Conference Session

Professional Graduate Education & Industry

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Donald Keating, University of South Carolina; Thomas Stanford, University of South Carolina; Joseph Rencis; Eugene DeLoatch, Morgan State University; Mohammad Noori, North Carolina State University; Edward Sullivan, California Polytechnic State University; David Woodall, Oregon Institute of Technology; Norman Egbert, Rolls-Royce Corporation; David Quick, Rolls-Royce Corporation; Albert McHenry; Roger Olson, Rolls-Royce Corporation; Samuel Truesdale, Rolls-Royce Corporation; Timothy Lindquist, Arizona State University; Harvey Palmer, Rochester Institute of Technology; Joseph Tidwell, Arizona State University Polytechnic; Mark Smith, Rochester Institute of Technology; Duane Dunlap, Purdue University; Mark Schuver, Purdue University; Edmund Segner, University of Alabama at Birmingham; Stephen Tricamo, New Jersey Institute of Technology; Barry Farbrother, University of New Haven; Ken Burbank, Western Carolina University; Carla Purdy, University of Cincinnati; Randall Holmes, Caterpillar Inc.

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

-setsdevelopment beyond entry level engineering. 5, 6As the National Academy’s Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy (COSEPUP) report[Reshaping the Graduate Education of Scientists and Engineers] pointed out in 1995, science andengineering graduate education has evolved during the last four decades on university campuses in theUnited States primarily as research-oriented, largely as an outgrowth of 1945 U.S. science policy forbasic research. However, graduate engineering education must be devised also for those professionals inengineering who are pursuing non-research type careers. 7But, key to improving the graduate professional educational process in engineering for technologicalinnovation is the realization that the modern practice of

Conference Session

Unique Student Opportunities in BME

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Robert Linsenmeier, Northwestern University; Jean Alley, Vanderbilt University; Penny Hirsch, Northwestern University; Stacy Klein-Gardner; Julie Greenberg, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Mark Bourgeois, Northwestern University

Tagged Divisions

Biomedical

bioengineering pedagogy. While it would be difficult to replicate theVaNTH REU program in its entirety, many of its components are transferable and could helpstudents who are considering faculty careers or graduate school in engineering education.1. Introduction1.1 The VaNTH ERC The VaNTH Engineering Research Center (ERC) in Bioengineering EducationalTechnologies was founded in 1999 to do research in learning science, learning technologies, andbioengineering curriculum. A partnership of Vanderbilt University, Northwestern University,the University of Texas at Austin, and the Division of Health Sciences and Technology atHarvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, VaNTH has investigated many areas ofengineering education, with a focus on

Conference Session

Public Engineering of Engineering, K12 Standards, and Overview

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kenneth Welty, University of Wisconsin, Stout; Linda Katehi, University of Illinois; Greg Pearson, National Academy of Engineering; Michael Feder, National Research Council

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

minorities are seriously underrepresented in engineeringstudies and in the engineering workforce.2 Nor is there disagreement about the desirability ofmaking students more aware of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)career options. Thus one motivation for exposing children to engineering prior to college is thedesire to correct imbalances in the engineering pipeline as well as make the pursuit of scienceand engineering careers more appealing. The problem-solving orientation and teamworkcharacteristics of engineering are also deemed desirable workplace attributes more generally,3suggesting another possible benefit of encouraging engineering thinking in the primary andsecondary grades.Many in the science and mathematics education

Conference Session

Factors Affecting Minority Engineering Students

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Pedro Leite, Kansas State University-Salina; Jung Oh, Kansas State University-Salina

Tagged Divisions

Minorities in Engineering

enrolled in Physical Sciences, Technology, Engineering, andMath (PSTEM) is not encouraging. In 1999-2000, for example, women accounted for 0.9%(males 1.6%) of undergraduates with a declared major in Physical Sciences and 0.7% (males0.9%) in Math. The largest disparity were reported in Computer/Information Science with 5.6%(males 12.6%) and Engineering with 1.6% (males 10.8%) (1).Kondrick (8) conducted an extensive review of literature in which she examined the under-representation of women in PSTEM. The author stated that “female graduates predominate infields like psychology, education, biological sciences, and liberal and fine arts …” but accountsfor the minority in the PSTEM areas (8).In order to better understand these variances in career

