Conference Session

Labs and Demonstrations in Chemical Engineering Education

Collection

2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Julianne Vernon, Vanderbilt University; Amy Pang, Vanderbilt University; Samuel Leville, Vanderbilt University; Allison Cannatti, Vanderbilt University

, students were able to recall activities and projects from the other departmentalmodules.Background on the problem being addressed - The first-year experience for our engineeringprogram is a 3-credit course in the Fall of the first year called Introduction to Engineering inaddition to the common physics, math, and chemistry courses. The Introduction to Engineeringcourse is broken into three 14-session modules. Each department offers one to three differentsections of a departmental themed focused module. Themes vary from year to year. A glimpse ofthe theme offered can be seen in the table below. The orange highlighted box is the coursesection for this paper.Table 1. Departmental themed sections of Introduction to Engineering Department

Conference Session

Pre-College Engineering Education Division Poster Session

Collection

2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Svend Christiansen, Aalborg University; Lykke Bertel; Bettina Dahl, Aalborg University

disciplinary and institutional boundaries in pre-college engineeringeducation, and teachers are often left to individually construct teaching material that extendsbeyond their domain of professional knowledge [4], [12]. Thus, current knowledge withineducational practices in K-12 STEM points towards a need for more opportunities for teachersand students to engage in ‘long-term’ projects and collaborative learning that challenge thetraditional ‘single silo’ thinking and allow for knowledge-sharing across disciplinary andinstitutional boundaries [4], [9], [13]. Problem-based learning (PBL) is a student-centeredapproach to teaching and learning that offers students the possibility to engage ininterdisciplinary and experiential learning. This pedagogical

Conference Session

CIT Division Technical Session #10

Collection

2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Alvis Fong, Western Michigan University; Steven Carr, Western Michigan University; Ajay Gupta, Western Michigan University; Shameek Bhattacharjee, Western Michigan University

intelligence (AI) systems andtechnologies, there have been numerous reports that indicate AI can sometimes exhibitundesirable behaviors. When AI algorithms run on high-performance cyberinfrastructure (CI),such misbehaviors can multiply to obscure the root causes. Secure, safe, and reliable (SSR)computing principles can mitigate these problems. This project aims to inform curriculumdevelopment by creating and evaluating experiential learning materials to educate students fromthe outset. Three levels of preparedness cater to a wide range of learners. Specifically, membersof the Transformative Interdisciplinary Human + AI Research Group at Western MichiganUniversity, together with public and private partners, aim to address a critical shortage in

Conference Session

NSF Grantees Poster Session

Collection

2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Melissa Higgins, Boston Children's Museum; Michelle Cerrone

Paper ID #38366Integrated Engineering and Empathy Activities in Pre-K andKindergartenMelissa Higgins (Vice President of Programs and Exhibits)Michelle Cerrone © American Society for Engineering Education, 2022 Powered by www.slayte.com Integrated Engineering and Empathy Activities in Pre-K and Kindergarten Abstract This session will present findings from an NSF-funded research and development project designed to support pre-K and kindergarten educators engage their students in engineering experiences that support empathy development

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering: Statics and Dynamics

Collection

2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ryan Krauss, Grand Valley State University

system for teaching dynamic systems and feedbackcontrol and discusses the use of the system in a class project. The cart has a pendulumattached to it that can be used for vibration suppression control in the downward position orfor stabilizing the inverted pendulum in the upward position. A line sensor is attached to thefront of the cart for line following. The cart/pendulum system has been designed to performthree different experiments. The cart is controlled using the combination of a Raspberry Piand two Arduinos. Students program their control logic in Python.The class project is to program the robot to compete in three different events in a robottriathlon. The first event involves vibration suppression of the pendulum after it is given

