Conference Session

Engineering Physics & Physics Division Technical Session 3

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Genaro Zavala, Tecnologico de Monterrey and Universidad Andres Bello; Angeles Dominguez, Tecnologico de Monterrey and Universidad Andres Bello; Arturo Cristian Millan, Universidad Andres Bello; Mauricio Gonzalez, Universidad Andres Bello

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Diversity

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Engineering Physics & Physics

students’perception of the relevance of physics and mathematics to their professional career, which is, inthis case, engineering. In this study 232 students taking first and second year physics and mathcourses at a large private university in Chile participated. We used a Likert-scale instrument inwhich students chose from a “Totally agree” to “Totally disagree” scale of statements related torelevance of science and mathematics for future career and study. The results of this studydiscuss four aspects: 1) the students’ perceptions of the relevance of physics and mathematics ofscholar engineering and professional engineering practices, 2) the comparison of students’perceptions of the relevance of physics to that of mathematics, 3) gender differences on

Conference Session

Engineering Physics & Physics Division Technical Session 4

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Franz J. Rueckert, Wentworth Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Physics & Physics

scientific method used by scientists andengineers, wherein a hypothesis is tested and improved to generate a successful model. Thus,physics topics can be presented to this group in a style not only familiar to the students, butwhich will be recalled as they progress through their careers as designers.To aid in that endeavor, I met with the chairs of both design departments to identify those topicsmost useful to students in the field. Topics were chosen to include motion, forces, simplemachines, structure, stress and strain, waves, sound, light, heat, and energy. The course isdivided into weekly modules addressing each area. These students spend a significant portion oftheir training in studio, critiquing each other’s work and collaborating on

Conference Session

Engineering Physics & Physics Division Technical Session 3

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Yumin Zhang, Southeast Missouri State University; David K. Probst P.E., Southeast Missouri State University

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Engineering Physics & Physics

Paper ID #12261Fishing with Broken Net: Predicament in Teaching Introductory PhysicsDr. Yumin Zhang, Southeast Missouri State University Yumin Zhang is an associate professor in the Department of Physics and Engineering Physics, Southeast Missouri State University. His academic career started in China; in 1989 he obtained master’s degree on Physics from Zhejiang University and then was employed as technical staff in the Institute of Semi- conductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences. After receiving PhD degree on Electrical Engineering from University of Minnesota in 2000, he started to work as a faculty member in University of

Conference Session

Engineering Physics & Physics Division Technical Session 3

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Brian Huang, SparkFun Electronics

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Diversity

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Engineering Physics & Physics

Paper ID #14073Open-source Hardware – Microcontrollers and Physics Education - Integrat-ing DIY Sensors and Data Acquisition with ArduinoMr. Brian Huang, SparkFun Electronics Brian Huang is an Education Engineer for SparkFun Electronics, a cutting edge open-source hardware and electronics education company. Brian started his career in engineering with wireless transport tech- nologies for ADC Telecommunications in Minneapolis, MN. While working at ADC, Brian volunteered at the Science Museum of Minnesota and quickly discovered a passion for teaching and working with students - especially in an environment that fostered and

Conference Session

Engineering Physics & Physics Division Technical Session 2

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Hank D. Voss, Taylor University; Scott Henry Moats, Crown College; Bill Chapman, University of Arizona

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Physics & Physics

for ideas, problem solving, division of effort, and 3) working with external companies/agencies? RESULT: 4.7 out of 5 4) Career Inspiration: How well did working on the TEST satellite program develop your gifts and passion? RESULT: 4.7 out of 5 5) Preparation for the “Real –world” after Graduation: How well did working on the TSAT satellite program give you “hands-on, real-world” experience that prepared you for work or graduate/professional school after graduation? RESULT: 4.8 out of 5Alumni Survey Examples: Several examples as quotes…..Graduate A: For the past 15 years, the Physics and Engineering department has integrated arare blend of theoretical rigor and

