Conference Session

Experiential and Service Learning

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Gregory Bucks, Purdue University; William Oakes, Purdue University; Carla Zoltowski, Purdue University; Frank DeRego, Purdue University; Silvia Mah, University of California-San Diego

Tagged Divisions

Multidisciplinary Engineering

highly multidisciplinary, and faces many of these issues. In an attemptto address these issues, the program has adopted several strategies. Those strategies, which arediscussed in this paper, are the incorporation of multidisciplinary leadership in the use ofadvisors and teaching assistants from various disciplines, the use of inclusive language in thecourse outcomes, and the use of National Instruments LabVIEW to provide a common technicalmedium in which students can work.Need for Multidisciplinary TeamsIn their report The Engineer of 2020[1], the National Academy of Engineering highlightedthirteen different attributes that an engineer in the year 2020 will need to be effective. One of thedriving factors in the development of these attributes

Conference Session

Capstone Design & Project Courses

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Darryl Morrell, Arizona State University; Robert Hinks, Arizona State University; Mark Henderson, Arizona State University

Tagged Divisions

Multidisciplinary Engineering

to engineering students;1, 2 these holistic modules includepre-requisite information, real-life applications, text material, simulations, and self assessment.In this paper, we present the initial development and informal assessment of an Engineering Con-nections Environment. We first discuss the unusual curricular context for which the ECE has beendeveloped, then describe in more detail the components of the ECE and how they work together.We then present the implementation of the ECE in the Fall 2006 semester and some assessment ofthe strengths and weaknesses of their implementation.Curricular ContextThe ECE has been developed in the context of a newly developed four-year multi-disciplinaryengineering program at the Polytechnic campus of

Conference Session

Sustainability & Environmental Issues

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

William Gaughran, University of Limerick; Stephen Burke, University of Limerick; Sonya Quinn, University of Limerick

Tagged Divisions

Multidisciplinary Engineering

students.In the context of engineering education this paper discusses the strategies used and the initialimpact, of (i) the introductory program intended for SMEs and Universities, and (ii) theintroduction and evaluation of the undergraduate environmental sustainability module.Key words/Phrases: Environmental Sustainability, pedagogical implications and evaluation.1 The EU Interregional modulesThe self-paced intervention is a suite of PowerPoint modules, which were designed as a resultof collaboration, between four regions of the EU representing industrial development agenciesand Universities in each of four countries. These included Ireland, Greece, Germany andFinland. The EU funded research project was entitled Towards a Sustainable Future

Conference Session

ABET Accreditation of Multidisciplinary Programs

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

David Cottrell, University of North Carolina-Charlotte

Tagged Divisions

Multidisciplinary Engineering

economy, and construction planning, scheduling, estimating, and management. Page 11.794.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2006 Integrating TC2K into a Multi-Disciplinary Seminar Course: Finding a Hook for the “Soft” OutcomesIntroduction The Department of Engineering Technology at the University of North Carolina atCharlotte (UNCC) has developed and implemented a comprehensive program leading to anacademic environment of continuous improvement consistent with the ABET TechnologyCriteria 2000 (TC2K).1 This paper describes practical techniques currently employed toeffectively integrate a select

Conference Session

Multidisciplinary Design

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mariappan Jawaharlal, California State Polytechnic University-Pomona; Uei-Jiun Fan, California State Polytechnic University-Pomona; Saeed Monemi, California State Polytechnic University-Pomona

Tagged Divisions

Multidisciplinary Engineering

started in1989 to promote science and technology to high school students, our future workforce. Therobotics experience helped high school students explore realms of engineering and technology Page 11.729.5through intensive hands-on exercises, and many of them chose engineering to be their 4educational objective and career path. (This project requires knowledge in robotics, machinedesign, manufacturing processes, automatic control, fluid power, microcontrollers, andelectronic circuits and devices.) Fig. 1 shows the robot built with the help of Cal Poly Pomonastudents in 2005

Conference Session

Multidisciplinary Course Innovation

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Karen High, Oklahoma State University; Charlene Yauch, Oklahoma State University

