Conference Session

Implementation of the Civil Engineering Body of Knowledge and Recent ABET Experiences

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Fred Meyer, United States Military Academy; Stephen Ressler, United States Military Academy

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

demonstratedappropriate levels of student achievement. Demonstration of design content in the vast majorityof civil engineering courses as part of Criterion 5 (Curriculum) also contributed to ourcompliance with this criterion. Explain basic concepts in management, business, public policy, and leadership.This requirement, largely based on the ASCE Body of Knowledge, presents new areas to becovered in civil engineering curricula. The requirements of this component are not included inthe ABET Criterion 3a-k, thus programs using the ABET Criterion 3a-k as their programoutcomes will be overlooking this requirement. An adjustment of the USMA civil engineeringprogram outcomes in 2006 in anticipation of the new civil engineering program criteria provedvery beneficial

Conference Session

Measuring Success of Graduate Program Components

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mysore Narayanan, Miami University

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

enhance students’ critical thinking capabilities. Page 14.253.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2009 Assessment of Engineering Education based on the Principles of Theodore Marchese Mysore Narayanan, Miami University, Ohio.AbstractAssessment is a process in which rich, usable, credible feedback from an act of teachingor curriculum comes to be reflected upon by an academic community, and then is actedon by that community, a department or college, within its commitment to get smarter andbetter at what it does (Marchese, 1997, page 93). All of which is to say, assessment ismore than data

Conference Session

Using Technology to Enhance Education

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Paul Blowers, University of Arizona

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

innovations in instruction work because they allow the presentationof material in new ways that students find more accessible to their native learning styles[9-12].Examples of this include the successful integration of laboratory exercises or simulations incourse like chemistry, physics, and engineering[13] to allow students who are more "hands-on"or are sensing students to practice the concepts in the ways they learn best. One quantitativestudy showed that students raised exam scores by an average of 16 percent on a straight scalewhen they were exposed to a simulator of signal processing equipment in electricalengineering[13]. Other examples include using instructional videos or demonstrations onstreaming media that allow visual learners to benefit

Conference Session

Engineering Ethics: Using Case Studies

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

William Loendorf, Eastern Washington University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Ethics

management, real-time embedded systems, and digital signal processing. Page 14.1182.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2009 Case Study Approach to Engineering EthicsAbstractEngineers are routinely called upon to make decisions that affect the users of the products theydesign, develop, and manufacture. The desired outcome is to produce a product that is withoutdefects and safe for the public to use. However, the potential impact could be very harmful if thewrong decisions are made. The technical aspects behind these decisions are studied in detail asan integral part of the engineer’s undergraduate curriculum

Conference Session

Writing Is Fundamental

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Beth Richards, University of Hartford; Mohammad Saleh Keshawarz; Hisham Alnajjar, Computer and Electrical

Tagged Divisions

Liberal Education

2006, the University of Hartford College of Engineering, Technology, and Architecture, inWest Hartford, Connecticut began a partnership with the Faculty of Engineering at theUniversity of Herat, in Herat City, Afghanistan. The goals of the project are to use a combinationof curriculum revision and development, faculty development, distance learning andcollaborative projects, and local/internal partnerships to establish the Herat University Faculty ofEngineering at the preeminent Engineering program for Western Afghanistan.Once a part of Kabul University, the Faculty of Engineering became a permanent part of HeratUniversity in 2004. After functioning in Kabul for approximately 20 years, the Engineeringprogram was closed following the Soviet

Conference Session

ECE Pedagogy and Assessment II

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Aurenice Oliveira, Michigan Technological University

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

computer versionof the Simulation Program with Integrated Circuit Emphasis software) files weredeveloped to assist in circuit analysis. National Instrument’s LabVIEW (LaboratoryVirtual Instrumentation Engineering Workbench) files were developed to introducerapids methods of computer-aided special-purpose instrumentation and control systems.MultiSim is a schematic capture, simulation, and programmable logic tool used bycollege and university students in their course of study of electronics and electricalengineering. MultiSim is widely regarded as an excellent tool for classroom andlaboratory learning.3.7) Frequent feedbackWhile it is important for any class, frequent feedback is particularly important for non-majors. Timely and adequate feedback is

