Conference Session

Communication in Design

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kristen Eichhorn, SUNY Oswego; Cara Thompson, SUNY Oswego; David Vampola, SUNY Oswego; Fritz Messere, SUNY Oswego; Rachid Manseur, SUNY-Oswego

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

AC 2010-218: INFUSING COMMUNICATION SKILLS IN AN ENGINEERINGCURRICULUMKristen Eichhorn, SUNY OswegoCara Thompson, SUNY OswegoDavid Vampola, SUNY OswegoFritz Messere, SUNY OswegoRachid Manseur, SUNY-Oswego Page 15.736.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2010 Infusing Communication Skills in an Engineering CurriculumAbstractThe development of a new electrical and computer engineering program offers a rare opportunityto design an innovative and modern curriculum that incorporates important skills and content.The envisioned program is project-based and includes innovative and multidisciplinary aspectsin its curriculum, organization and its operation. This work

Conference Session

Design Projects across the Curriculum

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Dan Cernusca, Missouri University of Science and Technology; Ghulam Bham, Missouri University of Science and Technology

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

. Page 15.1034.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2010 Restructuring a Design Focused Introductory Transportation Engineering Course: An Exploratory Study Using the Threshold Concept FrameworkAbstractDesign is an integral part of engineering courses. Addressing design problems is a challengingtask in instruction because of the openness and complexity of these problems. This paperpresents an approach in addressing these challenges for an introductory transportation-engineering course, an important part of which is highway design. To address the challengesassociated with highway design, a framework proposed by the threshold concepts model wasused to identify a candidate-concept for the

Conference Session

Design Projects across the Curriculum

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Tom Thomas, University of South Alabama; Michael Doran, University of South Alabama; James Sakalaukus, University of South Alabama

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

AC 2010-859: AN AUTONOMOUS CAMPUS TOUR GUIDE ROBOT AS APLATFORM FOR COLLABORATIVE ENGINEERING DESIGNTom Thomas, University of South Alabama Dr. Tom Thomas is an associate professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of South Alabama. His research interests include robotics, image processing and engineering education.Michael Doran, University of South Alabama Dr. Michael Doran is a professor in the School of Computer and Information Sciences at the University of South Alabama in Mobile Alabama. His research interests include robotics, artificial intellegence and engineering education.James Sakalaukus, University of South Alabama James Sakalaukus is a

Conference Session

Capstone Design Pedagogy II

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

M. Reza Emami, University of Toronto; Michael G. Helander, University of Toronto

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

multiple disciplines and hence a diverse assembly ofengineers and facilities that are not necessarily placed at the same geographical location.Consequently, the notion of global virtual design teams1, as a distributed collection of peopleand resources, integrated across geographical, cultural and functional borders, is becomingincreasingly appealing. In response, the newly-revised engineering curricula have begun torecognize the need for the diversity of scope, expertise, and even resources in the engineeringeducation. A multifaceted curriculum aims at training engineers who can work at multinationalcorporations in teams composed of a wide range of expertise and technical and culturalbackground. Therefore, the formation of inter-discipline, inter

Conference Session

Capstone Design Pedagogy I

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Daria Kotys-Schwartz, University of Colorado, Boulder; Daniel Knight, University of Colorado, Boulder; Gary Pawlas, University of Colorado, Boulder

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

investigating teenage girls’ participation in engineering and technology activities from multiple disciplinary frames, the impact of four-year hands-on design curriculum, and the effects of service learning in engineering education.Daniel Knight, University of Colorado, Boulder DANIEL W. KNIGHT is the engineering assessment specialist at the Integrated Teaching and Learning Laboratory (ITLL) and Program. He holds a BA in psychology from Louisiana State University, and an MS degree in industrial/organizational psychology and a PhD degree in counseling psychology, both from the University of Tennessee. Dr. Knight’s research interests are in the areas of retention, program evaluation and

Conference Session

Communication in Design

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Cherian Mathews, University of the Pacific

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

at Purdue University and Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. Page 15.1312.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2010 Using a Design Course to Augment Program Curriculum and Foster Development of Professional SkillsAbstractThis paper describes the structure of a recently reorganized senior design project coursesequence in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at University of the Pacific.The paper focuses on the first course in a two course senior project sequence, a course that wasrecently reorganized with a view to improve student design and professional skills. Previously

Conference Session

Design Projects across the Curriculum

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Harold Henderson, United States Miliary Academy; Joel Dillon, United States Military Academy

