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 · 164 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.

Pro/Con: Is Food Insecurity on Campus a Problem? Feb 19, 2020
Campus Food Insecurity Matters Food insecurity among American college students is a significant problem. While outdated stereotypes of higher education presume that undergraduates live on campus, receive stipends from their parents, and gorge themselves in campus dining halls, the facts suggest the opposite. Only 15.6 percent of today’s students reside on a college campus, at … Continue reading “Pro/Con: Is Food Insecurity on Campus a Problem?”
Reinvigorating the Teaching of American History Feb 17, 2020
To be ignorant of what occurred before you were born is to remain always a child. —Cicero It’s no secret that many of today’s students are ignorant of American history and of how American democracy works. According to a 2018 survey conducted by the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation, only 1 in 3 Americans would … Continue reading “Reinvigorating the Teaching of American History”
Race-Centered Narratives Obscure the Problems of College Sports Feb 14, 2020
National discussions of college athletics routinely emphasize race. That emphasis, however, is unfortunate because it diverts attention from issues that affect all student-athletes. Also, discussions of race in college sports commonly rely on questionable statistics. Some of those statistics come from a report by Shaun Harper, head of the Center on Race and Equity at … Continue reading “Race-Centered Narratives Obscure the Problems of College Sports”

The Intellectual and Moral Decline in Academic Research Jan 29, 2020
For most of the past century, the United States was the pre-eminent nation in science and technology. The evidence for that is beyond dispute: Since 1901, American researchers have won more Nobel prizes in medicine, chemistry, and physics than any other nation. Given our history of discovery, innovation, and success, it is not surprising that … Continue reading “The Intellectual and Moral Decline in Academic Research”
The New American Academy: Break Out the Crayons and Play-Doh Jan 27, 2020
The idea of a campus “safe space”—a university-sanctioned oasis where students can go to destress and feel at ease—has had its share of ridicule. And it’s not hard to see why: It is often hard to distinguish between a college safe space and a preschool daycare. For example, in April 2019, the University of North … Continue reading “The New American Academy: Break Out the Crayons and Play-Doh”
Did You Know? Confucius Institutes Disappearing from American Campuses Jan 23, 2020
After years of expansion, Communist Party-funded Confucius Institutes have seen the tide turn against them at American colleges. The Institutes, controlled by the Chinese government, were created to teach Chinese language, culture, and history. Colleges quickly embraced them because they were cheap, easy sources of pride to claim that the school educated its students for … Continue reading “Did You Know? Confucius Institutes Disappearing from American Campuses”

Did You Know? Majority of Federal Funding for College Is for Student Loans Feb 20, 2020
The federal government has grown in importance for higher education for decades. The most long-lasting effect could be its status as the lender of first resort for student loans. The vast majority of federal spending on colleges and universities comes in the form of making loans, dwarfing all other activities. Of the $120 billion supplied … Continue reading “Did You Know? Majority of Federal Funding for College Is for Student Loans”
Pro/Con: Is Food Insecurity on Campus a Problem? Feb 19, 2020
Campus Food Insecurity Matters Food insecurity among American college students is a significant problem. While outdated stereotypes of higher education presume that undergraduates live on campus, receive stipends from their parents, and gorge themselves in campus dining halls, the facts suggest the opposite. Only 15.6 percent of today’s students reside on a college campus, at … Continue reading “Pro/Con: Is Food Insecurity on Campus a Problem?”
Reinvigorating the Teaching of American History Feb 17, 2020
To be ignorant of what occurred before you were born is to remain always a child. —Cicero It’s no secret that many of today’s students are ignorant of American history and of how American democracy works. According to a 2018 survey conducted by the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation, only 1 in 3 Americans would … Continue reading “Reinvigorating the Teaching of American History”