Tagged Divisions

Multidisciplinary Engineering

isprovided by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, Conoco-Phillips, NASA,and OSU CEAT. The academy is designed to introduce Oklahoma high school juniorsand seniors to engineering, architecture, and technology through hands-on, experientialmodules.For the one-day academy project/workshop prepared by the authors, the students weregiven a recipe and procedure to follow to make slime from poly(vinyl alcohol) bags(Table 1). They were also given relevant cost information (Table 1).There were two components of the design project: to come up with a robust process tomanufacture the slime and to develop a new product that used the slime as a basis. Thestudents were motivated by an ending evaluation that selected the best new product andthe best

Conference Session

Experiential and Service Learning

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Larry Bland, John Brown University

Tagged Divisions

Multidisciplinary Engineering

informal and experiential education results in learning but learning is not thebasic purpose of an activity.This research revealed 1) the pattern of learning interventions along the educational continuum isdifferent for those engineers that made a successful transition versus those that did not. Thelearning for a successful transition was weighted toward the experiential end of the continuum.2) The key educational content for those engineers who made a successful transition ismultidisciplinary. And 3) this multidisciplinary education takes place early in a career. Whenlooking at the ABET criteria 3d, “ability to function on multidisciplinary teams,” this career pathand educational study indicates that we should define multidisciplinary as

Conference Session

Multidisciplinary Course Innovation

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Juliet Hurtig, Ohio Northern University; John-David Yoder, Ohio Northern University; Michael Rider, Ohio Northern University

Tagged Divisions

Multidisciplinary Engineering

– Intelligent Systems (4 credits). Interdisciplinary student teams work to control complex, nonlinear systems. Students are introduced to neural networks, fuzzy logic, and genetic algorithms. The course also includes a project involving students at multiple universities. The prerequisite is ME 419 or ECCS 444. This is an elective course for either electrical or mechanical engineers. This course is running for the first time in Spring 2006. The typical enrollment is expected to be about 15 students. • ECCS 444 and ECCS 445 – Control Systems 1 and 2 (4 credits each). Classical feedback control systems. Mathematical modeling of systems. Design of feedback control systems using root locus, frequency

Conference Session

ABET Accreditation of Multidisciplinary Programs

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Joan Gosink, Colorado School of Mines; Sherra Kerns, Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering; John Weese, Texas A&M University; Edwin Jones, Iowa State University

Tagged Divisions

Multidisciplinary Engineering

discussionsregarding all aspects of the EC 2000 1 criteria. The non-traditional programs clearly needed aneffective and responsive voice in the establishment of their own criteria and requirements.Without this voice, the non-traditional programs could be subject to external judgments andmandates.Development of Interest in ASEE as a Lead SocietyThe origin of the idea to have ASEE seek designation as “Lead Society” for thesemultidisciplinary programs is not clear, but it certainly was suggested in the late 1990s if notbefore. For a while, there was little if any interest. Then, two entities concurrently proposed theestablishment of the ASEE as lead society for multidisciplinary programs: the ASEE Presidentand Board and the Multidisciplinary Engineering

Conference Session

Multidisciplinary Engineering and Business

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Terri Lynch-Caris, Kettering University; Andrew Borchers, Kettering University; Jacqueline El-Sayed, Kettering University; Trevor Harding, Kettering University; Craig Hoff, Kettering University; Benjamin Redekop, Kettering University

Tagged Divisions

Multidisciplinary Engineering

aspects of design and manufacturing.1” The NAE further states that Page 11.364.3“engineers have been aware that solutions to many societal problems lie at the intersticesof subdisciplines” and that “there is a growing need to pursue collaborations withmultidisciplinary teams of experts across multiple fields.” Thus, the idea of a multi-disciplinary course in designing products for the environment should prove to havenational merit in the field of engineering.The uniqueness of the course lies in the proactive product and process design focus, themulti-disciplinary faculty involved in module development and teaching, significantindustrial input into the

Conference Session

Multidisciplinary Curriculum Innovation

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Idir Azouz, Midwestern State University

