Our approach is cohort-based and highly interactive, blending Engineering Scenario Practice, Engineering Leadership Concepts & Theory, and Reflection and Values Development.
GELs are exposed to the fundamentals of leadership theory. As the program progresses, they learn specific tools and frameworks that are relevant to topics such as ethical decision-making, project engineering, and systems thinking.
Leadership development OR developing oneself as an engineering leader requires practice, reflection and refinement. While underlying theory is important and is covered in other aspects of the program, GEL’s highly innovative Engineering Leadership Lab (ELL) provides a “playing field” that serves as the core of our students’ engineering leadership development.
During weekly ELL sessions, students participate in immersive, team-based activities designed to challenge their assumptions and hone their leadership, teamwork, and communications skills. Each ELL focuses on one or more of the “Capabilities of Effective Engineering Leaders,” with active participation by engineering industry leaders, who also share their real-world experiences.These activities provide opportunities for students to lead their peers and serve on teams, while fostering growth and learning individually and within their team. Watch video of ELL
Reflection is integral to the GEL program. Both inside and outside of class, students are guided through reflection and self-assessment on their own performance and ways to improve. We encourage (and challenge) GELs to embrace the development of their own personal core values.
GEL’s rigorous program of indirect assessment (at the cohort level) focuses on the change in students’ confidence in their ability to perform specific leadership tasks before and at the end of the program. Over this timespan, we observe gains in student confidence across a range of leadership capabilities that students practice in GEL.