Over the weekend, the University of Dayton proved engineering is more than design, manufacturing, building and operation.

From Sept. 22-24, UD held a national conference entitled 'The Role of Engineering at a Catholic University.' For the first time, this conference looked at the moral obligations of engineering and how it can make a difference in people's lives, especially after Hurricane Katrina.

Margie Pinnell, an assistant mechanical engineering professor, coordinated the conference. According to Pinnell, it is important students understand the message that engineering is more than its specific technicalities.

'Engineering has great social impact,' said Pinnell. 'Are engineers creating jobs? Is the environment being protected? Is the human condition being uplifted? At a Catholic university, a situation like Hurricane Katrina brings engineering's social impact to the forefront.'

Billy Koen, a University of Texas professor, delivered his talk entitled 'The Definition of Engineering Method and its Implications for the Liberal Arts, Ethics and Religion' Thursday, in Kennedy Union. Koen is the author of Discussion of the Method, which includes one of the best descriptions of engineering and the engineering process.

Other keynote speakers included John M. Staudenmaier, professor of engineering and ethics at the University of Detroit Mercy, and Daniel R. Lynch, MacLean Professor of Engineering at Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH. Staudenmaier spoke on 'When I Critique Technology, on What Ground Do I Stand'? while Lynch gave an address entitled 'Catholic Social Thought and Technology: Dimensions of Professional Responsibility.'

On Saturday, Sept. 24 Philip J. Chmielewski, the Sir Thomas More Chair of Engineering Ethics at Loyola Marymount University, rounded out the keynote speakers with his talk 'Cyborg Engineers Hack Better Ethics in the Catholic Tradition.' According to Chmielewski, engineering is more than just a concrete science being taught to students at the university. Instead, engineering is a give and take process with both sides of the spectrum learning equally.

'What must engineering learn from the university'? Chmielewski stated in his address. 'The university can offer approaches to goals that are not material. It offers a chance for individual engineers to reconceive their own motivations.'

Along with engineering learning from the university, Chmielewski proposed five other relationships. He stated the university can also learn from engineering, engineering can learn from ethics, ethics can learn from engineering, engineering can learn from Catholicism and Catholicism can learn from engineering. All have a relationship that stresses the need for social and moral concern.

'What are the concerns of engineers'? Chmielewski said. 'They are functionality, safety, economy, welfare, environmental equality, the development of personality and the equality of society. The last two have been added on recently.'

The 'Role of Engineering at a Catholic University' conference allowed for students, faculty and professional engineers of all faiths to join together and discuss their impact on society.

'I believe UD does a good job of allowing the differences of all faiths to come out,' Pinnell stated. 'This conference allowed people of all religions to open up and share their beliefs on human issues. We hope all engineers have a great social conscience.'

Although social issues and faith need to be included in engineering, it is sometimes difficult to follow through due to lack of funds. Pinnell stressed that funding and tenure can hurt the implementation of such issues.

'Sometimes, what we can get funded isn't consistent with our beliefs,' Pinnell said. 'But overall, I think engineers have the best intentions in mind.'