Conference Session

Sustainable Engineering

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Sarah Pumphrey, University of Cincinnati; Anna Hoessle, University of Cincinnati; Daniel Oerther, University of Cincinnati

Tagged Divisions

Environmental Engineering

future generations to meet their own needs.”1, has emerged as acritical component of research and education within the field of Environmental Engineering. Asreflected in presentations and lengthy discussions at the semi-annual gathering of the Associationof Environmental Engineering and Science Professors (AEESP, 2005), a major challenge forincorporating sustainability into a graduate research program is the need to identify appropriateprojects and interested students producing the quantity and quality of research results comparableto other traditional areas of Environmental Engineering. Often, research in sustainability mustbe boot-strapped from piecemeal funding opportunities, and it must leverage a diverse collectionof interested parties

Conference Session

Environmental Engineering Curricula

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Daniel Oerther, University of Cincinnati; Cathy Maltbie, University of Cincinnati; Baikun Li, Pennsylvania State University-Harrisburg; Jin Li, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee; Amy Pruden, Colorado State University; Peter Stroot, University of South Florida

Tagged Divisions

Environmental Engineering

engineering. In a recent report, “Research Frontiers in EnvironmentalEngineering”, published jointly by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and by theAssociation of Environmental Engineering Professors (AEEP, September 15, 1998), “AnalyticalTools in Molecular Sciences” was identified as one of four critical research needs in the field ofEnvironmental Engineering and Science.1 In follow-up work, the development of moleculartools to track environmental microorganisms was identified as a research priority by the NationalScience Foudation2 and by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.3NeedIn response to the need for environmental biotechnology research and education, academicdepartments across the country have made a sustained effort to recruit and

Conference Session

Sustainable Engineering

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Daniel Oerther, University of Cincinnati; Cinnamon Carlarne, University of Cincinnati; Eric Maurer, University of Cincinnati; Regina Lamendella, University of Cincinnati; Sarah Pumphrey, University of Cincinnati

Tagged Divisions

Environmental Engineering

phosphorus released to the environment isfrom sewage while 90% is from agriculture.1 Thus, while the discharge of phosphorus fromagriculture is the most significant contributor to eutrophication, phosphorus recovery fromsewage represents a significant opportunity to increase the sustainability of the phosphorusnutrient cycle.Because phosphorus discharge to the environment represents a significant concern; and becausesolutions to environmental discharges of phosphorus require technical as well as policy effortsthe topic was selected to serve as the theme for a People, Prosperity, and the Plant (P3) grantfrom the U.S. EPA. The objective of the P3 program is to provide seed funds for teams offaculty and students to tackle complex, globally relevant

Conference Session

Innovative Teaching Methods

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Beth Wittig, City College of the City University of New York

Tagged Divisions

Environmental Engineering

, provide guidance on how to describe the“environment” 3, and exemplify environmental impacts that can result from typical structural,transportation, and water resources engineering projects.4 The environmental engineeringtextbook introduces and illustrates the environmental engineering concepts used to characterizethe environment, describe pollutant transport and transformation in the environment, andmitigate pollutants.5Difference between Objectives of the New and Old CoursesThe former EnvE course was traditional, and included basic descriptions of the air and waterenvironments and typical pollutants in these environments, and conventional industrial methodsto mitigate them. The course objectives are detailed below.1. Analyze water and

Conference Session

Innovative Teaching Methods

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Bruce Berdanier, Ohio Northern University

Tagged Divisions

Environmental Engineering

a 1(strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree) value. The expected course outcomes listed by maintopic and their mean score for the past four years are shown in Table 1. The P value in the lastcolumn is a quantitative estimate of the strength of your ability to reject the null hypothesis thatthe mean value for each year is the same. The analysis was completed using an Analysis ofVariation (ANOVA) software tool in the data analysis in EXCEL. The null hypothesis statesthat all of the means are the same even though there was different treatment of the means. The Pvalue would have to be less than 0.05 to reject the null hypothesis with 95% confidence.Expected Course 2001 2002 2003 2004 POutcome1 4.48

Conference Session

Environmental Engineering Undergraduate Research

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Stephen Doheny-Farina, Clarkson University; Fa-Gung Fan, Xerox Corp.; Xiangwei Liu, Clarkson University; Cetin Cetinkaya, Clarkson University; John Mclaughlin, Clarkson University; Suresh Dhaniyala, Clarkson University; Jeffrey Taylor, Clarkson University; David Schmidt, University of Maryland-College Park; Kambiz Nazridoust, Clarkson University; Goodarz Ahmadi, Clarkson University

