Mercer Times

Princeton University has introduced an innovative course that merges engineering and humanities to explore ancient construction techniques. The course, "Historical Structures: Ancient Architecture's Materials, Construction and Engineering," was developed by Branko Glišić, a professor of civil and environmental engineering, and Sam Holzman, an assistant professor of art and archaeology.

Glišić emphasizes the value of learning from ancient Greek builders' creativity and discipline, which yielded remarkable results long before scientific concepts were formalized. "Understanding the evolution of engineering thoughts and experiences helps build the intuition, creativity and confidence necessary to push the boundaries of the discipline," he said.

Holzman views the course as a chance for students to see how humanities and applied sciences can enrich each other. "I hope we are training bright young people to have a lifelong openness to collaborate across disciplines," Holzman noted.

The course includes a field trip to Greece, allowing students firsthand study of ancient structures. They visited sites like the Acropolis in Athens and examined architectural elements with insights from experts like Vasileia Manidaki from the Acropolis Restoration Service.

Students also explored Princeton University's Special Collections, which houses Galileo Galilei’s work on cantilevers. This exposure to historical texts is intended to broaden their understanding of engineering within its cultural context.

Civil engineering major Ellen Toberman appreciated this perspective shift: "The ancient structures that we studied were not only feats of engineering but also expressions of cultural identity." Similarly, Braeden Carroll noted that considering history, community, and humanity in problem-solving was beneficial for his technical education.

The course is supported by grants from various university departments and councils. It aims to foster interdisciplinary learning by encouraging students from diverse fields such as engineering, humanities, and social sciences to enroll.