Conference Session

NSF Grantees Poster Session

Collection

2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Carla Lopez Del Puerto, University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez Campus; Humberto Cavallin, University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras; Elmer Irizarry Rosario, University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez Campus; Laura Garcia Canto; Rocio Sotomayor-Irizarry, University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez Campus; Ruben Leoncio Caban, Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico; Luisa Guillemard, University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez Campus

systematic understanding of research resultsand lessons learned from previous disaster experiences.The Resilient Infrastructure and Sustainability Education – Undergraduate Program (RISE-UP)is a collaborative project funded by the Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) program of TheNational Science Foundation (NSF). The program's goal is to develop an interdisciplinarycurriculum among three campuses at The University of Puerto Rico. The new curricularendeavor prepares students to design infrastructure that can withstand the impact of naturalevents[2]. The curricular sequence consists of 15 credits as shown in Fig. 1.The program’s broader impact is to benefit society by increasing the capacity of engineers,surveyors, and environmental designers to work

Conference Session

CIT Division Technical Session #7

Collection

2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Deng Cao, Central State University; Marcus Nagle, Central State University; Cadance Lowell, Central State University; joshua jolly; Rajveer Dhillon, Central State University; Augustus Morris, Central State University

assistants (RAs) are recruited, and they are expected to carry out research workaccording to the project schedules, such as collecting real world image data and developingvarious image recognition systems for various crops. We are particularly interested inConvolutional Neural Network (CNN), a DL structure that has been successfully appliedto analyzing visual imagery. A CNN is a class of neural network, in which each neuron (ornode) represents one aspect of the image and together they provide a full representation ofthe image. Each neuron is given a weight that represents the strength of its relationshipwith the output. When the model is feeding on input data, the weights are adjusted. Oneadvantage of this type of network is its exceptional

Conference Session

Miscellaneous Mechanics

Collection

2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Devin Berg, University of Wisconsin - Stout; Anne Schmitz, University of Wisconsin - Stout

sections also use the same textbook [21] so there is no difference intechnical content covered.In the one section of 27 mechanical engineering students (ME 342), course content deliveryrelied on in-person class time spent almost entirely on group completion of homework-styleproblems (approximately 55% of the weekly 6 hours of in-person class time), which were neithercollected nor assessed. Outside of class, students were expected to review the course curriculumusing materials collected online through the course’s learning management system. An additional2 hours of laboratory time was provided with little structure and instead provided opportunity forstudents to work in groups on an open-ended, semester-long project. A breakdown of the use ofin

Conference Session

Electrical and Computer Engineering Division Poster Session

Collection

2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Nathaniel Hunsu, University of Georgia; Kun Yao, University of Georgia; Adel Al Weshah, University of Georgia; Olanrewaju Olaogun, University of Georgia; Shiyu Wang, University of Georgia

studies that examine student engagement and academic resilience in engineering education. He is currently the principal investigator on two NSF-funded projects. The first project examines factors that influence academic resilience among engineering students, while the other involves the development of a diagnostic tool to identify students’ misconceptions in electrical engineering.Kun Yao (Lecturer)Adel W. Al Weshah (Lecturer) Dr. Al Weshah is a lecturer in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering in the College of Engineering at the University of Georgia. He is also affiliated with the Engineering Education Transformational Institute (EETI). His engineering educational research interests include remote labs and

Conference Session

Entrepreneurship & Engineering Innovation Division Technical Session 5

Collection

2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Gary Thompson, Rowan University; Prince Atsu, Rowan University; Bob Patterson, Rowan University

Foundation and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture.AbstractThis paper presents exemplary cases of learning entrepreneurial mindset from an institution that providesfaculty, graduate students, and undergraduate students separate theory-driven trainings inentrepreneurship and subsequent opportunities to practice experiential learning of entrepreneurshiptogether. A sequence of project-based learning courses in engineering brings together faculty and studentsto work in multi-disciplinary teams. Students gain experience solving practical, open-ended engineeringproblems and developing professional skills throughout their studies. Opportunity identification,feasibility analysis, product development, professional communication, leadership, and