Conference Session

Educational Outreach Efforts Led by the US Navy

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

John Barkyoumb, NSWC Carderock Division; Steven Ouimette, NSWC Carderock Division

Tagged Divisions

Ocean and Marine

currently the Director of Operations for the Center for Innovation in Ship Design. Prior to this assignment he was the Assistant for Operations of the Ship Systems Design and Integration Department from 2005-2006. In 2004 Mr. Ouimette was assigned as the Staff Specialist for Power and Energy within the Weapons Systems Directorate of the Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Science and Technology. Mr. Ouimette has held numerous supervisory and managerial positions throughout his Carderock Division career developing advanced technologies for Marine Corps and Navy systems. He holds an MS in Systems Management from the University of Denver and a BS in Mechanical and Ocean

Conference Session

New Trends in ECE Education I

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mary Baker, Texas Tech University; Brian Nutter, Texas Tech University; Mohammed Saed, Texas Tech University

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

AC 2008-1459: DEVELOPMENT OF A FRESHMAN AND PRE-FRESHMANRESEARCH AND DESIGN PROGRAM IN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERINGMary Baker, Texas Tech UniversityBrian Nutter, Texas Tech UniversityMohammed Saed, Texas Tech University Page 13.406.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2008 Development of a Freshman and Pre-Freshman Research and Design Program in Electrical EngineeringAbstractIt is well-known that involving students in activities and courses within their major earlyin their academic careers has a positive impact on student retention. We have developedseveral programs targeted at involving freshmen and pre-freshmen students in Electricaland Computer Engineering

Conference Session

Topics in K-12 Engineering

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

William Lee, University of South Florida

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

AC 2008-1570: ENGINEERING IMAGES IN TELEVISION: AN ANALYSISFOCUSING ON THE IMAGES DEVELOPED BY HIGH SCHOOL JUNIORS ANDSENIORSWilliam Lee, University of South Florida William E. Lee III is presently a Professor at the University of South Florida and is also director of the biomedical engineering program. He has been active in the area of engineering education for all of his academic career. Page 13.511.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2008 Engineering images in television: An analysis focusing on the images developed by high school juniors and seniorsAbstractMedia images can

Conference Session

Innovation in Construction Engineering Education II

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Sofia Vidalis, Pennsylvania State University-Harrisburg; Joseph Cecere, Pennsylvania State University-Harrisburg

Tagged Divisions

Construction

Technology Program And The Construction IndustryAbstractThe goal of any engineering technology curriculum at a university is to provide the informationand skills so that each student can be successful in his/her chosen career path. This is especiallycritical for a construction engineering technology program because of the high demand of jobs inthe construction industry. The construction industry is constantly changing over the years andthis means that university programs should also keep up with that change. That is why theprogram at Penn State Harrisburg is continuously planning, developing, and modifying itscurriculum to keep abreast of the changes and advancements being made in the constructionprofession. The

Conference Session

Pedagogical Issues in Manufacturing Education

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Eric Roe, Hillsborough Community College; Richard Gilbert, University of South Florida; Marilyn Barger, University of South Florida; Bradley Jenkins, St. Petersburg College

Tagged Divisions

Manufacturing

existingframeworks, coordinating the statewide curriculum team, hosting workshops, soliciting industryinput, selection of national certification, developing the new frameworks for the engineeringtechnology core courses, and institutionalization within the Department of Education. Theprocess for conducting this reform could be applied to any technical career cluster to facilitaterelevant degree programs and articulation pathways.A Need for Change Page 13.85.2When speaking at the Advanced Manufacturing Workforce Conference at Los Angeles ValleyCollege in Los Angeles, California, in October 2007, Northrop Grumman Corporate VicePresident and Chief Human

