Conference Session

Thermodynamics, Fluids, and Heat Transfer I

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

B. Terry Beck, Kansas State University; Bill Whitson, Kansas State University; Greg Payne, Kansas State University; Trevor Heitman, Kansas State University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

, precautions were taken to minimize stray laser reflections. The wing test modelwas painted flat black opaque for this reason. Figure 6 shows a photograph of the overallexperimental setup, including the image acquisition setup. A generic camcorder with tripodmount was used to capture both video and single frame images of the streamline flow. Thecamcorder was positioned about 10 ft (3 m) from the image plane to minimize parallax effects Page 14.208.8and to also provide large depth of field to keep everything in focus. It should be noted that thecamcorder is shown somewhat closer in the above Figure. The positioning traverse for the top-mounted

Conference Session

Outstanding Contributions to Mechanical Engineering Education

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Sivakumar Krishnan, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis; M. Razi Nalim, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

159 69.8 (11.6) 64.9 (18.6) 58.6 (21.5)The table above indicates only a marginal difference in performance between the differentgroups while there is some weak evidence that the first group (Project-enhanced Course)performed better in the first and final exams. This is explained as follows: The total score in thefollow-on course is a reflection of the many heat-transfer topics covered, which may or may nothave a related concept that was taught in the pre-requisite introductory thermodynamics course.For example, the project covered the concept of energy balance introduced through the first lawin thermodynamics and its application in the context of conduction heat loss through the walls aswell as heat addition through solar

Conference Session

Thermodynamics, Fluids, and Heat Transfer I

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kenny Mahan, University of Alabama; Jesse Huguet, University of Alabama; Joseph Chappell, University of Alabama; Keith Woodbury, University of Alabama; Robert Taylor, University of Alabama

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

can be downloaded at the project website Page 14.600.20www.me.ua.edu/ExcelinME.Acknowledgement This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. DUE-0633330. The authors gratefully acknowledge support from this NSF award.DisclaimerAny opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are thoseof the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.ReferencesASHRAE, (2005), Handbook of Fundamentals, http://www.ashrae.org/Chappell, J., Taylor, R. P., and Woodbury, K. A. (2008) “Introducing Excel-based Steam

Conference Session

Incorporating Projects into the Curriculum

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Louis Everett, University of Texas-El Paso

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

author and Page 11.95.2do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation. Support was also from the PACE program(www.PACEpartners.org) and the author gratefully acknowledges their support. Many of the UTEP faculty believe hands on experience is one component of an excellentcurriculum. Ohland et. al. [1] makes a good case for this position and the author does not arguewith the point. As far as control labs are concerned there continues to be excellent discussion onimplementing technology with hardware [2]. This paper has a different focus and that is to usegraphical simulations of mechanical devices to

Conference Session

What's New in Dynamics?

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Peter Avitabile, University of Massachusetts-Lowell; Tracy Van Zandt, University of Massachusetts-Lowell; Jeffrey Hodgkins, University of Massachusetts-Lowell; Nels Wirkkala, University of Massachusetts-Lowell

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation The authors are gratefulfor the support obtained from NSF to further engineering education.VII Bibliography1 Higley,K.A., Marianno,C.M., “Making Engineering Education Fun”, Journal of Engineering Education, Vol 90, No. 1, pp105-107, January 20012 Davis,B.G., “Tools for Teaching”, Jossey-Bass Publishers, San Francisco, 1993, p100.3 Piaget,J., “To Understand is to Invent”, Grossman, New York, 1973.4 Vygotsky,L., “Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes”, Harvard University Press, MA, 1978.5 Starrett,S., Morcos,M., “Hands-On, Minds-On Electric Power Education”, Journal of Engineering Education, Vol 90, No. 1, pp93-100, January 20016

Conference Session

What's New in Dynamics?

