Conference Session

Service - Learning Projects

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Heather Wright, Michigan Technological University; Linda Phillips, Michigan Technological University; James Mihelcic, Michigan Technological University

Tagged Divisions

Environmental Engineering

Director of the International Senior Design program that allows undergraduates to combine the engineering capstone design course with field construction in a developing country. She is a co-author and illustrator for a book to be published in 2008 titled Field Guide in Engineering for Development Workers: Water Supply, Sanitation Systems, and Indoor Air Quality (American Society for Civil Engineers (ASCE) Press). Ms. Phillips brings over 20 years of project and company management experience to her professional practice-type classes.James Mihelcic, Michigan Technological University Dr. James R. Mihelcic is a Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering at Michigan Technological

Conference Session

Service - Learning Projects

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Paul Boyle, Rice University; Brent Houchens, Rice University

Tagged Divisions

Environmental Engineering

determined the effectiveness of the various purification techniques for removingcontaminants ranging from dirt and sediment to chlorine and bacteria. Also, the studentcompared the various techniques based on the rates of production of clean water, operation costs,energy efficiencies and sustainability.IntroductionA senior capstone design project was undertaken in the 2006-2007 academic year to create adevice for use as an educational tool for water quality and purification. Inspiration for theproject came from the fallout after hurricane Katrina. The project eventually lead to thefounding of a long-term water project for education and implementation in developing nations,where potable water is scarce1. Initially, the project built on a collaboration

Conference Session

Sustainability and Engineering Programs

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Brian Thorn, Rochester Institute of Technology; Andres Carrano, Rochester Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Environmental Engineering

forboth departments.7.5 Capstone Project or ThesisFor each program there is a required summary capstone experience. For the Applications ofSustainable Engineering capstone project (for M.Eng. students, 4 credit hours), students areexpected to develop a design or an implementation with applications in sustainability.Comprehensive assessments of such developments are anticipated. In the thesis (for M.S.students, 9 credit hours), students are expected to engage in a novel research problem. Aformal written thesis and oral defense before a faculty committee are required.8. SummaryAt the KGCOE, student interest has motivated a number of developments with respect to thediscipline of sustainable engineering. These developments include • expanded

Conference Session

Sustainability and Engineering Courses

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

David Reisdorph, the GreenTeam Inc.

Tagged Divisions

Environmental Engineering

establishsustainability definitions, guides, and processes. For example, ASTM E 2432-05 StandardGuide for General Principles of Sustainability Relative to Buildings provides direction on how toincorporate sustainability into the design, construction and operation of buildings and would be arelevant standard to guide engineering student capstone projects related to buildings. ASTMInternational has assembled its standards with sustainability aspects relative to buildings into acompendium to more readily encourage incorporation into building design, construction andoperation.5 Designers of building products would likely reference and use as a guide ISO21930:2007 Sustainability in building construction – Environmental declaration of building

Conference Session

Innovations to Curriculum and Program

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Angela Bielefeldt, University of Colorado at Boulder

Tagged Divisions

Environmental Engineering

, since the topic is outside the information covered in thetextbook4. The course also included two guest lectures on: (1) the thermodynamics of weatherand climate, and (2) sustainable energy.The capstone design course that all EVEN seniors are required to take often incorporates energyissues. Many of the projects in the course are service learning projects to serve localcommunities and businesses. One example of a project that incorporated energy challenges wasthe upgrade of a lagoon used to treat wastewater from a Native American community3. Nopower was locally available at the existing lagoon site and the client desired a solution that washighly sustainable and environmentally friendly. As such, students evaluated various naturalsystems or

Conference Session

Assessment Issues in Environmental Engineering

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kevin Bower, The Citadel; William Davis, The Citadel

Tagged Divisions

Environmental Engineering

Capstone Projects X X X X X X Project• Consistent with the pervious observation, a lower level class provides the necessary foundation for higher levels of cognitive performance within a Program Outcome. In cases where no course appears at lower levels, the student is obtaining necessary knowledge foundation from somewhere else within the curriculum. This creates a learning environment in which student understanding of the multidisciplinary nature of engineering and is consistent with the department’s philosophy on the need for a broad based education.• Table 3 illustrates that Environmental Engineering Capstone provides the most

Conference Session

Environmental Engineering Undergraduate Research

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

James Lambrechts, Wentworth Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Environmental Engineering

precipitation intothe ground by itself can be the complete answer to the problem of preservation of wood piles, butit is a vital part of the solution. Student senior design capstone project in 2005 investigatedmeans for recharge of precipitation, and environmental aspects of using surface runoff for a fourblock neighborhood in the South End. It was also determined necessary to include a perimetercut-off barrier through the Fill stratum to retain the recharged water. The project was presentedto a group of City and State representatives who have since authorized $2 million for actualinstallation of the cut-off barrier that would essentially create a groundwater “bath tub”.The possible drawdowns caused by groundwater withdrawals into leaking low lying