Author Profile

Indrek Wichman

Indrek S. Wichman is a professor of mechanical engineering at Michigan State University where he has been a faculty member since 1986. His research interests are in combustion, heat transfer, thermodynamics, fluid mechanics and related areas. Current projects of interest include research on flame and fire safety, flammability testing of composite materials, green roof technology, and combustion in engines. He is a member of the scientific honor society Sigma Xi. He has worked as a visiting professor/research scientist in Finland, Norway, and France as well as in the US at NIST. His consulting company is 3-B Combustion, Explosion and Fire Consultants. He holds a B.S.M.E from Stony Brook University, an M.S. in mechanics from Virginia Tech, and a Ph.D. in mechanical and aerospace engineering from Princeton University (1983).

Articles by Indrek Wichman

Engineering Education: Social Engineering Rather than Actual Engineering

Aug 2, 2017 · Indrek Wichman · 153 Comments

We engineers like to solve technical problems. That’s the way we think, that’s why we chose our major, that’s why we got into and stayed in engineering. There are several other reasons why we got into engineering. One of them was the absence of what I describe here as “social engineering,” where the professor/instructor is … Continue reading “Engineering Education: Social Engineering Rather than Actual Engineering “

Engineering—or Social Engineering?

Dec 20, 2010 · Indrek Wichman · No Comments

A professor comments on disquieting trends in his field.

An Innovative Guide Through the Higher Ed Landscape Oct 9, 2017
Increasingly, the old model of earning a college degree by simply choosing a school, paying cash to cover room, board, and tuition, and graduating within four years (with summers off) is passé. Currently, the average student takes six years to finish college and has about $37,000 in student loan debt. Higher education’s escalating costs and … Continue reading “An Innovative Guide Through the Higher Ed Landscape”
Classroom Diversity and Its Mentality of Taboo Sep 29, 2017
Anyone who applies for an executive or upper management position at a university these days must demonstrate a “strong commitment to diversity.” That’s because diversity, according to campus dogma, provides real educational benefits. Counting and mingling students and professors by race, ethnicity or gender is supposed to broaden perspectives and enhance classroom learning. That might … Continue reading “Classroom Diversity and Its Mentality of Taboo”
Are Students Addicted to Distraction? Sep 27, 2017
A few years ago, something changed in class. I customarily taught classes where my students read multiple books, wrote thoughtful reflective essays, and came to class prepared to engage in rich discussions. I’d often come to class with a few notes and the goal of being extemporaneous for the duration of the class. Every student … Continue reading “Are Students Addicted to Distraction?”

Faculty Hiring Needs Proper Checks and Balances Oct 13, 2017
Editor’s note: This is the second part of an essay on how to restore ideological balance in universities without affirmative action for conservative scholars. The first part can be found here. The ideological imbalance of American university faculties is not new. Whether one looks at faculty voter registrations, publications, course syllabi reading lists, or merely … Continue reading “Faculty Hiring Needs Proper Checks and Balances”
Vote No for Affirmative Action for Conservatives Oct 11, 2017
Editor’s note: This is the first part of an essay on how to restore ideological balance in universities without affirmative action for conservative scholars. The second part can be found here. Legislating a problem away is an extremely tempting option, when available. Why not try to fix the most intractable problem in public higher education—its intensifying … Continue reading “Vote No for Affirmative Action for Conservatives”
The Contemporary Relevance of A Poem on the Underground Wall Oct 6, 2017
The last train is nearly due The underground is closing soon And in the dark deserted station Restless in anticipation A man waits in the shadows On my return to Georgetown’s campus this fall, I was greeted with the following broadcast e-mail message dated September 6: Dear Members of the Georgetown University Community, We write … Continue reading “The Contemporary Relevance of A Poem on the Underground Wall“

Should All University Property Be Tax-Exempt? Oct 16, 2017
Connecticut legislators made headlines last year when they introduced a bill to tax revenue-generating college and university property. The bill was crafted to help New Haven, where Yale University is located, remain solvent. The bill specifies that any commercial property that is owned and operated by a university and that generates more than $6,000 in … Continue reading “Should All University Property Be Tax-Exempt?”
Faculty Hiring Needs Proper Checks and Balances Oct 13, 2017
Editor’s note: This is the second part of an essay on how to restore ideological balance in universities without affirmative action for conservative scholars. The first part can be found here. The ideological imbalance of American university faculties is not new. Whether one looks at faculty voter registrations, publications, course syllabi reading lists, or merely … Continue reading “Faculty Hiring Needs Proper Checks and Balances”
Vote No for Affirmative Action for Conservatives Oct 11, 2017
Editor’s note: This is the first part of an essay on how to restore ideological balance in universities without affirmative action for conservative scholars. The second part can be found here. Legislating a problem away is an extremely tempting option, when available. Why not try to fix the most intractable problem in public higher education—its intensifying … Continue reading “Vote No for Affirmative Action for Conservatives”