Turbo Expo session takes critical look at engineering education

The value of engineering education as it applies to the gas turbine industry will go under the microscope during a special panel session at this year's Turbo Expo in May in Montreal.

The session, "Training Gas Turbine Engineers for Optimum Productivity," is one of several panel sessions comprising the Technical Congress at ASME Turbo Expo 2007. The conference, which covers a range of technologies relating to gas turbines, will be held May 14–17, 2007, at the Palais de Congres in Montreal. ASME's International Gas Turbine Institute is the conference's primary sponsor and organizer.

Sheenu Srinivasan

"Training Gas Turbine Engineers for Optimum Productivity" will address the question of whether today's engineering school graduates possess the necessary technical and managerial skills to meet the job requirements of gas turbine manufacturers. According to Sheenu Srinivasan, the organizer of the discussion, the answer to that question is usually "no."

"The engine manufacturers have been saying that young engineers out of college, while bright in a broad range of engineering, in many cases lack the knowledge and aptitude specific to gas turbine technology and the gas turbine business," said Srinivasan, who is director of technology and business strategy for the engineering services firm Quest LLC as well as the current chair of IGTI's Education Committee.

The problem, according to Srinivasan, has nothing to do with the overall quality of engineering education in the United States, but with emerging industry needs demanding a newer skills set for young engineers entering the gas turbine field. He notes that gas turbines have become extremely complicated regarding aerodynamics, materials and structures, controls, and heat transfer, and graduates of even the finest college and university engineering programs are not ready to make contributions in these areas of technology without extensive and costly employer-based orientation and training.

The experiences and challenges of bringing early-career engineers up to speed on gas turbine technology will be described during Srinivasan's Turbo Expo panel session, which will feature representatives of major engine manufacturers, including Alstom, GE, Pratt & Whitney, and Rolls-Royce.

In addition to "Training Gas Turbine Engineers for Optimum Productivity," Turbo Expo 2007 also will feature an exhibit, facility tours, and a continuing education program for engineers who want to learn about the latest developments in gas turbine technology.

To find out more about Turbo Expo 2007, visit http://asmeconferences.org/TE07, or contact the International Gas Turbine Institute, (404) 847-0072, e-mail igti@asme.org.

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