Conference Session

International Initiatives, Partnerships, Teaching Strategies & Collaborative Networks (IUCEE, IFEES, LACCEI.... )

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Maria M. Larrondo Petrie, Florida Atlantic University; Jose Carlos Quadrado, Instituto Superior de Engenharia de Lisboa; Lueny Morell, Hewlett-Packard; Hans Hoyer, American Society for Engineering Education

Tagged Divisions

International

profession • Promoting capacity building and contributing to the socio-economic development of lesser developed communities • Acting with integrity, transparency and respect in dealing with members and non- membersThe IFEES Assembly approved the Strategic Plan4, which determined that • IFEES will work in close cooperation with national regional organizations from around the globe to influence public policy at the local, national and international levels in support of engineering education, while striving for operational excellence (including IFEES sustainability) and development of its members. • The IFEES Vision is to foster and enhance the capabilities of an active global community of stakeholders

Conference Session

Tricks of the Trade II

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

William Baer, Georgia Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

New Engineering Educators

for a brief period or span several years. They can change from time to time. Notevery class will be ideally suited to include an information literacy component, but greatpartnerships can emerge from unlikely situations.References[1] Rader, Hannelore B. 1999. "Faculty-librarian collaboration in building the curriculum for the millennium: the US experience." IFLA Journal 25, no. 4: 209-213. Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts.[2] Tucker, James Cory, Jeremy Bullian, and Matthew C. Torrence. 2003. "Collaborate or Die! Collection Development in Today's Academic Library." Reference Librarian 40, no. 83/84: 219-236.[3] Oseghale, Osagie. 2008. “Faculty Opinion as Collection Evaluation Method: A Case Study of

Conference Session

Thermodynamics, Fluids, and Heat Transfer II

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Michael Maixner, United States Air Force Academy; James Baughn, UC Davis

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

AC 2009-430: A SIMPLE, AFFORDABLE STEADY-STATE FIN HEAT TRANSFERMINI-LAB/DEMOMichael Maixner, United States Air Force Academy Michael Rex Maixner graduated with distinction from the U. S. Naval Academy, and served as a commissioned officer in the USN for 25 years; his first 12 years were spent as a shipboard officer, while his remaining service was spent strictly in engineering assignments. He received his Ocean Engineer and SMME degrees from MIT, and his Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School. He served as an Instructor at the Naval Postgraduate School and as a Professor of Engineering at Maine Maritime Academy; he is currently a member of the Department

Conference Session

New Learning Paradigms I

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Philip Parker, University of Wisconsin, Platteville

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

Engineering Education & Practice. 1995;121(2).3. Berthouex P.M. Honing the writing skills of engineers. Journal of Professional Issues inEngineering Education & Practice. 1996; 122(3).4. Bransford J. How people learn: Brain, mind, experience, and school. National Academy Press;2000.5. Yalvac B, Smith H.D., Troy J.B. Promoting advanced writing skills in an upper-levelengineering class. Journal of Engineering Education (Washington, D.C.). 2007; 96(2).6. Carvill C, Smith S, Watt A, Williams J. Integrating writing into technical courses: Stepstoward incorporating communication into the engineering classroom. Proceedings of the 2002American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference and Exposition

Conference Session

Knowing Our Students, Faculty, and Profession

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ashlyn Munson, Colorado School of Mines; Barbara Moskal, Colorado School of Mines; Alka Harriger, Purdue University

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

University of Pittsburgh. She is a Professor in the Mathematical and Computer Sciences at the Colorado School of Mines. Her research interests include student assessment, K-12 outreach and equity issues. In 2000, she received a New Faculty Fellowship at the Frontiers in Education Conference and in 2006, she received the William Elgin Wickenden Award with her colleagues, Barbara Olds and Ronald Miller. Dr. Moskal is currently an associate editor for the Journal of Engineering Education.Alka Harriger, Purdue University Alka R. Harriger (harrigea@purdue.edu) joined the faculty of the Computer and Information Technology Department (CIT) at Purdue University in 1982 and is currently a Professor of