Conference Session

Engineering Physics & Physics Division Technical Session 2

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Daniel Ludwigsen, Kettering University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Physics & Physics

level, and coauthored a senior level laboratory in acoustics. He recently served as an AP Reader for the AP Physics exam, and is interested in developing materials to help K-12 teachers with units on sound and waves, and to incorporate crash safety topics into their physics curriculum. Page 26.1554.1 c American Society for Engineering Education, 2015 The Introductory Physics Laboratory as a Consulting FirmAbstractMany students in our calculus-based introductory physics courses plan to pursue careers in hightechnology industries. The laboratory curriculum entitled Mechanics, Inc. is

Conference Session

Engineering Physics & Physics Division Technical Session 1

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Stephen W. McKnight, Northeastern University; Christos Zahopoulos, Northeastern University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Physics & Physics

learned “very much” or “a lot.”Moreover, as shown in Figures 5, fully 60% of the students reported that what they had learnedin this class had helped them in their professional career. Additionally, 84% of the alumnirespondents agreed that such a course should be part of the Gordon Engineering LeadershipProgram, with 2% disagreeing and 14% not sure.Some comments from the alumni in their responses capture this well. One reported: “Even witha solid foundation in engineering, physics, and chemistry, this course challenged me to learnbeyond the basic understanding. The ability to fully understand a physical phenomenon issomething I now possess that my peers in industry do not.” Another comment from one of thealumni reinforced our premise that the

Conference Session

Engineering Physics & Physics Division Technical Session 3

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Yu Gong, Purdue University; Tugba Yuksel, Purdue University; Alejandra J. Magana, Purdue University; Lynn A. Bryan, Purdue University

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Engineering Physics & Physics

phenomena. Implications for teaching were also providedto facilitate educators developing more efficient instructional design supported withsimulations or any visual representations.Reference:1. Cataloglu, E., & Robinett, R. W. (2002). Testing the development of student conceptual and visualization understanding in quantum mechanics through the undergraduate career. American Journal of Physics, 70(3), 238-251.2. Zollman, D. A., Rebello, N. S., & Hogg, K. (2002). Quantum mechanics for everyone: Hands-on activities integrated with technology. American Journal of Physics, 70(3), 252-259.3. Chi, M. T. H. (2005). Commonsense conceptions of emergent processes: Why some misconceptions are robust. The Journal of

Conference Session

Engineering Physics & Physics Division Technical Session 2

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Angeles Dominguez, Tecnologico de Monterrey & Universidad Andrés Bello; Jorge Eugenio de la Garza Becerra, Tecnologico de Monterrey (ITESM)

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Diversity

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Engineering Physics & Physics

reflects the physicist’s way ofunderstanding the world, so we should teach physics that way.The importance of nurturing a scientific curiosity and motivating young students’ understandingof science has been addressed for many years1 and that call invites everyone2. As Barak Obamarecently reinforced: “we want to make sure that those who historically have not participated inthe sciences as robustly -girls, members of minority groups here in this country- that they areencouraged as well”3. In this call, physics and mathematicians become the main filters of young Page 26.353.2students’ career decisions. We want them to select a program because it has

Conference Session

Engineering Physics & Physics Division Technical Session 3

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Andrew Elby, University of Maryland, College Park; Eric Kuo, Stanford University; Ayush Gupta, University of Maryland, College Park; Michael M. Hull, Wayne State College

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Diversity

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Engineering Physics & Physics

theirsubsequent engineering courses and careers? Faculty often mention “problem solving skills” and“conceptual understanding”; but decades of physics and engineering education research havebarely addressed this question empirically.1-3Some engineering educators argue that traditional close-ended, well-structured and well-definedproblem-solving of the type demanded by end-of-chapter problems in physics textbooks isimportant to emphasize, because it develops skills that students can build on and apply in laterengineering classes. Others argue that mathematical sense-making—translating and seekingcoherence between mathematical formalism and physical reasoning (often intuitive), usingmathematics flexibly as part of sense-making about the physical world—is