The premise of the article is that US born Engineering Majors are somehow being betrayed.
Not one supporting fact.
An example of a fact would be that US born Engineering graduates can't get jobs. Where is that statistic?
The reason so few Americans pursue an Engineering degree is that it is too difficult. Foreign students are willing to put in the effort that is required to get the degree.
Probably Reason #1, imho. From my own personal experience, even a two-year general engineering degree will go a long way in the real world, but even an associate's degree in engineering is a lot of work.
The 2 big rewards are: 1) the opportunity for a job that is generally interesting, well-paying, and has an impact bigger than yourself in some way; 2) the knowledge that the skills learned in obtaining the engineering degree are readily transferrable to almost any job or position. And what I mean by #2 are the problem solving skills that a person obtains, such as learning how to analyze a problem, come up with a solution (or more likely several solutions), and then deciding which solution is the best one for the given situation.
I agree with Ms. Schlaffley that FIRST is generally a great activity.
The H1-B Visa situation is complicated - it’s both a cause and a symptom.
My view as an engineering professor as to why not enough students are attracted to science & engineering as a profession: For a generation or more, we have systematically rewarded professions who administer and redistribute wealth over professions who create new wealth. Finance/investement majors generally have lower entracnce requirements, have to study much less hard than engineering students, and receive similar starting salaries upon graduation. The disparity with lawyers is even greater. Both enjoy higher social status.
While we need good honest lawyer, and financial analysts, both of these professions deal fundamentally with redistribute existing wealth in more ‘just’ or ‘efficient’ ways. Students see that people who’ve chosen professions that actually build things end up working harder for less pay, and are often regarded as ‘boring’ or ‘geeky’ for their efforts.
A society that chooses to reward its “community organizers” doesn’t produce as many scientists and engineers as societies that are interested in producing wealth.
(And lest I sound bitter, I am very glad I went into my profession. I could have made more money elsewhere, but I make enough, get to work with intellectually stimulating ideas, and get to interact with smart young minds every day.)