Collection

2013 Fall ASEE Middle Atlantic Section Conference

Authors

Tony Kerzmann; Gavin Buxton

A New Research Class as the Capstone to an Alternative Energy Minor Tony Kerzmann 1 and Gavin Buxton 2 1 Department of Engineering, Robert Morris University. Kerzmann@rmu.edu 2 Department of Science, Robert Morris University. Buxton@rmu.edu 6001 University Blvd, Moon Township, PA 15108AbstractThe culmination of the alternative energy minor at Robert Morris University is a capstone coursewhich challenges the students and unleashes their creativity and enthusiasm for the minor. Thecourse, ENGR/ENVS4112 Energy Research Seminar, focuses on the current issues ofimportance in the alternative energy field. Each student

Collection

2013 Fall ASEE Middle Atlantic Section Conference

Authors

Faruk Yildiz

efficiency based hands-on projects such as a nationwide solarelectric project promotes mathematics and science for teachers and students. Inthis paper, all the information about the successful mobile outreach program willbe shared with academia including data, feedback, description of materials used,demographics, funding, results etc.Keywords: stem, renewable energy, engineering technology, mobile education,outreach, energy conservationIntroductionRecently, there have been academia- and industry-supported events and outreachprograms to attract young minds to engineering technology fields using a varietyof different methods [1-12]. The student interest in STEM (Science, Technology,Engineering, and Math) fields has been low due to issues encountered

Collection

2013 Fall ASEE Middle Atlantic Section Conference

Authors

Aime V. Mbakop; Ashenafi Lambebo; Lalindra Jayatilleke; Sasan Haghani

bio-medical sensors thatcan be worn or implanted in the human body. These sensors have the capability tocollect important data about the body’s health condition and thus facilitating theintroduction of new types of networks among which are Wireless Body AreaNetworks (WBANs) [1]-[11]. WBANs are networks of nodes with the capabilityof real time monitoring of patient’s vital signs such as pulse rate, bodytemperature, blood pressure, and more. The information collected is wirelesslyrelayed to the physician or caregiver in a timely fashion. Essentially, the datacollected by the sensors is sent to an external server for analysis and storage. Asit turns out, using a wired connection for this purpose will be cumbersome andwill involve high deployment

Collection

2013 Fall ASEE Middle Atlantic Section Conference

Authors

Hong Li

Collection

2013 Fall ASEE Middle Atlantic Section Conference

Authors

Rebecca Arielle Citrin

as be able tounderstand and identify different sources of point and non-point pollution within a basin [1]. Citrin 3Fundamental Environmental Engineering Concepts  Definition of a Watershed  Point and Non-Point Source Pollution  The Hydrologic Cycle  Locations of Water Utilities throughout a WatershedAquifer in a CupStudents will build an aquifer in a cup, using a variety of materials including clay, sand, gravel,water, and food dye to represent pollution. The objective of this activity will be for students tobe able to define what an aquifer is, including the different components that make up thisformation, as well the effects of

Collection

2013 Fall ASEE Middle Atlantic Section Conference

Authors

Steven Chetcuti; Hans Thomas; Brent Pafford

the Khan Academy. In the KhanAcademy model, students are required to watch video lectures independently and completeexercises to evaluate the students’ understanding of the topic. Once the student achieves masteryof a topic, he or she moves on to the next topic in a self-paced learning model, advancingindependently of one another. The effectiveness of this method remains the subject of muchdebate; however, many organizations and individuals, including the Bill & Melinda Gatesfoundation, Google, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings, and Irish Entrepreneur Sean O’Sullivan,believe that the Khan method is the future of education, and have provided financial backing ofover $15.5 million collectively to see it succeed. [1] The concept of flipping the

Collection

2013 Fall ASEE Middle Atlantic Section Conference

Authors

Alan Wheatley; David Baglee; Mike Knowles; Alastair Irons

experiences gained by one academic institutionin responding to these challenges are recounted. The University of Sunderlandengineering provision covers all levels, ranging from Foundation degrees through toDoctoral degrees. For maximum impact, innovative collaboration programmes havebeen initiated at all of these levels.Case studies are presented detailing how collaboration with industry, governmentbodies, professional institutions and quality assurance bodies have enhanced theengineering education process and, in turn, promoted skills, knowledge,employability and graduate supply to aid the success and longevity of manufacturingindustry within the UK.Key Words (Manufacturing, Skills-gap, Training, Consultancy, HigherEducation)1