Conference Session

Unique Student Opportunities in BME

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Steven Abramowitch, University of Pittsburgh; Mark Redfern, University of Pittsburgh; Richard Debski, University of Pittsburgh; Alejandro Almarza, University of Pittsburgh; Harvey Borovetz, University of Pittsburgh; Savio Woo, University of Pittsburgh

Tagged Divisions

Biomedical

University of PittsburghAbstractIntramural Research Internship has been offered as a core Bioengineering course since theinauguration of the University of Pittsburgh’s undergraduate Bioengineering degree program in1998. The goal of this course is to provide a collaborative, interdisciplinary research experiencethat exposes students to pathways for graduate education and professional careers inbioengineering. By complementing the education acquired in the classroom, we have found thatthis experience is both beneficial and motivational. This paper provides an overview of ourIntramural Research Internship course and some of the unique teaching strategies that have beensuccessfully implemented over the past decade.IntroductionOur approach to

Conference Session

K-12 Engineering Outreach Programs

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kelly Crittenden, Louisiana Tech University; James Nelson, Louisiana Tech University; Galen Turner, Louisiana Tech University; Alicia Boudreaux, Louisiana Tech University

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

relationships that are built between the high school and university faculty will have along-term impact on all students influenced by these high school teachers.TechSTEP consists of three distinct projects which are delivered on a three-year cycle. Theseprojects are each centered on a common theme which connects high school level math andscience to engineering. Each year’s theme showcases a topic that encompasses engineeringconcepts, as well as team skills, creative problem solving, and career exploration. These themesserve as good applications of algebra and trigonometry, are very hands-on and intuitive, give anexcellent introduction to engineering design, and easily lead to a design competition. Theprojects pique student interest and show the

Conference Session

Global Engineering in an Interconnected World / International Division Poster Session

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Fazil Najafi, University of Florida; Dennis Jet, University of Florida; Nick Safai, Salt Lake City College

Tagged Divisions

International

retention. There should be BHIOM student supportservices including tutoring, counseling, career advising, and employer encouragement. Atthe graduate level, there are many BHIOM students of superior ability who demonstratefinancial need and plan to pursue a PhD degree in a designated area of national need.The IHE Diversity Model should offer fellowships to such students and increase theirnumbers by aggressively promoting recruitment, retention and orientation of thosetalented students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds. Page 13.44.4 Institute of Higher Education (IHE) Mission Resources targeted for maximum quality

Conference Session

Engineering Ethics III

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jason Durfee, Eastern Washington University; William Loendorf, Eastern Washington University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Ethics

department uses this exam in the senior capstonecourse in order to get an overall picture of the depth of professional ethics understanding amongour senior class of students. The capstone course combines students from multiple disciplines,including: Mechanical Engineering Technology, Computer Engineering Technology,Technology-Design, Technology-Manufacturing, and Technology-Construction Management.The use of the exam accomplishes a few objectives. First, it provides an assessment on studentunderstanding of professional ethics for students that are nearing graduation. As such, itprovides feedback as to the efficacy and depth of coverage of ethics principles that students havebeen taught throughout their four year academic career. Second, it creates a

Conference Session

Undergraduate Space Design and Project Courses

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Debbie Mullins, Texas Space Grant Consortium; Wallace Fowler, University of Texas at Austin

Tagged Divisions

Aerospace

; offers peer-reviewsof paper submissions; proposal writing guidelines and instruction; and affords undergraduatestudent team members of any level with the opportunity to engage in relevant scientific research,hands-on discipline-related design, career information, opportunities in meeting presentation andeducational outreach.IntroductionSponsored as part of a NASA Workforce Development initiative since 2002, the TSGC DesignChallenge [TDC] has continued to deliver a unique academic experience to the undergraduatestudent teams that participate: the opportunity to propose, design and fabricate a mission-relevant design solution for NASA. Design Challenge project topics are submitted to TSGC fordesign team consideration by engineers and scientists