Tagged Divisions

Environmental Engineering

2006-171: PARTICLE TRANSPORT, DEPOSITION AND REMOVAL - ACOMBINED RESEARCH AND CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT PROJECTCetin Cetinkaya, Clarkson UniversityDavid Schmidt, University of Maryland-College ParkFa-Gung Fan, Xerox Corp.Goodarz Ahmadi, Clarkson UniversityJeffrey Taylor , Clarkson UniversityJohn Mclaughlin, Clarkson UniversityKambiz Nazridoust, Clarkson UniversityStephen Doheny-Farina, Clarkson UniversitySuresh Dhaniyala, Clarkson UniversityXiangwei Liu, Clarkson University Page 11.981.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2006 PARTICLE TRANSPORT, DEPOSITION AND REMOVAL- A COMBINED RESEARCH AND CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT PROJECT Goodarz Ahmadi,1 Stephen Doheny-Farina,1

Conference Session

Capstone Courses II

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

C. Stewart Slater, Rowan University; Mariano Savelski, Rowan University; Robert Hesketh, Rowan University

Tagged Divisions

Environmental Engineering

projects. Green engineering is a multidisciplinary topic that ifpracticed to the fullest would greatly impact how industry operates and provide a sustainablefuture. Rowan University is incorporating green engineering into its curricula in various courseand our latest efforts (as described in this paper) are to actively involve industry in greenengineering projects through our engineering clinic program.The EPA originally defined green engineering as the design, commercialization and use ofprocesses and products that are feasible and economical while minimizing the generation ofpollution at the source and also minimizing risk to human health and the environment [1]. Thedefinition of green engineering was more broadly defined in a recent conference

Conference Session

Environmental Engineering Curricula

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Michelle Jarvie, Michigan Technological University

Tagged Divisions

Environmental Engineering

strategies for activeand collaborative learning, had no exams, and reduced the lecture to one classhour each week. The paper includes qualitative results from a survey regardingstudent preferences for the new class structure in comparison to the previousstructure.1. BackgroundHistorically, engineering education has been dominated by a lecture only format,in which students are expected to retain and memorize lecture material,reproducing it on demand for exams1. This one-way transfer of information fromteacher to student has been termed the “banking concept of education” by PauloFreire2.In the 1970’s Feire criticized “banking education” for its inability to activelyinvolve the students as critical thinkers. Freire viewed banking education as aform of

Conference Session

Innovative Teaching Methods

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Cyndee Gruden, University of Toledo; Defne Apul, University of Toledo; Maria Diaz, University of Toledo

Tagged Divisions

Environmental Engineering

techniques included a background knowledge probe (pre-assessment), teacherdesigned feedback forms (post-assessment), teacher observation, and student performance onsubsequent exams.BackgroundPrecipitative softening is used by many water treatment facilities in the United States to addresshard water issues, which can result in clogged water transmission lines, shortened life of heatersand boilers, and poor lathering of water. Hard water is caused by an abundance of minerals insource waters, specifically polyvalent cations such as calcium (Ca) and Magnesium (Mg). Hardwater is the most common water quality problem reported by US consumers, and it is typicallyattributed to ground water sources with high mineral content 1. In the Midwest, water

Conference Session

Sustainable Engineering

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Deanna Matthews, Carnegie Mellon University; Robert Heard, Carnegie Mellon University

Tagged Divisions

Environmental Engineering

on three core strategic areas in educational and research, one of which isEnvironmental Issues.Three general objectives are pursued by all courses taught within the project:1. Systems thinking of connections and influences between ideas, people, and communities2. Life cycles and respect for the role of time in nature, human activities, and our lives3. Self as agent and knowledge and uncertainty as a basis for decision-makingEach objective strives both to enhance the knowledge and skills students acquire within a course, Page 11.673.2as well as to change student attitudes toward environmental issues that will hopefully remainwith them in other

Conference Session

Environmental Engineering Curricula

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kurt Paterson, Michigan Technological University

Tagged Divisions

Environmental Engineering

simply a preferred way of learning– often the way(s) that knowledge “sticks” most easily. While the diversity of learningstyles can be a source of frustration for educators (one blanket teaching method is grosslyinadequate for maximum learning), it can also be used to design more effective courses.There are several methods to assess learning preferences2. One method particularly suitedto science and engineering students is the Index of Learning Styles (ILS)3. In this methodlearning preferences are determined via a web-based 44-question survey with resultsalong a spectrum of four learning pairings: verbal-visual, global-sequential, sensing-intuitive, and active-reflective4. The learning style preferences for this class aresummarized in Figure 1