Collection

2013 Fall ASEE Middle Atlantic Section Conference

Authors

Gonca Altuger-Genc

tolearn how to get to a place when we are driving. So by default, we are equippedwith the basic skill set of self-learning. Unfortunately that basic skill set of self-learning doesn’t always get fully incorporated into our careers. Students tend tohave problems in adopting a learning style [1]. Some students understand theimportance of self-directed learning and develop an appreciation to be a self-directed learner. “Self-regulated learners are aware when they know a fact orpossess a skill and when they do not” [2]. Self-directed learning is learning with the aim of implementing theinformation into one’s life; academic, professional or personal. “The key tocontinuing professional development is learning, which comes about in differentways

Collection

2013 Fall ASEE Middle Atlantic Section Conference

Authors

Nian Zhang; Charles Williams; Esther Ososanya; Wagdy Mahmoud

, construction, addingdrainage systems and removal or alteration of vegetation which results in waterquantity and quality problems of local receiving bodies. Reliable estimation ofstream flows at various locations is very important from the water resourcesmanagement viewpoint.The study area is focused on the Potomac River watershed, as shown in Fig. 1.The Potomac River is one of the least dam-regulated large river systems in theeastern United States [1]. Approximately 90% of DC area drinking water comesfrom Potomac River. The Washington Aqueduct is located directly adjacent to thePotomac River, as shown in Fig. 2. It produces drinking water for approximatelyone million citizens living, working, or visiting the District of Columbia,Arlington County

Collection

2013 Fall ASEE Middle Atlantic Section Conference

Authors

Neelesh Kumar; Philippe Moussavou; Naresh Poudel; Devdas Shetty

decade after the age of 55.There were enough evidences through clinical research studies carried out in last two decadesthat gait rehabilitation using robotic devices like Harness Ambulatory System (HAS) wereeffective and efficient [1, 2] . In these types of gait supporting aids patients uses a body harnessand lifted partially against gravity. The amount of support provided is dependent on themusculoskeletal strength and stability of the patient [3]. There are different HAS systemavailable like Biodex Supported Ambulatory System (SAS), ZeroG, NaviGaitor, Lokomat,ALEX etc [4, 5, 6]. All of these device can be used only in rehabilitation Centre’s, involvescomplex installation, and highly expensive. Except NaviGaitor these device allows themovement

Collection

2013 Fall ASEE Middle Atlantic Section Conference

Authors

Abdullah Alkharashi; Mark Rajai; Alireza Kabirian; Saeid Moslehpour

competitive, balancing the federal budget, and becoming self-sufficient inthe energy sector.IntroductionIn order to understand the reality of the credit crunch and where it will lead, it is first necessaryto understand how it originated. According to most analysts, the current credit crisis has a directlink to mortgage business in the U.S. In this case, U.S. banks made high-risk loans to individualswith bad credit accounts. The problem became evident when bank rates in the U.S. rose from 1%in 2004 to 5.35% in 2006 (Tse and Cho, 2007). Such a rapid rise in interest rates made thehousing market slow, and many homeowners who were scarcely able to afford their mortgageswhen they were low faced unmanageable increases in their monthly mortgage

Collection

2013 Fall ASEE Middle Atlantic Section Conference

Authors

Adityen Sudhakaran; Toure Cort; Shankar Krishnan

courses could improve engineering design learning outcomes for BME students while giving them a preliminary experience in doing research. Keywords: Undergraduate Research Project, Biomedical Engineering design education, Prosthetic Aortic Valve, Rapid PrototypingIntroductionIt was reported that the overall rate of death attributable to cardiovascular disease (CVD) was245 per 10,000 [1]. Approximately 90,000 valve substitutes are now implanted in the UnitedStates and 280,000 worldwide each year; about half are mechanical valves [2]. One reason whythe heart fails is when the natural aortic valve (Figure 1) does not work the way it should. Whilethe prosthetic valve is an efficient and common replacement for the aortic valve, it

Collection

2013 Fall ASEE Middle Atlantic Section Conference

Authors

Aiman S. Kuzmar

Convenience, TeachingTechniques, and Construction Management.Introduction:Typically, a three credit course at the collegiate level requires a total of 45 hours of direct contactbetween the students and the instructor. Many institutes of higher education use the regular falland spring semesters format to spread these 45 educational hours over a period of four months.Many others teach such courses over the summer session where it is more intense since it is a sixweek period. There are advantages and disadvantages for both formats, and there are severallimitations for the summer format.Few colleges and universities use a shorter time frame to offer courses. Some institutes utilizethe winter break to offer three week courses like Lone Star College [1