Conference Session

Entrepreneurship & Engineering Innovation Division Technical Session 3

Collection

2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Alexandra Jackson; Kevin Dahm, Rowan University; Kaitlin Mallouk, Rowan University; Bruce Oestreich; Cheryl Bodnar, Rowan University; Scott Streiner, University of Pittsburgh

after a course or a project although this has mostly been donethrough indirect assessments such as self-report surveys [5, 9, 11-15]. There are a variety ofdifferent surveys that have been shown to address EM in undergraduate students, one of which iscalled the Engineering Student Entrepreneurial Mindset Assessment (ESEMA) [16], which hasbeen shown to have both validity and reliability [17].Due to the nature of most EM studies, survey data is often only gathered for one class level suchas during the first year or senior year [4, 6, 8, 18-20]. Various studies have led to the inferencethat EM in students grows throughout their college curriculum [9, 13, 18, 21-22], though veryfew studies have been done that actually measure longitudinal

Conference Session

Engineering Physics and Physics Division Technical Session 2

Collection

2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Tanja Greene, Marian University

undergraduate students a look into a multitude of techniques, based on physicalprinciples and laws, which are used to explore biological functions. In addition, students will bechallenged to improve their understanding of molecular structures in biological contexts and willexplore the thermodynamic and kinetic regulation of biological systems as well as thebioenergetics of molecular and environmental interactions. Due to the level of courseworkexpected, students will have the opportunity to participate in active and passive learningactivities, will be given learning assessments utilizing all levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy, and willbe assigned a project involving Research as Inquiry. Check points will be built into the course tomonitor students’ progress on

Conference Session

NSF Grantees Poster Session

Collection

2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jane Lehr, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo; Dominic Dal Bello, Allan Hancock College; Daniel Almeida, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo; Eva Schiorring; Erica Garcia; Fred Depiero, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo; Jamie Bettencourt; John Oliver, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo; Lizabeth Thompson, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo; Jeff Jones, Class4me.com; Victoria Siaumau, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

.1More broadly, the partnership was established to strengthen the transfer pathway between theuniversity and the community colleges, while supporting individual transfer students.The ENGAGE Project Team is strongly motivated to engage in this collaboration and project byour commitments to racial, educational, and transfer student equity, as discussed in more detailbelow. In addition, from a state and broader national perspective, increasing access to andsuccess for community college transfer students in STEM disciplines is necessary to meet U.S.and California workforce needs [1, 2]. California currently faces a “2025 skills gap” in technicalfields that exists, in large part, due to under-participation of Latinx, first generation, and low-income

Conference Session

Civil Engineering Division - The New Normal: Enduring Technology Improvements in the Classroom

Collection

2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Reza Abolhelm, University of Waterloo; Trevor Hrynyk; Rania Al-Hammoud, University of Waterloo

Paper ID #37746From In-Person to Remote to Hybrid: Transitioning of anUndergraduate Design Event Due to COVID-19Reza Abolhelm Reza Abolhelm is a Graduate Student in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada. His research encompasses reinforced concrete structures, nonlinear finite element analysis, shell structures, and high-performance materials. He has been teaching and supervising undergraduate students as a Teaching Assistant since 2020 and has been involved in several courses and Design Days projects at the University of Waterloo.Trevor Hrynyk

Conference Session

Redefining Manufacturing Education Practices

Collection

2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Allen White, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology; Jay McCormack, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

utilized for an injection molding project in four week-long online exercises in aquarter-long Design for Manufacturing course. The course covers manufacturingbasics, comparative analysis of processes, and manufacturing fitness for design. Forthe simulation, groups are formed into groups representing assembly, customersatisfaction, marketing, and purchasing to develop design requirements for animaginary customer. Teams are then formed with representatives of each group todevelop new, combined design requirements and use them to create a design topresent to their “customer.” All communication between the groups and teams werein an online discussion forum and coded for their breadth and depth with respect tothe course learning objectives. An