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

AC 2010-1327: WATER TURBINE: IMPROVING A PROJECT FORREINFORCING MACHINE COMPONENT DESIGNHarold Henderson, United States Miliary Academy MAJ Harold Henderson graduated as an Armor officer from the United States Military Academy in 1998. He has served in the U.S. Army in the United States and Iraq. He holds a Masters Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Auburn University. His research interests include unmanned ground vehicles, energy harvesting, instructional technology and distance education. He is currently serving as an Instructor in the Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering at West Point.Joel Dillon, United States Military Academy

Conference Session

Design Projects across the Curriculum

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ibibia Dabipi, University of Maryland, Eastern Shore; Christopher Hartman, University of Maryland, Eastern Shore; James B. Burrows-Mcelwain, University of Maryland, Eastern Shore

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

trends in lifelong learning (2001). International Conference of Lifelong Learning: Global Perspectives in Education. July 1-3, 2001; Beijing, China.[2] Henschke, John. Moving a university or college toward a lifetime learning orientation (2000). Prepared for presentation to the International Conference on Lifelong Learning October 16-18, 2000 in Beijing, China.[3] Northouse, P. Leadership: Theory and Practice. Sage Publications, London, 2007. Pp. 69-79, Page 15.355.11 151-159.[4] Weibel, Roland E. & Hansman, R. John. An Integrated Approach to Evaluating Risk Mitigation Measures for UAV Operational Concepts in the NAS (2005

Conference Session

Design Projects across the Curriculum

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kimberly Warners, Western Michigan University; Britney Richmond, Western Michigan University; Adam Eaton, Western Michigan University; Andrew Kline, Western Michigan University; Betsy Aller, Western Michigan University; Edmund Tsang, Western Michigan University

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

2 summarizes the total time to build three devices. Table 2: Time Comparison Student-Made Model Rapidly-Manufactured Model Total Time (hrs) 10 hours 0.5 hoursThe rapidly-manufactured model is more time efficient to produce, though the costs are muchhigher. Ideal for mass production, rapid manufacturing would be more efficient overall in theproduction of this hands-on learning device to assist in middle-school science curriculum. Keepin mind that the unit cost for rapidly manufacturing these devices will decrease with an increasedoutput of devices. The initial cost for producing the mold to manufacture the

Conference Session

Early Engineering Design Experiences

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kala Meah, York College of Pennsylvania; Timothy Garrison, York College of Pennsylvania; James Kearns, York College of Pennsylvania; Gregory Link, York College of Pennsylvania; Laura Garrison, York College of Pennsylvania; Wayne Blanding, York College of Pennsylvania; Emine Celik, York College of Pennsylvania; Jennifer Dawson, York College of Pennsylvania; Stephen Kuchnicki, York College of Pennsylvania; Barry McFarland, York College of Pennsylvania

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

paperdescribes the course organization, the project goals, and project itself and how it supports thebroader engineering curriculum goals of engaging freshman engineering students in a designproject, exposing them in an interesting way to the breath of engineering, and motivating them intheir engineering studies.The students work in small teams and have roughly 12 weeks to design an automated electro-mechanical system that first transports three empty Snapple bottles, three tennis balls, and 36 oz.of water to a 2⁄x3⁄ operational zone. The machine must fill each bottle with 12 oz. of water, capeach bottle by covering the top with a tennis ball, and then deliver the capped and filled bottles toan area outside of the operational zone.The bottle-filling

Conference Session

The Best of Design in Engineering Education

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Nicole Genco, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth; Katja Holtta-Otto, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth; Carolyn Conner Seepersad, University of Texas, Austin

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

, B., Johnson, C., and Salas, E., 1991, Productivity loss in brainstorming groups: A meta-analytic integration, Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 12(1) pp. 3-23.23. Nijstad, B. A., Stroebe, W., & Lodewijk, H. F. (2002). Cognitive stimulation and interference in groups: Exposure effects in an idea generation task. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 38, 535-544.24. Otto, K., & Wood, K. (200). Product Design: Techniques in Reverse Engineering, Systematic Design, and New Product Development. Prentice-Hall, New York.25. Pahl, G., & Beitz, W. (1996). Engineering Design: A Systematic Approach. New York, NY: Springer-Verlag.26. Paulus, P. B., and Yang, H. C., 2000, Idea generation in groups: A basis for creativity in

