ENG1110

Engineering Solutions to the

21st Century Grand Challenges

T.C. Pong
The Hong Kong University
of Science and Technology

About this course

Course Instructor
Prof. T.C. Pong

Room 6583

email: tcpong@ust.hk

Course Facilitators
Dr. Eddie Ng

Room 6530

email: egeddie@ust.hk

Mr. Anthony Tsang

Room 2580

email: eganthony@ust.hk

Mr. Sam Ng

Room 2580

email: egsam@ust.hk

Reference Librarians
Ms. Eunice Wong

Room G342

email: lbeunice@ust.hk

Mr. Kevin Ho

Room G342

email: lbkevin@ust.hk

Course Descriptions

In the past century engineering has recorded its

greatest accomplishments
These accomplishments also pose formidable
problems sustaining civilization advancement.
This course will broaden and raise students
awareness of challenges faced by coming
generations
Students need to develop and present their
innovative engineering approaches to address
the challenges
Small teams in a collaborative learning
environment

Course Descriptions

In the past century engineering has recorded its

greatest accomplishments
These accomplishments also pose formidable
problems sustaining civilization advancement.
This course will broaden and raise students
awareness of challenges faced by coming
generations
Students need to develop and present their
innovative engineering approaches to address
the challenges
Small teams in a collaborative learning
environment

Learning Outcomes

By completing the course, students will be able to:

1.

Identify the key issues involved in two real-world engineering

problems by obtaining information from experts and the
literature. (Intended Learning Outcome, ILO, #1)
Analyze these problems from multiple dimensions and
angles including feasibility, scalability, and sustainability. (ILO
#2)
Suggest and evaluate solutions to these problems by
working collaboratively. (ILO #3)
Present and defend their solutions orally and in writing. (ILO
#4)

2.

3.

4.

Assessment

Students will be assessed in relation to the intended learning

outcomes as follows:
Assignment

% weighting

ILOs

Written report on the 1st challenge

25%

#1, #2, #4

Written report on the 2nd challenge

30%

#1, #2, #4

Oral presentation on one challenge

25%

#1, #2, #4

Teamwork

20%

#3

Course Delivery and Syllabus

The course will consist of several components and delivery

mechanisms. Lectures and tutorials will be used in a
collaborative learning format, with students working in teams.

The criticisms of lecture style teaching can be

summarized by a quote attributed to Mark Twain:
College

is a place where a professors lecture notes go

straight to the students lecture notes, without passing
through the brains of either.

How to make teaching and learning more effective?

Chinese proverb (Xun Zi ):
Tell me and I will forget () ,
Show me and I will remember () ,
Involve me and I will understand () .

Active Learning
Improved Learning in a Large-Enrollment Physics Class,
Louis Deslauriers, Ellen Schelew and Carl Wieman, Science (2011).

Course Delivery and Syllabus

The course will consist of several components and delivery

mechanisms. Lectures and tutorials will be used in a
collaborative learning format, with students working in teams.

Two engineering experts in the specific fields related to the

challenges of the 21st Century will be presented:
Digital technology for personalized learning
Sustainable development

Resources will be provided to the teams to assist them in the

learning environment and in the technical details.

A MOOC on An Introduction to
Sustainable Development
https://www.coursera.org/learn/learning-how-to-learn

A MOOC on An Introduction to
Sustainable Development
https://www.coursera.org/learn/sustainabledevelopment1

Course Delivery and Syllabus

(contd)

Tutors will guide the student teams in exploring the

engineering solutions to the challenges presented. Students
are expected to look up additional resources in identifying the
problems and exploring solutions to the challenges.

Each team will submit a project report to both of the

challenges. Two teams working together will give a detailed
oral presentation of their solutions to the 2nd challenge.

Assessment

In addition, students will be asked to submit draft reports

and to practice their presentations so as to benefit from
having formative feedback for improvement.

Assessment criteria for the reports, presentations, and

teamwork will be provided in the form of rubrics nearer the
respective due dates.

Date
(Mon)

Topic

Date
(Wed)

Topic

Feb 2

Information Session

Feb 4

Introduction to Grand Challenges

Feb 9

Lunar New Year Day

Feb 11

Course Preview
Mini-Challenge

Feb 16

Teamwork, Collaborative Learning/

Structured Controversy

Feb 18

Literature Search

Feb 23

1st Challenge Challenge topics

Feb 25

Team Report Preparation on 1st Challenge

Mar 1

Team Report Preparation on 1st

Challenge (contd)

Mar 3

1st Challenge Progress Presentation

Mar 8

Team Report Preparation on 1st

Challenge (contd)

Mar 10

Feedback to the Draft Report of 1st

Challenge + Review of literacy

On or before Mar 8 (Tue) Submission of Draft Report of 1st Challenge

Mar 15

Team Report Completion on 1st

Challenge

Mar 17

2nd Challenge Challenge topics

On or before noon, Mar 21 (Mon) Submission of Final Report of 1st Challenge

Date
(Mon)

Topic

Date
(Wed)

Topic

Mar 22

Interim self and team assessment on 1st

Challenge

Mar 24

Mid-Term Break

Mar 29

Mid-Term Break

Mar 31

Team Report Preparation on 2nd

Challenge

Apr 7

Team Report Preparation on 2nd

Challenge (contd)

Apr 5

2nd

Challenge - Progress Presentation

On or before Apr 7 (Thu) Submission of Draft Report of 2nd Challenge

Apr 12

Feedback to the Draft Report of 2nd

Challenge

Apr 14

Critiques on the 2nd Challenge

(Structured Controversy)

Apr 19

Team Integration on the 2nd Challenge

Apr 21

Team Integration on Final Report of

the 2nd Challenge

Apr 26

Team Integration on Final Report and

presentation of the 2nd Challenge

Apr 28

Team Presentation and

Q & A Session 2nd Challenge

May 3

Team Presentation and

Q & A Session 2nd Challenge

May 5

Focus Group & Survey

On or before May 5 (Thu) Submission of Final Report of 2nd Challenge

What are Grand Challenges?

What are Grand Challenges?

What are Grand Challenges?

21st Century Grand Challenges
Grand Challenges are ambitious but
achievable goals that harness
science, technology, and innovation to
solve important national or global
problems and that have the potential
to capture the publics imagination.

National Academy of Engineering:

Grand Challenges for Engineering
http://www.engineeringchallenges.org/