Conference Session

Innovative K-12 Engineering Programs

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Elisabeth McGrath, Stevens Institute of Technology; Susan Lowes, Teachers College, Columbia University; Peiyi Lin, Teachers College, Columbia University; Jason Sayres, Stevens Institute of Technology; Liesl Hotaling, The Beacon Institute; Rustam Stolkin, Stevens Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

, particularly from underrepresented groups, to pursue IT andengineering degrees and careers. A deliberate effort was made to enlist the participation ofdifferent types of teachers—general science, physics, engineering, technology education, andcomputer teachers—from a varied socioeconomic and academic group of schools across NewJersey in order to understand how the project can be implemented in a range of environments.Data from teacher and student surveys, student pre- and post-tests, and teacher follow-up surveysare being gathered and analyzed. The model and effectiveness of the summer institutes isdescribed, as are the varying implementation models, challenges, and successful classroomstrategies.IntroductionBUILD IT is a three-year National Science

Conference Session

Topics in K-12 Engineering

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Matthew Miller, Society of Automotive Engineers International; Elizabeth Bachrach, Goodman Research Group, Inc.

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

content also focuses on problem-solving skills and career orientation emphasized in school-to-work initiatives. Electricity & Electronics Challenge: This middle school kit provides students with team activities that experiment with series and parallel circuits, magnetism, and an introduction to electronics. High School Electricity & Electronics Challenge: This Challenge takes high Grades 9 & 10 school teams through in-depth experiments involving transistors and semiconductors, analog integrated circuits, and digital integrated circuits.The AWIM CurriculumThe AWIM materials

Conference Session

Professional Graduate Education & Industry

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Norman Egbert, Rolls-Royce Corporation; Donald Keating, University of South Carolina; Eugene DeLoatch, Morgan State University

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

the Page 13.561.3 UK would benefit greatly from the introduction of such a doctorate.” US National Collaborative Task Force During its investigations for engineering educational improvement, the US National Collaborative Task Force also concludes that a new, but distinctive American approach is needed for the post-baccalaureate professional education of engineers and engineering leaders in the United States that supports the American model that the majority of US engineers who are pursuing professional careers do not remain at the universities but enter engineering practice in industry or government service

Conference Session

Successful K-12 Programs for Girls & Minorities

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Zbigniew Pasek, University of Windsor

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

professions found in these areas so they mayconsider them as future career choices3. For either of these goals to be attained, the proposedexhibit must accomplish three tasks: (1) attract visitors, (2) motivate them to become engagedwith the exhibit, and (3) facilitate the acquisition of the knowledge, understanding, and attitudesthe exhibit is designed to convey.Typical exhibits in an hands-on museum require a great deal of development effort. On averageit takes 2 to 3 years, a solid budget (anywhere from $100,000 to a few million in extreme cases,depending on complexity), and a diverse team working full time to create an individualinteractive exhibit. Similar effort was invested in the exhibit described here, except that the teamconsisted mostly of

Conference Session

Money and People; Resource Management for Recruitment and Retention

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mary Anderson-Rowland, Arizona State University

Tagged Divisions

Women in Engineering

2002 she was named the Distinguished Engineering Educator by the Society of Women Engineers. Her awards are based on her mentoring of students, especially women and underrepresented minority students, and her research in the areas of recruitment and retention. A SWE and ASEE Fellow, she is the PIC IV Chair and a frequent speaker on career opportunities in engineering, especially for women and minority students. Page 13.1050.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2008 Retention, Graduation, and Graduate School: A Five-Year Program Focusing on Women and Underrepresented Minority

Conference Session

The Pipeline

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Tania Monterastelli, University of Maryland-Baltimore County; Taryn Bayles, University of Maryland-Baltimore County; Julia Ross, University of Maryland-Baltimore County