Conference Session

Project-Based Student Learning: Part II

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Dale Litwhiler, Pennsylvania State University, Berks; Frances Jallu, Pennsylvania State University, Berks

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

data could then bedownloaded for use in engineering technology classes to help demonstrate the operation ofequipment powered by solar energy and rechargeable batteries. Incorporating real-world solarpower projects into engineering curriculum has been presented by others. 2,3,4System Design and ConstructionFigure 2 shows a block diagram of the bus shelter custom audio system. The solar panel isconstructed of thin-film amorphous silicon and produces an operating voltage of 7.2V at 100mA.The battery is a 6V, 1.2Ah sealed lead acid deep-discharge battery. The amplifier and speakersare very inexpensive consumer electronic devices typically used with an MP3 player to listen tomusic without using headphones. Figure 2

Conference Session

Introduction to Materials Courses

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Surendra Gupta, Rochester Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Materials

slides on experimental principles and theory, (c) step-by-stepinstructions to use the equipment, (d) sample data and analysis, (e) a set of multiple-choicequestions, and (f) a student survey. At the beginning of each term, these instructional materialsare integrated into MyCourses, the online course management system developed by Desire 2Learn (www.desire2learn.com) for our institution. Thus, all lab instructors and students nowhave access to and use the same instructional materials.Assessment Rubrics and Design of Instructional MaterialsFor BSME curriculum to meet or exceed the accreditation criteria of the Accreditation Board ofEngineering and Technology (ABET), our department has developed a set of nine mechanicalengineering program outcomes

Conference Session

Professional Practice and AEC Education

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mahmoud Alahmad, University of Nebraska, Lincoln; Patrick Wheeler, University of Nebraska, Omaha; Avery Schwer, University of Nebraska, Lincoln; Dale Tiller, University of Nebraska, Lincoln; Andrea Wilkerson, University of Nebraska, Lincoln; Joshua Eiden, University of Nebraska, Lincoln

Tagged Divisions

Architectural

future capacity needs for peaking power plants.I. IntroductionA common difficulty amongst academic engineering programs is the minimal amount ofcoursework that makes a solid connection to industry applications. Upper level coursesshould ease the transition from the university to the work place environment. There are sev-eral program models that ease the transition by exposing students to the industry environmentduring their education.One program model provides students the opportunity to observe professionals in the work-place. Another program allows students to work in the engineering industry as part of theircourse curriculum. A third program model tells students to take time off from school towork independently for an industry partner1. With

Conference Session

Student Learning

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kathryn Jablokow, Pennsylvania State University-Great Valley; Pamela Vercellone-Smith, Penn State Great Valley; Sally Sue Richmond, Penn State Great Valley

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

– 2008, we collected KAI scores for a total of 363 students enrolledin a core course within our Systems Engineering curriculum*. As mentioned earlier, this course isalso an elective for students in other engineering degree programs, as well as students enrolled innon-engineering degree programs, such as Management, Leadership Development, andEducation (e.g., Instructional Design). Of the total sample we analyzed, 327 students wereregistered in one of three engineering degree programs (Systems Engineering, SoftwareEngineering, or Information Science), 12 were registered in a Leadership Development degreeprogram (offered by the Management Division), and 24 had undeclared majors at the time of theKAI administration. While these last two sub-groups

Conference Session

Measurement Tools

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Lourdes Gazca, Universidad de las Americas, Puebla; Enrique Palou, Universidad de las Americas, Puebla; Aurelio López-Malo, Universidad de las Americas, Puebla; Juan Manuel Garibay, Universidad de las Americas, Puebla