Collection

2013 Fall ASEE Middle Atlantic Section Conference

Authors

Raju Shrestha; Paul Cotae

carry significantly more information but limited in distance to a fewhundred meters. Acoustic communication is the most versatile and widely used technique inunderwater environments due to the low attenuation (signal reduction) of sound in water.This is especially true in thermally stable, deep water settings. On the other hand, the use ofacoustic waves in shallow water can be adversely affected by temperature gradients, surfaceambient noise, and multipath propagation due to reflection and refraction. The much slower speed of acoustic propagation in water, about 1500 m/s (meters per second),compared with that of electromagnetic and optical waves is another limiting factor for efficientcommunication and networking [1]. Therefore, acoustic waves

Collection

2013 Fall ASEE Middle Atlantic Section Conference

Authors

Toure Cort; Adityen Sudhakaran; Shankar Krishnan

ideas tangible. There are complications that can occur with the heart valves from diseases that affect the heart’s function. The heart valve that is most commonly affected is the mitral valve (shown in Figure 1). It is understandable that any complications with the mitral valve can cause serious malfunction of blood pumping. Common complications are mitral valve regurgitation and mitral stenosis. With mitral valve regurgitation, blood from the left ventricle leaks into the left atrium. This can be due to several factors: the leaflets function regularly, but there is annular dilation or leaflet perforation; leaflet prolapse that occurs due to papillary muscle damage or lengthening, or; leaflet motion is restricted [1]. These

Collection

2013 Fall ASEE Middle Atlantic Section Conference

Authors

Birajan Singh Bista; Paul Cotae

On the Filter Design for Underwater Communication Channel 1 2 Birajan Singh Bista Paul Cotae birajan.bista@udc.edu pcotae@udc.edu 1,2 Electrical and Computer Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences University of the District of Columbia, 4200 Cimnecticut Ave, N.W., Washington DC 20008 Abstract- The design of an efficient digital filter is of the most importance in

Collection

2013 Fall ASEE Middle Atlantic Section Conference

Authors

Timothy Chen Allen; Valbona Bejleri

Storms for the period of years 1944 to 2002. Bootstrap methods are used to estimate the prior distribution. Frequentist prediction limits are also derived. Bayesian Networks are used to investigate the causal relationships between storm factors and strength and damage. Key words: Poisson; Storm; Bayesian; Prediction Intervals; Bayesian Networks1. Introduction Atlantic Tropical Cyclones are classified as Subtropical Storms, TropicalStorms and Hurricanes according to windspeed [1], [2]. Saffir and Simpsondeveloped the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale to further assign hurricanes intofive categories based on windspeed [3] as presented in Table 1. Different levelsof storm damage are associated with the different categories. Storms

Collection

2013 Fall ASEE Middle Atlantic Section Conference

Authors

JIAJUN XU P.E.

inner structure variation based onSmall Angle Neutron Scattering (SANS) measurement.Key words: Phase change, Heat transfer, nanoemulsion, small angle neutron scatteringIntroductionPhase change heat transfer is a complex but very useful phenomenon widely used in industry andmilitary areas [1-19]. Conventional coolants, lubricants and other heat transfer fluids used intoday’s thermal systems typically have relatively poor heat transfer properties. Hence, utilizingthe phase change process to increase the heat transfer properties of conventional fluids is anotherpromising direction. Recently, the author has proposed a new “nanoemulsion heat transfer fluid”system in which one lower boiling point liquid is dispersed into another immiscible liquid

Collection

2013 Fall ASEE Middle Atlantic Section Conference

Authors

Mustafa Yasin Yenice; Valbona Bejleri

shortages and crises in the1970s and recently global warming, climatic changes, and environmentalpollution made it necessary to look for alternative energy sources. The sources offossil fuel are being depleted. Fossil fuels are not renewable and cannot beproduced naturally. Renewable energy is seen as an alternative to fossil fuelsbecause of three main reasons [1]. Renewable energy is not depleted as fossilfuels, so it may potentially solve energy shortages and contribute to economicgrowth. Fossil fuel prices are increasing, while renewable energy can be a cheaperalternative. In addition, carbon dioxide (CO2) is considered to be the main driverof global warming and climate change, while renewable energy is clean. Renewable energy is an abundant

