Boudewyn van Oort, an engineer whose career has spanned several decades, reflects on how his humanities education has been instrumental in his success. “Understanding the context in which technology exists, the people it serves, and the societal impacts it has, is just as important as the technology itself,” van Oort shares.

Engineer advising female apprentice, front view close up

This quote from a recent article called Bridging Worlds: How Humanities Enrich the Future of Engineering and Environmental Solutions identifies the groundshifting educational transformation that is being felt and seen in higher education. More and more colleges and universities are identifying the essential need to train future engineers in the understanding of human values, ethics, culture, and history.

Seasoned Engineers like van Oort emphatically support the need for the study of the humanities so that engineers can better understand the impact of their work on individuals and communities, one in which economics and engineering are coupled, not separated from holistic and human-centered sustainable outcomes.

If you are a student wanting to enter this field, look closely at individual college curricula to assess whether this education will provide you with a more humanity-centered learning opportunity that will help you build a better future.