Conference Session

Capstone Design Projects

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Taskin Padir, Worcester Polytechnic Institute; Fred Looft, Worcester Polytechnic Institute; William Michalson, Worcester Polytechnic Institute; Michael Ciaraldi, Worcester Polytechnic Institute; Eben Cobb, Worcester Polytechnic Institute; Kenneth Stafford, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

semester of 2008, the program is the fourth largest discipline at theinstitution in terms of freshman enrollment. At the core of the curriculum are four signaturecourses called Unified Robotics I-IV. The educational objective of these courses is to introducestudents to the multidisciplinary theory and practice of robotics engineering, integrating thefields of computer science, electrical engineering and mechanical engineering. In addition totaking these and other courses, it is a requirement that all WPI undergraduates, regardless ofdiscipline, complete a senior-level project in their major field of study called Major QualifyingProject (MQP). This paper discusses the capstone design experience within the context of ournew RBE degree program

Conference Session

Capstone Design Projects

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

William Michalson, Worcester Polytechnic Institute; Stephen Bitar, Worcester Polytechnic Institute; Robert Labonté, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

AC 2010-647: THE TECHNICAL, PROCESS, AND BUSINESS CONSIDERATIONSFOR ENGINEERING DESIGN – A 10 YEAR RETROSPECTIVEWilliam Michalson, Worcester Polytechnic Institute Dr. William R. Michalson is a Professor in the ECE Department at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute where he performs research and teaches in the areas of navigation, communications and computer system design. He supervises the WPI Center for Advanced Integrated Radio Navigation (CAIRN) where he is developing a Public Safety Integration Center focused on the integration of communications, navigation and information technologies for public safety applications. His research focuses on the development, test, and evaluation of systems

Conference Session

DEED Potpourri

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Oscar Nespoli, University of Waterloo; Steve Lambert, University of Waterloo

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

converting student co-op work term reports into case studies andimplementing them across all courses in the Faculty of Engineering curriculum. Cases havebeen implemented successfully, and show promise in addressing and demonstrating newCanadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB) graduate attribute requirements. The casemethod also shows promise in integrating these required attributes by expressing real situationsencountered in practice and allowing individual students and student teams to experiencerealistic challenges in a classroom setting.In addition to developing cases from work term reports, cases have been developed from studentcapstone project experiences, Master of Engineering (MEng) design project experiences, anddirectly from the

Conference Session

Creativity and Innovation in Engineering Design

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Niall Seery, University of Limerick; Donal Canty, University of Limerick; Ronan Dunbar, University of Limerick

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

anessential facet of the second level curriculum. This new focus encourages students tobecome enterprising, creative and empowered during their learning experience.This paper centres on defining an innovative pedagogical framework to facilitate thefluidity, dynamics and personalisation of educational interventions within an initialtechnology teacher education programme. Focusing on the teacher as the primaryagents for change, this study explores the effect of forming the norms and practices ofpre-service teachers in effectively achieving the desired outcomes of the newcurriculum at second level.The approach taken, explores the novel use of personal assessable technologies thatenable the collection, synthesis, and narrative capabilities essential to

Conference Session

DEED Potpourri

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Singli Garcia-Otero, Virginia State University; Ehsan Sheybani, Virginia State University

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

AC 2010-304: ENGINEERING SENIOR DESIGN COURSE (“NEW ANDIMPROVED”)Singli Garcia-Otero, Virginia State UniversityEhsan Sheybani, Virginia State University Page 15.496.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2010 Engineering Senior Design Course (“New and Improved”)AbstractSenior Design is one of the most important courses in an engineering curriculum, because SeniorDesign utilizes much of the knowledge and skills gained during the undergraduate study.Therefore, many program outcomes for the engineering curriculum can be assessed in the SeniorDesign course1,2,3.Before 2007, the senior design course in our relatively new Computer Engineering program wassimilar to a

Conference Session

Capstone Design Pedagogy I

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

James Pembridge, Virginia Tech; Marie Paretti, Virginia Tech

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

show little change.Courses still typically have only one team per project, with an average of 4 to 6 students perteam (Figure 4, Figure 5). With the increased integration of projects into courses, however, morefaculty combine opportunities for in-class work with expectations that students will also arrangeout-of-class meetings (Figure 6). The sharp decrease in “lab-only” work time, particularly giventhe increase in-lab plus out-of-class time, could indicate an expansion of the complexity ofdesign projects. That is, the scope of current design projects now exceeds the available classtime. If true, this expanded scope may have significant implications for both teachers andstudents in terms of successfully managing larger projects

