Conference Session

IE Technical Session I

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Elizabeth A. Cudney, Missouri University of Science & Technology; Steven Michael Corns, Missouri University of Science & Technology; Jennifer A. Farris, Texas Tech University; Stephen Gent, South Dakota State University; Scott E. Grasman, Rochester Institute of Technology (COE); Ivan G. Guardiola, Missouri University of Science & Technology

Tagged Divisions

Industrial Engineering

the fall semester of 2010, Stephen developed and taught a cross-listed undergraduate and graduate level course on simulation- based modeling and design using computational fluid dynamics. Prior to being at South Dakota State University, Stephen worked with the Simulation, Modeling, and Decision Science Division at Iowa State University’s Virtual Reality Application Center. His research while at these institutions included modeling complex multiphase fluid flows and systems of models to optimize engineering designs of energy systems. Stephen has been a coordinating instructor for undergraduate engineering laboratories, including fluid mechanics and heat transfer laboratories. Also, Stephen is actively involved with

Conference Session

Two Year-to-Four Year Transfer Topics Part II

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kenneth Wayne Santarelli, California State University, Fresno; S. Shelley, U.S. Air Force; Dhushy Sathianathan, California State University, Long Beach; Mark K. Smith, California State University, Long Beach, College of Continuing and Professional Education

Tagged Divisions

Two Year College Division

serving as a Director on the Antelope Valley Board of Trade and is the Honorary Commander of the 412th Electronic Warfare Group at Edwards AFB. He is also a member of several professional societies and has authored and co-authored several papers pertaining to the Antelope Valley Engineering Program.J. S. Shelley, US Air Force J. S. Shelley, PhD, PE After 20 years as a researcher and project manager with the Air Force Research Laboratories, Dr Shelley has transitioned to teaching mechanical engineering, mostly mechanics, for the past 6 years.Dhushy Sathianathan, California State University, Long Beach Dr. Sathianathan is the Associate Dean for Academic Programs in the College of Engineering at Califor- nia

Conference Session

Graduate Education and Undergraduate Research in ET

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Wei Zhan P.E., Texas A&M University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

; 2. Learning to use software, to use test equipment, and to conduct basic testing in the laboratory environment; 3. Completing part of a faculty member’s research project; 4. Using the results from the projects for curriculum development to bring the benefit to other students.With these goals in mind, the following two projects were selected: 1. DC motor speed control;2. Pump jack and AC motor control system design.The principles of DC/AC motors were taught in a course at the sophomore level, and bothstudents had successfully completed the course. The pump jack and AC motor control systemwas initially developed by a group of ET students as a capstone design project under theguidance of their faculty advisor10. It was

Conference Session

Developing Young MINDS in Engineering, Part II

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

G. Padmanabhan, North Dakota State University; Carol Davis, North Dakota EPSCoR

Tagged Divisions

Minorities in Engineering

from passiveto active learning, enhanced research and laboratory skills, and increased understanding andinterest in the discipline are some of the benefits undergraduate students gain by engaging inresearch. Therefore, “engaging the students in research” is adopted here as a major strategy toimprove their retention in STEM programs. Faculty involvement in research mentoring not onlyleads to their enrichment as teachers but also enriches them as scholars. Though theresponsibility of the tribal college (TC) faculty is primarily teaching, engaging in research anddeveloping research project situations for students, research provides them opportunities toenhance their teaching capability and professional development. In this collaborative model

Conference Session

Integrating Technical Research into Professional Development and K-12 Classrooms

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Muhittin Yilmaz, Texas A&M University, Kingsville; Carlos A. Garcia, Texas A&M University, Kingsville; Tamara D. Guillen, Texas A&M University, Kingsville; David Ramirez, Texas A&M University, Kingsville

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

research camp restrictions such as specific grade levels, minimum GPAsor a camp fee for the underserved minority population of South Texas, a state with a significantunderserved minority student population18. The end of camp survey verifies the camp outcomesand implies that the research-based outreach camps may have a larger impact on studentperspectives of engineering disciplines. Page 22.49.2The ESF Camp: The high school day-camp aimed to attract students to STEM disciplines byoffering a week-long hands-on advanced research experience for teams of three students on asingle subject under close faculty supervision in university laboratories. The camp

