The Rock Stars Among Us
Upon first recognizing the gravity of the STEM shortage and what it means to the civil engineering industry, I wondered why other countries produce so many students interested in studying engineering in the U.S. After an informal survey and some anecdotal discussions, I concluded that the supply issue has a lot to do with demand. Young people in the U.S. want to run after what we have taught them to value: the glamour of obscene internet riches, Wall Street largess, professional sports paychecks, and the superstardom of Hollywood and reality-TV.
