Conference Session

FPD III: Innovation in Design in the First Year

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ann Saterbak, Rice University; Mark Embree, Rice University; Maria Oden, Rice University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

AC 2012-4037: CLIENT-BASED PROJECTS IN FRESHMAN DESIGNDr. Ann Saterbak, Rice University Ann Saterbak is professor in the practice of bioengineering education and Associate Chair for Undergrad- uate Affairs for the Bioengineering Department at Rice. She earned her undergraduate degree in chemical engineering and biochemistry at Rice in 1990 and a doctorate in chemical engineering at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. After working at Shell for several years, she returned to Rice in 1999, where she was in on the ground floor of the nascent Bioengineering Department. Saterbak has developed lab- oratory courses in tissue culture, tissue engineering, bioprocessing, systems physiology, and mechanical

Conference Session

FPD II: Hands-on Curriculum in the First Year

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Lacey Jane Bodnar, Texas A&M University; Magdalini Z. Lagoudas, Texas A&M University; Jacqueline Q. Hodge, Texas A&M University; Travis Austin Smith, Engineering Student Services and Academic Programs; Jesus A. Orozco; Joshua Grant Corso; Cristian R. Sanchez; Jillian Kathleen Freise, Texas A&M ELLC Children's Museum; Hannah Ringler, Texas A&M University; Ivan Cortes, Texas A&M University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

AC 2012-4319: ENGAGING FRESHMAN IN TEAM BASED ENGINEER-ING PROJECTSMs. Lacey Jane Bodnar, Texas A&M University Lacey Bodnar is a master’s of engineering student in water resources engineering at Texas A&M Uni- versity. Her undergraduate degree was from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln in 2010. She currently works for the Engineering Student Services and Academic Programs Office and is pleased to be involved in managing exciting freshman engineering projects.Ms. Magdalini Z. Lagoudas, Texas A&M UniversityMs. Jacqueline Q. Hodge, Texas A&M University Jacqueline Hodge is a native of Giddings, Texas and currently the Project Manager for the Engineering Student Services & Academic Programs Office

Conference Session

FPD VI: Presenting "All the Best" of the First-year Programs Division

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Christa R. James-Byrnes, University of Wisconsin, Barron County; Mark H. Holdhusen, University of Wisconsin, Marathon County

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

AC 2012-3124: ONLINE DELIVERY OF A PROJECT-BASED INTRODUC-TORY ENGINEERING COURSEDr. Christa R. James-Byrnes, University of Wisconsin, Barron County Christa James-Byrnes is an Associate Professor of engineering at the University of Wisconsin, Colleges. James-Byrnes is the Department Chair for the Computer Science, Engineering, Physics, and Astronomy Department for the UW, Colleges. James-Byrnes has worked in the road construction industry, taught at Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Mich., in the Construction Management program, and has been with the UW, Colleges, for 12 years. She obtained her Ph.D. from Purdue University, her master’s from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and her bachelor’s from the

Conference Session

First-year Programs Poster Session

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jaby Mohammed, Petroleum Institute; Nicholas J. Dimmitt, Petroleum Institute

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

the USA. Page 25.36.1 c American Society for Engineering Education, 2012 A Coursework plan for improving skills necessary for successful capstone projectsAbstractOne of the main courses that students do in an undergraduate engineering program is thecapstone design project. Capstone projects are intensive learning projects which require alot of research, project management, and technical communication skills to succeed in thecourse. There are a lot of skills that need to be developed for a successful capstoneproject. Capstone projects and the accompanying final report

Conference Session

FPD VI: Presenting "All the Best" of the First-year Programs Division

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

S. Scott Moor, Indiana University-Purdue University, Fort Wayne

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

materials and learning spaces that stimulate serious play. Page 25.845.1 c American Society for Engineering Education, 2012 Introducing Memo Writing and a Design Process with a Four-Week Simulator ProjectIntroductionFirst-year engineering courses often include design projects to help spark students’ interest andto introduce them to the broad range of issues engineers face. These projects introduce studentsto the many “soft skills” required of an engineer including judgment, idea generation,communication, planning and organization.This range of skills is difficult