Conference Session

Computational Tools

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Joel Esposito, U.S. Naval Academy; Carl E. Wick, U.S. Naval Academy; Kenneth A. Knowles, U.S. Naval Academy

Tagged Divisions

Computers in Education

the robot’s functionality from within MATLAB’spowerful integrated development environment, which already includes numerical solvers, imageprocessing routines, neural network libraries, and control system design tools. We describe thedevelopment process and the toolbox’s features; and illustrate its capabilities with some projectsfrom our own Introductory Robotics class where it was beta tested. A student opinion surveyindicated that the toolbox was well received, but suggests its stability could be improved.1. IntroductionIt has been widely noted that engineering students benefit from a variety of teaching approaches,in particular visual and experiential learners prefer hands on laboratory experiences [1].Teaching robotics is no exception [2

Conference Session

Poster Sessions for Unit Operations Lab Bazaar and Tenure-Track Faculty

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Donald P. Visco, Tennessee Technological University; Jason M. Keith, Michigan Technological University; Jeffrey A. Nason, Oregon State University; Roger C. Lo, Department of Chemical Engineering, California State University, Long Beach; James P. Abulencia, Manhattan College; Sergio Mendez, California State University, Long Beach

Tagged Divisions

Chemical Engineering

Technology and Its Applications, along withcorresponding hands-on lab sessions. In the first course, the fundamentals of microfluidics, chipdesign, and microfabrication techniques are introduced in both class lectures and relatedreadings. In the lab sessions, students will actually go to our research laboratory to design andfabricate microfluidic chips using soft lithography. In the second course, the applications ofmicrofluidics technology, e.g., in chemistry, engineering, and biotechnology, are introducedthrough class lectures and journal paper readings. In the lab session, students will performexperiments on their microfluidic chips, such as DNA electrophoresis, mixing, organic synthesis,and fuel cell reactions, to get familiar with fluid

Conference Session

Use of Technology in Civil Engineering Education

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Harry Cooke, Rochester Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

diagrams or video. However,these approaches often do not provide students with a good “physical feel” for the behaviors andhence may not promote a deep appreciation and understanding of the topic. Even if there is alaboratory component of the course, the laboratory exercises often focus on testing proceduresfor measuring soil properties rather than a thorough exploration of soil behaviors and theircauses.The purpose of the study presented here is to investigate the effectiveness of using physicaldemonstrations of key soil behaviors in soil mechanics lectures, along with follow-updiscussions, to improve undergraduate student engagement and understanding of these behaviors.Some prior investigators have reported success in using physical

Conference Session

Recruiting, Retention, and Diversity in Engineering Technology

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Michael D. Rudisill, Northern Michigan University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

,reclosers, voltage regulators, reactors and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA)systems.ET 280 Protective Relay SystemsThis course looks at the protective relay system that is used to insure dependable distribution ofelectrical power. The system is developed from the basics of relay operation to the moderncommunication based relay tripping.Labs and Test EquipmentTo support the program the consortium members agreed to build a mock electrical substation onthe NMU campus to allow students in the program to have a realistic laboratory environment.All of the substation equipment including transformer, circuit breakers, voltage regulators andswitch gear were donated and assembled on campus. This was not new equipment but wascurrent equipment

Conference Session

Capstone Projects and Experiential Learning

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Cliff R. Mirman, Northern Illinois University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

thermal analysis of systems and economic and safety applications ofnano-particles use in cooling plant and develop laboratory set-up for testing of nano-particles.Quarter 4 - Report on benefits and specification of the use of nano-particles in locomotivecoolingTask 4 - Use of composite and exotic replacement materialsQuarter 2 - Report on components chosen and modifications in manufacturing and materials tobe used for replacement parts. Work with outside company to construct parts for testing and thenwith railroad to conduct tests. Develop manufacturing and economic study to compare parts.Quarter 4 - Report on test and analysis, and comparison of old and new parts developed.Task 5 - Tribology ApplicationsQuarter 2 - Report on frictional issues

