04/11/2020

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SEED: Learning to Engineer Success out of Failure A conversation with Calvin Rans, TU Delft

Tuesday 3 November, 2020Calvin Rans, Assistant Professor, TU Delft

Most, if not all, innovation and research require that students learn how to deal with failures and dead ends. If we are not careful in designing tasks and courses we risk focussing only on what is right, and not on the path to success.Calvin Rans will give a short talk on his thoughts on the subject. There will be possibilities to ask questions and engage inconversation.

The presentation continues the discussion from 20. October where Professor Dag Wedelin from Chalmers talked about mathematical modelling and problem solving.

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As a bonus: Here is a youtube-link with a framing back-story to a student task that Calvin posted on youtube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_1jeiT6HoE&feature=youtu.be

What Is Engineering Mechanicshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7Fr7L5Gj3c&feature=youtu.be

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Reflecting on how we respond in the face of failure

Dr. Calvin RansDocent van het Jaar 2019Associate ProfessorAerospace Structures & Materials Department

What is Engineering?

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Math

Science

The practical application of mathematics and science to design and build structures, machines, apparatus, processes, or works for the betterment of society

Engineering

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An Engineer’s Mantra

ENGINEERING

ABOUT BEING RIGHT

IS

BEING RIGHT ENOUGHBUT

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My life depends on you being right enough! So know the limits of

what you know.

University is a place for students to discover and expand these limits!

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UNIVERSITYSAFE PLACE TO

Some Recent Failures

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Project AERGORealizing the lightest and greenest manned aircraft in the world!

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IF YOU’RE NOT PREPARED TO BE WRONG, YOU’LL NEVER COME UP WITH SOMETHING ORIGINAL.

“

”SIR KEN ROBINSON

Responding to a Failure

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Lion Air Flight 904 wreckage - Bali - 13 April 2013

INVE

STIG

ATIO

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What Happened?

Accident

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Who should we blame?

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INVE

STIG

ATIO

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Judicial Investigation

Air Safety Investigation

Apportion blame & liabilityImprove Safety

ANNEX 13

What Happened?

Accident

The sole objective of the investigation of an accident or incident shall be the prevention of accidents and incidents. It is not the purpose of this activity to apportion blame or liability.

Independent Safety Boards Parties Responsible for Safety

Cooperation

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Failure

Vulnerability to Failure

Hazard

We want to eliminate vulnerabilities, not blame someone for them being there in the first place

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