Conference Session

First-year Programs Poster Session

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

John Reap, Virginia Tech; Holly M. Matusovich, Virginia Tech; Rachel A. Louis, Virginia Tech

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

AC 2012-4040: CHOCOLATE CHALLENGE: THE MOTIVATIONAL EF-FECTS OF OPTIONAL PROJECTS IN AN INTRODUCTORY ENGINEER-ING CLASSDr. John Reap, Virginia Tech John Reap currently serves Virginia Tech’s educational mission as an instructor in the Department of Engineering Education. He primarily teaches introductory engineering courses as part of the freshman year engineering program. Research interests include topics in sustainable design and manufacturing (SDM) life cycle assessment, design for environment, green manufacturing, renewable energy, and system efficiency (energy and material). He specializes in approaching SDM problems from the perspective of holistic biomimicry, which encompasses identification, development, and

Conference Session

FPD III: Innovation in Design in the First Year

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Andrew Lau, Pennsylvania State University, University Park; Tara Lynn Sulewski, Pennsylvania State University, University Park

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

Professional Engineer, a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)-accredited Professional, and has contributed more than 50 publications to professional magazines, journals, and conferences.Ms. Tara Lynn Sulewski, Pennsylvania State University, University Park Page 25.398.1 c American Society for Engineering Education, 2012 Design of a Zero Energy Home as a First Year Design ProjectAbstractThis paper describes in detail a novel, first-year, half-semester design project focused on ZeroEnergy Homes (ZEH’s). The project has been used for three semesters and provides a relevantcontext

Conference Session

First-year Programs Poster Session

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Daniel Knight, University of Colorado, Boulder; Beverly Louie, University of Colorado, Boulder; Jordan Michelle Hornback, University of Colorado at Boulder

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

AC 2012-4874: THE TEACHER EFFECT: EXPLAINING RETENTION GAINSIN FIRST-YEAR ENGINEERING PROJECTS COURSESDr. Daniel Knight, University of Colorado, Boulder Daniel W. Knight is the Engineering Assessment Specialist at the Integrated Teaching and Learning Pro- gram (ITLL) and the Broadening Opportunity through Leadership and Diversity (BOLD) Center in CU’s College of Engineering and Applied Science. He holds a B.A. in psychology from the Louisiana State University, and an M.S. degree in industrial/organizational psychology and a Ph.D. degree in counseling psychology, both from the University of Tennessee. Knight’s research interests are in the areas of reten- tion, program evaluation, and teamwork practices in

Conference Session

First-year Programs Poster Session

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Clifford A. Whitfield, Ohio State University; Dustin W. West, Ohio State University; Lowell Toms P.E., Ohio State University; John A. Merrill, Ohio State University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

AC 2012-3800: A FIRST-YEAR DESIGN PROJECT SOFTWARE TOOLTO EMPHASIZE PROBLEM SOLVING WITH COMPUTER PROGRAM-MING IN THE DESIGN PROCESSDr. Clifford A. Whitfield, Ohio State University Clifford Whitfield graduated from the Ohio State University with B.Sc., M.Sc., and PhD. in aerospace engineering and is currently working as a Lecturer-B.E. and a Senior Research Associate for the Mechan- ical and Aerospace Engineering Department and the Engineering Education Innovation Center’s First-year Engineering program at the Ohio State University.Dustin W. West, Ohio State University Dustin Wayne West is a senior undergraduate student in the Civil, Environmental, and Geodetic Engineer- ing Department at the Ohio State University

Conference Session

FPD VIII: Crossing Bridges and Easing Transitions into the First Year

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Amber Kemppainen, Michigan Technological University; Gretchen L. Hein, Michigan Technological University; Ruth Archer, Michigan Technological University; Meral Jackson, Michigan Technological University; Mary A. Fraley, Michigan Technological University; Crystal Lynn Payment, Michigan Technological University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