Tagged Divisions

Multidisciplinary Engineering

philosophy and was developed for entirely different reasons than what is mentionedabove. To understand the rationale behind this program, a review of some of the circumstancesthat led to its creation follows.II. Rationale Behind the Integrated Engineering Program Page 11.459.2As mentioned earlier, there are several reasons that led to the creation of the IntegratedEngineering program at Southern Utah University: 1. according to the Utah Manufacturing Extension Partnership (UMEP), the majority (99.2%) of manufacturing companies in the state of Utah are classified as small companies (less than 500 employees). Figure 1 shows the distribution

Conference Session

Multidisciplinary and Liberal Education

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Tom Roberts, Kansas State University; John Mingle, Kansas State University

Tagged Divisions

Multidisciplinary Engineering

of teaching, learning, and understanding knowledge. Thisbroader definition was the focus of the author’s manuscript in 2004.1 LEARNING METHODOLOGIES DATA INFORMATION KNOWLEDGE WISDOM INFORMATICS Figure 1: The 6 Part Cognition Knowledging ProcessKnowledge is unstable; and, because of wide communication in the information age, decays toinformatics4 and then information. The time for this decay varies widely depending upon theinformation intensity of the domain where the knowledge first appears and also where the infor-matics first resides. In information age engineering, the process of knowledge moving from onefield of engineering to another

Conference Session

Multidisciplinary Course Innovation

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jeff Frolik, University of Vermont; Frederic Sansoz, University of Vermont; Donna Rizzo, University of Vermont; Adel Sadek, University of Vermont

Tagged Divisions

Multidisciplinary Engineering

engineering disciplines (civil, electrical, environmental and mechanical) and computerscience.Curricular Enhancements Our efforts to utilize wireless sensors for hands-on activities began in 2004 with our first-year, engineering design course. More recently, upper level courses have been developed andrevised to incorporate this technology. In addition, new courses are in development that willutilize wireless sensor hardware. Table 1 summarizes these courses which are detailed in theremainder of this paper. Table 1. UVM courses impacted by wireless sensor use Year Course Status Students Sensor Implementation Discipline per year First-year

Conference Session

Multidisciplinary Course Innovation

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jason Yao, East Carolina University; Loren Limberis, East Carolina University; Paul Kauffmann, East Carolina University

Tagged Divisions

Multidisciplinary Engineering

/sciencerequirement, and laboratory activities. Encountered difficulties and opportunities are identifiedand improvement plans are described. I. INTRODUCTIONSome universities offer general engineering programs to help students who are “fundamentallyinterested in becoming engineers but are not ready to select one of the engineering degreeprograms”. [1] After finishing the required courses by the program, students choose anengineering discipline to continue their degree program. A few universities offer a Bachelor’sdegree in General Engineering. However, the definitions of “General Engineering” in suchprograms are vague and vary. The following two definition statements attempt to explain theterm: Definition 1: “General Engineering is unique because it

Conference Session

Multidisciplinary Course Innovation

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

James Sweeney, Florida Gulf Coast University; Diane Bondehagen, Florida Gulf Coast University; Claude Villiers, Florida Gulf Coast University

Tagged Divisions

Multidisciplinary Engineering

experience with MATLAB®. At the start of the semester 80% of thestudents responding to a pre-course survey intended to major in civil engineering, 16% inbioengineering, and 5% in environmental engineering (N=44). In the same anonymous survey,students overall responded to the question “Given your current choice for major, on a 1-5 scale,how certain are you of your choice? (1 is least certain, 5 is most certain)” with an averagecertainty of 4.2 (standard deviation = 0.8).Course ContentThe primary learning outcomes for the course are that by the end of the semester, working in andoutside of class, students will: • Know the basic steps and strategies involved in approaching solutions to a problem • Have a basic understanding of the engineering

Conference Session

Intercollegiate and Cross-disciplinary Collaboration

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Eng Keng Soh, Engineering Design and Innovation Centre, National University of Singapore; Ameek Kaur, National University of Singapore; Ming Po Tham, National UNiversity of SIngapore; Desmond Y.R. Chong, National University of Singapore