Conference Session

Aerospace Division Technical Session: Pedogogy and Training

Collection

2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Francisco Bueno, Saint Louis University; Henry Wright, Saint Louis University; Shaun Samuel, Saint Louis University; Srikanth Gururajan, Saint Louis University

definedrequirements, iteratively design a fully functional system, and work with a team to reach a commongoal. This project was divided into two parts: design/fabrication and calibration/testing. Duringthe design process, the student had to determine the free body diagrams of the designs and makeappropriate material selections for the structure; moreover, the student had to learn thefundamentals of selecting the right sensors (e.g., load cell) for the application, based on thespecifications, availability, and cost. This project also required the selection of an appropriate dataacquisition device and software interface that could be used to run the tests repeatedly and reliably.During this process, the student learned a lot regarding design compromises

Conference Session

College Industry Partnerships Division Technical Session 2

Collection

2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Stephanie Ivey, The University of Memphis; Aaron Robinson, The University of Memphis; Katie Bowman, The University of Memphis

transform the way students are prepared for theworkforce in post-secondary programs. For example, a recent article in Forbes magazine detailedthe pioneering work in STEM education initiated at the Harvey Mudd College in 1963. Thearticle describes how the “Clinic Program” paired a small group of students with a facultyadvisor/faculty member for approximately one year. The faculty member would assign the groupof students a current challenge of a selected industry partner. The students would then attempt todevelop prototypes, create new manufacturing processes, deliver code, and analyze data toaddress the challenge. The highly successful Clinic Program has served as a model forengineering departments around the country with capstone project adoption

Conference Session

LEES 1: Critical Humanities and Serious Play

Collection

2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Benjamin Laugelli, University of Virginia

building” [3]. Moreover, professional codes ofethics for engineers elaborate social and ethical obligations engineers have not only to employersand clients but also to the public [see, e.g., 4].Yet students frequently have difficulty grasping the significance of social and ethicalperspectives in part because they often experience them as abstract concepts disconnected fromauthentic engineering design projects. As a result, students tend to undervalue the role suchperspectives play in engineering design and practice. If LEGO products and practices could beintegrated into a course in STS, as they have been into technical robotics courses, this might helpstudents appreciate the relevance of STS and ethical concepts to practical engineering

Conference Session

College Industry Partnerships Division Technical Session 2

Collection

2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Charles Baukal, John Zink Hamworthy Combustion; Linda Thurman, University of North Carolina at Charlotte; Carter Stokeld

, planning, scheduling, budgeting), critical thinking, self-drive andmotivation, cultural awareness in a broad sense (nationality, ethnicity, linguistic, sexualorientation) and high ethical standards, integrity, and global, social, intellectual andtechnological responsibility [3]. The focus of this paper is on some of those professional skills.Below are some examples of things that many employers look for in new engineering graduates:  Leadership examples in school, at home, at work, in outside organizations, etc.  Previous relevant work experience, preferably internships, co-ops, and research projects with professors.  Can cogently discuss major projects, especially their capstone.  Passion / interest in the company and

Conference Session

Graduate Studies Division Technical Session 2

Collection

2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mirit Shamir; Stacy Hutchinson, Kansas State University; Gaea Hock; Ryan Hansen, Kansas State University; Jonathan Aguilar, Kansas State University; Nathan Hendricks, Kansas State University; Prathap Parameswaran, Kansas State University; Matthew Sanderson; Rebecca Cors; Melanie Derby, Kansas State University

challenges of creating resilient food, energy, and water (FEW) systems in ruralcommunities. Resilience/sustainability problems are complex and often require professionals withdifferent expertise and backgrounds to work as a team to generate an emergent solution; thus, aninterdisciplinary curriculum provides students with the skills needed to work in an interdisciplinaryenvironment.The NRT Capstone Course is a project-based, cross-listed course that has been developed and co-taught by faculty from the Colleges of Engineering, Agriculture, and Arts and Sciences at ouruniversity. The NRT Capstone curriculum builds on knowledge students gained from aprerequisite interdisciplinary course about system thinking, called Integrated FEW Systems. In