– Update on IDEAS ProjectAbstractStudents enrolled at Michigan Technological University and are pre-calculus ready follow athree-course sequence through the first-year engineering program (ENG1101, ENG1100, andENG1102). As part of the NSF Funded IDEAS project (DUE-0836861), design modules werecreated in biomechanics, wind, and aquaculture for this course sequence (~200 students). For thebiomechanics module, students designed, built, and analyzed a prosthetic leg. Students in thewind turbine module completed and analyzed a lab-scale wind turbine constructed from recycledmaterials for their first course and used 3-D modeling software to design turbine blades for asecond semester project. These blades were printed on a 3-D printer an attached to an

Conference Session

FPD III: Innovation in Design in the First Year

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

David Miller, Pittsburg State University; Greg Murray, Pittsburg State University; Robert E. Gerlick, Pittsburg State University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

a section ofGraphics, agreed to add a competitive element to the course. Rather than allowing students tochoose their own project, the students were broken into teams randomly within their section towork on a Competition-Based Learning (CnBL) assignment. This approach has been usedpreviously in other disciplines and has met with some success. 1Each team was required to design a racecar in the style of the Pinewood Derby, a competitionsponsored by the Boy Scouts of America (scouting.org), which would then be rapid prototypedusing a commercially available 3D printer. At the end of the semester, the teams within a classcompeted in head-to-head, best-of-three races until the fastest car in the class was determined;the winner of each class

Conference Session

FPD IV: Innovative Curriculum Elements of Successful First-year Courses

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Gregory Warren Bucks, Ohio Northern University; William C. Oakes, Purdue University, West Lafayette

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

acquisition systems home andconduct experiments and design projects. This paper presents the results of a pilot project inwhich a first-year engineering course at a large university was modified to use data acquisitionhardware systems and a graphical programming environment. This paper will discuss thecurricular structure, the implementation of the graphical programming language and hardwarecomponent, examples from the class, and initial assessments from the experience in the form ofclass surveys. Challenges and opportunities are discussed. Overall, students reacted positivelyto the inclusion of the graphical language and extremely positively to the inclusion of thehardware aspect, which allowed for more hands-on activities. The instructional team

Conference Session

FPD II: Hands-on Curriculum in the First Year

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Stephen W. McKnight, Northeastern University; Michael E. Pelletier, Northern Essex Community College; Paula G. Leventman, Northeastern University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

Engineering ABET accreditation in 2001 and 2007. In 2004-2005, McKnight served as Interim Chair of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, and in 2008-2009 served as Acting Vice Provost for Research.Prof. Michael E. Pelletier, Northern Essex Community CollegeDr. Paula G. Leventman, Northeastern University Paula Goldman Leventman has been Diversity Coordinator and Internal Evaluator for the NSF-funded Center for Subsurface Sensing and Imaging Systems (CenSSIS) from 2000 to 2011. She was Assistant Dean of engineering for women’s projects at Northeastern University from 1982-2004. Leventman was Principal Investigator of the NSF-funded Multiple Pathways toward Gender Equity in the U.S. IT Work- force, 2001-2005

Conference Session

FPD VI: Presenting "All the Best" of the First-year Programs Division

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Lorelle A. Meadows, University of Michigan; Robin Fowler, University of Michigan; Elizabeth S. Hildinger, University of Michigan

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

College of Engineering at the University of Michigan. She has a Ph.D. in old english philology and Anglo-Latin from the Centre for Medieval Studies in the University of Toronto and an M.A. in linguistics from the University of Texas. Before joining the staff of the Program in Technical Communication, she worked as a Research Scientist on the University of Michigan’s Middle English Dictionary Project and as an Assistant Professor of En- glish at Indiana State University. She is interested in rhetorical grammar and in the special concerns of engineering students writing in English as a second language. Page