Conference Session

Environmental Engineering Curricula

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kurt Paterson, Michigan Technological University

Tagged Divisions

Environmental Engineering

easily. While the diversity of learning styles canbe a source of frustration for educators, it can also be used as insight on how to design acourse that more effectively educates most of the students.Analysis of the learning preferences for environmental engineering students at MichiganTech reveals the problem with most courses: they are designed in a manner incongruentto the natural learning preferences of most students. Figure 1 shows the results of thisstudy. Responses from two different years are presented and reveal relative similarity inthe classes’ mosaics of learning styles.The results from the active-reflective pairing indicate a good balance among the students;some active and some reflective activities would be a good mix. Active

Conference Session

Sustainable Engineering

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ross Gordon, Rice University; Alex Gordon, Rice University; Philip Bedient, Rice University

Tagged Divisions

Environmental Engineering

engineers who have the skills and tools appropriate to address the issues that ourplanet is facing today and is likely to face within the next 20 years, who are aware of the needsof the developing world, and who can contribute to the relief of the endemic problems of povertyafflicting developing communities worldwide”1. It is the goal of Rice-EWB to make positivechange in the developing world while simultaneously developing engineers who are capable oftackling the challenges that confront our world.Overview of Rice-EWB Rice-EWB is an entirely student run nonprofit organization dedicated to helpingcommunities in the developing world improve their quality of life through the implementation ofengineering projects that address basic needs for

Conference Session

Innovative Teaching Methods

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

John Bergendahl, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Tagged Divisions

Environmental Engineering

the bulk solution to being adsorbed. Figure 1 illustrates the four steps: (1) bulkadvection (fast), (2) film diffusion (slow), (3) pore diffusion (slow), and (4) surface adsorption(fast)1. Passing contaminated water and air through fixed bed contactors is a widely-appliedtechnology for environmental remediation, so it is important for students to understand the masstransfer limitations with this process. Page 11.450.2 Fig. 1. Adsorption steps. Fig 2. Mass transfer zone in fixed bed contactor (adapted from Snoeyink and

Conference Session

Sustainable Engineering

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

David Pines, University of Hartford; Brian Gallant, University of Hartford

Tagged Divisions

Environmental Engineering

Conference Session

Sustainable Engineering

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Angela Bielefeldt, University of Colorado-Boulder; Diana Shannon, University of Colorado-Denver; Jay Shah, University of Colorado-Boulder; R. Scott Summers, University of Colorado-Boulder; Jim Ruttenber, University of Colorado

Tagged Divisions

Environmental Engineering

waste management. The ABET 2005-2006 accreditation guidelines forEnvironmental Engineering degrees states that: “The program must demonstrate the graduateshave introductory level knowledge of environmental issues associated with air, land, and watersystems and associated environmental health impacts.”1 Other entities are also trying to reformengineering education, such as the National Academy of Engineering’s “The Engineering of2020” report which notes that engineers must “develop and implement more ecologicallysustainable practices… in industrialized countries and developing countries alike” using“systems-based strategies and holistic approaches that embed social and cultural objectives.”2In spite of these important indicators of the

Conference Session

Sustainable Engineering

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Angela Bielefeldt, University of Colorado-Boulder

Tagged Divisions

Environmental Engineering

a demonstration in numerous outreachactivities. The filter has been evaluated in service-learning projects through Engineers WithoutBorders (EWB-CU) and capstone design to provide safe water. Laboratory research on theFiltrón is also contrasted with opportunities to earn course credit for involvement with EWBprojects. This serves as an example of how research on appropriate technology appeals to adiverse range of students and can provide real benefits to developing communities.BackgroundThe purposes of academic engineering research activities can be broadly grouped into two maingoals that are complementary yet distinct: (1) education of students; and (2) production of newknowledge of practical importance. Participation in research

Conference Session

Environmental Engineering Curricula

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

William Epolito, U.S. Military Academy; Michael Butkus, U.S. Military Academy

Tagged Divisions

Environmental Engineering

treatment and transmission of communicable diseases. However, a morecomprehensive understanding of biology is now considered necessary to solve emergingproblems with pollution, ecosystem destruction, and species extinction.1 Indeed, geneticengineering and techniques used in the field of medicine are being used to study and solvenumerous environmental problems. The ABET criteria for environmental engineering programsstate that students must have proficiency in a biological science, e.g., microbiology, aquaticbiology, or, toxicology, relevant to the program of study. Unfortunately, students in someenvironmental engineering programs have not participated in a biology course since theirsophomore or junior year in high school.2 Consequently, a