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division Technical Session 6: Admissions, Transfer Pathways, and Major Selection

Collection

2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Michael Elmore, State University of New York at Binghamton; Koenraad Gieskes, State University of New York at Binghamton; Nicole Alfarano, State University of New York at Binghamton

an introduction to engineering designcourse during the fall semester. This course consists of a twice-weekly, one-hour lecture and atwo-hour laboratory. The lecture on Monday mainly focuses on engineering topics related totwo interactive team projects. Guest lectures are presented on Wednesday. These lecturesrepresent the various engineering majors offered at Binghamton University. The laboratories aretaught by engineering instructors and graduate engineering students. Students are also requiredto take a weekly two-hour course with a focus on writing and oral presentations. The courseprovides instruction to students on how to write reports and present oral presentations regardingtheir projects. Both courses utilize undergraduate course

Conference Session

PCEE Session 11: Engineering Outreach / Summer Programs

Collection

2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Maya Denton, University of Texas at Austin; Bryant Chambers; Indu Venu Sabaraya; Navid Saleh, University of Texas at Austin; Mary Kirisits, University of Texas at Austin

qualitatively analyzed open-ended response questions. Our findings suggest theextended engagement in outreach positively influenced participants’ perception of engineeringand enjoyment of STEM, with mixed results on STEM confidence. Perception of engineeringwere generally more positive for participants who completed all three engineering modulesversus those who completed only one module. Further, the open-ended responses highlight theimportance of repeated exposure, as participants indicated they felt safer and more comfortablewith the project team over time. Our results highlight the importance of continued engagementwith students in outreach and forming partnerships with classrooms, where students can getrepeated exposure to engineering and build

Conference Session

Engineering Libraries Division Technical Session 7: Library Collaboration

Collection

2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

D. Boyer, Clemson University; Leah Wiitablake, Clemson University; Yang Wu, Clemson University

typesetting. All this requires the collaboration ofindividuals from interdisciplinary backgrounds. Considering all this, the development of OERcan be a time-consuming process, particularly for faculty who have dual responsibilities, such asteaching and research. In addition, the effective organization of both OER projects and thenumerous individuals involved to ensure timely completion of objectives requires projectmanagement skills. Lastly, since many faculty are unaware of OER, ensuring that OER are usedby teachers and students requires marketing and effective metadata and curation of OERmaterials so that they can be discovered online and utilized.One way to alleviate concerns about time, project management, and content creation, as well asto shift

Conference Session

Community Engagement Division Technical Session 4- COVID and Virtual Learning

Collection

2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jessica Smith, Colorado School of Mines; Juan Lucena, Colorado School of Mines; Angelina Rivera, Colorado School of Mines

, Resilient Communities (RMRC) project is a multi-country,interinstitutional, and interdisciplinary global research collaboration whose goal is to co-designsocially responsible and sustainable gold mining practices with communities, engineers, andsocial scientists. This paper will investigate two key research questions. The first questionconsiders how participating in the summer session influences students’ global sociotechnicalcompetency with the second question analyzing how the changes in sociotechnical competencyimpact the students’ confidence in their engineering ability. The project hosted three intensivesummer field sessions that each enrolled a different group of students. In 2019, the studentsconducted research in the field in Colombia while

Conference Session

Multidisciplinary Engineering Division Technical Session - Integrated Engineering and Interdisciplinary Impacts

Collection

2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Rebecca Bates, Minnesota State University, Mankato; Susan Lord, University of San Diego; Emanuela Tilley; Jenna Carpenter, Campbell University

Mankato and off- North Carolina campus sites Private faith-based Public school institution Mode Teaching Degree (BS/BA) Degree (BSE) Degree (BSE) Framework Structure Faculty based, Department in Department, School of Engineering Cross- School of Project-based (no departments, one Department Engineering with 3 above the course- program and faculty) other engineering level

Conference Session

Design in Engineering Division Poster Session

Collection

2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Robert Nagel, James Madison University; Melissa Aleman, James Madison University; Kelly Sadel

