The Engineer as a Social and Political Actor: Integrating Film into Engineering Education

Practice Paper Recommended citation: Sandberg, C. (2025). The Engineer as a Social and Political Actor: Integrating Film into Engineering Education. In Kangaslampi, R., Langie, G., Järvinen, H.-M., & Nagy, B. (Eds.), SEFI 53rd Annual Conference. European Society for Engineering Education (SEFI), Tampere, Finland. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17631253. This Conference Paper is brought to you for open access by the 53rd Annual Conference of the European Society for Engineering Education (SEFI) at Tampere University in Tampere, Finland. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License. THE ENGINEER AS A SOCIAL AND POLITICAL ACTOR: HOW FILM AND MEDIA CAN SUPPORT ENGINEERING EDUCATION C Sandberg1 University of Melbourne, Parkville, 0000-0003-3035-9471 Conference Key Areas: Diversity, equity and inclusion in our universities and in our teaching; Engineering ethics education Keywords: inclusive engineering education, interdisciplinarity, screen studies ABSTRACT This paper explores the use of audio-visual media as a tool for advancing an inclusive approach to engineering education. In a world marked by increasing division, engineers must possess not only technical skills but also a critical understanding of the broader social and political contexts in which they operate. Issues such as social justice, strategic warfare, and systemic power structures provide ethical problems that affect engineering practice. Western engineering curricula effectively develop technical expertise, business acumen, and communication skills. Yet, the social, cultural, and ethical dimensions of the profession remain often overlooked, aspects which have contributed to gender imbalance, exclusionary cultures, and a declining talent pipeline. Screen media offer an innovative method to address these gaps. Drawing on a university module designed and taught by the author, the paper presents three structured teaching sequences built around feature films. These interactive sessions focus on media portrayals of engineers, gender asymmetries, and the humanmachine relationship. Each sequence includes curated film clips, group activities, guided discussions, and follow-up assignments that encourage critical engagement. By integrating film into engineering education, the approach fosters ethical awareness and cultural sensitivity, enabling students to reflect on their identities as future engineers and support the development of more inclusive and socially responsive engineering practices. Ultimately, this work aims to empower students to challenge dominant narratives and become agents of change in fostering diversity and equity within their field. 1 C Sandberg [email protected] 1 INTRODUCTION The engineering profession faces an ever-greater set of challenges. A UNESCO landmark report on engineering and development that was published in 2010, articulates the vital role of engineering in solving pressing economic, ecological and social concerns: ‘For the future of engineering, an obvious goal is the need to focus specifically on the important role engineering will play in addressing the UN Millennium Development Goals, especially poverty reduction and sustainable development, and the vital role of engineering in climate change mitigation and adaptation in the development of sustainable, green, eco-engineering and associated design, technology, production and distribution systems and infrastructure.’ (UNESCO, 2010) In recent years, exploitative capitalist structures, minimal state intervention into social and economic affairs and the Covid-19 pandemic have contributed to exacerbate these issues. According to UNESCO, engineers should develop ‘handson’ or ‘problem-solving approaches’. Products and technologies are to be designed with view to the social, cultural and political environments in which they should be utilised. Affordable and renewable resources should be used, and local experts and consultants be made equal members of the team. In an era of unprecedented global crises, technological innovation is only effective when it responds to other transformation processes, social movements and mobility campaigns towards more equality and diversity. But decision makers and scholars in engineering faculties continue to nurture the belief that ‘engineering is a purely “technical” space and political and cultural concerns can – and should – be removed from that space’ (Cech and Sherick, 2015). That engineering culture is still structured around predominantly conservative, white, male and middle-class values, is problematic. As Joel Alejandro Mejía et al. note: ‘[T]he “bourgeois norms” that must be followed to achieve success in engineering are hard work, self-discipline, and respect for authority’ (Mejía et al., 2020). Moreover, Holly Jr. and Masta claim that the engineering workplace is set up around systemic biases: ‘Whiteness causes many to see engineering pedagogy as static rather than socially constructed. This protects the arrogance of believing the dominant paradigm to be optimal, despite ignoring diverse epistemologies that we know exist’ (Holly and Masta, 2021). Over