Why did you decide to write this book?
David Fernandez Rivas: ‘I saw a gap in discussions about entrepreneurial and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education. I believe that so called soft or interpersonal skills are important for STEM disciplines. Thus I tried to bring a new lens on how we can educate STEM with more empathy. I define empathy as a way to connect with other stakeholders – which can mean anyone. It can mean classmates, colleagues, investors, children, and their future children and so on. To be successful and to create relevant and sustainable technologies or products, you need to consider the interest of others. You can achieve that with the three basic ingredients I describe in the book: knowledge, persuasiveness, and empathy.’
david fernandez rivas
David Fernandez Rivas is a professor at the Mesoscale Chemical Systems group of the Faculty Science and Technology (TNW) at the University of Twente and Research Affiliate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA. He is best known for his research on needle-free injection of fluids. Rivas also co-founded two UT spin-offs: InkBeams, company focused on injecting ink or medication without the use of needles, and BuBclean, engineering firm specialized in finding solutions to complex ultrasonic tasks.
Why is empathy so important to you?
‘It helps you in every step of your life and career. It’s a durable skill that will accompany you no matter what career step you take. Yet, these so-called ‘soft’ skills are ‘hard’ to get. Not everyone has them, but luckily there are ways to learn to be empathic. STEM students and professionals are often stereotyped and considered introverted, but we can nurture these skills in them.’
Can you summarize the book?
‘In the book I bring a few elements that can help everyone who wants to innovate. Different chapters are tailored to different audiences. The main focus is on students, but it is useful for others too. It can help engineers who are considering starting a new business or innovate from within existing organisations. It contains a chapter for educators who want to use the book in their course. Based on this, it might sound like a normal textbook, but it’s also a self-help book. It provides tips on how to communicate more effectively, how to increase chances of obtaining grants or financial support, and so on. I also tried to make it accessible to the general public. The whole book is tied to my personal story of how I became an entrepreneur and a professor. To connect to people from different backgrounds, I also interviewed several other young entrepreneurs from all over the planet about why empathy is important to them.’
Do you know if the book will be used at the UT?
‘Yes, I’m already using it in two courses, at the MSc level and in the BSc Honours Programme. But some elements of the book were improved with the help of my students in the past couple of years.’
What does it mean to you to have this book published?
‘It’s a dream come true. It’s a vehicle to reach as many people as possible. The final decision to write it came during the pandemic. I was thinking about how to teach my students at least the minimum that they really needed to grow as professionals, particularly without having access to labs or meeting on campus. Next, I started thinking of the main ingredients that made me successful and concluded to write this book. It was a lot of work. More work than anticipated. But it was worth it: every single page. It’s wonderful to see the joy it brings to other people – like my mom, wife and my children. Most importantly, in the book, I try to show the faces of people who have helped me. I want it to serve as evidence of the strength of team work.’
You can buy a copy of Empathic Entrepreneurial Engineering: The Missing Ingredient here for €31.42 (Kindle) or €34.99 (Paperback).