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Peter Avitabile, University of Massachusetts-Lowell; Stephen Pennell, University of Massachusetts-Lowell; John White, University of Massachusetts-Lowell; Charles Van Karsen, Michigan Technological University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

multisemester dynamicsystems project. The salient feature of the project is that material from various courses (such asdifferential equations, mathematical methods, laboratory measurements and dynamic systems) isintegrated in a fashion that helps the students understand the need for basic STEM (Science,Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) material.AcknowledgementSome of the work presented herein was partially funded by the NSF Engineering EducationDivision Grant EEC-0314875 entitled “Multi-Semester Interwoven Project for Teaching BasicCore STEM Material Critical for Solving Dynamic Systems Problems”. Any opinions, findings,and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and donot necessarily reflect the views

Conference Session

Teams, Teaching, Leadership, and Technical Communications in Mechanical Engineering

Collection

2017 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kenneth W. Van Treuren, Baylor University; Cynthia C. Fry, Baylor University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

Team,” Session 2525, ASEE Conference and Exposition, Nashville, TN, June 22-25,2003.19. Sheridan, Patricia, Gammal, Lobna, Phillips, Jennie, Evans, Greg, and Reeve, Dug, “A Team-effectivenessInventory for Guided Reflection and Feedback,” Paper ID #6820, ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Atlanta,GA, Jund 23-26, 2013.20. Sheppard, Keith, Dominick, Peter, and Blicharz, Edward, Developing Team-Work Skills Through a Core DesignThread, AC 2008-3132, ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Pittsburgh, PA, June 22-25, 2008.21. Edmonson, Charlie, and Summers, Donna, “Integrating Teamwork Across the Curriculum,” AC 2007-3248,ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Honolulu, Hawaii, June 24-27, 2007.22. Whalen, Richard, Freeman, Susan, Jaeger, Beverly

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Division Technical Session 11

Collection

2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Edward H. Currie, Hofstra University; Kevin C. Craig, Hofstra University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

reflects both the traditionalmechanism analysis and synthesis methods together with the best industry practices, e.g.,Rockwell Automation, Procter & Gamble. The mechatronic mechanism design process was implemented, and a slider crank wasbuilt to accomplish a prescribed task. This process was used in Mechanical Engineering SeniorCapstone Design during the fall 2018 semester. Seven design teams, with four students in eachteam, created four-bar mechanism applications using this mechatronic process, first creating aMatLab Simulink virtual prototype of the complete system, and then building a workingprototype with LabVIEW and the NI myRIO. The 7 four-bar mechanisms were: robot gripper,quick return, pick and place, windshield wiper, landing

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Division Technical Session 1

Collection

2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jingyu Wang, University of Oklahoma; Nyree Mason, Tuskegee University; Firas Akasheh, Tuskegee University; Gül E. Okudan Kremer, Iowa State University; Zahed Siddique, University of Oklahoma; Yingtao Liu, University of Oklahoma

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

significant misconceptions as reflected by the observation that only 37% of the studentscorrectly categorized the relevant keywords. Although not as pronounced, students also seem tostruggle with micro-scale structure concepts with only 50% of the students correctly categorizingthe relevant keywords.(a) (b)(c) (d)(e) (f)Figure 5. Analyses of student responses to the solid mechanics related keywords questions.Since the second given question had multiple correct answers, the students’ answers showed theirin-depth understanding and the connection between mechanics, materials, and processing. Allstudents who participated

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Technical Session: Mechatronics & Simulation

Collection

2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Benjamin B. Wheatley, Bucknell University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

solution,the need for proper procedures such as mesh convergence and verification and validation, andthe benefit of techniques such as a sensitivity study. As an instructor, one can only hope that inaddition to students gaining technical skills in a finite element course, that they also gain acontextual understanding of how to properly employ this technique. While ethical use of finiteelement model is certainly a topic of great relevance, it is outside of the scope of this work.However, the point should be made that ethical decision making can assist with difficultproblems in cases where some outcomes may seem cheaper or easier.AssessmentStudents were provided an opportunity to reflect on the course learning goals identified in thecourse at the

