TRADITIONAL ROLE
• THE HARNESSING OF NATURAL, INFORMATION AND
• INTELLECTUAL RESOURCES FOR THE OPTIMAL BENEFIT OF
  
• CURRENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS OF ALL SPECIES
• (ADAPTED AND MODIFIED FROM ICEL)

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ENGINEER AS TRADITIONAL ENGINEER

• NATURAL RESOURCES (E.G. BUILD A DAM FOR HYDRO
  POWER)
• INFORMATION RESOURCES (E.G. USE CURRENT AND PAST
  TRAFFIC DATA, SOCIO-ECONOMIC DATA STATISTICAL
  ANALYSIS TO ESTIMATE FUTURE TRAVEL)
• INTELLECTUAL RESOURCES (E.G. SOLVE NEW PROBLEMS
  SUCH AS MITIGATION OF A FUTURE TSUNAMI IMPACT)

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A DIFFERENT WORLD TODAY

• WORLD ECONOMY
• A CONNECTED WORLD
• INTELLECTUAL RESOURCES ARE AS IF NOT MORE
  IMPORTANT THAN NATURAL RESOURCES
• WOMEN ARE EMPOWERED
• OTHER PROFESSIONS HAVE MOVED FORWARD (E.G.
  COMMERCE, MEDICINE)
• VERY FEW REAL AND MAJOR ISSSUES HAVE PURE
  ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS
• BLURRING OF ENGINEER, TECHNOLOGIST, TECHNICIAN
  (IT PEOPLE ARE EVERYWHERE!)

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THE NEW ENGINEER

• TRADITIONAL ENGINEER
• COMMUNICATOR (LOCAL/INTERNATIONAL)
• MULTI-DISCIPLINARY TEAM MEMBER
• LIFE LONG LEARNER
• RESEARCHER
• ENVIRONMENTALIST
• SOCIAL ACTIVIST
• CREATOR OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
• ENTREPRENEUR
• LEADER

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ROLE OF ENGINEERING EDUCATION

• THE ROLE OF UNDERGRADUATE
• ENGINEERING EDUCATION IS TO
• PRODUCE A MAJORITY OF
• GRADUATES WITH SIGNIFICANT
• LEADERSHIP POTENTIAL

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THE EDUCATORS MENTORS

• FAMILY
• EDUCATION/SCHOOL SYSTEM
• UNIVERSITY SYSTEM
• INDUSTRY
• PROFESSION

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THE 21ST CENTURY ENGINEER

• TRADITIONAL ENGINEER
• COMMUNICATOR (LOCAL/INTERNATIONAL)
• MULTI-DISCIPLINARY TEAM MEMBER
• LIFE LONG LEARNER
• RESEARCHER
• ENVIRONMENTALIST
• SOCIAL ACTIVIST
• CREATOR OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
• ENTREPRENEUR
• LEADER

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COMMUNICATIONS/TEAMWORK

• INTENSIVE EDUCATION IN LANGUAGE SKILLS
  (WRITTEN/SPOKEN)
• REQUIRE COMMUNICATION IN COURSES (AS OPPOSED TO
  TEACHING COMMUNICATIONS)
• USE TEXTBOOKS!
• HAVE COURSES WHERE THE MAIN COURSE GRADE IS BASED
  ON MULTI-DISCIPLINARY TEAMWORK (IDEALLY WITH
  NON-ENG STUDENTS)
• REQUIRE A C/T COMPONENT WITHIN INDUSTRIAL
  TRAINING

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THE 21ST CENTURY ENGINEER

• TRADITIONAL ENGINEER
• COMMUNICATOR (LOCAL/INTERNATIONAL)
• MULTI-DISCIPLINARY TEAM MEMBER
• LIFE LONG LEARNER
• RESEARCHER
• ENVIRONMENTALIST
• SOCIAL ACTIVIST
• CREATOR OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
• ENTREPRENEUR
• LEADER

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LLL/RESEARCH

• KEEPING UP WITH CHANGE CONTINUOUSLY THROUGH
  SELF-STUDY IS ESSENTIAL IN THE RAPIDLY CHANGING
  WORLD OF ENGINEERING (LLL)
• MUST BE ABLE TO RESEARCH A NEW TOPIC IN DETAIL
  AND TO USE THE INFORMATION
• PREPARATION BEGINS IN SCHOOL/UNIVERSITY