Conference Session

Innovations in Computing Education

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Thomas J. Hacker, Purdue University, West Lafayette

Tagged Divisions

Computing & Information Technology

clustersystems across a collection of virtual machines. This paper will explore the pedagogical andtechnological issues involved in the use of virtualization and cloud computing technologies forHPC education, focusing on: mixed use of physical and virtual computing environments; highperformance networking fabrics; pedagogical limitations of virtual and cloud computing; thedevelopment of an effective teaching laboratory for virtual clustering; and the performance andreliability constraints of a mixed virtual cluster environment. The paper will describe the use ofvirtualization software, specifically Xen, OpenVZ, and VMware, and an assessment of theviability of the Eucalyptus, NIMBUS, and OpenNebula cloud computing systems for use forvirtual clusters for

Conference Session

Factors Affecting Student Performance

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Grant P. Richards, Purdue University, West Lafayette; Helen A. McNally, Purdue University, West Lafayette

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

preference for active over reflective learning with no significantdifference between the mean preference (p = 0.685). The strong emphasis on laboratoryexperiences in Engineering Technology curricula supports active learning styles. Contrary topopular anecdote, these results indicate that students do not exhibit a strong preference for activelearning over reflective learning at the early stages of their undergraduate academic career. Thissuggests that active learning experiences including laboratory exercises and interactive problemsessions may provide a slight learning advantage over reflective activities (homework, reports)for students at this stage. Active learners typically prefer group learning over individual learningactivities.Each group in

Conference Session

Qualitative Research Programs & International Research Experience from Around the World

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Yating Chang, Purdue University, West Lafayette; Joe J.J. Lin, Purdue University, West Lafayette; Juila D. Thompson, Purdue University, West Lafayette; Yi Shen, Purdue University; Brent K. Jesiek, Purdue University, West Lafayette; Eckhard A. Groll, Purdue University, West Lafayette; Edwin Daniel Hirleman, Purdue University, West Lafayette

Tagged Divisions

International

optimization. He worked as a production control engineer in Taiwan, and has taught laboratory classes in manufacturing engineering and freshmen engi- neering in the U.S. He earned his Bachelor and Master degrees in Industrial Engineering from National Tsing Hua University (Taiwan) and Purdue University (U.S.A). His ultimate career goal is to help cul- tivate world-class engineering graduates that can compete globally, as well as collaborate with the best engineers across different cultures.Ms. Juila D Thompson, Purdue University, West LafayetteYi Shen, Purdue University Yi Shen is a Postdoctoral Researcher in Engineering Education at Purdue University. She holds a Ph.D. degree in Information Studies from the University of

Conference Session

Build Diversity in Engineering Graduate Programs

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Allison Kang, University of Washington; Lisa A. Peterson, University of Washington; Elena Maria Hernandez, University of Washington

Tagged Divisions

Minorities in Engineering

through activities that provide for cognitive, social, and emotionalsupport. Cognitive support is common in undergraduate programs (laboratory research, tutorials,etc). However, social and emotional support components are typically not as well-developed andare often missing in programs targeting underserved students.For students to become full members of the community of scientists and engineers, they mustalso learn to communicate as scientists. One essential skill is learning how to become a criticalreader of peer-reviewed journals. A critical reader not only understands the material, but alsoanalyses how the author presents the material42. A critical reader will detect the purpose of theauthor, recognize bias, and be aware of tone/persuasive

Conference Session

Professional Graduate Education and Industry

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Carla C. Purdy, University of Cincinnati; Xuefu Zhou, University of Cincinnati