the last decades, national and international engineering associations, government bodies and engineering companies have launched a myriad of efforts to towards making engineering a diverse community and finding ways of creating a respectful, inclusive workplace culture: e.g., introducing STEAM projects in high schools, launching scholarships for indigenous students, and developing recruitment programs exclusively targeted to female candidates. A key factor to the success of decolonising efforts in engineering is doing the groundwork in the education sector, i.e., in engineering schools and departments, technical universities and colleges. Erin A. Cech and others assert that revising and revamping engineering curricula and teaching method has the potential to ‘overcome a culture of disengagement’ (Cech, 2014; Holly and Masta, 2021). Stephen J. Eichhorn, in a paper titled ‘How the West was Won: A Deconstruction of Politicised Colonial Engineering’, suggests: “Greater emphasis must be placed on achievements and influence of other countries on the West’s development, making engineering progress more relevant to all’ (Eichhorn, 2020). This involves a critical engagement with engineering history in the west, to question its meta narratives. Engineering accomplishments have to be reassessed as to who they exclude. There should be enquiries into positivist views of technology, among many other areas that need investigating. To adequately meet these challenges, engineering education has to be decolonised, i.e. inclusive and critically engaged. The intent of a decolonised engineering education consists in addressing dynamics of exclusion, recognising and gradually dismantling institutional injustices. The author suggests that screen media offer an innovative method to address these gaps. Undoubtedly, the use of moving images as a teaching tool in engineering classes is unusual. At best, film excerpts have been used in an entertaining fashion as an introduction to a concept or to illustrate how things work, that is if they stand the test of being ‘authentic’. A paper delivered at the International Aeronautics Conference in 2004 stated: Working with films can help recruiting new students and space enthusiasts, as long as they are ‘technically accurate and realistic’ (Smith et al., 2004). Engineers form firm part of the science fiction fan community and so it is not surprising that engineering scholars report to have used scenes or stills from films such as Apollo 13 (Howard, 1995) or Ad Astra (Gray, 2019) to demonstrate complexity of design and functionality of engineering products or explain fundamental physics concepts (Segall, 2002). Scenes from Titanic (Cameron, 1997), The Day after Tomorrow (Emmerich, 2004) or The Life of Pi (Lee, 2012) are popular to criticise flawed flow visualisations. Hitt and Taro Lennerfors find that ‘teaching with film should be situated within the emerging literature of best practices in engineering ethics education’ (2022). Scholars and practitioners also acknowledge that film support developing communication and decision-making skills. Less attention is paid so far to the potential of feature film to link engineering disciplines to social issues or political agendas. For various years, the author has taught a subject that focusses on science and engineering in popular culture. Drawing from these insights and experiences, the remainder of this paper present classroom activities that should motivate engineering tutors to include social, cultural and ethical questions in interesting and effective manners. To this end, the author introduces structured classroom activities around three topics: media representation of engineers, gender asymmetries in engineering and ethics in the human-technology relationship. They are based on excerpts of the feature films Voyager (Schlöndorff, 1991), Ghost in the Shell (Oshii, 1995) and Hidden Figures (Melfi, 2016). Each sequence has a clear learning objective, is designed for engineering students across all disciplines, and is appropriate for both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The sessions are adaptable in length. 2. CONTEXT AND PRACTICAL WORK 2.1. Media Representation of Engineers: Voyager The feature film Voyager that unfolds in post-WWII Europe, follows civil engineer Walter Faber, an emotionally detached man whose worldview is challenged when an encounter with a young woman leads him on a journey across continents. Faber is forced to confront the limits of logic and consequences of choices made decades earlier. The film can be used in the engineering classroom to examine how media often portrays portray engineers as isolated, hyper-logical figures. Table 1. Classroom Activity Engineers on Screen Learning objective To analyse the portrayal of engineers in Voyager and reflect on how media shapes public perceptions of the profession, including issues of identity in engineering. 1. Pre-screening Discussion Which stereotypes exist about engineers in film or TV? (How) do media portray engineers' personalities, roles, or work environments? How do these representations compare to your own experience or expectations as an engineering student? 