Tagged Divisions

Women in Engineering

AC 2008-1006: HIGH SCHOOL OUTREACH PROGRAM: ATTRACTING YOUNGLADIES WITH "ENGINEERING IN HEALTH CARE"Tania Monterastelli, University of Maryland-Baltimore County Tania Monterastelli graduated Summa Cum Laude in 2008 with a BS degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. She is a member of Phi Kappa Phi and Tau Beta Pi. She has been working on the YESS program for the last two years. In July 2008 she will begin her career with Exxon-Mobile Corporation.Taryn Bayles, University of Maryland-Baltimore County Taryn Bayles is a Professor of the Practice of Chemical Engineering in the Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Department at UMBC, where she incorporates her

Conference Session

Engineering in High Schools

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mitchell Nathan, University of Wisconsin - Madison; Natalie Tran, University of Wisconsin - Madison; Allen Phelps, University of Wisconsin - Madison; Amy Prevost, University of Wisconsin - Madison

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

future studies and careers in engineering. We addressthe mathematics topics that are presented in these curricula and how the topics are sequenced andpresented to students. The results of our content analyses reveal differences in the organizationof the intended pre-engineering and academic curricula. The PLTW curriculum addresses farfewer mathematic content and process standards when compared to academic curricula, and alsoexhibit far fewer points of potential integration of mathematics knowledge than expected, giventhe clarion call made in recent national policy reports and the Perkins Act.Curriculum AnalysisCurricula—the textbooks, activities and materials that make up a course— provide a critical linkbetween standards and accountability

Conference Session

Educating for Results: Tools used in Engineering Technology

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Stephen Hundley, Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis; Terri Talbert-Hatch, Indiana University; Joshua Killey, Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis; Elizabeth Wager, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

and Technology at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI).Joshua Killey, Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis Joshua Killey is Director for the Office of Career Services and Professional Development in the Purdue School of Engineering and Technology at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI).Elizabeth Wager, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis Elizabeth Wager is a Lecturer of Technical Writing in the Purdue School of Engineering and Technology at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), where she is also pursuing a master's degree in applied communication

Conference Session

Engineering in High Schools

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Nicholas Oswald, Oklahoma State University; Charlie Huddleston, Oklahoma State University; Alan Cheville, Oklahoma State University

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

State University. Thepurpose of the six week intervention, part of a campus-wide Upward Bound program was to givestudents a realistic view of engineering as a career option.To evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention two assessments were used. A pre-post Drawan Engineer1 with a written component was used to measure perceptions of engineers. Morestudents self-identified themselves as engineers following the intervention. Overall the draw anengineer shows an increased understanding of what is involved in engineering. Post-interventioninterviews also examined students’ changes in attitudes about engineering. Interview dataindicates increases in student intentions to pursue engineering and that the format of theintervention gave students a

Conference Session

K-12 Engineering Outreach Programs

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Larry Lim, University of Southern California

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

" activities, demonstrations, projects, and experiments. More than 500 studentsparticipate annually.Following Mission Science is our Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA)program. MESA identifies students with interest and potential for an engineering career. MESAstudents meet on a regular basis and participate in a variety of motivational, informational,academic, and competitive activities that prepare them for college and a major in engineering, math,or science. The program exists in twenty-two middle and high schools, serving nearly 1500 studentseach year, with more than 90% of the seniors enrolling in college upon graduation.During the summer, we offer Discover Engineering, a month-long, residential program to introducehigh school

Conference Session

Recruitment & Retention in ET Programs

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Irene Ferrara, Pennsylvania State University-Altoona; Andrew Vavreck, Pennsylvania State University-Altoona

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

distinctions, to extend the timeline for studentsto evaluate career paths without penalizing academic progress, and to improveefficiencies of course offerings in under-enrolled courses.In addition, with the goal of increased retention due to more concentrated exposure to onefaculty member, the course model was changed from one in which three facultyinteracted with students for two hours each to one where one faculty member isresponsible for delivering the entire course, with six hours scheduled per week. Thereason for the change to one instructor for all three sections lies in providing theopportunity for that faculty member to establish a rapport with the twenty students ineach section of the course. For the majority of students, EDSGN 100 is their

