The Demographic Cliff and its Impact on Engineering Education: 

where will the future engineers come from?

Date: Wednesday, November 13 at 12:00 PM
Location: MS Teams Webinar - a link will be provided the day prior to the program
Cost: PENC Members: Free | Non-Members: $20
PDH: 1

The “Demographic Cliff” is the term often used to describe the impending decline in the number of high school graduates in the United States.  While there are geographic variations the magnitude and timing of the decline, we are at the beginning of this phenomenon and the entire country will be affected in the next few years.  Concurrently, the need for engineering talent is increasing and many models predict strong demand in entry-level engineering positions over the next decade.  Engineering education at colleges and universities is squarely in the middle of the challenges that this supply and demand problem create.  This presentation will explore the demographic cliff, the projected demand for engineering talent, and opportunities for colleges, universities, and all stakeholders to work together to respond to this looming challenge.

About the Speaker

Edward R. (Randy) Collins, Jr., PhD, PE - Biosketch

Randy Collins is the Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at Western Carolina University.  He holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from North Carolina State University and a PhD in Electrical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. 

Collins’ technical expertise is in electric power and energy, with a specialization in energy conversion, power quality, and grid emulation.  He has more than 100 publications related to electric power and engineering education and has three patents. 

Prior to WCU, Collins was a Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Clemson University, where he served for more than three decades as a faculty member and administrator.  He is an avid pilot, holding airline transport and commercial pilot licenses, and flight instructor certifications.  He is a licensed professional engineer, has extensive service with the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES), and is a member of PENC.