On Monday, Oct. 20, Congressman John Sarbanes will deliver the inaugural lecture of the Democracy by Design: Engineering a Civic Life series, a biannual exploration of how students, particularly engineers, can participate in and strengthen democracy. The series, a collaboration by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Agora Institute and the Whiting School’s Center for Leadership Education, will examine the relationship between engineering and civic engagement, emphasizing how engineering practices can improve democratic processes and how democratic ideals inform responsible engineering.
Hahrie Han, the inaugural director of SNF Agora, says that Democracy by Design will demonstrate the active role citizenship in a democratic society requires. “Democracy is not something that we have; it’s something that we do. This lecture series reminds students in every discipline, including engineering, that the work we all do contributes to the systems and relationships that make democracy possible,” Han said.
Congressman Sarbanes lecture, “Engineering a Stronger Democracy,” will investigate how reforming the design features of America’s voting and governing machinery can restore public confidence in our elections and ensure that everyday citizens drive legislative policy in Washington.
Congressman John Sarbanes
Congressman Sarbanes joined SNF Agora earlier this year as the institute’s first distinguished practitioner in residence, where he will employ his extensive experience in Congress to collaborate with faculty and students and consult on initiatives to strengthen global democracy and encourage civic engagement. His tenure in the House of Representatives includes serving as a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, as an author of legislation establishing the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, and as a leader advancing the Freedom to Vote Act, among other initiatives. “As someone who has spent his career asking how to make democracy work for ordinary people, Congressman Sarbanes is the perfect speaker for this series,” Han said.
Democracy by Design was created to support the findings of the 2nd Commission on Undergraduate Education, or CUE2. The report identifies “engag[ing] effectively as citizens of a diverse world” as one of the foundational abilities all undergraduate students should develop during their studies at Johns Hopkins.
Michael Falk, vice dean for undergraduate education in the Whiting School of Engineering, says that the school’s mission, guided by CUE2, is to graduate engineers invested in improving human lives and serving the common good. By engaging with the ideas explored in the Democracy by Design series, students can visualize how their work supports and aligns with democratic ideals and engaged citizenship.
“Engineers in democratic societies play important roles. We inform policy and judicial decision making, particularly regarding technology. We contribute to building functional governmental and non-governmental institutions to meet regulatory, security, and public welfare needs. We work to educate and advocate within the citizenry when we perceive the need for legislation to meet emerging needs. Hopkins engineers graduate well prepared to engage in these ways,” Falk said.
To register for the event, visit https://engineering.jhu.edu/cle/event/engineering-a-stronger-democracy/.