Conference Session

Environmental Engineering Curricula

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

David Vaccari, Stevens Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Environmental Engineering

biomedical and biochemical engineering, environmental engineering is theengineering discipline that has the closest connection with biology. Certainly, it is the onlyengineering discipline that connects with such a wide range of biological fields.Table 1 shows the results of a pre-test administered to a class of 9 graduate and undergraduateenvironmental engineering students. The results show a very low familiarity with basic ideasfrom general biology. Table 1. Percent of students who showed familiarity with biological concepts Evolution 33% Eukaryotes 11% Carbohydrates 33

Conference Session

Environmental Engineering Curricula

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kristen Tull, Lafayette College; Lee Clapp, Texas A&M University-Kingsville; Donna Fennell, Rutgers University; Tim La para, Minnesota; Alok Bhandari, Kansas State University; Sharon Jones, Lafayette College

Tagged Divisions

Environmental Engineering

theEngineering Workforce Commission (EWC)) and faculty (ASEE) depend solely on nameddegree programs and named departments. 1 In other words, a student graduating in civil Page 11.491.2engineering, but working in environmental engineering is not counted. Similarly, a facultymember whose specialty is environmental engineering, but is employed in a chemicalengineering department is likely not counted. The second limitation is that although the NationalScience Foundation (NSF) conducts surveys of sample populations of post-graduate engineers,the collected data for environmental engineers is not routinely reported. 1 NSF does, however usethe graduate’s

Conference Session

Sustainable Engineering

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Eric Beckman, University of Pittsburgh; Gena Kovalcik, University of Pittsburgh; Mary Besterfield-Sacre, University of Pittsburgh; Robert Ries, University of Pittsburgh; Kim Needy, University of Pittsburgh; Laura Schaefer, University of Pittsburgh; Larry Shuman, University of Pittsburgh

Tagged Divisions

Environmental Engineering

engineering students, we have created partnerships with University of Texas-El Paso and University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez. Also, to best prepare our IGERT Fellows forstudy and research in sustainability, a special sequence of courses is being implemented that willinclude a two-part capstone sustainable design course providing students from the variousspecialties with a common educational framework. Finally, the University of Pittsburgh’s Centerfor Latin American Studies will develop a sequence of courses in Brazilian Portuguese to betterprepare the IGERT Fellows for their research internship. This paper presents an overview of ourinitiative and describes progress to date with respect to research and pedagogy.1. IntroductionThe hallmark of US

Conference Session

Environmental Engineering Undergraduate Research

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Tom Langen, Clarkson University; Stefan Grimberg, Clarkson University

Tagged Divisions

Environmental Engineering

, including REU Site Programs, students are expected toinitiate and complete a substantive research project in a short period of time, typically 8 - 10weeks. While the research project is a student’s principal activity in a summer program, theremay be other organized activities incorporated into the program, including research seminars,skills workshops, graduate education and career mentoring activities, field trips, and socialactivities.3 Potential benefits of ancillary activities include (1) improved understanding of the Page 11.266.2relevance and multidisciplinary linkages of research projects; (2) improved attitude andmotivation to conduct research

Conference Session

Environmental Engineering Undergraduate Research

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Robert Nerenberg, University of Notre Dame

Tagged Divisions

Environmental Engineering

for anEnvironmental Engineering research project. The paper describes challenges related tolanguage, culture, and technical background, and provides suggested strategies for addressing thechallenges and improving the REU experience. While the paper focuses on a Hispanic studentfrom Puerto Rico, the strategies may be applicable to other situations, such as minority or foreignexchange students or foreign or minority graduate students.IntroductionThe engineering and science fields historically have been underrepresented in women and inseveral minorities.1 Underrepresented minorities include Blacks, Hispanics, American Indians,Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians or other Pacific Islanders. While the percentage ofminorities in science and

Conference Session

Environmental Engineering Curricula

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Alexa Rihana-Abdallah, University of Detroit Mercy

Tagged Divisions

Environmental Engineering

Department of Civil andEnvironmental Engineering. Students commented on the learning experience and thebenefits of closely working with students from other majors. They repeatedly stated theirsatisfaction with understanding the “whole picture” and touching on all aspects of Page 11.285.6environmental analysis. Typical course topics are presented in Table 1.Table 1. Course topics covered during the semesterWeek Topic 1 Introduction / Course Overview 2 Sustainability 3 Ecology 4 Water Quality Parameters 5 Effects on Ecosystem 6 Analytical Chemistry 7 atomic absorption spectrophotometry 8 gas chromatography 9 mass

