Baylor engineering undergrads develop into innovative thinkers

When Dr. David Jack, associate professor of mechanical engineering, came to Baylor, he noticed a distinct difference in the engineering students from others he had worked with across the country. In addition to appreciating the strong relationships that Baylor professors develop with students, he was struck by the broad range of courses students were taking alongside their core work in engineering.

And then Jack saw the even bigger picture: Baylor was not only educating students through a wide-ranging and challenging curriculum but was developing well-rounded Christian leaders through a variety of programs. These activities range from faith-based activities on campus to international trips as part of Engineers with a Mission (pictured above), a student organization that creates opportunities for engineering students to develop their Christian vocations while helping to improve the lives of people around the world.

“God has given each of us special talent and special skills to fulfill a calling,” Jack said. “Diversity is all over Baylor. Not just diversity among the students, but diversity among the curriculum as well. With the engineering curriculum across the country, there are a lot of similarities. A difference here is the broader classes students take. Some of my engineering students are sitting at their desk and they are reading from the Great Texts curriculum.”

The Great Texts program is part of Baylor’s Honors College. In addition to exposing the mind of a Baylor engineer to outstanding literary and philosophical works throughout history, the Great Texts curriculum provides students with insights into the world around them and into how they think about people.

Jack said that such books can be thought of as mirrors. In them, students see new sides of themselves and thereby gain understanding and empathy for other people and their thoughts, emotions and experiences. A great text, Jack said, can make a student’s world, as well as his or her mind, larger.

The mechanical engineering program equips students with the fundamental technical, communication and teamwork skills to succeed in their chosen careers. Beyond that, Jack said, students are empowered by innovative problem-solving, creativity and an entrepreneurial mindset as well as a Christian perspective on vocational calling.

Jack, himself, recognizes his move to Baylor was a response to his calling.

“I knew I was called to be an engineer, but I was really struggling to know if I was called to be a professor. By every metric at my previous university, I was being successful, but I felt empty. I didn’t feel I got to work with the students,” Jack said. “At Baylor, I get to be involved with students on a close, personal level. I get to know their interests and their passions, and I also get to know their struggles and we get to talk through those struggles. That was a surprise to me that something like this existed. It is part of the culture at Baylor.”

Such an approach is in keeping with Baylor’s mission and the mission of the School of Engineering and Computer Science — to provide a superior education through instruction and service to others that prepares graduates for professional practice and responsible leadership with a Christian worldview.

Jack also engages students in his research lab where he focuses on the analysis and design procedures for lightweight, durable composites. “With recent advances in fabrication of materials, it is becoming increasingly important for the design engineer to have accurate and effective tools to aid them in the creation of advanced multifunctional products,” he said. “My work spans the size spectrum, from the nano to macro, and covers industrial applications ranging from niche military aerospace multifunctional aircraft panels to large volume, low price, automotive components.”

Combining the exceptional skills acquired as engineering students working alongside top researchers and teachers and the opportunity to learn through other courses, like the Great Texts program, Baylor engineers have become desired within the workplace.

“Many of the employers who have hired our students come back and say ‘I want more,’ because they have the technical skills, but they also have a different method of solving problems,” Jack said. “It’s not all about the math and science. It’s about the broader person, their broader place in this world, their broader place in creation.”

An education from the School of Engineering and Computer Science at Baylor is deeper than just learning material in the classroom. A vital part of the education is the community of scholars that students join when they enter the program.

Within Baylor’s East Village Residential Community, Teal Residential College provides a complementary approach to student engagement. As they live and learn together, aspiring students explore their vocation beyond the classroom through faculty exchanges, social events, day-to-day interactions and opportunities to explore their faith.

As Dr. David Jack has discovered, there is something special about the Baylor experience.