Collection

2013 Fall ASEE Middle Atlantic Section Conference

Authors

Suzanne Keilson

purposes, methods, and effectiveness of outreach programs geared formillennial students from urban schools.Key words: K-12 summer outreach, urban educationIn the summer of 2013 I spent a few days with some high school girls from schools acrossBaltimore city and part of a day with girls from middle schools from the same population.Although I have lived in East Coast urban centers my whole life, this experience impressed mewith a number of new insights about the challenges of education in America.Lesson 1: It is both exhausting and exhilarating. This is not like teaching college, you are‘on’ at all times and in this case it was almost continuous from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Bathroombreaks, going to your office, etc. are not possible. This was not like an

Collection

2013 Fall ASEE Middle Atlantic Section Conference

Authors

Adam Paczuski; S.M. Krishnan

analysis.Introduction:Advances in technology are rapid and they improve daily lives: Existing devices have shortermarket cycles, new products and new models enter the market opening up new opportunities totheir customers. Previous designs are reviewed and analyzed for further improvements. Alongthe same lines, medical field has adopted the advances in robotics due to the growth in minimallyinvasive procedures, the decreased amount of blood loss, and the reduced patient recuperationperiod [1]. Medical robotic assistants such as the da Vinci are very versatile, being used insurgeries involving brain tumors, hysterectomies, and prostate cancer. Generally the results ofrobot assisted surgery have been good and society’s acceptance is growing. However, a recentheightened

Collection

2013 Fall ASEE Middle Atlantic Section Conference

Authors

Ralph Belton; Ahmet Zeytinci

Service Learning, Current Events and Flexible Course Syllabi Ralph Belton, RA, CSI, Associate Professor Ahmet Zeytinci, Ph.D., P.E., F-NSPE Professor University of the District of Columbia Washington, DCAbstractThis paper is a continuation of the pedagogical approach on flexible syllabi that was presented ina previous paper titled ‘The Role of Current Events and Flexible Course Syllabus (FCS)1 in theFall 2011.In Spring 2012, after the Haiti earthquake, we were invited to assess the post-earthquakerehabilitation and reconstruction work in Meje, Haiti. This trip gave us an opportunity to presentthe design solutions crafted in the

Collection

2013 Fall ASEE Middle Atlantic Section Conference

Authors

Franco Capaldi

feedback canproduce beneficial results in the classroom [1]. Computer systems are ideally suited for suchimmediate feedback. They can also be used to present interactive case-based problems [2].Systems have emerged which are capable of analyzing student response and providing targetedfeedback to students when their response is incorrect. Systems such as ARCHIMEDES [3],Statics Tutor [4], Shaping Structures: Statics [5], BEST Statics [6], M-Model [7] and manyothers have emerged to provide students with modern computational learning tools [8] [9].However, as noted by St. Clair and Baker [10], there remains room for improvement. None ofthese software solutions provides both an online distribution mechanism and a flexible entrysystem capable of

Collection

2013 Fall ASEE Middle Atlantic Section Conference

Authors

Ashwin Satyanarayana

. Government announced a “Big Data Research and Development Initaitve” -- a $200 milliondollar commitment to improve our ability to “extract knowledge and insights from large andcomplex collections of digital data.” Government agencies such as NSF, NIH, and DoD areinvesting hundreds of millions of dollars toward the development of systems that can help themextract knowledge from their data.The career potential for our graduates continue to blossom in this field. A recent study releasedby Gartner projects that in 2013, “big data is forecast to drive $34 billion of IT spending,” with atotal of $232 billion to be spent through 2016 [1].Over the last 10 years, a number of commercial and open source tools have been developed toexamine and transform data

Collection

2013 Fall ASEE Middle Atlantic Section Conference

Authors

Daniel Gebremicheal; Paul Cotae

ON THE PROBABILITY OF ERROR FOR TRESHOLD BINARY-INPUT TERNARY-OUTPUT DISCRETE MEMORYLESS CHANNELS 1 2 Daniel Gebremicheal Paul Cotae danyzyada@gmail.com pcotae@udc.edu 1,2 Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University of the District of Columbia, Washington DC, 20008Abstract—In this paper we derive the probability of error for binary-input ternary