Conference Session

FPD II: Hands-on Curriculum in the First Year

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Beverly K. Jaeger, Northeastern University; Susan F. Freeman, Northeastern University; Richard Whalen, Northeastern University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

emerging trend. Computing projects that are usedto control physical hardware were added to the Engineering Problem Solving and Computation course inorder to make strong connections to the many embedded computing applications used in students’everyday experience and in society in general. Moreover, witnessing computer instructions produce light,sound, and motion engages the students’ senses and provides the sort of immediate feedback essential forconstructive and memorable learning.In order to accomplish the goal of introducing hands-on laboratory experiences to over 600 students,Northeastern University teamed with the not-for-profit company Machine Science Incorporated toconduct a pilot study using a custom kit of electronic components in the

Conference Session

FPD III: Innovation in Design in the First Year

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Susan K. Donohue, University of Virginia

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

structure and content. A hybrid instructional design for a cornerstone course is presentedand its efficacy in promoting student understanding of the engineering design processinvestigated. The instructional design is called a “hybrid” because it uses both short-term andlong-term projects to provide coverage that explores topics in both depth and breadth instead ofjust short-term or just long-term projects. A review of relevant artifacts from the Fall, 2011semester indicates that the research goal was achieved.IntroductionIn first-year engineering undergraduate programs with a design component, students are typicallyintroduced to the concept and practice of engineering design primarily through lecture,discussion, and project-based/design-build-test

Conference Session

FPD V: Increasing Engagement and Motivation of First-year Students

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Isaac W. Wait, Marshall University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

learned and demonstrate critical thinking and where instructors assessedstudent responses using a critical thinking rubric.The purpose of this paper is to describe a recently developed and implemented application of theEFFECTs methodology, explaining key aspects of the pedagogical rationale with specificlearning activities and student outcomes. The materials that were provided to students areprovided in this paper, along with descriptions and discussion of observed benefits andchallenges associated with implementing an EFFECTs-oriented design project in a first yearintroductory engineering course, so that engineering educators can evaluate the suitability ofimplementing EFFECTs in their own courses.IntroductionBig class sizes, students with

Conference Session

FPD V: Increasing Engagement and Motivation of First-year Students

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Katherine S. Zerda, University of Houston; Diana G. de la Rosa-Pohl, University of Houston; Stuart A. Long, University of Houston; Fritz J. Claydon, University of Houston

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

Engineering Manager for Hewlett-Packard Company. She earned a bachelor’s of science degree from the University of Notre Dame, her Ph.D. from Baylor College of Medicine, and a master’s in business administration from Mays Business School at Texas A&M University. Zerda repre- sents the University of Houston on the board of the Texas Alliance for Minorities in Engineering (TAME) and serves as current Board Chair.Diana G. de la Rosa-Pohl, University of Houston Diana de la Rosa-Pohl has been a lecturer in the Cullen College of Engineering at the University of Hous- ton since 2003. She has worked with the PROMES program to develop project-based learning courses for the first-year curriculum. Currently, she is developing and

Conference Session

FPD II: Hands-on Curriculum in the First Year

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Scott Michael Abernathy, Ohio State University; Barbara Elizabeth Carruthers, Ohio State University ; Kayla Fay Presley, Ohio State University; Paul Alan Clingan, Ohio State University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

-level engineering classes. As a result, manyuniversities have cornerstone design projects for their first-year students, allowing them to gethands-on experience throughout the design process [2].CNC milling is a widespread technology with many useful applications in both industry andresearch. Typically, however, this equipment is not introduced to all engineering students, andeven then, only introduced in higher-level classes. The Ohio State University has created a first-year engineering course that is focused towards students interested in nanotechnology andmicrofluidics, utilizing CNC milling for manufacturing [3].At the aggregate level, students had a positive reaction to their CNC milling experience,regardless of declared major

Conference Session

FPD IV: Innovative Curriculum Elements of Successful First-year Courses

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

John C. Moosbrugger, Clarkson University; Jan DeWaters, Clarkson University; Melissa Carole Richards, Clarkson University; Elisabeth A. Chapman, Clarkson University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

on Engineering and Society for First-Year Engineering Students and Non-MajorsAbstractA course designed for first-year engineering students and non-majors was conceived, piloted andtaught over the course of two semesters. The course addresses the engineering design process,including a hands-on project, engineering ethics, and engineering and society content. This paperdescribes the course and the instructors’ experience teaching it, and reports on an initial study ofchanges in student perceptions in the course using a single group, pre-test/post-test design.Background and IntroductionClarkson University is a small, technologically-focused, research university comprised of threeschools – Engineering, Arts and