2. View excerpts Voyager_Eternity (1:05) https://vimeo.com/1086272477 Voyager_airplane crash (3:45) https://vimeo.com/1086273364 The clips present Faber’s rational world view, his belief in technology and his emotional detachment. 3. Small group activity Group 1: Faber’s Character How is Walter Faber portrayed as an engineer? What traits define his character? Are these traits emphasized, critiqued or complicated? Group 2: Ideology and Technology How does the film portray Faber’s relationship with technology, logic, and progress? Group 3: Gender and Identity: How does Faber interact with women? How might this reflect the film’s commentary on masculinity in engineering? Group 4: Engineering in Society What does the film suggest about the engineer’s role in society: is he hero, bureaucrat or outsider? Is this still relevant today? 4. Reflection and wrap-up (whole-class discussion) Did the film challenge your understanding of what it means to be an engineer? How can media representations affect real-world diversity and inclusion in engineering? How would you like to see engineers portrayed in the media? 5. Follow-up assignment Write a short script of a scene that depicts an engineer breaking common media stereotypes; emphasising collaboration, creativity or ethical decision-making. Fig. 1. Engineer Walter Faber. Still from Voyager. 2.2. Gender Asymmetries: Hidden Figures Hidden Figures remembers the African American human computers Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson and their crucial contributions to NASA’s space missions. The film examines historical conditions of women in a dominantly male-oriented field and racial, social and cultural barriers they faced. Table 2. Classroom Activity Gender, Barriers, and Breakthroughs Learning objectives Understand historical gender imbalances in engineering and STEM. Identify cultural and institutional barriers faced by women, especially women of color. Reflect on present-day gender dynamics in engineering education and careers. Discuss strategies for fostering inclusion and equity in engineering. 1. Warm-up and context Who gets remembered as an engineer, scientist or innovator—and why? What stereotypes or assumptions exist about women in technical fields? What are some current gender statistics in engineering fields? 2. Watch excerpts Hidden Figures clip collection (10:48) https://vimeo.com/1086283469 Mary’s supervisor motivates her to apply for a position in NASA’s engineering training programme. Katherine’s supervisor doubts her math abilities. Mary gets told that she needs additional courses as requirement to get into the training programme. Katherine confronts her colleagues about bathroom segregation and other discriminatory actions that impede her work. Fig. 2. The inquisitive Katherine Johnson character is surrounded by male colleagues. Still from Hidden Figures. 3. Discuss in small groups Group 1: Barriers Which systemic challenges did white women/black women have to overcome? How do these compare with barriers faced by women in STEM today? Group 2: Agency How did Katherine or Mary resist or overcome the barriers they faced? Did they have ‘champions’ to support them? Group 3: Engineering Culture Today How has engineering culture changed since the 1960s? Which issues persist? 4. Whole-class discussion and reflection What surprised you about the women’s experiences? What parallels do you see between past and present in engineering? How can today’s engineering students and professionals create more inclusive environments? Follow-up assignments 1. Write a short reflection on how the story of Hidden Figures influences your understanding of inclusion in engineering. Identify concrete steps you can take individually or within your community to support gender equity in STEM. 2. Create a group presentation on a female engineer (historical or current) whose story deserves more attention. 2.3. The Human-Machine-Relationship: Ghost in the Shell The Japanese cyberpunk anime Ghost in the Shell explores humanity’s relationship with technology. Major Motoko Kusanagi, a cybernetically enhanced government agent, hunts a mysterious hacker known as the Puppet Master who infiltrates human minds. In the process, Kusanagi begins to question the nature of her own identity. The film is a springboard to discuss engineering ethics, the social role of technology, and global perspectives on robotics and AI. Table 3. Classroom Activity Engineers and the Posthuman Learning objectives Examine how Ghost in the Shell portrays engineers’ roles in shaping human-machine integration. Understand how cultural values shape technological development and acceptance. Fig. 3. Motoko Kusanagi reflects on humanness. Still from Ghost in the Shell. Reflect on the ethical and philosophical implications of cybernetic enhancements and AI. Discuss how global science fiction can expand engineers’ thinking about the social impacts of their work. 1. Tutor presentation Introduce Ghost in the Shell as film set in a future of blurred human-machine boundaries. Highlight Japan’s context where robots and AI are often viewed positively contrasting with Western anxieties. Connect the topic to real-world tech: neural implants, wearable AI, human augmentation, autonomous systems. 