28 October 2026: Seminar by Dr Sergiy Klymchuk, AUT
Topic
Prevention of Potential Technological Disasters by Adopting an Innovative Pedagogical Strategy in Engineering Education and Professional Development
Speaker
Dr Sergiy Klymchuk, AUT
Abstract
This talk presents an innovative pedagogical strategy of the use of deliberately misleading questions in mathematics and engineering education and professional development. For example, maths students might be asked to apply a certain formula or theorem that is inapplicable due to its conditions/constraints. Engineering students/trainees might be asked to design a bridge using given parameters that make the task impossible or dangerous – without being told that this is the case. Or to create a faulty electrical circuit diagram, again without being informed of the flaw. The idea is to enhance their critical thinking skills to a level where they can recognise mistakes at the planning stage and prevent potential technological disasters. The rationale of the strategy is illustrated by several real-world examples where simple and avoidable mathematical mistakes at the engineering design stage caused loss of a company’s reputation or money, or even contributed to tragedy. Feedback on the suggested strategy is welcomed.
Bio
Dr Sergiy Klymchuk is an Associate Professor of mathematics at Auckland University of Technology (AUT) and Foundation Director of the STEM Tertiary Education Centre (STEM-TEC). His research focuses on mathematics education, critical thinking, puzzle-based learning, and innovative pedagogical approaches in STEM. With more than 270 publications and several internationally acclaimed books, he is widely recognised for advancing mathematics teaching, learning, and student problem-solving capabilities.