Tagged Divisions

College Industry Partnerships, Graduate Studies

generation of engineering faculty that are being trained in ourPFF program will be able to derive maximum benefit from the knowledge base being developedin the engineering education field and perhaps even to contribute to it themselves in the future.Changes in the Undergraduate ExperienceAmong a number of changes in a typical engineering undergraduate curriculum, one that standsout is a focus on undergraduate research. While a senior design project, often with industry input,is a staple of most curricula, laboratory-based research under the guidance of a faculty memberor senior graduate student is now also becoming a popular option, especially for undergraduateswho are identified as good candidates for graduate work. This trend has been found to

Conference Session

Trends in Mechanical Engineering I

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Matthew Spenko, Illinois Institute of Technology; Jamal S. Yagoobi, Illinois Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

into Engineering EducationAbstractIn 2009 and 2010, the Mechanical, Materials, and Aerospace Department at the Illinois Instituteof Technology held two workshops titled: “Integrating Innovation into Engineering Education.”Participants included representatives from NSF, national laboratories, universities, and industry.The focus of the workshops was to understand how to teach innovative thinking at theundergraduate level. Three specific questions were addressed: 1) what defines innovation in thecontext of engineering; 2) what skill sets are necessary for innovative thinking; and 3) how caneducators teach those skill sets in order to foster the innovative thought process. The results ofthese discussions are presented in this paper.1

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Technology Curriculum Innovations.

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Aaron K. Ball, Western Carolina University; George D. Ford, Western Carolina University; Frank Miceli, Asheville Bucombe Tech Community College

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

-the-shelf, readily available components thatcould lead to the development of a Ready-To-Assembly (RTA) kit with options based on theneeds of the consumer. Table 1: Technogenesis TM Model Developed by Sheppard and Gallois.Western Carolina University and Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College workedcollaboratively in the development of a PBL approach that could enhance learning opportunitiesfor both two and four year engineering technology students to carryout the CNC plasma projectat the community college laboratory test site. After reviewing designs for CNC plasma machinesrelative to cost, capacity and control system parameters of existing systems, benchmarks wereidentified for the PBL project. A decision was reached to

Conference Session

Developing Young MINDS in Engineering: Part I

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Rafic Bachnak, Texas A&M International University; Runchang Lin, Texas A&M International University; Rohitha Goonatilake, Texas A&M International University

Tagged Divisions

Minorities in Engineering

AC 2011-148: PROGRAM FOR STUDENT RETENTION AND SUCCESSIN ENGINEERINGRafic Bachnak, Texas A&M International University Dr. Bachnak is a Professor at Texas A&M International University (TAMIU). He received his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical from Ohio University in 1983, 1984, and 1989, respectively. Prior to joining TAMIU in 2007, Dr. Bachnak was on the faculty of Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Northwestern State University, and Franklin University. His experience includes several fellowships with NASA and the US Navy Laboratories and employment with Koch Industries. Dr. Bachnak is a registered Professional Engineer in the State of Texas, a senior member of IEEE and ISA, and a member of ASEE

Conference Session

Innovations in Teaching Physics or Engineering Physics II

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jeffrey A. Jalkio, University of Saint Thomas

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Physics & Physics

Introductory Physics Laboratory," The Physics Teacher 41, no.7 (2003): 394-401.2 Trevor S. Volkwyn et al., "Impact of a conventional introductory laboratory course on the understanding ofmeasurement," Phys.Rev.ST Phys.Educ.Res. 4, no. 1 (2008): 010108.3 Walter Bich, Maurice G. Cox, and Peter M. Harris, "Evolution of the 'Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty inMeasurement'," Metrologia 43, no. 4 (2006): S161-S166.4 R. Kacker, K. Sommer, and R. Kessel, "Evolution of modern approaches to express uncertainty in measurement,"Metrologia 44, no. 6 (2007): 513.5 BIPM et al., International Vocabulary of Metrology—Basic and general concepts and associated terms(VIM),Anonymous , 3rded. Joint Committee for Guides in Metrology, 2008)6 Raymond T. Birge

Conference Session

Best of Computers in Education Division

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kyle D. Lutes, Purdue University, West Lafayette; Teresa A. Shanklin, Purdue University