Tagged Divisions

Multidisciplinary Engineering

the design projects in the thirdyear, and final year project (FYP) in the final year of the undergraduate study.Structure of the EIM ProgramThe EIM program is part of the Design Centric Program (DCP)3 of the FoE. The DCP takes instudents from different engineering disciplines to work together in multi-disciplinary projectgroups. Each project generally belongs to one of a few broad DCP themes, such as in FutureTransportation System (FTS), Engineering in Medicine (EIM), and Smart and Sustainable Cities(SSC).The current structure of the three-year EIM program is shown in Fig. 1. During Semester 3,which is the start of the second year, students undergo a 13-weeks hospital immersion training.Semester 4 and Semester 5 are the design project phases

Conference Session

Curriculum Development and Multidisciplinary Instruction

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Catherine Skokan, Colorado School of Mines; Ravel F. Ammerman, Colorado School of Mines; William Hoff, Colorado School of Mines

Tagged Divisions

Multidisciplinary Engineering

handwriting, helpful explanations, and the many illustrative examples that he doesin class. The other two instructors for the remaining sections were a Teaching Professor and anadjunct. These sections contained about 60 students each as well.The three main tasks in this project completed were: 1. The initial planning stage was done over the summer, 2011 by the PIs. At this time we refined the plan for delivering the hybrid course, and developed the methods for taking and posting the videos. We used Blackboard for hosting the videos, as this allowed us to restrict access to the videos to the students enrolled in the “hybrid” section only. 2. The effort during the fall semester was to tape the lectures and post them online. We

Conference Session

Capstone Projects, Design Projects, and Teamwork

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jacob T Allenstein, The Ohio State University; Bob Rhoads, Ohio State University; Peter Rogers, The Ohio State University; Clifford A Whitfield, Ohio State University

Tagged Divisions

Multidisciplinary Engineering

ofbusiness, engineering, and design elements. The program provides an opportunity for studentdesign teams to contribute to real industry products by experiencing the complete design cyclewhich includes; defining the problem, creating the requirements, creating design concepts,developing detailed specifications, creating a detailed design solution, building a prototype,validating the design, refining the design, documenting the design process and identifying futurerecommendations.An alumni-based survey was distributed to graduates who completed the multidisciplinarycapstone program. The survey focused on the initial and potentially lasting effects of the learningobjectives of the multidisciplinary capstone and their impacts on recent graduates’ (1-5

Conference Session

Micro-Technology and Nanotechnology

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Maher E. Rizkalla, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis; Mangilal Agarwal, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis; Sudhir Shrestha, Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis; Hazim A El-Mounayri, Indiana University Purdue University, Indianapolis; Kody Varahramyan, Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis

Tagged Divisions

Multidisciplinary Engineering

data also reveal the positive impact of theseinstructional modes compared to those utilized in traditional engineering coursework. This paperpresents these new delivery approaches and the sample research projects included within thenewly introduced nanotechnology courses.1. IntroductionNanotechnology is a rapidly advancing field that shows promise in solving current science andtechnology challenges through the innovative materials, processes/devices, and theirapplications. Nanomanufacturing including self-assembly has become an important tool indeveloping nanoscale devices applicable in medicine, electronics, and energy. Nanomaterialssuch as carbon nanotubes, graphene, quantum dots, and nanoparticles are of particular interest insensor

Conference Session

Integrating Art, Humanities, and Engineering

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Timothy W. Simpson, Pennsylvania State University, University Park; Marcus Shaffer, Penn State Architecture; Elisha Clark Halpin, Penn State University, School of Theatre, Dance Program; Amy Dupain Vashaw, Center for the Performing Arts @ Penn State; Dorothy H. Evensen, Pennsylvania State University, University Park

Tagged Divisions

Multidisciplinary Engineering

Creative Campus project, The Secret Life of PublicSpaces. An overview of the Creative Campus initiative is provided along with details on ourspecific project and the three capstone design projects that supported it. The perceptions of thefaculty “clients” for each capstone project are discussed along with relevant feedback that wasobtained as part of the overall project assessment. While tensions among the engineering andnon-engineering students and faculty “clients” ran high at times, two of the three capstone designprojects were recognized with Best Project awards at the end of the semester showcase as judgedby experts from industry, evidence of the benefits of working across multiple disciplines.1. Introduction: Capstone Design Projects at the

