Conference Session

A Systems-Thinking Approach to Solving Problems

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ronald C. Rosenberg, Michigan State University; Jon Sticklen, Michigan State University

Tagged Divisions

Systems Engineering

Sciences, an undergraduate bachelor of science degree program in the MSU College of Engineering. He also is an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering. Dr. Sticklen has lead a laboratory in knowledge-based systems focused on task specific approaches to problem solving. Over the last decade, Dr. Sticklen has pursued en- gineering education research focused on early engineering; his current research is supported by NSF/DUE and NSF/CISE. Page 22.763.1 c American Society for Engineering Education, 2011 Using Guided Reflection to Assess

Conference Session

The Best of Design in Engineering

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mark W. Steiner, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; Junichi Kanai, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; Cheng Hsu, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; Richard Alben, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

AC 2011-331: ANALYSIS OF REFLECTIVE MEMOSMark W. Steiner, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Mark W. Steiner is Director of the O.T. Swanson Multidisciplinary Design Laboratory in the School of En- gineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and Clinical Professor in the Mechanical, Aerospace and Nuclear Engineering department. Mark graduated from Rensselaer with a B.S. in mechanical engi- neering in 1978 and a Ph.D. in 1987. He has been a member of the Rensselaer faculty since May 1999. Mark worked at GE Corporate from 1987 to 1991, consulting and introducing world-class productivity practices throughout GE operations. In 1991 he joined GE Appliances and led product line structuring efforts resulting in

Conference Session

Educating Students for the 21st Century: History, Reflection, and Outcomes

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Swaminathan Balachandran, University of Wisconsin, Platteville

Tagged Divisions

Cooperative & Experiential Education

AC 2011-275: STUDENT REFLECTION IN EXPERIENTIAL LEARNINGPROJECTSSwaminathan Balachandran, University of Wisconsin - Platteville Bala has more than 35 years of teaching, five years of industrial and about 10,000 hours of consulting experience. He is a fellow of IIE and senior member of SME, ASQ, APICS, HFES, INFORMS, INFOMS, ASEE, and IIE. He is a life member of Phi Kappa Phi, Alpha Pi Mu, and SME. He was the chair of the Department of Industrial Engineering at UW Platteville from 1986 to 1995, established the IE laboratory facilities and secured the accreditation of the program by EAC of ABET in 1987 and 1993. He serves on the editorial board of the International Journal of Production Planning and control. He is a

Conference Session

Computers in Education Poster Session

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Neelam Soundarajan, Ohio State University

Tagged Divisions

Computers in Education

AC 2011-1047: WORK-IN-PROGRESS: COLLABORATIVE AND REFLEC-TIVE LEARNING IN ENGINEERING PROGRAMSNeelam Soundarajan, Ohio State University Dr. Soundarajan is a faculty member in the Computer Sc. & Eng. Dept. at Ohio State. His interests include topics in Software Engineering and Engineering Education. Page 22.1700.1 c American Society for Engineering Education, 2011 Work-in-Progress: Collaborative and Reflective Learning in Engineering ProgramsAbstractThe importance of well developed team-working skills as well as reflective or metacognitive skillsamong engineering

Conference Session

Capstone Design II

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Susannah Howe, Smith College; Mary A. Moriarty, Smith College; Apurva Errabelli

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

theirtwo-semester capstone design course. As a follow-up, six students, each representing a differentproject team, were interviewed about their experiences in the transfer activities and theirthoughts about transfer in general. The authors independently analyzed the transfer map, writtenassignments, and interview transcriptions to identify patterns and themes related to transfer.Results from the activity deliverables and interviews suggest that the transfer activities providean effective student experience to promote reflection about transfer, document a list of students'main perceived takeaways from their capstone experiences, and, as such, offer data to capstonefaculty to improve capstone education. Next steps include implementing a modified

Conference Session

ETD Design II: Mechanical Engineering Technology

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Janet Braun, Western Washington University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