Conference Session

Environmental Engineering Division Poster Session

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Svetlana Korotkova, University of Northern Iowa; Alan Czarnetzki, University of Northern Iowa; Keith McCready, University of Northern Iowa

Tagged Divisions

Environmental Engineering

model predictions. Nevertheless,various uncertainties in PM simulation have been identified. Substantial underforecasting of surface PM2.5 concentration was found. The Box Model budgets for particulate matter revealed relatively largeresidual components. Results of the present research may serve as a basis for further work with WRF-CHEM on the dispersion of other pollutants (e.g., nitrogen compounds) and the contribution fromadjacent states in the environmental engineering.1. IntroductionNumerous air pollution episodes are characterized by particulate matter (PM) suspended in thetroposphere. Though human activities have emitted particles into the atmosphere since pre-industrialtimes, emissions have increased notably since the 1950s1). The

Conference Session

Environmental Engineering Curricula

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Bruce Berdanier, Ohio Northern University

Tagged Divisions

Environmental Engineering

localized human populations taking into account their uniquecultural history and socio-economic interactions with nature and their environment whilesubverting, contesting, and reforming the current engineering practices that transform the earththrough an overarching focus on development1.”Background for Haiti “Each society carries what we refer to as an “environmental imaginary,” a way of imagining nature, including visions of those forms of social and individual practice which are ethically proper and morally right with regard to nature2.”Haiti, which is the western one third of Hispaniola Island (Figure 1), is generally recognized asthe poorest country in the Western Hemisphere with approximately 80% of the population livingin

Conference Session

Sustainable Engineering

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Chris Swan, Tufts University

Tagged Divisions

Environmental Engineering

the most impressible: the young.Kids are naturally curious. Current recycling is a subject matter that feeds into this curiosity. Animpromptu study done on a class of elementary students (< 25) in an Boston, MA area schoolindicated the types of questions that kids have about recycling. These questions and the percentof this group who had this type of question are presented in the Table 1. Table 1 Kids Questions About Recycling Percent Question Response 25% How are the recycled items processed (Do they use a crusher, do they rip it up? How do the cans get back to normal after they crush them up)? 18

Conference Session

Capstone Courses II

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Andrew Borchers, Kettering University; David Rinard, Steelcase, Inc.; Trevor Harding, Kettering University; Terri Lynch-Caris, Kettering University

Tagged Divisions

Environmental Engineering

partners, are committed todemonstrating the practical need for enhanced education in issues of sustainability and socialresponsibility.Funding for this project comes from the National Science Foundation DUE-0511322.IntroductionIndustry more than ever is facing challenges in the globally competitive marketplace. ThomasFriedman in his book The World Is Flat [1] talks about the forces that are changing thecompetitive landscape and the need for business and society to innovate more than ever to staycompetitive. Friedman also highlights the need for increased learning and skill development as away to survive in this rapidly changing and competitive climate.Friedman cites statistics showing a significant decline in US students pursuing science

Conference Session

Sustainable Engineering

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Janet Baldwin, Roger Williams University

Tagged Divisions

Environmental Engineering

are so limited, cost-effectiverainfall catchment systems have been chosen for the proposed solution to the water supplyproblem. Rainfall catchment systems have enjoyed increasing popularity internationally,especially in similar dry climates with low population densities. Rainwater can provide arelatively safe source of water for a range of purposes including drinking, washing, bathing, andgardening. For example, in South Australia, 37% of the population uses rainwater as a source ofdrinking water [1].While in Brazil, I will be working directly with an engineer from the Brazilian Rotary Club ofCampinas Alvorada. I will assist the installation of the rainfall catchment systems and theevaluation of the suitability of the systems. The systems

Conference Session

Sustainable Engineering

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Martha Garcia-Saenz, Purdue University-North Central; Maria Consuelo Garcia Alvarez, Universidad La Gran Colombia

Tagged Divisions

Environmental Engineering

and doubled the cost of the gassystem.The idea for the projectThe main idea for this project came up after an inventory of low-income housing in Bogotá, doneby the same authors of this document.1 The study’s main focus was to design more comfortablehouses from a thermal point of view, but finding that these low-income houses did not havewater heaters, gave the authors the idea for the project presented in this document.Students from an “Installations for Alternative Energies” class at the School of Civil Engineeringof La Gran Colombia University had the opportunity to apply some what they were learningabout solar energy on a project that at the same time would significantly improve the lives oflow-income people. Student had to go beyond