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THE 21ST CENTURY ENGINEER

• TRADITIONAL ENGINEER
• COMMUNICATOR (LOCAL/INTERNATIONAL)
• MULTI-DISCIPLINARY TEAM MEMBER
• LIFE LONG LEARNER
• RESEARCHER
• ENVIRONMENTALIST
• SOCIAL ACTIVIST
• CREATOR OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
• ENTREPRENEUR
• LEADER

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ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY

• CRITICIZED FOR IMPACTING THE ENVIRONMENT
• ALSO CRITICIZED FOR NOT PROVIDING SUFFICIENT
  INFRASTRUCTURE/ UTILITIES/ SERVICES TO THE
  CURRENT GENERATION!
• ONLY ENGINEERS CAN DO THE NECESSARY CLEAN UP,
  LIFE CYCLE MANAGEMENT
• ENGINEERS MUST LEAD TEAMS THAT OPTIMIZE AMONG
  SPECIES AND GENERATIONS, COSTS AND BENEFITS, OLD
  AND NEW TECHNOLOGY

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SOCIAL ISSUES

• CRITICIZED FOR NOT BUILDING ENOUGH ROADS, AND NOT
  MANAGING THE TRAFFIC WELL
• IN COLOMBO, SOME OF THE WORST TRAFFIC IS DURING
  THE SCHOOL RUSH HOUR
• THE ANSWER IS NOT TO BUILD MORE ROADS FOR THE
  SCHOOL TRAFFIC
• WE NEED BETTER SCHOOLS IN THE SUBURBS AND NEARBY
  TOWNS!
• WE MUST LEARN TO APPRECIATE THE THOUGHT PROCESSES
  OF THE NON-ENGINEERS

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THE 21ST CENTURY ENGINEER

• TRADITIONAL ENGINEER
• COMMUNICATOR (LOCAL/INTERNATIONAL)
• MULTI-DISCIPLINARY TEAM MEMBER
• LIFE LONG LEARNER
• RESEARCHER
• ENVIRONMENTALIST
• SOCIAL ACTIVIST
• CREATOR OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
• ENTREPRENEUR
• LEADER

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I.P./ENTREPRENEUR

• LONG TERM PROSPERITY DEPENDS ON CREATING I.P.
  THAT CAN BE SOLD IN THE WORLD MARKET
• COURSES WHERE STUDENTS MUST CREATE SOME NEW IDEAS
  FOR ENGINEERING SERVICES/PRODUCTS ARE IMPORTANT
• WE MUST KNOW HOW TO CREATE AND RUN A START UP

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ENGINEER AS LEADER

• A HIGHLY EDUCATED ENGINEER
• APPRECIATOR OF OTHER VIEWPOINTS
• COMMUNICATOR
• TEAM BUILDER
• INITIATOR
• SOCIALLY / ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE
• ENTREPRENEUR

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EDUCATING FOR LEADERSHIP

• CHOOSE STUDENTS WITH GOOD LANGUAGE ABILITIES (A
  OR O!)
• EMPHASISE COMMUNICATION WITHIN ALL COURSES
• ENCOURAGE ACADEMICS TO WRITE TEXT BOOKS
• REQUIRE SIGNIFICANT MULTI-DISCIPLINARY TEAMWORK
• ALLOW REAL NON-ENGINEERING COURSES, e.g.
  START-UP CREATION, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

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EDUCATING FOR LEADERSHIP - 2

• REQUIRE COURSES WHERE STUDENTS MUST INITIATE
  PROJECTS
• HIRE ACADEMICS WHO WILL LEAD CHANGE
• CONSIDER FIVE YEAR JOINT PROGRAMS
• - B.Sc/BA ENGINEERING/e.g. HISTORY
• - B.Sc./MBA
• - B.Sc. Double majors
• - B.Sc./M.Sc.

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EDUCATING FOR LEADERSHIP-3

• MOVE TO 12 MONTH INTERNSHIPS
• ALLOW NON-ENGINEEERING BUSINESS NGO INTERNSHIPS
• DISCUSS THE ROLES OF THE 21ST CENTURY ENGINEER
  WITH STUDENTS
• THINK OF EDUCATING A MAJORITY OF STUDENTS TO BE
  LEADERS

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CONCLUDING REMARKS

• PERADENIYA MORATUWA ARE EXCELLENT PROGRAMS
• SOME OF THESE IDEAS ARE ALREADY IN PLACE
• THE SOLUTIONS PROPOSED ARE NOT EASY TO IMPLEMENT
• WE AS INDIVIDUAL ENGINEERS MUST CONTRIBUTE TO THE
  SOCIAL DEBATE
• THE EOE LEGACY MUST EVOLVE
• ALL IS IMPERMANENT AND CHANGE IS GOOD!