AC 2011-550: REFLECTIVE JOURNALING ON A SYSTEMS APPROACHTO VEHICLE DESIGNJanet Braun, Western Washington University Page 22.1231.1 c American Society for Engineering Education, 2011 Reflective Journaling on a Systems Approach to Vehicle DesignAbstractSoft skills, such as the ability to function effectively on teams, to communicate effectively, toengage in lifelong learning, and to understand professional, ethical and social responsibilities, arerequired outcomes for ABET accredited Engineering Technology Programs. Input from industryadvisory councils and feedback from employed alumni agree that these skills are crucial

Conference Session

Open-Ended Problems and Student Learning

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Nora Siewiorek, University of Pittsburgh; Larry J. Shuman, University of Pittsburgh; Mary E. Besterfield-Sacre, University of Pittsburgh; Rosa Goldstein, University of Pittsburgh

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

AC 2011-1521: COMPARISON OF INSTRUCTOR PERCEPTIONS ANDSTUDENT REFLECTIONS ON MODEL ELICITING ACTIVITIESNora Siewiorek, University of Pittsburgh Nora Siewiorek is a graduate student in the Administrative and Policy Studies department in the School of Education at the University of Pittsburgh where she also received her MS in Information Science. Her research interests include: engineering education and educational assessment and evaluation. Her K-12 outreach activities are organizing a local science fair and a hands on workshop in nanotechnology. Her other research interests are: higher education administration, comparative and international education.Larry J. Shuman, University of Pittsburgh Larry J. Shuman is

Conference Session

NSF Grantees Poster Session

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Cynthia M. D'Angelo, University of Wisconsin, Madison; Naomi C. Chesler, University of Wisconsin, Madison; David Williamson Shaffer, University of Wisconsin, Madison; Golnaz Arastoopour, University of Wisconsin, Madison

Tagged Topics

NSF Grantees

c American Society for Engineering Education, 2011 Undergraduate Engineers Engaging and Reflecting in a Professional Practice Simulation Funded by a grant from the NSF Course, Curriculum, and Laboratory Improvement (CCLI)program (DUE-0919347), we have developed Nephrotex, a virtual simulation of authenticengineering practice designed to increase the persistence of engineering undergraduates inpursuit of degree attainment. In this simulation game, students take on the role of an intern in afictitious company and design new ultrafiltration membranes for kidney dialysis machines. Nephrotex supplies first-year engineering undergraduates with a more complete and accurateunderstanding of the

Conference Session

Understanding Our Students

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Joachim Walther, University of Georgia; Nicki Wendy Sochacka, University of Georgia; Nadia N. Kellam, University of Georgia

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

AC 2011-2056: EMOTIONAL INDICATORS AS A WAY TO INITIATE STU-DENT REFLECTION IN ENGINEERING PROGRAMSJoachim Walther, University of Georgia Joachim is an assistant professor of engineering education research at the University of Georgia (UGA). He is one of the leaders of the Collaborative Lounge for Understanding Society and Technology through Educational Research (CLUSTER), an interdisciplinary research group with members from engineering, art, and educational psychology. His research interests span the formation of students’ professional identity, the role of reflection in engi- neering learning, and interpretive research methods in engineering education. He was the first international recipient of the ASEE

Conference Session

Recruitment & Retention of Women I

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mary Ayre, University of South Australia; Julie E. Mills, University of South Australia; Judith Gill, University of South Australia

Tagged Divisions

Women in Engineering

AC 2011-1243: NOT ALL WOMEN LEAVE! REFLECTIONS ON A CO-HORT OF ”STAYERS” IN CIVIL ENGINEERINGMary Ayre, University of South Australia Mary Ayre is currently a PhD student at the University of South Australia having recently retired from a senior lectureship at the University of Glamorgan, Wales, UK. When teaching mathematics to engineering students 25 year ago she became interested in recruiting female students and since then has been involved in many women in engineering initiatives and research projects in the UK and Australia.Julie E. Mills, University of South Australia Julie Mills is Professor and Program Director in Civil Engineering at the University of South Australia in Adelaide, Australia. Prior to

