Modules for Undergraduate Research), which recruits, trains, and supports faculty in integrating Course-based Undergraduate Research and Entrepreneurial Mindset (CURE-E) into STEM curricula. Her work focuses on fostering inclusive research experiences and advancing innovation in undergraduate education through faculty development and curriculum transformation.Dr. David G Alexander, California State University, Chico My research interests and areas of expertise are in engineering pedagogy, capstone design, renewable energy systems, thermal sciences, vehicle system modeling and simulation, heat transfer, new product development, entrepreneurship, and innovation.Sam Lloyd-Harry, California State University, Chico Sam
theoretical knowledge andpractical engineering applications in the mechanical engineering curriculum. This three-creditcourse incorporates hands-on learning in areas such as material mechanics, vibration analysis,and computer-aided data acquisition while developing key engineering competencies, includingmeasurement techniques, data interpretation, error analysis, and technical communication.Students are assessed through lab reports, homework, quizzes, collaborative design projects, andactive engagement, with detailed laboratory documentation required.A cornerstone of the course is the design project, where students independently conceptualize,execute, and analyze an engineering experiment. These projects encompass problem definition,instrumentation
, Ohio.Ms. Annie Abell, The Ohio State University Annie Abell is an Assistant Professor of Practice at The Ohio State University in the Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering. Abell received her BS in Mechanical Engineering from Valparaiso University and a MFA in Design Research & DevelopmentMr. Russell K. Marzette Jr., The Ohio State University Russell K. Marzette Jr. is an Assistant Professional of Practice at The Ohio State University in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. ©American Society for Engineering Education, 2025 Work in Progress: Mechanical Engineering Curriculum Renewal Process at Ohio State UniversityAbstractIn late 2019, the
North Carolina State University, the undergraduate thermodynamics course has beenmodified to include both fluid mechanics and heat transfer topics. As the first course in thethermal-fluids curriculum, it is critical that students are introduced to these subjects in a relatableway that inspires their curiosity in the concepts and in future courses. This re-design of thecourse has been an opportunity to focus on student-driven learning that sparks intrinsicmotivation for students going forward in the curriculum.The current study is a work-in-progress to determine the impact of this curriculum change. Thispaper explains how aspects of entrepreneurial minded learning have been used to createassignments with real-world applications that link
education.IntroductionThe integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) into modernengineering practices has created an urgent need for engineers with AI/ML skills to tacklechallenges in automation, robotics, preventive maintenance, defect detection, system optimization,and beyond. This integration underscores the transformative potential of AI/ML in engineeringeducation, necessitating curriculum advancements to prepare students for the evolvingtechnological landscape [1]. This need is driven not only by industry demands but also by students,who increasingly see AI/ML expertise as vital for their future careers and expect opportunities toapply these skills in real-world engineering projects. Numerous national reports, including thoseby the
from the 20 students in a single class– the results speak to pros,cons, and directions that instructors can take as part of a continuous improvement process.4.4 Research objective 3: Ethical Dimensions and Practical ChallengesThe third research objective peels back the mystique of AI and looks at the ethical considerationsof using it as well as the practical challenges students face. This was not an emphasis area of thecourse as there are many topics related to the ethical use of AI including data privacy, fair accessby all users, biases in the data, and fair accounting of who produced the answers (i.e. academicintegrity). This latter aspect (academic integrity) was the primary ethical consideration in thisstudy. Many of these ethical areas
tool’ssuccessful adoption will depend on factors such as curriculum alignment, faculty acceptance, andinstitutional support. Integrating AI into existing courses poses challenges, including the risk ofresistance to automation and the need to train faculty on the tool’s pedagogical uses and limitations.Additionally, providing students with access too early in their learning process may lead tooverreliance on the model, potentially preventing them from developing foundational skills suchas determining thermodynamic properties or performing calculations independently.ReferencesAaron Parisi, Y. Z. (2022). Talm: Tool augmented language models. arXiv preprint, arXiv:2205.12255.Bacher, E. V., & Smith, C. (1985). Shear Flow Control. Conf. American
