Conference Session

ChE: Innovations in Student Learning

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Paul Golter, Washington State University; Bernard Van Wie, Washginton State University; Gary Brown, Washington State University

Tagged Divisions

Chemical Engineering

of the course, group work,discussions, development of professional skills, and suggestions. The differences were striking andclear. In the full CHAPL course 80% of the students felt they had learned the material compared to50% of the active, problem-based group. Similarly, 60% of student in the full CHAPL course felt theskills they gained applied to an engineering career compared to 15% in the second group. The lattergroup reported they felt lost, rushed, and unprepared whereas the student in the full CHAPL sectionrose to the challenge. “We weren’t prepared at first, but that was the point.” Those in the full CHAPLsection were confident in their knowledge and stated they were able to integrate knowledge frommultiple sources. Meanwhile those

Conference Session

ChE: Computers and Simulation in the Classroom

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Richard Zollars, Washington State University; Christopher Hundhausen, Washington State University; Melissa Stefik, Washington State University

Tagged Divisions

Chemical Engineering

will need not only in the material and energy balanceclass but throughout their careers as chemical engineers.Solution for the Observed Weakness Thus, after observing this first group of students, we felt that we needed todevelop some type of tool or procedure by which we could help students make thetransition from written material to visual material. This is not only a necessary skill butalso would allow students to continue learning using their preferred learning style. Ifstudents were able to master this skill they would be more successful in the material andenergy balance class and thus more likely to succeed in completing their educationalgoals. The difficult part of this task is to give the students enough guidance so that

Conference Session

ChE: Assessment

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Daina Briedis, Michigan State University; Mark Urban-Lurain, Michigan State University; Robert Ofoli, Michigan State University; Dennis Miller, Michigan State University; Jon Sticklen, Michigan State University

Tagged Divisions

Chemical Engineering

reformation process. In 1997, as a result of this process,ABET adopted Engineering Criteria 2000 (EC2000), which focused on programevaluation based on what is learned rather than what is taught. At the core was acontinuous improvement process driven by the specific and unique missions and goals ofindividual institutions and programs. Questions remain in the minds of most engineeringfaculty and administrators as to whether the requirements of the “new” criteria areaccomplishing their ultimate purpose. Early evidence2 suggests that they are; students arenow better prepared for engineering careers than they were ten years ago.The ABET outcomes-based criteria were also instituted to give engineering programs thefreedom to exercise innovation in

Conference Session

ChE: Safety, Sustainability, and Global Opportunities

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Sundararajan Madihally, Oklahoma State University; Randy Lewis, Brigham Young University

Tagged Divisions

Chemical Engineering

toassembly minimized concerns regarding the safe operation of the car.References:[1] Lewis RS, Moshfeghian A, Madihally SV. Engineering Analysis in Chem-E-Car Competition. ChemicalEngineering Education. 40(1): 66-72, 2006.[2] Rhodes M. Chem-E-Car Downunder. Chemical Engineering Education. 36(4): 288-291. 2002.[3] AIChE, Chem-E-Car Competition Rules, 2006 http://www.aiche.org/Students/Awards/ChemeCar.aspx[4] Patton CL, Ford LP. Chemically Powered Toy Cars: A Way to Interest High School Students in a ChemicalEngineering Career. Proceedings of the 2003 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition. Session 2213.[5]. Bowman FM. ChemECar Experiments in a Chemical Engineering Freshman Seminar. Proceedings of the 2004

Conference Session

ChE: Assessment

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Joseph Shaeiwitz, West Virginia University; Daina Briedis, Michigan State University

Tagged Divisions

Chemical Engineering

iscampus- or curriculum-based assessment. This paper does not address program educationalobjectives, which describe career and professional accomplishments of program alumni. Theformer usually requires different evaluation and assessment tools than the latter; although, someoverlap does exist. In addition, we will also refer to course objectives, which are not to beconfused with program educational objectives. Therefore, given this context and the imminent importance of using direct assessmentmethods, this paper provides a review of direct assessment measures. These methods include,but are not limited to, instructor end-of-course assessments, use of targeted assignments(assigned problems, exam questions, projects), capstone examinations