Conference Session

NSF Grantees Poster Session

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Muhsin Menekse, Arizona State University; Glenda Stump, Arizona State University; Stephen J. Krause, Arizona State University; Michelene T.H. Chi, Arizona State University

Tagged Topics

NSF Grantees

Education, 2011 The Effectiveness of Students’ Daily Reflections on Learning in Engineering ContextReflection is a significant cognitive process to enhance students’ learning outcomes and/orperformance. Studies have shown the value of learners reflecting on what they have done,processed or engaged in so far. 1-8 The use of questions, prompts, or use of reflection as a form offeedback have been used to advance reflective processes in domains such as nursing education,teacher education, and science education. 9-11 However, relatively few of the above mentionedstudies investigated the importance of reflecting on confusing points instead of reflecting onwhat is understood, and none of the studies were conducted in

Conference Session

Educating Students for the 21st Century: History, Reflection, and Outcomes

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mani Mina, Iowa State University; Eugene Rutz, University of Cincinnati; Iraj Omidvar

Tagged Divisions

Cooperative & Experiential Education

trades, but hiring experts whose expertise doenot necessarily reflect their capabilities in practical engineering. The masters at the universitiesare becoming more and more, faculty with the right mathematical, scientific, and neededcapabilities that do not include the mastery of the practical engineering needs as before.Consequently, the model seems to be working more effectively at the graduate level. However,the undergraduate, where students need more practical and hands on tools of the trade does notseem to be as effective as it used to be in early to the middle 20th centuryEngineering in US universitiesEngineers in university systems who were in touch with newest development and are master ofwhat they do in each field were to help the

Conference Session

Educating Students for the 21st Century: History, Reflection, and Outcomes

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Anthony Joseph, Pace University; Mabel Payne, Independent Education Researcher

Tagged Divisions

Cooperative & Experiential Education

employees. This scenario seems to reflect the behavior of coop ed participatingfinancial and education industry companies in hiring computing students for full-timeemployment – they respectively hired 6% and 10% more non-coop ed computing students thancoop ed ones. Moreover, the non-coop computing students might have been professionally moreexperienced than their coop ed counterparts and were therefore hired as more knowledgeable andskilled lower risk new employees.According to Huggins6 local market forces strongly influence student and employer participationin coop ed programs. Local markets can be complicated with the mix of non-profit organizationsas well as for-profit large, medium, and small entrepreneurial companies that might beexperiencing

Conference Session

Pay It Forward: Critical Thinking, Reflection and Faculty Engagement Promote Success in Engineering

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Caroline R. Noyes, Georgia Institute of Technology; Jonathan Gordon, Georgia Institute of Technology; Joe Ludlum, Georgia Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Cooperative & Experiential Education

Conceptualization) and two transforming experiences (ReflectiveObservation and Active Experimentation). In this model, these four experiences produce a four-stage cycle of learning where concrete experiences are reflected upon, and these reflections areintegrated and distilled into abstract concepts which provide the foundation for actions that canbe actively tested and which, in turn, create new concrete experiences. David Kolb’s work onexperiential learning has shown that “experiential learning is a process of constructingknowledge that involves a creative tension among the four learning modes” (10, p. 298).As Sakofs notes: Broadly defined, experiential education is a philosophical orientation toward teaching and learning that values and

Conference Session

Pay It Forward: Critical Thinking, Reflection and Faculty Engagement Promote Success in Engineering

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mary R Goldberg, University of Pittsburgh, Department of Rehabilitation Science and Technology; Rory A. Cooper, University of Pittsburgh; Dan Ding, University of Pittsburgh, Department of Rehabilitation Science and Technology; Alicia Koontz, Human Engineering Research Laboratories

