Instituting a Design Engineering

Program at the University of the

Philippines

Wilfredo I. Jose
Department of Chemical Engineering,
University of the Philippines
Diliman, Quezon City

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 Introduction

• Basis of development: knowledge

creation and translation of knowledge
into value
• Primacy of engineering education in
knowledge based global economy
• Achieved through engineering design
process

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 Introduction
• This paper is a welcome result of
conducting two parallel activities that were
initially unrelated
1. Finding the reason for the failure of
implementing the process design option
of the Graduate Program of the
Department of Chemical Engineering at
the University of the Philippines
2. Developing a technique on how to
generate new ideas
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 Background

• 1987: Process Design Option for the masters

program in Chemical Engineering proposed –
failed to take off
• 1994: Process Design Option again proposed
for the doctoral program – no success again
• Reason for non-implementation: We could
not pinpoint the exact reason
• We still continued to offer experimental
courses on process design

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 Solution
• The problem was solved in 2002
• The technique “Generate new ideas
through probing paradigms” was used
• This is the author’s interest on the
application of concept of paradigms to his
profession
• The National Research Council in the US
issued a report that described the
paradigm of chemical engineering in 1988
• The author attended a seminar by
Stephen Covey in the same year
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 What is a Paradigm?
A paradigm refers to a model, pattern, theory,
map, perception, frame of reference, etc.

• According to Thomas • According to Manfred

Kuhn:
• The paradigm of a
profession is the
knowledge that
defines or guides a
profession
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Stransfield:
A paradigm is a
model of a portion of
reality, with fewer
dimensions and a
manageable size,
mass, and energy.
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 Paradigm = ideas and knowledge

A Paradigm comprises paradigms each

consisting of paradigms and so on and so forth.
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 Plot the paradigm directly to the brain
that acts as a neural network computer

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 Probing Paradigms

• Study, analyze, and thoroughly explore

paradigms
• Find insights, perspectives, points of
view, etc.
• Systematically organize the ideas and
map them in the mind
• Connect ideas within paradigms, to
come up with new ideas

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 How the problem was solved
• I probed the paradigms of • If we extend The
chemical engineering and philosophy to the
design engineering graduate courses the
• Essentially the proposal natural tendency to
was based on the follow the existing
undergraduate design paradigm
course , which serves as • The perceived paradigm
a capstone course restricts introduction of
• The capstone course is a fresh ideas, adaptation
training course which of techniques, method of
requires the knowledge implementation, etc.
the student has learned
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 Expanding the solution
• Adapt appropriate paradigms to chemical
engineering design
• Use principles from other engineering
disciplines
– from industrial, mechanical, metallurgical,
materials engineering, etc.
• Then we realize that design engineering
really requires the knowledge from all
disciplines
• Thus the institution of a multidisciplinary
program was proposed
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 Courses for the Program
• Core courses
– Principles of Modern
Design Engineering
– Creativity and Innovation
in design engineering
– Design for Environment
and Sustainability
• Technology Based
Courses
• Specialized Courses
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• Specialization from
different departments
– Chemical Product Design
– Machine Design
– Design for sustainable
materials
– Design for sustainable
energy
– Design for X
– Software design
– Etc.
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 A Research Program for
Implementation
• Development of Integrated Sensor-based,
Cost-effective, Energy-efficient Light
Machinery for Processing Agro-Industrial,
Fisheries, Other Food, Nutraceutical,
Herbal, Essential Oil and Drug Products

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 Initial Project

• Development of a Production System for

the Manufacture of Coconut Sugar and
Other Products from Coconut Sap

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 Applications of Probing
Paradigms to Generate Ideas
• Formulating teaching strategies
• Developing teaching innovations
• Crafting new fields of study
• Teaching a class consisting of students from
different disciplines
• Carrying out Inventions and patents
• Applications to biological, environmental, and
energy systems
• Etc.
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 Conclusion
• Establishing and implementing educational
programs can be beset with problems as
presented in this paper
• The design engineering program
presented may not be unique.
• But the method used to solve and improve
the program can be applied to similar
situations

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 Acknowledgement

The financial support extended by the

Engineering Research and Development for
Technology (ERDT) of the Department of
Science and Technology (DOST) of the
Philippines is gratefully acknowledged.

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 Muchas Gracias!

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 16 November 2011
Dear Dr. Wilfredo Jose,
I wish to thank you for the knowledge on “concept of probing paradigms" that you have provided me
during my struggle on my PhD study. It is really working in me. Here are some instances, as a
matter of fact 2 major instances, which I used the “concept of probing paradigm” that helped me,
and continue helping me, on my profession. The instances are:
a) During my dissertation period in which sometimes it seemed there was no solution to the
problem, something like a dead end. Every time I was in this state I made a short break on what I
was doing and refocus my mind looking at the problem on a different perspective. Upon doing this I
find a solution. Now, it is very obvious that the concept of "probing paradigms" is really working in
me because I have the PhD degree now.
b) Almost all my professional life have been in the world of industry and never came in my mind that
I will work for an academe. My outlook before was to work for the industry as by doing so can help
our country better and to have satisfactory earnings. However, when the concept of "probing
paradigms" came into my knowledge, made me refocus to academe and started entertaining the
idea that working for the academic institution is a great legacy and a much better strategy to help
our nation.
I hope that this concept could help others, too, succeed in whatever endeavor they have in life.
Again, thank you so much for sharing this knowledge.
Very truly yours,
Delia B. Senoro, PhD
In-charge, Sustainable Development Research Office
Coordinator, Environmental and Sanitary Programs
School of Civil, Environmental and Geological Engineering

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