Conference Session

Assessment and Evaluation in Design

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Sarah Lockwood, University of Calgary; Daryl Caswell, University of Calgary; Marjan Eggermont, University of Calgary

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

increased to 4.97 and Evaluation methods increased to 4.61.At the end of Winter 2009, C&E scored 5.28 and EM scored 5.15. While the Fall 2009scores have not been released, we anticipate holding these scores. Perhaps moreimportantly, grade appeals to instructors dropped 50% in the 2008/2009 academic year(from 150 to 74), and in the Fall 2009 semester, only 68 appeals were reported. Alongwith the increased consistency shown by the coaches, these numbers would seem toindicate that the process, while labour-intensive, ensures that the student learningexperience is far more consistent, focusing student attention on the content, not on gradecomplaints.Bibliography1. Patton, M D. "Beyond WI: building an integrated communication curriculum in one

Conference Session

Early Engineering Design Experiences

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Aezeden Mohamed, University of Manitoba; Myron (Ron) Britton, University of Manitoba

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

connect an IC output toa sensor signal.Basic digital electron component students in this course learn how to use digital electronic components inelectromechanical projects such as in the case of elevator controller engineering project. The componentsperform specified binary logic operations. Examples of some of the components or the gates are provided inthe studio handout with their function defined in the accompanying input/output “truth” tables. Students ofthis course are highly exposed to use designing a circuit using logical operations. Then, when students wantto construct students design, students would choose a technology (logic family) to implement studentsdesign. This would often be in the form of discrete integrated circuits (ICs). Some

Conference Session

Capstone Design Pedagogy II

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Noe Vargas Hernandez, The University of Texas at El Paso; Jose Davila, University of Texas, El Paso

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

proposals of how to implement educational theories in engineeringdesign activities. An example of this6 the authors present (as pedagogy) a general modelof curriculum for design engineering upon their needs of teaching: design science,technical systems, modeling and disciplinary information. They also present (asdidactics) a general model of transformation system, which can be applied to theeducational system to transform the competencies of the learner, using pedagogicalvariables that define the overall components needed for the system (Figure 4), but theyacknowledge that these proposals do not consider two key issues: How the studentslearn?, and how to perform instructional methods for engineering design

Conference Session

Design with External Clients

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

William Cross, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

project.This paper will primarily be focused on the implementation aspect, particularly related to thesystems engineering process, of this NASA EMSD senior design project. In additioncomparison of the NASA ESMD group experience to the implementation of systems engineeringpractices into a group of existing design projects is given.IntroductionPrior to the discussion of the implementation of system’s engineering into engineering design, abrief background on the curricular structure of the Materials and Metallurgical Engineering(MME) department and how the design courses fit into the curriculum is given.MME Course StreamThe design courses are structured to integrate material learned in core courses with the solutionof problems within the field. Typically

Conference Session

Early Engineering Design Experiences

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Robert Prins, James Madison University; Eric Pappas, James Madison University

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

support to what we already know as“experience using tools” in that cognitive changes accompany repeated tool use. The authorcontinues: “To act efficiently in space, our brain must not only localize any objects of interest inextrapersonal space but also hold a constantly updated status of the body shape and posture”15(p.1). There is little doubt this factor would increase cognitive tool use through familiarity ofmotion and tool effect.III. Inquiry and DiscussionIn the process of developing the hands-on portion of our curriculum, we have engaged in anongoing discussion related to the value of such an approach. This discussion has led us toconsider the immediate value of hands-on experiences as well as its potential broader impacts.We include the

Conference Session

Early Engineering Design Experiences

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Douglas Oppliger, Michigan Technological University; Jean Kampe, Michigan Technological University

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

15.643.14Page 15.643.15The contents of the summer workshop included many topics surrounding the tasks relating tocoaching an HSE team. Most pertinent to this paper, however, is that engineering design andproject management were addressed in a three hour interactive session, along with a follow-updiscussion which took place the next day. The design session was taught by Dr. Jean Kampe. Dr.Kampe developed and taught first-year engineering curriculum at Virginia Tech for ten years,and much of that content was framed in the context of engineering design. She is now the chairof the Engineering Fundamentals Department at Michigan Tech, home of the university’s first-year engineering program. A synopsis of the presentation follows.Workshop participants were

Conference Session

Teams and Teamwork in Design

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Yogesh Velankar, Purdue University; Sean Brophy, Purdue University; Masataka Okutsu, Purdue University; Daniel Delaurentis, Purdue University