Tagged Divisions

Cooperative & Experiential Education

Conference Session

Pay It Forward: Critical Thinking, Reflection and Faculty Engagement Promote Success in Engineering

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Annette Mallory Donawa, Independent Consultant

Tagged Divisions

Cooperative & Experiential Education

University, an HBCU, where participating studentsexperienced higher scores and more positive experiences. In another engineering study at Memphis State University, Drouin (1992) suggested thatundergraduate engineering programs have been criticized for not producing engineers who canthink critically23. Rote memorization, perhaps useful in some educational environments, can beharmful in many work environments, particularly technical fields where skills such asunderstanding, comprehension, and application are critical to the success of the organization(Drouin, 1992). Unfortunately, the lecture-homework routine in an engineering curriculumleaves little to no time for reflection, critical and creative thinking, and association. While the

Conference Session

Design Communications & Cognition I

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Leema Kuhn Berland, University of Texas, Austin; William F. McKenna, University of Texas, Austin; Stephanie Baker Peacock, University of Texas, Austin

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

’ perceptions of these notebooks.Types of engineering notebooksA brief review of the literature reveals that engineering notebooks can take many formsand be used for many purposes. For example, Tillema and Smith (2000)24 identified threedistinct types: 1. A dossier is a notebook or portfolio that is completed at the end of a project or course to “collect mandated documentation on performance. In this case, the portfolio construction is not necessarily based on a learning orientation” (p. 194)24. 2. A learning portfolio is a living document used to evaluate learning over the course of the project or semester. 3. A reflective portfolio is also a living document, in which the author records his or her

Conference Session

Making Students Aware of Their World: Five Perspectives

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Nadia N. Kellam, University of Georgia; Tracie Costantino, University of Georgia; Joachim Walther, University of Georgia; Nicki Wendy Sochacka, University of Georgia

Tagged Divisions

Liberal Education/Engineering & Society

Lounge for Understanding Society and Technology through Educational Research (CLUSTER), an interdisciplinary research group with members from engineering, art, and educational psychology. His research interests span the formation of students’ professional identity, the role of reflection in engi- neering learning, and interpretive research methods in engineering education. He was the first international recipient of the ASEE Educational Research Methods Division’s ”Appren- tice Faculty Award”, was selected as a 2010 Frontiers in Education ”New Faculty Fellow”, and is currently a UGA ”Lilly Teaching Fellow”. His teaching focuses on innovative approaches to introducing systems thinking and creativity into the en

Conference Session

ABET and Curriculum-Level Assessments

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Karyn L. Biasca, University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point; Steve Hill, University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point

Tagged Divisions

Chemical Engineering

: reflection papers andelectronic portfolios that document their internship work, specifically addressing how theirinternships helped them develop skills in several ABET Student Outcomes for the PSENprogram. The portfolios provide evidence that the faculty can use to assess the achievement levelfor outcomes associated with these internships.In this paper, we describe the assessment method in more detail, and the conference presentationwill include a demonstration of the technology. We also discuss the need for students to be ableto more clearly identify and articulate achievement of learning outcomes. A critical finding ofour initial study is that students often met learning outcomes without realizing they did, withoutunderstanding the importance of

Conference Session

Factors Affecting Student Performance

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Grant P. Richards, Purdue University, West Lafayette; Helen A. McNally, Purdue University, West Lafayette

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

]. The instrument is freelyavailable from the author’s website, which also contains data from groups covering a wide rangeof disciplines.The four scales of the ILS are each composed of two contrasting learning style preferences(Table 1) which can have a magnitude ranging from 1 (slight) to 11 (strong). The design of theILS prevents scores of zero or any even number. Scores appearing on the left side of the fourscales were assigned a negative magnitude for the purposes of data analysis. Table 1- ILS Scales Negative Positive Scale Polarity Polarity Active-Reflective (AR) Active

Conference Session

They're Not "Soft" Skills!