Paper ID #45822Integration of extended reality demonstration to a junior mechanical engineeringdesign courseArmin Eilaghi, Northern Arizona University Dr. Armin Eilaghi is an assistant teaching professor at the Mechanical Engineering department. His expertise is in the development and delivering engineering design courses in undergraduate and graduate programs and creative professional training and workshops. ©American Society for Engineering Education, 2025Integration of extended reality demonstration to a junior- level mechanical engineering design courseAbstract:The integration of extended
and lectures for the Division of Engineering Programs at SUNY New Paltz. He primarily develops curriculum for mechanical engineering laboratory courses, and is interested in promoting STEM education in local K-12 communities.Brandon Gardner, State University of New York at New Paltz ©American Society for Engineering Education, 2025Integrated Wind Turbine Blade Design Education: Combining Theory, Simulation, CAD, and Experimental Testing 1. IntroductionRenewable energy is becoming an increasingly popular source of electricity due to its eco-friendliness, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability. For instance, in October 2023, GovernorKathy Hochul announced the nation's largest-ever
Paper ID #46457Incorporating an engineering standard for a team design project in simulation-baseddesign courseDr. Xiaobin Le, Wentworth Institute of Technology Professor, Ph.D, PE., Department of Mechanical Engineering and Technology, Wentworth Institute of Technology, Boston, MA 02115, Phone: 617-989-4223, Email: Lex@wit.edu, Specialization in Computer Aided Design, Mechanical Design, Finite Element Analysis, Fatigue design and reliability design.Dr. Gloria Guohua Ma, Wentworth Institute of Technology Gloria Ma is a Professor in the Mechanical Engineering program at Wentworth Institute of Technology. She is actively
Paper ID #48212Analysis of Impacts on Peer Mentors in an Undergraduate Peer Mentoringand Tutoring ProgramDr. Hua Li, Texas A&M University - Kingsville Dr. Hua Li, a Professor in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at Texas A&M University-Kingsville, is interested in sustainable manufacturing, renewable energy, sustainability assessment, and engineering education. Dr. Li has served as P.I. and Co-P.I. in various projects funded by different federal agencies.Prof. Kai Jin, Texas A&M University - Kingsville Dr. Kai Jin is a Professor of Industrial Engineering and Co-PI of the MERIT project. Her research interests
grapples with effectively integrating lectures and hands-on labcomponents across the curriculum. Despite their importance, many lab experiences remainnarrowly focused on procedures rather than conceptual applications, limiting students’ ability totranslate theoretical knowledge into professional expertise. To address this gap, this studyevaluates a novel system-based Learning Studio (LS) approach in a mechanical engineeringdepartment at a Northeastern R1 institution. Through semi-structured interviews with eightstudents, we examine whether repeated, hands-on encounters with real-world systems bolsterstudents’ confidence, engagement, and conceptual understanding. Findings indicate that LSsfoster deeper comprehension of core mechanical concepts
the effectiveness of simple prompts and modified prompts that provideadditional detail/constraint. Opportunities and challenges are also noted.MethodologyAs a first approach at integrating generative AI in the course design process, the instructorlimited themselves to Microsoft 365 Copilot, an AI-powered productivity tool that is availablewith a Microsoft account. The free version of the tool with enterprise-grade security, privacy, andcompliance, was accessed using the instructor’s university email address and Microsoft 365account. The version of Microsoft Copilot used to generate materials was based on GPT-4architecture. Additional features and upgrades may be accessed by purchasing the Pro version formore experienced users were not
concepts from multiple subject areas todevelop a solution, and choose an optimal solution from an assortment of viable solutions. Theseattributes are all consistent with modern professional engineering practice [2]. Furthermore, toreceive ABET accreditation, programs must also be able to demonstrate that their students have“an ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs withconsideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social,environmental, and economic factors” [3]There are a multitude of opportunities to integrate real-world projects into the undergraduatemechanical engineering curriculum to help students engage more deeply with the course content.For instance, several
Automation Letters, vol. 6, no. 4, pp. 7145–7152, 2021.[25] J. Hu, H. Li, and W. Chen, “A squid-inspired swimming robot using folding of origami,” The Journal of Engineering, vol. 2021, no. 10, pp. 630–639, 2021.[26] K. Zhang, C. Qiu, and J. S. Dai, “An extensible continuum robot with integrated origami parallel modules,” Journal of Mechanisms and Robotics, vol. 8, no. 3, p. 031010, 03 2016. [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4031808[27] Y. Xu, Q. Peyron, J. Kim, and J. Burgner-Kahrs, “Design of lightweight and extensible tendon-driven continuum robots using origami patterns,” in 2021 IEEE 4th International Conference on Soft Robotics (RoboSoft), 2021, pp. 308–314.[28] D. Jeong and K. Lee, “Design and analysis of an