Conference Session

The Academic Environment

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kristen Constant, Iowa State University; Sharon Bird, Iowa State University; Florence Hamrick, Iowa State University

Tagged Divisions

Women in Engineering

, andemphasizing flexible career options.Introduction and Background:As a means to introduce the context in which the ADVANCE program at ISU is beingimplemented, a brief description of ISU is useful. Iowa State University of Science andTechnology is a land grant institution with a 150 year history of strength in science andengineering. The university, with over 25,000 students and 1,700 faculty, has 8 colleges, thesecond largest of which is the college of engineering with a faculty of 190 and a studentpopulation of 5,300. Iowa State’s undergraduate student population is 43% women and thefaculty is 29% women in tenured or tenure eligible positions.1 However, within the college ofengineering, only 14.7% of the students are women, a fraction that has been

Conference Session

Successful K-12 Programs for Girls & Minorities

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Leslie Wilkins, Maui Economic Development Board; Isla Young, Maui Economic Development Board, Inc.

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

2007 there were 20 (out of 63).Project EAST also positively impacted student interest in pursuing STEM careers. In 2005, 61%of students entered the program with a desire to pursue a STEM career and that numberincreased to 71% after participation. In 2006, the initial percentage of interested students was66%, which increased to 72% after participation. In 2007, the initial percentage of interestedstudents was 58% and the number increased to 66% after participation. When these numbers arebroken down further to show just the experience of the female students, the number leaving theprogram with the intention of pursuing a STEM career was 72% in 2006 and 51% in 2007.Again, of special interest are the females who began the program reporting no

Conference Session

Off the Beaten Path

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Rebecca Bates, Minnesota State University-Mankato; Denise Wilson, University of Washington

Tagged Divisions

New Engineering Educators

in Office Hours and in ClassAbstractOne of the most challenging and unexpected aspects of a new professor’s career is dealing withstudent emotions. Emotions, especially anger and frustration, can have an impact on studentsuccess and willingness to stay engaged with course content. Successfully implementingstrategies for dealing with student emotions can result in improved academic outcomes. Thispaper addresses the impact of student emotions and suggests strategies for faculty to use wheninteracting with students.IntroductionThe impact of student emotions on learning is rarely discussed in faculty preparation workshops.Guidebooks suggest ways to write syllabi, plan lessons and incorporate active learning strategiesbut rarely present ways to

Conference Session

Survivor: The First Few Years

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Elizabeth Creamer, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; Tonya Saddler, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; Margaret Layne, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Tagged Divisions

New Engineering Educators

recognized as one of the strongest influences on academic scientists’ and engineers’productivity1 and satisfaction2. Perceptions of climate reflect policies, practices, and interactionsat both a local level, as within a lab or department, and at more global level of the college oruniversity. The Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education (COACHE), anemerging voice from Harvard University about faculty careers, measures climate to include (a)personal and professional interactions with colleagues, (b) opportunities for collaboration, (c)sense of fit, (d) intellectual vitality of the senior faculty, (e) fairness of evaluation, (f) equitabletreatment, and (g) support for professional development. Perceptions of climate at the more locallevel

Conference Session

FPD1 - Early Success and Retention

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jale Tezcan, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale; John Nicklow, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale; James Mathias, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale; Lalit Gupta, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale; Rhonda Kowalchuk, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

increase theretention and graduation rates. A variety of strategies, including revision of teaching methodsand redesign of traditional classes are being implemented to improve freshmen experience as awhole. A recent nationwide survey by Brannan and Wankat10 indicate that more than two-thirdsof the engineering programs have a first-year introductory course to motivate students. Whilehelping students choose a career path has been a traditional goal 11, 12 , most such courses nowinclude computational tools 9, 13 and hands-on design projects 14-20 that emphasize activelearning.Unfavorable nationwide trends, particularly the declining graduation rates prompted the Collegeof Engineering (COE) to undertake a major initiative to improve retention. Current