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

Engineering Design (EI-100) is a first-semester 3 credit required course for everyengineering program of Universidad de las Américas Puebla (UDLAP). Course content andclassroom activities are divided into three, two-hour sessions (Modeling, Concepts, andLaboratory) per week. Students have six different EI-100 facilitators (an instructor and teachingassistant for each session). UDLAP’s engineering students have in EI-100 a great opportunity fora multidisciplinary collaborative experience. EI-100 is a team-taught course that uses active,collaborative and cooperative learning, which has been a major player in UDLAP’s efforts ofengineering education reform since 2001. However, EI-100 could be improved taking intoaccount technological advances and recent

Conference Session

Knowing Our Students, Faculty, and Profession

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Marisa Orr, Clemson University; Zahra Hazari, Clemson University; Philip Sadler, Science Education Department, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics; Gerhard Sonnert, Science Education Department, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

AC 2009-611: CAREER MOTIVATIONS OF FRESHMAN ENGINEERING ANDNON-ENGINEERING STUDENTS: A GENDER STUDYMarisa Orr, Clemson University Marisa K. Orr is a doctoral candidate at Clemson University. She received her B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Clemson in 2005. She has been an Endowed Teaching Fellow and is currently chair of the Mechanical Engineering Graduate Student Advisory Committee. In her research, she is studying the way that students progress through a Mechanical Engineering curriculum and terramechanics.Zahra Hazari, Clemson University Zahra Hazari is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Engineering & Science Education and the Department of Mathematical Sciences at

Conference Session

LABVIEW-Based Experiments and Robotics Laboratory

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Alejandra J. Magana; Sean Brophy; George Bodner, Purdue University

Tagged Divisions

Division Experimentation & Lab-Oriented Studies

for using simulations for learning and describing in detail a student’s perception of thismethod.Methods The goal of this research study is to describe an instructor’s and his students’ perceptionsand experiences with simulation tools as laboratory simulations in the context of an advancedgraduate elective course for electrical engineering students. These graduate students arespecializing in the area of very-large-scale integration (VLSI) and circuit design. The coursefocuses on examining advanced transistors and its physical principles. Considerations that enterinto the development of new integrated circuit technologies were also explored. This course hasas pre-requisite a course related to solid state devices only offered to master’s

Conference Session

Multidisciplinary Course Innovation

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Claudio Talarico, Eastern Washington University; Esteban Rodriguez-Marek, Eastern Washington University; Min-Sung Koh, Eastern Washington University

Tagged Divisions

Multidisciplinary Engineering

AC 2009-237: A MULTIDISCIPLINARY UNDERGRADUATE PROJECTIMPLEMENTING A ROBOTIC ARM FOR THE ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATIONOF ENDANGERED AMPHIBIAN SPECIESClaudio Talarico, Eastern Washington University Claudio Talarico is an Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering at Eastern Washington University. Before joining Eastern Washington University, he worked at University of Arizona, University of Hawaii and in industry, where he held both engineering and management positions at Infineon Technologies, IKOS Systems (now Mentor Graphics), and Marconi Communications. His research interests include design methodologies for integrated circuits and systems with emphasis on system-level design, embedded

Conference Session

Outstanding Contributions to Mechanical Engineering Education

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

John Wagner, Clemson University; Katie Knaub, National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

amplifier. Wagner et al.8 reviewed the operational behavior of an eightday mechanical clock through mathematical models, numerical simulation, and computeranimation for dynamic system studies. A series of five laboratory and simulation experimentswere report by Burchett et al.9 which emphasize fundamental concepts in dynamic systemsincluding a swinging pendulum whose bob is located to offer maximum angular velocity.Delson10 discussed the use of a model clock project for students to analyze and fabricate apendulum and escapement wheel with integration into a clock11. In terms of K-12 audiences, theNational Science Resources Center developed the measuring time (life & earth sciences)curriculum model (grade 6) within the science and technology for