feedback.Overall, design review positively impacted their design work (80.8% positive response) andpositively changed the way the students view themselves as engineers (84% positive response).1 IntroductionME 347 is a third-year undergraduate design course for mechanical engineers which incorporatestheory and design with CAD (SolidWorks). The course gives them the most significant designexperience so far in the curriculum, and it is an important pre-requisite course for the firstsemester of senior design. Students take an earlier course, ME 250, which introduces the designprocess and the basics of CAD modeling (simple geometry and drawings) and incorporatesbuilding a physical model using traditional machine shop techniques and 3-D printers. While
setup costing at least $10,000–$20,000. Without early exposure to NDT concepts, student interestmay be insufficient to justify such investments.At the authors' institution, we recognized an opportunity to introduce new experiments into thesophomore-level testing lab, which traditionally includes tensile, hardness, and impact testing.Given its widespread industrial application and relatively low equipment costs, ultrasonic NDTpresents a feasible option for integration. To address the lack of NDT exposure in the curriculum,the authors implemented an ultrasonic NDT system consisting of transducers, a pulser/receiver,and an oscilloscope, with a total cost of under $10,000. This system is multi-functional, capableof material characterization by
optimization. The methodology not only simplified the analysis ofcomplicated thermodynamic systems but also provided students with valuable computationalskills applicable to real-world engineering challenges. The results suggest that integratingcomputational projects into thermodynamics education can significantly improve studentengagement and understanding while preparing them for industry-standard analytical practices.7. AcknowledgementsThe authors gratefully acknowledge the participation of mechanical engineering students fromthe Class of 2025 at Howard University for their participation in the survey. Special thanks to theDepartment of Mechanical Engineering with their help in integrating MATLAB-based projectsinto the curriculum, which was
Paper ID #45878Creating Public Resources to Diversifying Content in Mechanical Engineering:Fostering Awareness and Ethical ConsiderationsDr. Siu Ling Leung, Pennsylvania State University Dr. Siu Ling Leung is an Associate Teaching Professor, the Associate Head for Undergraduate Programs, and the Director of Undergraduate Laboratories in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Pennsylvania State University. Her work focuses on renovating the engineering curriculum to enhance students’ cognitive skills, raise awareness of diverse problems around the world, and equip them to address real-world challenges. She employs
students indicated that they have no preference, highlighting an openness todiverse team compositions. When reporting team contributions, most teams shared responsibilityfor the project. For example, multiple team members participated in Data Collection, Results andAnalysis, as well as writing and revising the report. This indicates a high level ofcollaboration.Future workThis research is part of an ongoing effort to incorporate active learning strategies throughout theME curriculum, spanning all four years of study. These include courses such as Introduction toEngineering (1st year), Statics (2nd year), Thermodynamics (3rd year), and Heat Transfer (4thyear). This will require instructors to collaborate and discuss how to adapt and modify
technology, materials science, 3D printing, experiments, and product design,Dr. Marwa AbdelGawad, Hamad Bin Khalifa University Dr. Marwa AbdelGawad joined Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) as an Assistant Professor of Practice. She earned her Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Texas A&M University, College Station, TX where her research was focused on examining the impact of microstructure on the corrosion response and mechanical integrity of magnesium alloys used in biomedical applications, specifically orthopedic implants. Dr. AbdelGawad’s interests are centered around materials and manufacturing, with a strong focus on corrosion of light metal alloys. With an extensive teaching background spanning over 10
integrating VR into mechanical engineeringtechnology education, with a particular emphasis on engineering materials courses [6-8]. Byleveraging the capabilities of VR, students are provided with an innovative platform to exploreboth microscopic and macroscopic structures of materials, bridging the gap between theoreticalknowledge and practical application [9,10]. To assess the effectiveness of this approach, anexperiment has been designed involving two groups of students. One group follows thetraditional learning pathway, relying on textbooks and theoretical materials to study atomicstructures. In contrast, the second group utilizes VR technology to engage with these structuresin a fully immersive and interactive environment. Both groups are