Paper ID #37711Features of Continuity and Change through COVID-19 in anUndergraduate Engineering ProgramKelly SadelMelissa Alemán Dr. Melissa Aleman (Ph.D. University of Iowa) is Professor of Communication Studies at James Madison University and has published research using qualitative interviewing, ethnographic and rhetorical methods to examine communication in diverse cultural contexts ranging from multicultural families to engineering education and makerspaces. She has advised undergraduate and graduate students in autoethnographic, ethnographic, and qualitative interview projects on a wide- range of topics

Conference Session

Construction Engineering Division Technical Session 5

Collection

2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Sanjeev Adhikari, Kennesaw State University; Sandeep Langar, The University of Texas at San Antonio; Rachel Mosier, Oklahoma State University

construction management (CM) courses are often challenging due to different learningstyles. Students are expected to generate three-dimensional (3D) models by mentally visualizingall project components and supporting task sequences. Students with little or no practicalexperience find such exercises challenging, spending unnecessary time developing and scheduling3D digital models. This research investigates 4D implementation based on an Industry-Academiccollaboration in the classroom. 4D allows connecting schedule activities with an industry-provided3D model to use data to understand the project timeline and build a building during the constructionphase.Furthermore, a real-time construction schedule with all the project components to visualize a

Conference Session

Construction Engineering Division Technical Session 4

Collection

2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Robert Rabb, The Citadel; Nahid Vesali, The Citadel

Paper ID #37902Design of a Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP)Course to Enhance a New Construction Engineering ProgramRobert J. Rabb (Chair, Mechanical Engineering) Professor, Mechanical Engineering, The CitadelNahid Vesali (Assistant Professor) Dr. Nahid Vesali is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Engineering Leadership and Program Management (ELPM) in the School of Engineering (SOE) at The Citadel. She joined The Citadel in January 2020 and teaches courses in project management and construction engineering management fields. Dr. Vesali earned her PhD in Civil Engineering from Florida

Conference Session

CPDD Technical Session 1 - Design of Professional Development Curricula

Collection

2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Audeen Fentiman, Purdue University at West Lafayette (COE); John Sutherland, Purdue University at West Lafayette (COE); Daniel Delaurentis; Kerrie Douglas, Purdue University at West Lafayette (COE); Jorge Dorribo Camba; C. Robert Kenley, Purdue University at West Lafayette (COE); Ali Raz; Adrie Koehler; Wanju Huang, Purdue University at West Lafayette (COE); Andrew Hurt, Purdue University at West Lafayette (COE); Jennifer Richardson

Paper ID #36738Work in Progress: Aligning a Professional DevelopmentProgram with Industry NeedsAudeen W. Fentiman (Crowley Family Professor in Engineering Education) Audeen Fentiman is the Crowley Family Professor in Engineering Education at Purdue University and principal investigator for an NSF-sponsored project to develop, deploy and evaluate online instructional modules in model-based systems engineering. She spent more than a decade in industry and 25 years as a Nuclear Engineering faculty member before transferring to Engineering Education.John W. Sutherland (Chair)Daniel DelaurentisKerrie A Douglas (Assistant

Conference Session

NSF Grantees Poster Session

Collection

2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Bimal Nepal, Texas A&M University; Prabhakar Pagilla, Texas A&M University; Satish Bukkapatnam, Texas A&M University; Manan Shah, Texas A&M University

, writing workshops, graduate school applicationpreparation, and industry visits. Furthermore, some of these professional development activitiesare also conducted in large group settings with students from other research programs beyond theREU cohort. The rationale behind combining REU students with other researchers is to create acommunity of learners and provide them with an opportunity to build/extend their professionalnetwork. Although professional development activities are an integral part of the REU sites, thereis often very limited coverage of such activities in the existing literature on REU projects. Thispaper presents the impact of professional development activities on the experience of REUparticipants in a manufacturing REU site at a