Conference Session

Communication and Collaboration

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Julie Sharp, Vanderbilt University; Marilyn Dyrud, Oregon Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Liberal Education

facilitate the group’s functioning.Since the students themselves discuss, develop, and refine peer review criteria each term,performance expectations are clear. Furthermore, by the end of the first week of senior project,each group is responsible for creating a set of group “operating guidelines,” which generallydovetail the formal review criteria. Coupled with the meetings with faculty, these documentsprovide an accurate snapshot of how groups function. Page 14.1287.14Teamwork AssessmentTeamwork is an assessment point in the civil curriculum, and in 2007-2008, the departmentassessed two facets of the senior project class: peer reviews

Conference Session

Infusing Engineering Content Through Curricular Innovation

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Austin Talley, University of Texas, Austin; Kathy Schmidt, University of Texas, Austin; Richard Crawford, University of Texas, Austin

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

Page 14.383.11 future, The National Academies Press, Washington, D.C. 2007.[2] University of Texas. DTEACh Online. http://www.engr.utexas.edu/dteach/aboutus/, July 27, 2007.[3] Crawford, R.H., Wood, K.L., Fowler, M., and Norrell, J., "An Engineering Design Curriculum for the Elementary Grades," ASEE Journal of Engineering Education, Vol. 83, No. 2, pp. 172-181, 1994.[4] Jensen, D., Wood, J., and Wood, K. L., "Design of Hands-on Experiences to Optimize Learning through Correlation with Learning Styles and Pedagogical Theory," Proceedings of the ASEE Annual Conference, June 2004.[5] Talley, A., Schmidt, K., Wood, K., and Crawford, R., “Understanding the Effects of Active Learning in Action: What Happens When

Conference Session

Successful Mentoring and Outreach Programs for Girls and Minorities

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Katherine Chen, California Polytechnic State University; Daniel Belter, California Polytechnic State University; Teana Fredeen, California Polytechnic State University; Heather Smith, California Polytechnic State University; Shirley Magnusson, California Polytechnic State University

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

scientists. Her current work is exploring how to integrate engineering with science in the elementary curriculum in a way that empowers children and supports teachers in finding time to teach science. Page 14.743.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2009 Inspiring a Diverse Population of High School Students to Choose Engineering as a Career PathAbstractA week-long, summer day-program was created to expose and inspire high school students toconsider engineering as a career path. The goals of the program were to 1) bring high schoolstudents of diverse backgrounds to our university campus, 2) excite

Conference Session

Critical Thinking and Creative Arts

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Beth Todd, University of Alabama; Garry Warren, University of Alabama; Susan Burkett, University of Alabama; David Cordes, University of Alabama; Marcus Brown, University of Alabama

Tagged Divisions

Liberal Education

Page 14.392.6 and societal issues in the classroom,” Proc. ASEE Conf., Pittsburgh, PA, 2008.7. S. M. Lord, “Fabulous Fridays: Satisfying ABET 2000 criterion I and J in an optoelectronics elective,” Proc. ASEE Conf., pp. 6315-6322, 2005.8. P. Benkeser and W. Newsletter, “Integrating soft skills in a BME curriculum,” Proc. ASEE Conf., Salt Lake City, UT, pp. 7823-7830, 2004.9. L. J. Shuman, M. Besterfield-Sacre, J. McGourty, “The ABET "professional skills" - Can they be taught? Can they be assessed?,” J. Engineering Education, Vol. 94, No. 1, pp. 41-55, 2005.10. D. Carpenter, “Using a hybrid classroom environment for the instruction of ethics and contemporary civil engineering issues,” Proc. ASEE Conf., Honolulu

Conference Session

Sustainable-energy Education: Lessons Learned

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Sharon deMonsabert, George Mason University; Jeremy Jessup, George Mason University; Lenna Storm, George Mason University

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

contacts and organizing all interactions between all included parties.This responsibility is very similar to the responsibility experienced in a professional setting. Byproviding the student with control over the project, it required the student to take a leadershiprole and integrate many different people into the project. The project also offered an avenue forthe application of educational principles in a professional setting. The student was responsiblefor identifying the problem, selecting possible alternatives to correct the problem, andrecommending the best solution. The student was able to incorporate environmental systemsanalysis techniques covered in the academic program’s curriculum, in addition to otherengineering principles, to arrive

