What does deaf awareness have to do with educating engineers more effectively?
Dr Emma Taylor CISSP CEng
IET Chief Engineer of the Year | Risk Management and Asset Integrity | RAEng Visiting Professor
And why should this be a question that should be questioned at all?
When I teach, when I do engineering, it’s also my responsibility as a Chartered Engineer (CEng) to be supportive of the needs and concerns of others. I'm a signatory to our institution’s Code of Conduct, which includes responsibility for carrying out engineering duties in an ethical manner. Oh, and I need to be an effective communicator and educator, and hopefully engaging too.
And to a broader engineering perspective? Why should we think more broadly of society around us, when hearing loss will affect 1 in 5 of us?
For me, the Royal Academy of Engineering’s front web page headline captures the “why” really well:?
“Harnessing the power of engineering and technology to build a sustainable society and inclusive economy that works for everyone”.?
Or as someone I was talking to put it...
"this shows that engineers...responsibilities to people, and also the responsibility to practice in a sustainable and inclusive way. In other words, it's not enough to just do the technical stuff".
With Royal Academy of Engineers staff support the deaf awareness conversation is opening up amongst us as Visiting Professors. Together, we’ve been using our industrial engineering experience to capture what’s working?and what’s not. Our observations from the front line of engineering teaching and communication have helped inform development of ten tips, for anyone to use.
I’m sure I haven’t reinvented the wheel but I hope I’m reaching a new audience with, and at a new time too. Naturally there’s an engineering flavour to what we came up with.
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I hope this list helps. You can use it in any way that works for you e.g. I’ve got point 1 as something I try and do, and talk about too.
We’ve also got effective group project discussion and delivery - a key part of engineering education - on our to do list as well. One of the Royal Academy of Engineering VPs is getting their professional society to include deaf awareness in their Code of Conduct for conferences. I have started asking about deaf awareness accessibility measures that will be in place when I give a talk. If we work together we can start a trend.?
Next up, with the team of VP’s support, an agile and iterative start-up approach to in the field trial and improvement, and also blogs exploring the link between deaf awareness to sustainability and ethics. For engineers and others in STEM, why not add deaf awareness linked engineering to your CPD for 2024?
Closing, it’s important to highlight that I’m not a DEI specialist, or assuming to represent the needs of people - individually and collectively - that I’ve never met. If there’s one takeaway I’d like everyone to hold on to, it’s don’t assume you know what someone’s needs are. Everyone’s needs are different and can change too. Ask and listen. Take the time to learn, Deaf community, culture, language, communication and more. Context for deaf awareness matters, like for everything else.
Watch this space, more to follow, and thank you for your attention.
Dr Emma Taylor is a Chartered Engineer with more 30 years of experience across three sectors: aerospace, energy and transport. Emma would like to thank all of those who have helped her with deaf awareness and practical guidance including Sarah Hitt of the Engineering Professors Council, and a special thank you to Prof Graham Braithwaite for his support. I'll update this acknowledgement with the individual names of the Visiting Professors who helped contribute, one by one, as I get their permission.
Please note that this article is written in a personal capacity and is for guidance only, do consult with professionals working in this field if you are looking for specialist advice.
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1 年Taking in multiple streams of information, reading/processing written English into ASL, and switching between 2D and 3D thought processes ; all at once, can be exhausting. Thank you for being an ally and putting measures in place to ensure the conversation continues!
Metrology for Enterprise and Skills for Life are my focus. Growing portfolio career (post engineer exec roles) to align
1 年Thanks for continuing to drive us to think about this Emma. My key take-away from your talk was not to assume that everyone with hearing impairment has the same needs. My contact with signers had limited my view of the full range of needs. The old adage of "know your audience" keeps coming back with ever improving questions to ask before any form of communication.
Head of Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Wellbeing at Marie Curie UK; Author; Speaker; Hays' Recruitment Global Leader; Judges’ Chair @ RIDI, Judge for Shaw Trust #DisabilityPower100
1 年Proud to know you Dr Taylor, what a masterly article about personal growth, inclusion and leadership #kudos