Tagged Divisions

Computers in Education

12 and 20 students per semester. The numbers are limited by the number ofworkstations and mobile devices in our mobile computing laboratory. Page 22.1305.2This first offering of CIT 355 had students programming applications for the Microsoft PocketPC PDA platform as this platform was the clear market leader in the handheld device space atthe time. Students used the C# programming language, the Visual Studio IDE, and the .NETCompact Framework class libraries when developing applications. In addition to being a popularplatform, this environment proved useful for pedagogical reasons as our students had used VisualStudio IDE and C# in prerequisite

Conference Session

Interdisciplinary Education in Engineering Technology

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Iem Heng, New York City College of Technology; Andy S. Zhang, New York City College of Technology; Farrukh Zia, New York City College Of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

design technology) meet in the center to discuss and share their ideas,to test design concepts, to experiment with and to hold workshops and seminars.The MTC consists of a new robotic laboratory and several existing laboratories. The existinglaboratories are: CAD, Materials Testing, Manufacturing, Control Systems, Instrumentation, andComputer Controlled Systems Laboratories.These state of the art software and hardware give designers the necessary freedom to choose andtest their design ideas. They enable designers to try different options and to offer different designalternatives. New machines such as a CNC milling center, injection molding, water jet, and 3Dprinters have been utilized by faculty and students to make parts for their design

Conference Session

Assessment Methods and Learning Pedagogy II

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Farrokh Attarzadeh, University of Houston; Deniz Gurkan, University of Houston; Mequanint A. Moges, University of Houston; Victor J. Gallardo, University of Houston; Mehrube Mehrubeoglu, Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi; Morteza Sameei, Houston Community College Northeast

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

concept mapping were presented by invited faculty. Samples of concept mapscreated by current lab assistants were presented as learning objects. One additional goal was thecreation of a library of concept maps for CLABS. In addition, at the beginning of each semester,the Lab Management team and faculty offer a two-day laboratory assistant orientation workshop.Topics such as teaching techniques, safety procedures, professional etiquette, and organization oflaboratories were covered during the workshops. The attendees included Lab Assistants (LA),Student Assistants (SA) and Undergraduate Mentors (UGM) although, this specific workshopwas aimed to the LA's, SA's and UGM who were involved directly in the ELET 1100, ELET1101, ELET 2103 laboratories as

Conference Session

NSF Grantees Poster Session

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Hirak C. Patangia, University of Arkansas, Little Rock

Tagged Topics

NSF Grantees

engineering and other university students who want to explore engineering as a career path or for personal enrichment. He has written a textbook and a laboratory manual for the course ’Introduction to Electronics and Electrical Systems: A PBL Approach’.He has received numerous awards for teaching excellence at UALR including Donaghey Outstanding Teacher award. He has also received recognition for research excellence from the chancellor and college. His research interest is in the gen- eral area of signal processing (analog/digital) and he is working on new approaches in inverter design and solar controller to improve efficiency of solar energy conversion. He received the bachelor’s degree with honors from Indian Institute

Conference Session

Experiential Learning Programs and the Transition to Industry

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Roy Pruett, Bluefield State College; Bruce V. Mutter, Bluefield State College

Tagged Divisions

College Industry Partnerships

was able to assist us. Working closely Page 22.280.3with an active and energetic member of our IAC, this ELET faculty member was able to securePLC equipment valued at approximately $100,000.00 and suitable to begin lab work. As ourPLC laboratory began to take shape, we were also able to secure other units from variousmanufacturers. The demonstrated commitment of the IAC and our industrial partnersencouraged the College to make supplementary purchases of various PLC-enabling software andsupporting programs that would not have occurred otherwise. Today, our PLC laboratory is thebest equipped in our State and the western area of a neighboring

Conference Session

Non-Technical Skills in ET

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Donald C. Richter, Eastern Washington University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

audits at industrial facilities. The author led over 90 of these audits.The basic structure of the course on a quarter system is five credits, four hours of lecture perweek and two hours of laboratory per week. During the course of the quarter the student learnsthe development of the energy audit procedure including energy saving calculations for industrialsettings. The student develops and explores the creation of industrial energy audits through theextensive use of case studies. The student is presented the structure and outline of an energyaudit process including learning how to identify and classify the parts of the energy audit. Page