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Technical Session: Mechatronics & Simulation

Collection

2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Lan He, Beihang University; Jingjun Yu, Beihang University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

entire process of curricula and project.Evaluation systemDifferent from the traditional simple book-exam testing method, the new evaluation systemfor each related course should score a student in the perspectives of comprehendingapplication of knowledge and the abilities of engineering practice. Because the eight coursesin this draft are interconnected through “handwriting robot” project, the realization of“handwriting robot” can reflect a part of students’ learning outcomes. The syntheticevaluation system consists of the usual-time performance (20%), final examination (30%)and achievement demonstration and result defense (50%), which applies to every course.Moreover, considering the difference in students’ abilities and encouraging students to

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Technical Session: Dynamics II - Feel the Vibe

Collection

2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Yucheng Liu P.E., Mississippi State University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

students to better understand the damping and its associated properties through the development and implementation of new instructional tools, a course assessment questionnaire was conducted in the Fall 2018 class to reflect the impact of the presented curriculum development activities on student learning. In order to determine the effects of the two developed vibration systems on this course, a course assessment questionnaire designed by the author [10, 11] was used to collect student perceptions and the results were compared with the student feedback collected in the Fall 2017 class [7, 8]. 4.1 Course Goals Table 3 shows how students compared their level of knowledge for related topics before and after this

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Division Technical Session 4

Collection

2018 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Gregory Martin Freisinger, U.S. Military Academy; Richard Melnyk, U.S. Military Academy; Brian J. Novoselich, U.S. Military Academy

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

cultural approach, Upper SaddleRiver, N.J. Pearson Prentice Hall.18 Reifman, A., J.J. Arnett, and M.J. Colwell (2007) Emerging adulthood: Theory, assessment, andapplication. Journal of Youth Development. 2(1).19 "Epistemology." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 13 Jan. 2018.20 Kroll, B.M. (1992), Teaching hearts and minds: College students reflect on the Vietnam war inliterature, Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press.21 Felder, R.M. and R. Brent (2005) Understanding student differences. Journal of EngineeringEducation. 94(1): p. 57-72.22 Wise, J.C., S.H. Lee, T. Litzinger, R.M. Marra, and B. Palmer (2004) A report on a four-yearlongitudinal study of intellectual development of engineering undergraduates. Journal of

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Division Poster Session

Collection

2017 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Barbara Sabine Linke, University of California, Davis; Ian C. Garretson, University of California, Davis; Fahad M. Jan, University of California, Davis; Lee Michael Martin, University of California, Davis; Mohamed M. Hafez, University of California, Davis

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

modelmanufacturing. In week six, sustainability is introduced with the three dimensions: economy,environment, and society. The product life-cycle perspective is introduced. Furthermore,pollutants, embodied energy, and impacts on workers are discussed. Embodied energy describesthe energy necessary to produce material and products including losses due to materialextraction, manufacturing, transport, process inefficiencies, electricity generation, and more. Theaccompanying homework assignment will have the students calculate material and labor costs ina given scenario and reflect on additional costs and sustainability factors.In the seventh week, product quality is reviewed in detail with regard to part dimension.Measurement frequency varies from 100% control

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Capstone Design

Collection

2016 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

George Youssef, San Diego State University; Vladimir Arutyunov, California State University Northridge

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

development, when the exact type of interface is not yet decided, all consideredoptions should be listed on the connecting lines until the final trade-off study is completed. It isimportant to note that as design analyses take place and final decisions are made, the systemlevel diagram is iterated to reflect the development. Figure 3: Final phase of System Level Diagram construction.The parallelization between updating the system diagram and the engineering design processensures that students are technically developing while gaining system-level skills. The realizedoutcomes of the system composition phase are: 1- In-depth technical analysis of each component’s and subsystem’s performance; 2- Informed trade-off studies for each