Conference Session

ChE: Safety, Sustainability, and Global Opportunities

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Allyson Frankman, Brigham Young University; Jacob Jones, Brigham Young University; W. Vincent Wilding, Brigham Young University; Randy Lewis, Brigham Young University

Tagged Divisions

Chemical Engineering

socialproblems in the world around them will be beneficial to them in future careers. An article in theCornell Chronicle observed, “No longer the ‘me generation’, American engineering students areactively taking on some of the world’s toughest problems…students and professional engineers[are] working to improve the lot of some of the world’s poorest communities, many in thedeveloping world.”3 Helping the impoverished have a better life enables students to look beyondthemselves into the world around them.In order to engage engineering students from many disciplines in a global opportunity, a newvariable credit (1-3) course was developed and is currently in progress during the Winter 2007semester. For all engineering disciplines (chemical, civil

Conference Session

ChE: Innovations in the Classroom

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Thomas Marlin, McMaster University

Tagged Divisions

Chemical Engineering

failure is high and theprobability of a failure is unacceptable. For example, a spare pump requires the extra pump, allpiping and valves, and control equipment to provide for immediate startup of the spare shouldthe primary fail. Even this total cost of spare pumps is usually found to be a good investment,while the much higher capital cost of compressors prevents a spare being provided in mostplants. This coverage of reliability will likely be limited in a design course; however, it isessential to perform proper equipment design and cost estimation. Even a brief introduction willprovide basic concepts used by students throughout their careers. Importantly, we hope that itwill pique their interest and serve as a basis for later study during

Conference Session

ChE: Innovations in Student Learning

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jennifer Christensen, Texas A&M University; Lale Yurttas, Texas A&M University; Janie Stratton Haney, Texas A&M University; Mahmoud El-Halwagi, Texas A&M University; Jeffrey Froyd, Texas A&M University; Charles Glover, Texas A&M University

Tagged Divisions

Chemical Engineering

allows service-learning to be implemented into the classroom at an even more influential stage in astudent’s college career. The majority of students who drop out of engineering Page 12.662.3disciplines do so during their freshman and sophomore years, and by implementingservice-learning, a visible application of curriculum, the goal of enrollment retention canpotentially be adequately addressed during these crucial years.As such, the ideal place to begin service-learning at Texas A&M University would be inthe general engineering courses all freshman engineers are required to take. However,within the Chemical Engineering department the most obvious

Conference Session

ChE: Bioengineering, nanotechnology, and systems engineering in the Classroom

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Milo Koretsky, Oregon State University; Danielle Amatore, Oregon State University; Shoichi Kimura, Oregon State University; Alexandre Yokochi, Oregon State University

Tagged Divisions

Chemical Engineering

betaken in any area as long as they have the appropriate engineering or science content asprescribed by ABET and AIChE. However, taken in an ad hoc manner, students were gettinglittle satisfaction or career enhancement. The ChE department has established Options to aidstudents in selection of elective courses. This also helps to broaden and strengthen theundergraduate ChE curriculum, potentially attracting more students to the department. To beeligible for an Option, the student must fill out and present a Student Petition for Option Programin Chemical Engineering to the faculty “champion” for the desired area. The champion is afaculty member with expertise in the area of the Option. Additionally an Option must contain atleast 21 credits. Three

Conference Session

ChE: Bioengineering, nanotechnology, and systems engineering in the Classroom

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Thomas Marlin, McMaster University; Andrew Hrymak, McMaster University; John MacGregor, McMaster University; Vladimir Mahalec, McMaster University; Prashant Mhaskar, McMaster University; Christopher Swartz, McMaster University

Tagged Divisions

Chemical Engineering

nearly all of the PSE requirements, but miss one or two courses so that they can take an elective that interests them. This was initially surprising to the faculty; however, we feel that all students benefit from the systems approach and can fill in any gaps later during their professional careers.• Preparation for further studies - Students completing the stream are well prepared to continue in graduate studies. They have applied the systems approach not only to PSE technical graduate programs, but also associated fields like MBA with concentration in operations research and public policy with emphasis on systems analysis.We note that this positive experience contradicts some “accepted wisdom” about PSE