Conference Session

FPD IV: Innovative Curriculum Elements of Successful First-year Courses

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Brian M. Argrow, University of Colorado, Boulder; Beverly Louie, University of Colorado, Boulder; Daniel W. Knight, University of Colorado, Boulder; Nathan E. Canney, University of Colorado, Boulder; Suzana Brown, University of Colorado, Boulder; Adam J. Blanford, University of Colorado, Boulder; Corrina Ladakis Gibson, University of Colorado, Boulder; Eric Donnelly Kenney

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

(TIGER) at the University of Colorado, Boulder. TIGER is part of the national Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning (CIRTL) network, which is dedicated to the development of the next generation of STEM faculty. Blanford worked with the TAR fellows to facilitate the development and execution of the Teaching-as-Research projects referred to in this study.Ms. Corrina Ladakis Gibson, University of Colorado, BoulderMr. Eric Donnelly Kenney Page 25.851.1 c American Society for Engineering Education, 2012 Introduction to Engineering: Preparing First-Year

Conference Session

FPD IV: Innovative Curriculum Elements of Successful First-year Courses

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Robin A.M. Hensel Ed.D., West Virginia University; Ordel Brown Ph.D., West Virginia University; Mary L. Strife, West Virginia University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

engineering course instructors implemented thegrading rubric in all technical reports required.This paper presents the learning objectives and grading rubrics and describes the contentmodules developed through this project. The results of the assessment of student learning and ofthe development process are presented as well. Recommendations are made for additionalmodifications to more effectively prepare students to search and use information correctly andappropriately, giving them skills needed to succeed as a student and as an engineering Page 25.534.2professional.2.0 Integrating Information Literacy into the Freshman Engineering CourseThe targeted

Conference Session

FPD XI: Tidbits and Cookies

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Thomas J. Vasko, Central Connecticut State University; Peter F. Baumann, Central Connecticut State University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

-technologycurricula start with an introductory course [6, 12, 14, 21, 25, 39, 40, 41, 43]. Improvements tothe introductory course have been proposed by including design topics early in the program toretain students’ interest [15, 16, 21, 24, 28, 43], offering laboratory instruction [3, 10, 14, 20], oremphasizing the development of problem-solving skills [1, 10, 15, 16, 24, 25, 39, 40, 41].Baylor University developed a further refinement of a problem-solving course through a self-paced subject-matter-mastery program [41].Our university also includes within its introductory course a culminating team design project toreinforce learned problem-solving principles and skill sets as an experiential-learningopportunity [2]. In many respects, this team-project effort

Conference Session

FPD IX: Research on First-year Programs Part III

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Stanley M. Forman, Northeastern University; Susan F. Freeman, Northeastern University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

. Theyconcluded that soft skills can be taught, albeit not through traditional lecture means and a degreeof mentoring is recommended in the workplace, if possible. They tended to see the skillsenhanced through experiential project work. Similarly, Parker and Anderson5 at the Universityof Wisconsin deleted specific lectures on time management and team work skills in favor ofhaving students do appropriate project work to learn these same skills in a trial introduction tocivil and environmental engineering course. Vasko, et al11 concluded that once a projectexperience was concluded, soft skills such as life-long learning could be adequately assessed bystudent survey techniques. Tallon and Budny10 took a different approach in adding specificpublic speaking

Conference Session

FPD VII: Research on First-year Programs Part II

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jason Bazylak, University of Toronto; Susan McCahan, University of Toronto; Peter Eliot Weiss, University of Toronto