Conference Session

Computer Modeling/CAD in Mechanical Engineering

Collection

2016 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Xiaobin Le P.E., Wentworth Institute of Technology; Ali Reza Moazed, Wentworth Institute of Technology; Anthony William Duva P.E., Wentworth Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

main tasks for mechanical engineering graduates in the industry is to design new products.This is also reflected in the ABET a-k criteria, specifically item c of the ABET a-k criteria,which is “c. ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs.” Therefore,product design is at the heart of any mechanical engineering major and demands attention [1]. Inorder to conduct successful product designs, the stress/strain of components under loadings mustbe fully explored and known. However, stress/strain of components/ assemblies withcomplicated geometries and loading, which typically encounter in industry, seldom have anexplicit theoretical solution.FEA (Finite Element Analysis) simulation is a numerical technique that

Conference Session

Thermodynamics, Fluids and Heat Transfer II

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Thomas Shepard, University of St. Thomas; Deify Law, California State University, Fresno

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

relevantproblems similar to what might be given on quizzes and tests. By working through the problemsstudents may also pay closer attention to readings in the textbook and attend office hours in orderto overcome confusion. Also, as pointed out in Fernandez, Saviz and Burmeister1, the opensetting in which homework is completed is more reflective of engineering practice than time-limited high-stakes exams. The reason for grading homework is commonly to incentivizestudents to give an honest effort and spend the required time to complete the assignment.Past research does provide evidence of the positive impact that graded homework can have onlearning. A review of 15 published studies on elementary and secondary students showed that in85% of the cases

Conference Session

Engineering Laboratory Experiences

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Michael J. Schertzer, Rochester Institute of Technology (COE); Patricia Iglesias, Rochester Institute of Technology (COE); Kate N. Leipold, Rochester Institute of Technology (COE); John D. Wellin, Rochester Institute of Technology (COE)

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

seven. To reflect these changes, the course has grown from one credit totwo credits. Material for each lab was delivered in a two-week cycle with a one-hour lecture andtwo-hour lab period every week. Each lab had one dedicated lecture and additional lectures wereadded to further emphasize broader topics including data acquisition, measurement uncertainty,and statistical analysis.In addition to the updated course content, the Toyota A3 report format has been adopted for alllabs to expose students to a wider variety of tools for technical communication and to foster aspirit of creative and innovative problem solving. In keeping with the iterative nature of thesereports, the general process for each lab involves multiple events with feedback from

Conference Session

Design Throughout the Mechanical Engineering Curriculum

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

David C. Jensen, University of Arkansas; Dennis Beck, University of Arkansas

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

directly observe what happens in engineering design, model the practiceof their teacher, and reflect on the ideas they learn, including addressing any relatedmisconceptions. Teachers encourage the development of their learners by making tacit knowledgeexplicit, modeling effective strategies for completing tasks, providing scaffolded support whenlearners are practicing new tasks, and offering specific feedback for improvement15. Thisapprenticeship is vitally important for the transferability of what is assumed to be learned in anorientation or training session to become actual practice. As part of this research, additive manufacturing is being explored as a means of implementingthe theoretical cognitive learning concepts. Research on the use of

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Division Poster Session

Collection

2016 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Robert J. Rabb P.E., The Citadel; Monika Bubacz, The Citadel; Jason Howison, The Citadel; Kevin Skenes, The Citadel

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

] Tinto, V., “Research and practice of student retention: What next?”, Journal of College Student Retention:Research, Theory & Practice, 2007, v. 8 no. 1, p. 1-19.[2] Chen, X. “STEM Attrition: College Students’ Paths Into and Out of STEM Fields”, National Center forEducation Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC, 2013.[3] Veenstra, C.P., Dey, E.L., Herrin, G.D., “Is Modeling of Freshman Engineering Success Different fromModeling of Non-Engineering Success?” Journal of Engineering Education, Washington, D.C., 2008, v. 97 no. 4,October, p. 467-79.[4] Harris, J. G., “Journal of Engineering Education Round Table: Reflections on the Grinter Report”, 1994 (1), p.69-94[5] Carr, R., Thomas, D