2. Watch excerpts Ghost in the Shell clip collection (8:51) https://vimeo.com/1086296833 Construction of Kusanagi’s cybernetic body Kusanagi dives into the sea and reflects on selfhood The city and society of the future 3. Small-group discussion Group 1: Human-Centered Design How does the film represent human-computer integration? What would be the engineering challenges of designing technology that respects complex human identity (gender, memory, emotion)? Group 2: Cross-Cultural Engineering In Ghost in the Shell, cybernetic enhancement is normalized. What does this suggest about how culture influences tech adoption? How might Japanese views on robots differ from Western fears of AI dominance (e.g. A.I. or Ex-Machina)? Group 4: The Role of Engineers in the Future How can engineers ensure technology enhances human agency, rather than replacing it? 4. Class discussion Can science fiction help engineers imagine more inclusive, ethical, or sustainable futures? What ethical frameworks should guide engineers as technologies like AI, biotech, and cybernetics evolve? 5. Follow-up Assignment Create a prototype of a human-machine interface. Address the intended user and cultural context, benefits and risks and any ethical considerations. 3 RESULTS AND INSIGHTS RESULTS AND INSIGHTS The suggested classroom sequences are flexible and can easily be adapted to incorporate student contributions. There are challenges and opportunities linked to these activities. • Time constraints: The approach to work with film offers engineering students an opportunity to engage with broader socio-technical discussions. While watching and analysing an entire feature-length film may not always be feasible, the provided clips convey key ideas and can be more easily integrated into time-constrained engineering courses. Students can also be assigned to watch films in their own time, accompanied by guided discussion questions. Students are often eager to suggest their favourite texts, film clips, documentaries, or TV shows. These suggestions are valuable, as they may introduce alternative materials that tutors may not be familiar with and can align more closely with students’ interests and perspectives. • Availability of film material: Access to relevant film material is more convenient than ever. Blockbuster films are readily available on streaming platforms, and individual film clips can be found on sites, such as Clip.cafe. The Dust YouTube channel hosts hundreds of thought-provoking science fiction short films. Classic and international films are also accessible online with subtitles, expanding the range of available content for classroom use. A note on permission: Films and videos can be played in an educational environment, such as a lecture or seminar, without having to obtain permission. • Lack of a qualified tutor: The absence of a specialized tutor for these filmbased activities may seem to be a challenge. However, the provided activities are sufficiently detailed and structured to allow engineering staff to work with them comfortably. • Interdisciplinarity: If the opportunity arises, students from other disciplines should be brought into the conversation. This way, ideas and problems are explored from diverse perspectives, which deepens students’ appreciation of fields beyond their own and lead to thought-provoking conversations. 4 CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS This paper presented activities for the engineering classroom that are based on relevant feature films. Bridging STEM with the arts and humanities, this approach to engineering education addresses historical inequities and promotes inclusion. The interactive design of these activities encourages high levels of engagement. Through participatory teaching, students might also refine their oral communication skills, gain some insight into film analysis techniques, and expand their knowledge of world cinema. The follow-up assignments, including writing reflections, producing scripts, and delivering presentations promise to generate dynamic and original ideas. Ultimately, incorporating film into engineering education is both rewarding and intellectually stimulating. Whether through full-length screenings, selected clips, or student-led discussions, film offers a powerful tool for exploring social, cultural and ethical dimensions of engineering. REFERENCES Baldwin, M. (2017, January 5). Hidden Figures Effectively Portrays Brilliant Women Making Scientific History. Physics Today. https://doi.org/10.1063/PT.5.9081 Brody, R. (2016, December 12). Hidden Figures is a Subtle and Powerful Work of Counter-History. The New Yorker. https://www.newyorker.com/culture/richardbrody/hidden-figures-is-a-subtle-and-powerful-work-of-counter-history Cech E. A. (2014). Culture of Disengagement in Engineering Education?’. Science, Technology, & Human Values. Vol 39(1), 42–72. https://doi.org/10.1177/0162243913504305 Cech, E. A., & Sherick H. M. (2015). Depoliticization and the Structure of Engineering Education. In S. H. Christensen et.al (Eds.), International Perspectives on Engineering Education. Engineering Education and Practice in Context (pp. 203217). Heidelberg: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16169-3