Conference Session

Engineering Design: Implementation and Evaluation

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Gül Okudan, Pennsylvania State University; Alexander Yin, Pennsylvania State University; Saraj Gupta, Pennsylvania State University; Lisa Lattuca, Pennsylvania State University; Patrick Terenzini, Pennsylvania State University

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

isensuring that the task would still be a learning experience for the design team.Design ProcessThe design process is where the design learning facilitator provides the most guidance to theteam. Even though within the curriculum students are taught a design process (first E4 and thenemphasized throughout their other courses), students still deviated from an organized process. Asa coach, the faculty advisor guides the team towards the process they have learned. As oneprofessor says: “So they get to try [the design process] out early on, and then what we do as advisors in clinic is remind them about the process. Because I think a lot of times when they are given a real world project in clinic, the inclination is just to run out

Conference Session

High-School Engineering Education

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jan DeWaters, Clarkson University; Susan Powers, Clarkson University

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

(integrating science, math, technology, writing andcommunication) and approaches the investigation and application of new automobiletechnologies and transportation fuels within a societal and global context. Table 2 summarizesthe general outline of the course, which follows a standard engineering problem solvingapproach. In any given year, the specific details have varied within this framework. The entiremodule is designed to extend over a total of 16 to 20, 40-minute class periods. Detailed unit andlesson plans for this module are available.14ParticipantsStudents enrolled in an advanced placement environmental science (APES) class at a high schoolin rural St. Lawrence County, NY have been study participants for all three years. This nonregents-based

Conference Session

Exemplary Teacher and Counselor Professional Development

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Macon Beck, Purdue University; Heidi Diefes-Dux, Purdue Universtiy; Teri Reed-Rhoads, Purdue University

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

well with other people (Item 1) and have good verbal skills (Item 2). Schoolcounselors agree to a greater extent that most people feel that males can do well in DET careers(Item 10) as compared to females (Item 9) or minorities (Item 11), but this may or may not be areflection of what school counselors feel. It is not clear whether counselors believe that DETshould be integrated into the K-12 curriculum (Item 8). These results are similar to those found Page 14.824.5for K-12 teachers16. This leads us to believe that school counselors and K-12 teachers havesimilar perceptions of engineering. Therefore, the same content that is used in

Conference Session

Teaching Mechanics of Materials and General Mechanics Education

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Henry Christiansen, Brigham Young University; Steven Benzley, Brigham Young University; Spencer Guthrie, Brigham Young Univeristy; Gaurab Paudel, Brigham Young University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanics

integral portion of lower division engineering curricula for Civil, Mechanical, andManufacturing Engineering. These courses are crucial in the engineering education process forthese disciplines because they introduce students to the engineering approach in problem solving,provide basic principles that are used in following courses, and let lower division studentsrecognize if they are equipped for an engineering curricula. In addition, many questions for theFundamentals of Engineering exam have their roots in these courses.Providing the proper teaching environment for these courses is a challenge for faculty anddepartment administrations because a) there are numerous students that must be accommodated,b) the students deserve a quality experience to

Conference Session

Multidisciplinary Design Constituents

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Elif Kongar; Jani Pallis; Tarek Sobh

Tagged Divisions

Multidisciplinary Engineering

compares similar entities, i.e.,decision making units (DMUs), against the “best virtual decision making unit”. Due to variousadvantages and ease in its use, DEA has been employed extensively in various areas, such as healthcare, education, banking, manufacturing, and management.One of the relevant studies is published by Johnson and Zhu1. In their work, the authors employedDEA to select the most promising candidates to fill an open faculty position. DEA has also beenutilized extensively in the environmental arena. To this extent, Sarkis2 proposed a two-stagemethodology to integrate managerial preferences and environmentally conscious manufacturing(ECM) programs. Subsequently, Sarkis and Cordeiro3 investigated the relationship betweenenvironmental