Conference Session

Design throughout the Mechanical Engineering Curriculum I

Collection

2016 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

John Carmine Vaccaro, Hofstra University; Kevin C. Craig, Hofstra University; Alexander Hans Pesch, Hofstra University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

Curriculum with Coherent ThemeAbstractA design engineer uses math to solve real-world problems. To that end, traditional mechanicalengineering curricula teach modeling and analysis skills in a set of specific, often decades-old,courses. This regiment of courses give the student the skill set needed to be an engineer, but is alltoo often insufficient at teaching that student how to use that skill set. That is, the student is ill-prepared to bring those multidisciplinary skills together to solve problems, to actually be anengineer.A new curriculum strategy is proposed in which at least one course each semester reflects theconcepts of model-based design. Therefore, the engineering student becomes progressivelymature in applying his or her

Conference Session

Learning and Assessment in ME 2

Collection

2017 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

John A. Mirth, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

material, withmany students viewing any given video multiple times. Students took advantage of the outcomebased assignments to progress at their chosen rate, with several students finishing the course oneor two weeks prior to the end of the term.IntroductionIf one is seeking information on the best teaching practices in higher education, or engineeringeducation, you do not need to go far to find a vast library of resources. Terms such as “activelearning”, “flipped classrooms”, “hybrid courses”, “reflective thinking”, “standards-based grading”,and others run through the literature (for examples see Felder et. al, 2011[1]). As an engineeringprofessor, I find the number of options and recommendations to be somewhat daunting. Myneeds are not for more

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Technical Session: Pedagogy II - Best Teaching Practices

Collection

2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

J. Blake Hylton, Ohio Northern University; Lawrence Funke, Ohio Northern University

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

also required in 2019 for the first time. These required the students to reflect on what theylearned and did the previous week and set goals for the following week. These were added to encourageself-paced learning, effective use of videos, and goal setting. The percentage of course grade comingfrom homework and a semester-long, group project was decreased to allow for the addition of videoquizzes and journal entries to the grading scheme.Population AnalysisThe dataset includes 156 students who completed the course across three years – 2017 and 2018, whichwere taught with a traditional instructional model, and 2019, which was taught using a flipped coursemodel. Student grade in the course, final exam score, cumulative GPA entering the semester

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Technical Session: Mechatronics & Simulation

Collection

2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Xiaobin Le P.E., Wentworth Institute of Technology; Anthony William Duva P.E., Wentworth Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

conditions in FEA software. Thedifficulties arise in ensuring the implemented loading and support conditions in the FEAsimulation reflect or match actual loading and support conditions of the real product.(3) The meshing and convergence where users need to define the global finite element size andfine mesh element size refinements in stress concentration areas or important areas. This can bedifficult for students to master. A convergence condition approach will be typically satisfied byusing smaller element sizes around stress concentration areas. The smaller element size meansmuch longer simulation time and much larger required internal memory for the computer.(4) Data analysis where users need to properly interpret and to verify the simulation

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Technical Session: Potpourri

Collection

2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

John Crepeau P.E., University of Idaho, Moscow; Barry Willis, University of Idaho, Moscow; Sean Quallen, University of Idaho, Moscow; Steven W. Beyerlein, University of Idaho; Dan Cordon, University of Idaho, Moscow; Terence Soule, University of Idaho; P.K. Northcutt II, University of Idaho; Terri A. Gaffney, University of Idaho; Jeffrey Kimberling, University of Idaho; Angela C. Shears, University of Idaho; Ann Miller, University of Idaho

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

class had online competency modules to help in classes.Working through these on the students’ own time was beneficial. One student stated that thisteaching approach elevated his confidence in his knowledge of the course content. During thefirst semester that this approach was tried, word got out to the students about the structure of theclass, and other students in the program asked when their classes would be structured in thisfashion.Figure 2 shows the distribution of when the video modules were watched. The review course wasoffered on Tuesday nights. Students tended to watch the videos immediately before class.Unfortunately, this did not allow time for reflection between watching the videos, taking theknowledge area assessment and asking a

