Innovation and Society

Innovation and society

  • Dates (To be decided)
  • Delivery: Self-paced online, self-assessment quizzes (not graded) multiple choice final exam (graded).
  • Instructor: Professor Emeritus in Mechanical Engineering John Fillo.
  • Credentials: Successful course participants will receive the Innovation and Society Foundations badge and also a ÂÌñÉç-issued course completion certificate.
  • Who can take this course: This course is open to all engineers, professionals, and students.
  • Course Fees:
    • $25 ÂÌñÉç Univ. and SUNY Students/BU Alumni graduated May 2020 or after
    • $35 ÂÌñÉç Univ. and SUNY Faculty and Staff/ÂÌñÉç Univ. Alumni graduated Dec 2019 or prior
    • $50 Standard/Industry
  

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Physicist Freeman Dyson once said that “technology is … the mother of civilizations, of arts and of sciences."

While technology is a key to unlocking our understanding of modernity, how we got to where we are is a fascinating tale. The Industrial Revolution ushered in humanity’s first machine age, with progress driven primarily by technological innovations that have led to other industrial revolutions and to our computer age. 

Starting with an introduction to human history and the question of what bent the curve of human social development, we discuss six innovations — glass, cleanliness, sound, time, cold, and light — and how their history is at the heart of the computer age.

After looking at the fundamental characteristics of the Industrial Revolution and our machine age, we look at the effect that computers are making on culture as well as the consequences of innovation, including labor productivity and employment, and what the implications of the computer age are for future jobs and careers.

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR

John Fillo is a Watson College of Engineering and Applied Science professor emeritus in mechanical engineering.

He graduated with a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Syracuse University and taught at the University of Massachusetts - Amherst and the University of Texas - EI Paso. He later worked at the Brookhaven National Laboratory for 10 years in the area of fusion energy research.

After leaving Brookhaven, Fillo became the founding chairman of the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at Watson College. This was followed by appointments as the associate dean for research and associate dean for academic affairs. After serving as chairman of the Department of Bioengineering, Fillos is now associated with the ES2 Data Center research group. He continues to teach in the energy area and develops courses in continuing education.