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

AC 2012-4577: EFFECTS OF LECTURE CAPTURE ON A LARGE FIRST-YEAR ENGINEERING COURSEJason Bazylak, University of Toronto Jason Bazylak has been an lecturer with the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering since 2008. His research interests are in engineering design education and outreach to under-represented groups in the engineering professions, particularly Native Americans. He coordinates a large, award-winning first-year service-learning course, coordinates and teaches a third-year mechanical design for environment course, supervises the undergraduate design facilities, and is the Project Coordinator for the mechanical and industrial engineering senior design course.Dr. Susan McCahan, University of

Conference Session

FPD VIII: Crossing Bridges and Easing Transitions into the First Year

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Danielle M Fitch, Department of Aerospace Engineering, Texas A&M University; Kristi J. Shryock, Texas A&M University; Dimitris C. Lagoudas P.E., Texas A&M University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

. The goals ofthe program are to: provide an understanding of what Aerospace Engineering is and possibleapplications and career paths; design and build fun and educational projects with students;provide advice on classes, professors, study habits, and general college life; host laboratorytours; discuss internships, research, and organizational involvement; handle tutoring sessions andoffice hours and motivate students about Aerospace Engineering.This paper will provide a framework for starting a mentoring program at your institution. Whilethis is not a new idea, the authors will discuss why the current structure was selected and otheriterations that have been utilized. The role of a mentor and mentee and the expectations of eachwill be detailed

Conference Session

FPD X: Addressing Retention in the First Year

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Matthew G. Green, LeTourneau University; Alan D. Niemi, LeTourneau University; Melanie Roudkovski, LeTourneau University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

contributor in the development of several new programs, including three new graduate and two undergraduate programs in counseling and psychology. Her research is primarily in the area of healthy family functioning, and she consults regularly on dissertation and other research projects involving correlational analyses. She received her undergraduate degree from Lousiana State University in Baton Rouge, La. Graduate de- grees (M.A.M.F.T., Th.M., and Ph.D.) were received from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (NOBTS). Email: melanieroudkovski@letu.edu. Page 25.735.1 c American

Conference Session

First-year Programs Poster Session

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jess W. Everett, Rowan University; Patricia Dee Zobel, Rowan University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

). Freshman Engineering Clinic I & II introduced students toEngineering and important college skills.Extracurricular activities for the two cohorts were used to forge student-student and studentfaculty bonds and promote academic success. Extracurricular activities over the first two yearsincluded: “get to know each other” socials; sessions on study skills, alcohol awareness,interviewing for jobs, Excel, and graphing calculators; cultural and social activities on campus;meetings with juniors and seniors to learn about upper level student projects; and a meet-and-greet with engineering alumni.Creating more and stronger bonds with peers, faculty, and the campus provides students withaccess to resources that help them study, complete homework, and

Conference Session

FPD X: Addressing Retention in the First Year

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Brian P. DeJong, Central Michigan University; Joseph Langenderfer, Central Michigan University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

multiple engineering courses, with the “gateway” courses of Engineering Statics andCircuit Analysis I. The number of engineering majors is approximately 40 per year.EGR120 is offered in both fall and spring semesters, with 76% of the students taking the coursein the fall. The course currently has no prerequisites or co-requisites. For the first three years,the course was taught as one section; starting in the fourth year, it was broken into smallermultiple sections to enhance professor-student interaction and student learning. EGR120 islecture-based and focuses on introducing students to engineering topics, projects, and the field,rather than teaching the basic math, science, or engineering material. With the recent switch tomultiple sections, the

Conference Session

FPD VI: Presenting "All the Best" of the First-year Programs Division

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jeff M. Citty , University of Florida; Angela S. Lindner, University of Florida

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

, in road construction, and this work began her environmentally focused ca- reer path. She served as a Chemical Engineer at the Office of Mobile Sources of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Ann Arbor, Mich., from 1987-1989 and as a Senior Project Leader in International Regulations at General Motors Corporation in Warren, Mich., from 1989-1991. She subsequently pursued her Ph.D. in civil and environmental engineering at the University of Michigan from 1991-1998, under the mentorship of Dr. Peter Adriaens and Dr. Jeremy Semrau, and her dissertation topic focused on bioreme- diation and oxidation of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) by methane-oxidizing bacteria. Lindner began her academic career at UF