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

teams into the process of investigating a proposed problem. (e.g. inengineering Newstetter4; in medicine, Hmelo5) The facilitator provides various levels ofscaffolding in various forms. For example, he or she may introduce organizational tools such aswhiteboards to manage idea generation and investigation of various options. The facilitatorcould initially assume the team manager types of responsibilities, and gradually hand over moreof the responsibility to the students. The objectives are to help students learn to participate andlead these kinds of team design processes. An important point to note is that not all courses needto use the facilitation model. As students progress through the curriculum instructors can assumestudents can manage

Conference Session

Teams and Teamwork in Design

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Wael Mokhtar, Grand Valley State University

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

oversees all projects. The faculty members in this boardare involved in the projects as faculty advisors, customers or for technical support. Severalmentoring tools are presented such as design review meetings, public and technicalpresentations, written proposal, and final project document. Also tools to improve teamdynamics such as weekly meetings, team leader, and team contact person are presented. Themodel was applied to two of capstone projects and showed success. The first one is to design andbuild a Mini-Baja off road vehicle for the SAE competition. The second project is to design andbuild an internet controlled robot. Each project has its own mentoring and managementchallenges beside the technical problems. Details of each project are

Conference Session

Assessment and Evaluation in Design

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Regina Hannemann, University of Kentucky

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

been an integral and important team member; has made significant contributions to theoverall solution; attends and participates in all team meetings.Communications:1. Has basically dropped out from the project and is not contributing in any way.2. Produces no useful documentation of work done; communication skills poor.3. Documentation and communication skills are below expectations.4. Documentation is only marginally helpful; communication skills need improvement.5. Documentation and communication skill are adequate.6. Documents all work; communicates effectively with the team and faculty advisor. Page 15.1058.207. Documents work exceptionally

Conference Session

Teams and Teamwork in Design

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Hugh Jack, Grand Valley State University

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

integrated through the curriculum. Studentsbegin with design-build projects in the freshman year. The complexity of the project work isincreased until the senior project. The course projects are used to teach students the fundamentalsof project management, and provide experience in free form decision making and project execu-tion. The senior project experience is positioned as a finishing exercise before the students joinindustry. Senior projects involves the design and build of production equipment, test equipment,and new product designs for local companies. In 2009 the total materials costs were over$170,000 for 12 projects. These projects must meet industrial standards and require approval bythe sponsor. And, while failure can be acceptable in

Conference Session

Capstone Design Pedagogy II

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Carla Zoltowski, Purdue University; William Oakes, Purdue University; Steve Chenoweth, Rose Hulman Institute Of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

AC 2010-1404: TEACHING HUMAN-CENTERED DESIGN WITHSERVICE-LEARNINGCarla Zoltowski, Purdue University CARLA B. ZOLTOWSKI is Education Administrator of the EPICS Program at Purdue University. She received her BSEE and MSEE from Purdue University, and is a PhD Candidate in Engineering Education at Purdue. She has served as a lecturer in Purdue’s School of Electrical and Computer Engineering.William Oakes, Purdue University William Oakes is the Director of the EPICS Program and an Associate Professor and a founding faculty member of the Department of Engineering Education at Purdue University with courtesy appointments in Mechanical Engineering and of Curriculum and Instruction. He is a co

Conference Session

Capstone Design Projects

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jennifer Dawson, York College of Pennsylvania; Stephen Kuchnicki, York College of Pennsylvania

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

AC 2010-79: EXPERIENCES OF USING FORMULA SAE AS A CAPSTONEDESIGN PROJECTJennifer Dawson, York College of Pennsylvania Dr. Jennifer Bower Dawson is an Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at York College of Pennsylvania where she teaches courses in Machine Design, Controls, and Capstone Design. She earned her MS and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering at Stanford University where she worked on the design and testing of spacecraft hardware for Satellite Test of the Equivalence Principle. Her academic interests include robotics, sensor design, precision engineering, and service learning in engineering education.Stephen Kuchnicki, York College of Pennsylvania Dr. Stephen

Conference Session

Teams and Teamwork in Design

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Stephen Laguette, University of California-Santa Barbara

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

firms. Page 15.419.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2010 Development of High Performance Capstone Project Teams and the Selection ProcessAbstractA successful Capstone Design program including companion design courses has beendeveloped1,2 that has become an integral and important component of the MechanicalEngineering curriculum. A variety of challenging projects are created each year to appeal tostudent academic and career interests. Students work in teams with the assistance of a facultyadvisor to tackle a significant mechanical engineering design project. The formation of studentteams