Engineering education at a new public university in Brazil: first students’ contact with engineering methods

This paper describes the experience of an introductory discipline to the engineering curricula at the Brazilian Federal University of ABC (UFABC). The university offers a common basic curriculum that must be accomplished by every student and can be followed by professionalising courses. The discipline ‘Introduction to Engineering’ presents the basis of the engineering career, methods and thinking together with professional commitments and regulations. The objective is to help students to consciously choose their careers, minimising the precocity problem in deciding a professional future. The discipline methodology includes activities proposed by the TryEngineering website and from Brazilian engineering councils. Lectures with invited professors introduce UFABC engineering specialities: Aerospace, Bioengineering, Energy, Environmental & Urban, Information, Instrumentation & Automation & Robotics, Management, Materials. This paper reports the proposed activities, results obtained by the students, a methodology critical analysis and the impacts on the following steps of students embracing an engineering career.     

Protecting Our Earth

毫不夸张地说,地球上的每个人都为我们共同居住的环境造成了某种程度的压力。看看人类为这个地球做了什么:砍伐森林、捕食动物、丢弃对环境有害的废弃物……。事实虽然很讽刺,但我们不得不承认:正是人类,这个创造了世界文明并推进社会发展的群体,才是最需要对我们赖以生存的星球负责的人。现在开始醒悟还来得及,你还在等什么?     

自行车——最环保的交通工具(英文)

人类历史发展至今,已经脱离了刀耕火种的原始生存状态,步入了一段前所未有的文明时期。人类利用日渐发达的聪明才智,制造出汽车、飞机等交通工具,并登上了月球,在火星和深遂的海洋中安排机器人进行勘测……然而,随着这种文明的发展,也出现了很多环境问题。既然历史的车轮无法让我们再回到从前简单的生活方式当中,就只有认识且反省人类曾经对环境犯下的错误,并在将来的日子里竭力纠正——无论这是一项多么艰巨的任务。     

Making Friends with Foreigners on the Internet

交个外国网友到底靠不靠谱？友谊在他们心中又占多大份量？这些问题一直在困扰着Rose。身为加拿大人的Brad会给她什么样的建议？     

做自己的老板(英文)

Brad年轻时也像很多年青人一样,曾经梦想将来能自己做生意发大财,这样就能买豪宅和好车了。事实上,他这一辈子都是在给别人打工,尽管没有实现做老板的目标,但他觉得自己的工作还不错,生活质量也一直在不断改善,总之,他感觉自己的生活是幸福的。