Conference Session

Integrating Art, Humanities, and Engineering

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

John J. Marshall PhD, University of Michigan

Tagged Divisions

Multidisciplinary Engineering

SmartSurfaces showed significant increases in communication, creativethinking and critical thinking over the other courses. Crisca Bierwert, Kirsten Olds, and JamesP. Barber documented the results as part of their work for the University’s Center for Researchon Learning and Teaching (CRLT).12 The survey elicited students’ self-reports of their learningthrough question sets with rating scales. The students were asked to compare the skills theydeveloped in MLTT-funded courses with their learning in other University of Michigan courses.Invitations to participate in the online survey were sent to 634 individuals. Overall, 417participated across the 14 courses, for an aggregate response rate of 66%. Table 1 (below)compares the percentage of participants in

Conference Session

Multidisciplinary Engineering Division Poster Session

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Genisson Silva Coutinho, Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia da Bahia; Ana Rita Queiroz Ferraz, Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana; Cristina Voigt Coutinho, Voigt Brasil Recursos Humanos

Tagged Divisions

Multidisciplinary Engineering

aconventional course would not have provided. Rather than a single tutor, all of the teachers hadbeen asked to connect their classes with the possible demands of the projects Progress wasdiscussed at weekly and monthly meetings. The results were excellent and several studentresearch and competition groups were formed and went on to win national and internationalprizes. We present and discuss the main aspects of the implementation process, the benefits ofthe course, and difficulties such as the barriers raised by the faculty team, problems withinfrastructure and the students themselves.1. IntroductionMechatronic engineering is essentially multidisciplinary engineering. Bringing togethercomputing, electronics, mechanics and other sciences requires an

Conference Session

Multidisciplinary Experiential Learning

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kathryn Jablokow, Pennsylvania State University; Jack V. Matson, Pennsylvania State University, University Park; Darrell Velegol, Pennsylvania State University, University Park

Tagged Divisions

Multidisciplinary Engineering

the use of social media. We also review thedemographics of our 124,000+ MOOC students, who represented nearly 200 countries and over35 academic disciplines, as well as statistics related to their enrollment, retention, and coursecompletion. Finally, we discuss the implications of MOOCs for engineering education in bothface-to-face and online formats, our recommendations for the development of MOOCs, thechallenges and limitations of our work here, and our plans for future research in this domain.1. IntroductionAlthough new on the educational scene, Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are already thesubject of great debate in terms of their educational value, academic rigor, financialsustainability, and role in higher education3,4,11,13,14

Conference Session

Integration of Engineering and Other Disciplines (Including Liberal Arts)

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Arthur Felse, Northwestern University; Igor Kourkine

Tagged Divisions

Liberal Education/Engineering & Society, Multidisciplinary Engineering

realize the importance of entrepreneurshipeducation in the undergraduate engineering curricula, but, perhaps not strongly enough to requireit. These statistics are also mirrored in how universities deliver entrepreneurship and technologycommercialization education – by way of optional minors, certificates, or electives. In mostengineering curricula, a senior design course is typically the only required experience thatincludes some aspects of technology commercialization. Although this is a good start, it is farfrom what is required to grasp the complexity of technology commercialization.Table 1. Graduate degrees awarded in the USA.Type of degree Number of degrees % international students Refs. *Engineering MS

Conference Session

Multidisciplinary Courses and Projects

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

M. Brian Thomas, Trine University; Andrea Mitofsky, Trine University; Vukica M. Jovanovic, Old Dominion University; John Eiler

Tagged Divisions

Multidisciplinary Engineering

multidisciplinary teams during their senior capstone courses. The design module wasintroduced in the fall 2011 semester, and was repeated in fall 2012 and fall 2013. Anassessment, conducted with current and former participants in fall 2013, demonstrates theefficacy of the project.1. INTRODUCTION.The engineering education community has embraced the concept of multidisciplinary designover the past two decades 1-3. This movement reflects a renewed emphasis on design in theengineering curriculum, particularly at the freshman (cornerstone) and senior (capstone) levels 4.The benefit of training engineers to work in multidisciplinary teams is self-evident whenconsidering the integration of mechanical design, electronics, software, human factors andergonomics, and

