Conference Session

Beyond Individual Ethics: Engineering in Context

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Dean Nieusma, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Tagged Divisions

Liberal Education

AC 2008-1891: INTEGRATING TECHNICAL, SOCIAL, AND AESTHETICANALYSIS IN THE PRODUCT DESIGN STUDIO: A CASE STUDY AND MODELFOR A NEW LIBERAL EDUCATION FOR ENGINEERSDean Nieusma, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Dean Nieusma’s research and teaching focus on interdisciplinary design collaboration and the expertise that enables it. With a BS in mechanical engineering and another in general studies and a PhD in interdisciplinary social sciences, Dean has worked as a member of design teams in contexts as diverse as the U.S. and European automotive industries; Sri Lanka’s renewable energy sector; and STS, engineering, and design curriculum planning. He teaches across Rensselaer’s Product Design and

Conference Session

Philosophy of Engineering Education: Epistemology and Ethics

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mark Valenzuela, University of Evansville; James Allen, University of Evansville; Brian Swenty, University of Evansville

Tagged Divisions

Liberal Education

standard deviation was1.0. Although the faculty response rate was a subject of contention at subsequent facultymeetings, the question did provide a snapshot of faculty enthusiasm (or lack thereof) for thecurrent general education program. For the authors, however, it raised a larger question thatcould be approached by actual data as opposed to just perception. Namely, how does the generaleducation program at the University of Evansville compare in content, if not in quality, withother such programs across the country?To answer this question, and to identify possible new models and best practices that couldtranslate well into the culture at the University of Evansville, a review of general educationcurricula of colleges and universities with

Conference Session

Learning to Communicate with Engineers and Non-Engineers

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Leslie Potter, Iowa State University; John Jackman, Iowa State University; K. Jo Min, Iowa State University; Matthew Search, Iowa State University

Tagged Divisions

Liberal Education

Yalvac et al. describe how an engineering course was redesigned topromote advanced writing skills by adding writing exercises based on the VaNTH taxonomy ofcore competency skills in writing.11 Many educators and institutions recognize the value ofincreasing communication emphasis in a longitudinal manner throughout a student’s academicprogram.12, 13 While this emphasis is significant and necessary for developing efficient and Page 13.71.2effective engineering graduates, increased “practice” time and/or varied assignment formats arenot sufficient by themselves to accomplish this goal. Just as a successful engineering design isachieved through

Conference Session

Venturing Out: Service Learning, Study Abroad, and Criterion H

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

David Ollis, North Carolina State University; Anthony Smith, CPE-LYON FRANCE

Tagged Divisions

Liberal Education

ofboth language and lab instruction by French (i.e., non-US) faculty, in an overseasexperience.CPE Program in French language class and laboratory The CPE 2007 program brochure, summarized in Table 1, highlights the parallelinstruction in French language and laboratory, along with emphasis on the culturalopportunities of the host city Lyon. The original CPE program1 was founded in 2000with a goal of providing US engineering and chemistry students with a summerexperience in France, which could then lead to an enhanced exchange of technicalstudents in subsequent academic semesters. Several of our previous participants havereturned for summer research experiences in Lyon, and one completed her final semesterof a dual French/engineering

Conference Session

Learning to Communicate with Engineers and Non-Engineers

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Paul Ross, University of Wisconsin - Madison

Tagged Divisions

Liberal Education

, literature, “no Toleration of languages; design for beauty; artmusic, religion, connections” ambiguities. and photography; creativelanguages, “avoid if Understanding writing. Engineering andcultures) possible” cultural impact, aesthetics. “Engineers without Ethics in general. borders.”Social Sciences “not technical” Critical thinking Experience with a variety of(economics, “not scientific” about social people: volunteer work; outreachsociology, “avoid if impact; to public and communitypsychology, possible” Economics of organizations; work with elderly, engineering

Conference Session

Venturing Out: Service Learning, Study Abroad, and Criterion H

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

John Duffy, University of Massachusetts Lowell; Carol Barry, University Massachusetts Lowell; Linda Barrington, University of Massachusetts-Lowell; David Kazmer, University of Massachusetts-Lowell; William Moeller, University of Massachusetts Lowell; Cheryl West, University of Massachusetts Lowell

Tagged Divisions

Liberal Education

Center and designed dripirrigation systems for a village in Peru.Material CoursesPlastics Engineering has a four-year history of incorporating service-learning projects inlaboratories associated with sophomore-level plastics materials courses. The principle learningoutcomes are the ability of students to research polymer materials, to apply their knowledge ofpolymer materials to a practical problem, to work in groups, and to present their work inprofessional manner. Over the past three years, sophomores in Plastics Engineering haveevaluated the suitability of various transparent plastics sheet for solar lanterns that will be used inPeru (for the Village Empowerment Peru Project); designed and created middle-school-levelhands-on activities

Conference Session

Beyond Individual Ethics: Engineering in Context

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kristyn Masters, University of Wisconsin - Madison; Sarah Pfatteicher, University of Wisconsin - Madison

Tagged Divisions

Liberal Education

their private donor would be interested in funding your specific project, since it will take a long time for your work to be made into a commercially marketable product. You also know that absolutely no one would notice if you started using some of the new (non-federally-approved) hESC lines in your experiments instead of your current cells. What action should you take? You want to meet your research goals, serve the public good, and obey the law, but these goals seem to be opposing one another.One group of students (n=46, designated Control Group) was given this question as writtenabove, without any specific instructions to guide them through the ethical decision-makingprocess. Meanwhile, the second group of

Conference Session

Beyond Individual Ethics: Engineering in Context

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Donna Riley, Smith College

Tagged Divisions

Liberal Education

ability to act ethicallyas engineers, it is essential that students are exposed to it. At a minimum, the benefit to thestudent is their recognition of critical gaps in their education; at best, students will be motivatedto gain additional background knowledge from outside research, from peers in other disciplines,or simply from the context of assigned readings. Additional challenges include students notbeing used to doing large amounts of reading, or readings of the type assigned, such that theymay not think critically and bring good questions for discussion. Finally, the readings arechallenging because they pose a threat to the world view many engineers hold, and can producedefensive reactions. These challenges are discussed more fully