From continuum-based to multiscale-based engineering mechanics education

The rapid growth in nanoscience and technology and its implementation in modern 'flat world' industry and engineering are calling for a new curriculum for engineering education. The change in curriculum involves the introduction of new concepts and examples at scales that are new territories for engineers. These territories were previously acknowledged as the exclusive knowledge-based playground of scientists, in which their explorations broaden the horizon of basic understanding. Engineering mechanics concepts are taught to most engineering disciplines as essentials to basic and practical engineering understanding. At the introductory level engineering mechanics is taught in the courses of statics, dynamics and strength of materials. This paper addresses the need and importance of reforms and revisions of engineering mechanics courses to include experiences in these new territories so that the engineering mechanics education expand beyond continuum and macro-based level to include all the scales. This revision can be done by introducing the concepts of multiscale engineering and development of new lesson modules perhaps including example problems in micro- and nanoscales. Relying upon the framework of existing courses and using the existing physical and intellectual resources, an array of educational activities will be suggested to provide such an opportunity for undergraduate engineering students. The efforts will be facilitated through the visualization capabilities of computer-aided engineering and drawing (CADD) techniques as well as the analysis capabilities of finite element model (FEM) and molecular dynamics (MD) procedures.