Conference Session

Capstone Projects, Design Projects, and Teamwork

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Emil H Salib, James Madison University; Joshua Alfred Erney, James Madison University; Matthew Edwin Schumaker

Tagged Divisions

Multidisciplinary Engineering

the Integrated Science and Technology (ISAT) program at James MadisonUniversity [1] is to prepare students to be professionally well equipped when entering theworkplace or enroll in graduate programs. This is accomplished by developing students‟ abilityto become problem solvers who are able to investigate local, national, and global issues not onlyfrom a science perspective but also from technology, engineering and social contextperspectives. During their Junior and Senior years, the program provides students with a uniquehands-on research, design and prototyping experiences in the form of Senior Capstone Projects.The intent of a capstone is for students to utilize competencies developed in the first three yearsof the curriculum in the

Conference Session

Intercollegiate and Cross-disciplinary Collaboration

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Barbara Burks Fasse PhD, Georgia Institute of Technology; James William Schwoebel, Georgia Institute of Technology; Ethan James Craig, Georgia Institute of Technology; Anish Joseph, Georgia Institute of Technology; Ajit Vakharia, Georgia Institute of Technology; Steve M. Potter PhD, Georgia Institute of Technology; Kim Dooley, Texas A&M University; James DUPE Linder, Texas A&M University

Tagged Divisions

Multidisciplinary Engineering

asset: the undergraduate researcher. This is the first step toward the ultimategoal of building a broad-based, interdisciplinary neuro-technology community. It is a model thatcan be applied to other initiatives seeking to encourage and support interdisciplinarycollaboration. Established in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at theGeorgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech), LINCR is similar to the China UndergraduateResearch Program (CURE) which was an NSF-funded URE designed to test the efficacy oflinking the research of global-partners through undergraduate students assigned to relatedprojects in both labs.1 Similarly, the goal of LINCR, funded by a GT FIRE (Georgia Tech Fundfor Innovation in Research and

Conference Session

Multidisciplinary Learning, Evaluation, and Assessment

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Matthew E. McFarland, University of Virginia; Reid Bailey, University of Virginia

Tagged Divisions

Multidisciplinary Engineering

University to assessthe impact of the Collaborative Engineering Program on its cohort of students.1.1 Research QuestionsThe long-term goal of this research is to improve understanding of how students become proficient atinterdisciplinary design for the purpose of creating better curricula to develop graduates with those skills.To facilitate this goal, the primary research method used was to observe engineering students from boththe Collaborative Engineering Program and not in the program working on interdisciplinary design teamson an engineering design activity. It uses a mixed-methods approach to address two main objectives,interdisciplinary collaboration and engineering design, by addressing two high level research questions.Research Question 1

Conference Session

Micro-Technology and Nanotechnology

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Harold T. Evensen, University of Wisconsin, Platteville

Tagged Divisions

Multidisciplinary Engineering

engineering experiences for first-year students asa means of improving retention and students’ understanding of the different engineeringdisciplines, as well as helping students select their major within engineering. At the Universityof Wisconsin-Platteville, we have developed a required course in which students rotate throughshort, hands-on modules for each engineering discipline on our campus, as a means of gaining anactive introduction to each discipline.1 Over 500 students per year move through this course.Further, this course has been adapted into a popular summer “camp” that has expanded from asingle offering to three.2 Additionally, the Electrical Engineering (EE) program created asimilar, one-credit required laboratory course for first year

Conference Session

Capstone Projects, Design Projects, and Teamwork

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Tomas Enrique Estrada, Elizabethtown College

Tagged Divisions

Multidisciplinary Engineering

focus onmultidisciplinary work and hands-on learning.1 The topics of student interest have evolved aswell. Studies show that an increasing percentage of students are drawn towards topics related tosustainability.2 Regardless of these changes, one thing that remains true is that small engineeringdepartments, particularly departments housed in small liberal arts colleges, are faced withadditional challenges. These challenges include working with limited resources (budget,laboratory space, equipment) and the necessity for the instructor to supervise projects outside ofhis or her area of expertise. Thus, it can be difficult to develop capstone project ideas that arerealizable in this setting. We believe the Hybrid Solar Tracker project was an