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Brook Sattler, University of Washington; Ashley Ann Thompson, University of Washington; Jennifer A. Turns, University of Washington; Deborah Kilgore, University of Washington

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

AC 2011-1852: THE DIALECTICS OF GOAL SETTING AND MONITOR-ING: TWO STUDENTS’ EXPERIENCES WITH PORTFOLIO CONSTRUC-TIONBrook Sattler, University of Washington Brook Sattler is a PhD student in Human Centered Design & Engineering. Her research interests include the design and use of critical reflection methods to support inclusive teaching practices, and intellectual development.Ashley Ann Thompson, University of Washington Ashley (Babcock) Thompson is a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow at the Univer- sity of Washington. She is a first year PhD student in the department of Human Centered Design and Engineering. Her research interests include the effects of interdisciplinary teams on engineering

Conference Session

Innovative College-Industry Partnerships for the Future

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kathleen F. Gygi, University of Washington; Jennifer A. Turns, University of Washington

Tagged Divisions

College Industry Partnerships

engineering education, including how to support engineering students in reflecting on experience, how to help engineering educators make effective teaching decisions, and the application of ideas from complexity science to the challenges of engineering education. Page 22.1720.1 c American Society for Engineering Education, 2011 “I just thought I did insignificant tasks”: Using E-portfolios to Understand Co-op and Undergraduate Research ExperiencesAbstractThis paper discusses initial work with having engineering students in optional

Conference Session

Trends in Mechanical Engineering I

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Amy C. Bradshaw, University of Oklahoma; Zahed Siddique, University of Oklahoma; Patricia Lea Hardre, University of Oklahoma; Farrokh Mistree, University of Oklahoma

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

2020 [13 and 14]. The key message gleaned is that engineering education has toadapt to the challenges of the future.  For engineering education to adapt for the challenges of the future, curricular changes are needed –but those must be part of a larger systemic change in the organizational culture of engineeringeducation. Faculty are the critical component in achieving the necessary systemic transformation.Facilitating the development of desired skills, dispositions, and reflective habits of mind within ourstudent populations requires a critical mass of faculty able and eager to embody and enact thesedesired characteristics. How can we assist faculty to be vital stakeholders in the cultural shift weseek within engineering education, a shift

Conference Session

Civil Engineering Poster Session

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Sandra Shaw Courter, University of Wisconsin, Madison; Lauren Seabury, University of Wisconsin, Madison; Benjamin Lee; Gregory Alan Payne; John A. Hoopes, University of Wisconsin, Madison

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

a presentation; (3) review feedback and revise slides; and (4) write and post areflection. This assignment enables students to • Demonstrate their understanding of a specific fluid mechanics concept; • Apply a specific fluid mechanics concept to a real-world situation; • Communicate their application in a clear, concise manner to their peers; • Design visuals to accurately demonstrate a concept; • Provide and accept constructive criticism; and • Reflect on their learning.The App was introduced in fall 2010 to improve both instructor teaching and student learningand to connect learning outcomes more explicitly with engineering practice. The App integratedthe core principles of effective teaching and learning with

Conference Session

Certifying Teachers in Engineering or Integrated STEM

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Yvonne Ng, St. Catherine University; Lori R. Maxfield, Saint Catherine University

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

teams; e) identify, formulate andsolve engineering problems; g) communicate effectively; h) understand theimpact of engineering solutions in their daily lives; and i) engage in life-longlearning. Each participated in pre- and post-surveys and reflections. Together,with our formal evaluation through tests and projects, they provide a baseline for Page 22.520.2other engineering courses regarding, knowledge, skills and dispositions necessaryfor future competent, confident and comfortable elementary school teachers ofengineering.It’s all over the news: Kindergartners doing engineering before they can evenspell the word. As school districts and state departments of