Paper ID #46656Enhancing Student Learning in a Blended Undergraduate Dynamics Coursethrough Hands-on Mini-ProjectsDr. Sudeshna Pal, University of Central Florida Dr. Sudeshna Pal is an Associate Lecturer in the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department at the University of Central Florida (UCF), where she teaches courses in the areas of system dynamics, controls, and biomedical engineering. Her current research interest is engineering education, with focus on blended learning, project-based learning, and digital and design education. Her educational research is supported by grants through the National Institutes of
checkpoint inaddition to the final time increment). This decision requires critical thinking about the design andits implications regarding motor speed, and it reinforces how system measurements impactcontrol systems, quality assurance, and mechanical design integration. fiBy assigning this responsibility, students are compelled to not only research industrial practices,but to reason out how their theoretical calculations will play out during the practical testingphase.3.2.2 Adhesive restrictionsTo simplify enforcement and maintain focus on the educational objectives, it is recommended toimpose an all-encompassing adhesive restriction. While certain adhesives (e.g., threadlockers fornuts and bolts) are commonplace in practical engineering
also been made in other areas. Molina-Bolivar and Abella-Palacios [25] created a cost-effective setup to study magnet geometry, while Kuhn and Vogt used smartphones asaccelerometers in free fall experiments [26]. Ferri et al. designed a tabletop mechanism to studyfree vibrations and developed a mobile experiment for a control theory course [27]. To reducecosts, a smartphone attachment was used to record glider acceleration, and video recording wasemployed for data acquisition [28]. An experiment capturing rolling contact was designed usingTracker software [29]. MIT Precision Motion Control developed the FlexLab magneticsuspension system integrating actuators, sensors, and power amplifiers on a single board.However, despite these advancements
Nuclear Power Training Pipeline and then became an instructor in the Bettis Reactor Engineering School. Matt earned a B.S. and M.S. in Physics from the University of Pittsburgh (1997 & 1999).Prof. Andrew N Smith, United States Naval Academy ©American Society for Engineering Education, 2025 Pressure-Enthalpy Diagram Centric Approach to Open-System Component, Brayton Cycle, and Rankine Cycle Analysis in a Thermodynamics CourseAbstractThis paper presents a graphical approach to teaching thermodynamic open-system componentanalysis, steam cycle analysis, and gas turbine analysis centered around the pressure-enthalpy(p-h) diagram. Our approach, inspired by Israel
Curriculum Needs for Achieving Sustainable Energy and Decarbonize Economy,” presented at 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, June, 6, 2024.[12] Haifa El-Sadi, “Using Engineering Equation Solver (EES) to Solve Engineering Problems in Mechanical Engineering”, IMECE2018-86078, V005T07A040 15 2/20/25Dear Chair:Thank you for providing a summary of the reviewer feedback on our paper entitled,“Understanding Concept-Based Learning of Sustainability Aspects of Energy:A Preliminary Study” In the attached Response to Reviewer Comments, we attempt to addresseach of the reviewer’s comments with an appropriate response.Please let
hypotheses and discusses the survey instruments used to prove them. Section 4explores the case study of an aeronautical fixture designed to measure drag force by SeniorMechanical Engineering (ME) students using PLM tools. Finally, the conclusion is offered insection 5 with complete references afterward. The appendices contain the research survey, finaldeliverable results, and the final report rubric for the design project.2. Use of PLM Utilities in Higher Education and GapThe introduction of PLM software into engineering education has taken many forms, rangingfrom dedicated courses to seminars or integrated into class projects. In many ME departments,3D modeling or CAD software is a mainstay in their curriculum, and some universities havePLM minors
you get to see the entire process." • "No, because incorporating more projects from multiple courses could overload the curriculum and make time management difficult for students who have not been good at certain classes and need to catch up. Also, not all courses have such a direct connection to warrant an integrated project, and it could lead to more confusion than meaningful learning." • "Yes. It is less daunting to refer back to an earlier project rather than starting from scratch in every class. It also helps me feel like I'm investing in an actual project that is meaningful and not just a box to check to get a good grade." Table IV includes a sample of
technical skills are often the focus of engineering programs,students rarely receive formal guidance on effective teamwork. Without proper training, negativegroup experiences can challenge their future workforce professional success. Therefore,integrating teamwork training into the engineering curriculum is vital for preparing students forthe collaborative nature of their careers and this is our primary motivation.There is an open question on how and where to fit these teamwork preparations into thecurriculum. Developing teamwork skills involves understanding key elements in team dynamicssuch as, managing roles and expectations, effective communication, and conflict management -shown in Figure 1. Successful teams build trust by clearly defining