Conference Session

Innovative Instructional Strategies and Curricula in ECE II

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Prawat Nagvajara, Drexel University, Electrical and Computer Engineering ; Robin Kizirian, Drexel University, Electrical and Computer Engineering

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

laboratory manual5.The relevance of the project can be justified by the sensitivity of electronic devices totemperature. Most of these devices contain fans which have to be controlled to keep theelectronic environment at a stable temperature. This represents a practical application that canfamiliarize students with different engineering theories and concepts such as PWM andfrequency measurement techniques.The system design is shown in Figure 2(a). The fan is equipped with an integral tachometerwhich allows the monitoring and controlling of the fan’s speed. The controller utilizes a simplepulse width modulator to change the width of the pulse provided to the fan and thus, allowing tochange its speed. Although the fan’s speed is calculated by

Conference Session

Mechatronics in the Curriculum

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Garrett M. Clayton, Villanova University; Rebecca A. Stein, University of Pennsylvania

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

Permanent Magnet Direct Current MotorsAbstractMotors are an important curricular component in freshman and sophomore introduction tomechanical engineering (ME) courses as well as in curricula developed for high school scienceand robotics clubs. In order to facilitate a hands-on introduction to motors, an inexpensivepermanent magnet direct current (PMDC) motor experiment has been developed that givesstudents an opportunity to build a PMDC motor from common office supplies along with a fewinexpensive laboratory components. The novelty of the presented experiment is that itincorporates many aspects of commercially available PMDC motors including, windings, a rotor,bearings, a commutator, and brushes. In this paper, the experiment is presented along

Conference Session

Knowing Ourselves: Research on Engineering Education Researchers

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Stephanie M. Gillespie, University of Miami; Ann F. McKenna, Arizona State University, Polytechnic campus; Russell Pimmel, National Science Foundation

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

expertise in design and innovation, the impact and diffusion of education innovations, and teaching approaches of engineering faculty. Dr. McKenna received her B.S. and M.S. degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Drexel University and Ph.D. from the University of California at Berkeley.Russell Pimmel, National Science Foundation Russell Pimmel is the lead Program Director for the Course, Curriculum and Laboratory Improvement (CCLI) Program and also is involved in the Advanced Technology Education (ATE) Program, and the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Talent Expansion (STEP) Program. He also works on the Stem Talent Enhancement Program (STEP) and the Advanced Technology (ATE) Program. He joined NSF

Collection

2011 Fall ASEE Middle Atlantic Section Conference

Authors

Hossein Rahemi; Shouling He

classroom presentation. 531Computational and hands-on project-based learningThe aim is to implement a methodology based on computational and hands-on project-based learningmodel [1], [2] such that to improve and enhance students’ hands-on experiences, problem solving skillsand communication capabilities through the new Mechatronics Engineering program developed atVaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology. Figure 1 shows the graphical model of computationaland hands-on project-based learning.To provide students with the skills needed in Mechatronics Engineering, the department has developed astate-of-the-art Automation Mechatronics Laboratory to provide students opportunities to gain hands-on

Collection

2011 Fall ASEE Middle Atlantic Section Conference

Authors

Daniel Schmalzel

panel ofprofessors makes the final team lists, and by noon on Thursday the teams are announced, andstudents are to report to their first clinic meeting. Although it may seem chaotic when described itis actually very well orchestrated and serves as a good view into the pace at which project teamsmay be assembled. This pace and limited initial knowledge introduces them to another vital skill inengineering, confidence. Often the student will have to confidently make decisions after arelatively short learning curve.Rowan University’s Center for Sustainable Design (CSD) DescriptionAt Rowan University, a number of sustainably focused clinics and projects are regularly offeredfrom The Center for Sustainable Design (CSD). The CSD has laboratory space