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Technical Session: Curriculum and Education

Collection

2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Shelby Ann McNeilly, Boise State University; Krishna Pakala, Boise State University; Donald Plumlee P.E., Boise State University

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

modernized bachelor-level program at BSU’s MBE Department was developedbased upon a range of stakeholder inspirations, one of the most critical being student feedback.Through course evaluations and direct reflection of learning, undergraduates had requested moreflexibility with class selection, more hands-on engineering, and more themed learning tracks.The faculty recognized these inquiries to be of similar premise to those presented by numerousmechanical engineering education reform initiatives and publications. In these documents, thediscussion of the disassociation between industry needs and what mechanical engineers new totheir careers are prepared to provide is relentless. With the understanding that the presentcurriculum had not been

Conference Session

Innovations for the Senior Year of the ME Curriculum

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Showkat Chowdhury, Alabama A&M University; Abdul Jalloh, Alabama A&M University; Ruben Rojas-Oviedo, Alabama A&M University; Mohamed Seif, Alabama A&M University; Amir Mobasher, Alabama A&M University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

university,reflects the uniqueness of the traditional land-grant institution, which combines professional,vocational and liberal arts pursuits. The University provides baccalaureate and graduate Page 12.342.3studies that are compatible with the times to all qualified and capable individuals who areinterested in further developing their technical, professional, and scholastic skills andcompetencies. AAMU is located in Huntsville, Alabama, which is known internationally as acenter of aerospace and defense technology. Huntsville is considered as a leader in high-techresearch, engineering services, information systems design and in the manufacturing

Conference Session

Trends in Mechanical Engineering

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Aleksandra Vinogradov, Montana State University; Carolyn Plumb, Montana State University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

subjects identified by the Engineering Accreditation Commission(EAC) as professional skills.IntroductionIn the past decades, significant strides have been made toward the development andimplementation of innovative strategies aimed at achieving excellence in undergraduate science,technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. Such efforts reflect theoverarching vision that the health of the U.S. economy in the 21st century directly depends on thenation’s ability to maintain its technological leadership in increasingly demanding, complex, andcompetitive international markets.Recent studies conclusively demonstrate that America’s technological infrastructure must betransformed in order to maintain “a diverse, competitive, and globally

Conference Session

Improving ME education: Broad Topics

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Amir Mobasher, Alabama A&M University; Ruben Rojas-Oviedo, Alabama A&M University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

feature to enhance retention rate at the sophomore level forconcentrating studies in engineering disciplines. Citing evidence of project oriented financialsupport for the students is an attractive technique for motivation. This motivation assuresstudents in multi task projects and thereby builds strength. This strength reflects students’learning and directs them towards completing their educational goals in engineering. In a truesense these potential graduates may involve in as many multidisciplinary tasks as they mayencounter in the working arena.RECRUITING STRATEGYEntering new freshmen as well as transfer students constitute big weight of the composition ofthe student body within a given program. It is therefore important to formulate a

Conference Session

Thermodynamics and Fluid Mechanics Instruction

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

John Cimbala, Pennsylvania State University; Laura L. Pauley; Sarah Zappe; Meng-Fen Hsieh, Pennsylvania State University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

they already feltconfident in the lab setting. Many students (50.8%) felt that they would rather have an in-classdemonstration than a take-home experiment. Reasons listed that students would rather have anin-class demonstration mostly reflected a negativity towards having to do additional workoutside of the classroom.Most of the students felt that the lab did not pose any difficulties with the equipment or withworking as a team. An overwhelming majority of the students (90.2%) agreed that theinstructions were easy to follow for the lab. Approximately 77% felt that they did not havedifficulties in using the equipment. A total of 85% felt that their team worked well together. Theopen-ended comments corroborated these results. The only potential