The primary mission of the Design Education Committee of the Design Engineering Division of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers is the improvement of education in the art and the science of mechanical engineering design for students, researchers and educators, and professional practitioners. The range of issues is not limited to design methods and processes, but also includes safety, reliability, liability and ethics, as well as other professional concerns. The DEC bridges gaps between and maintains active dialogues among professional practitioners and design academics that:

• alert academics to the changing needs and requirements of industry,
• alert design practitioners to new research findings, and
• foster public awareness and understanding of the importance of good (engineering) design.

The Design Education Committee envisions:

• active and constructive dialogue about design education among design practitioners and design educators and researchers, and
• informed public awareness and appreciation of the importance of engineering design.

In order to achieve its mission, the Design Education Committee intends to provide:

• educational forums for design researchers, educators, and professional practitioners during annual ASME sponsored conferences;
• continuing education opportunities for design practitioners;
• nurturing opportunities that will enable engineering undergraduates to acquire practical engineering design experience and knowledge;
• learning environments for K–12 students and teachers that will allow them to experience what engineers and engineering designers do;
• continuing opportunities for international dialogue with counterpart colleagues outside of the United States , as well as those at home;
• information about the value and importance of good engineering design to the public; and
• the recognition by ASME of outstanding achievements in engineering design, including design methods and processes, and emphasizing other professional concerns, such as safety, reliability, liability, and ethics.