Conference Session

Effective Projects and Experiments in Instrumentation and Control

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Chao-Chia Cheng, National Central University; Lee king-lien, Department of Electro-Optic Engineering, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei, Taiwan 542, R.O.C.; Chih-Hsiung Ku, National Dong Hwa University

Tagged Divisions

Instrumentation

one important optical property of materials. For liquid materials, it alsoprovides information to analyze liquids or mixed solutions, such as chemicals, foodstuffs, drinks,and pharmaceuticals. In general, the instruments to characterize the index of liquids weredeveloped according to the fundamental optical properties such as total internal reflection (Abberefractrometer)1, diffraction (grating)2, interference3, or deflection4,5, etc.Minimum deviation method (MDM) is one well-known and well-developed index measurementmethod since 1930.6-9 In this method, the index was deduced by the “minimum deviation angle”of the probe beam when it passed through the material under test. Such a material can be solid orliquid, but it has to be shaped as a

Conference Session

Engineering Professional Development for K-12 Teachers

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Taryn Melkus Bayles, University of Maryland, Baltimore County; Julia M. Ross, University of Maryland, Baltimore County; Jonathan E. Singer, University of Maryland, Baltimore County; Jacqueline Krikorian; Tushar P. Sura, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Department of Education

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

program has allowed for a more in depth cohesion of engineering content,pedagogy, and reflection. The PD program was split up into three distinct sections. In themornings, the teachers were team taught the heart lung curriculum by experienced engineeringfaculty and inquiry-based pedagogical facilitators. In the afternoons, the teachers applied whatthey learned as they taught students that were enrolled in the Upward Bound program. Whileteaching, the teachers were videotaped and observed by the INSPIRES team. After each lesson,the teachers and the INSPIRES team reviewed the recordings and collectively providedconstructive criticism to improve content understanding, teaching pedagogy and curriculumdelivery. Although this new PD program

Conference Session

Communication: From Pecha Kucha to Bullets

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Isabel Simões de Carvalho P.E., ISEL, Lisbon, Portugal; Christy Moore, University of Texas, Austin

Tagged Divisions

Liberal Education/Engineering & Society

example Page 22.332.2of the latter is the Atlantis Programme where the European Union and the United Statesof America have been co-operating in higher education and vocational training since1995. Although these initiatives are admirable, in general engineering educators need todo more to address this problem, but American faculty especially need to make strides.Statement of PurposeDewey’s theories about the importance of cultivating reflective practice (1993) have hadenormous influence on classroom teaching strategies and methods. Walkington, et al(2001) argue that developing reflective practices is just as important to teachers as it is tostudents

Conference Session

Design Tools & Methodology II

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Josh Tenenberg, University of Washington, Tacoma

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

andacademic practices outside the classroom while also mediating interpersonal interaction insidethe classroom. In addition, portfolios document student work, help students reflect upon theirown creative process, and make this process visible to other students and the instructor.My backstory: what does an academic add to practice?This story starts with a novel teaching model that I developed for collaborating with industryprofessionals in the classroom, what I call Industry Fellows. Industry Fellows involves a collegeprofessor and a practicing professional who plan and teach a course together so as to exploitwhat each does best. During winter 2009, I collaborated with Adam Barker, a User ExperienceDesigner at Google, to teach a course at the

Conference Session

ELOS Best Paper Nominations

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Bijan Sepahpour, College of New Jersey

Tagged Divisions

Division Experimentation & Lab-Oriented Studies

thecreation/adaptation of such measurement methods as needed in a research or an industrialenvironment.Numerous optical techniques are available for both quantitative and qualitative measurements.Many use sophisticated and expensive setups that include imaging components. A set of precisetechniques are based on a combination of inexpensive diode lasers, mirrors, and prisms. It is onadapting these techniques to laboratory experiments that this team will focus on.The following figures display the components of a preliminary design for creation and testing ofan apparatus for measurement of the angle of twist of bars by application of torque. A mirrorattached to the free end of the bar reflects the laser beam back on a scale before and after