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Session 2225

Achieving EC2000 Outcomes in the Capstone Design Via Structured Industry Advisory Board Involvement Kathleen A. Kramer University of San Diego

Abstract The capstone design sequence was selected as a focus for the structure of the activities of an industry advisory board. The focus on the capstone sequence provided both a framework for ongoing industry involvement and an improvement in student project results. Activities included supplying input on changes in the approach to the design process within the capstone sequence, such as team structure and expected milestones. Industry advisory board members were actively solicited for comments and input relating to most of the EC2000 outcomes the capstone project is intended to demonstrate. The result of this involvement was to enhance not only the capstone design experience of the students, but also the overall effectiveness of the advisory board and its commitment to the program.

Introduction At many EAC/ABET-accredited programs, the capstone design experience has become a significant part of the process used to ensure the achievement of many of the a)-k) outcomes required of each program under EC2000. In the wake of EC2000, many engineering programs have also created advisory boards for their programs to represent their industry constituency.

According to EC2000, “Each engineering program for which an institution seeks accreditation … must have in place…a process based on the needs of the program's various constituencies in which the objectives are determined and periodically evaluated” [1] This requirement that the process be based upon the needs of the program’s own constituencies is, effectively, a requirement that each program identify its constituencies and have some means of getting periodic input from them on their needs. The constituencies identified by almost all programs include: 1) students, 2) industry, and 3) alumni. While programs that are in place certainly have access to students and usually have access to alumni, obtaining input from the industry constituency can present difficulties and was, prior to EC2000, often done on an ad hoc basis.

The need to have a process in place that included input from and evaluation by the industry constituents has prompted many programs to establish [or re-establish] an industry advisory board. Periodic meetings of such boards can provide a regular process by which input from the industry constituency is determined and evaluated, supporting continuous improvement of the program. The overall result is that there are now significantly more advisory boards supporting engineering programs than would have been found prior to the year 2000. In some cases, these boards have membership that represents only the industry constituency, while others are created with membership from the industry, alumni, and even student constituencies.

Proceedings of the 2004 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright  2004, American Society for Engineering Education

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Kramer, K. (2004, June), Achieving Ec2000 Outcomes In The Capstone Design Via Structured Industry Advisory Board Involvement Paper presented at 2004 Annual Conference, Salt Lake City, Utah. 10.18260/1-2--14131