Conference Session

ERM Technical Session 11: Leadership and Collaborations in Engineering

Collection

2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Carmen Maria Lilley, University of Illinois, Chicago

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

Paper ID #25584Work in Progress: Exploring the Attributes of a Prototypical Leader AsViewed by Undergraduate Engineering StudentsProf. Carmen Maria Lilley, University of Illinois, Chicago Dr. Lilley’s research interests in engineering education focus on professional development of engineering students at the undergraduate and graduate level. In particular, she is interested in the nuances of how the intersection of race/ethnicity with gender affects professional development in the area of leadership and the long term career trajectory of an individual. Her other research interests are focused on syntheses of low

Conference Session

Biomedical Division Postcard Session

Collection

2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jeffrey A. LaMack, Milwaukee School of Engineering; Larry Fennigkoh P.E., Milwaukee School of Engineering; Paul Licato, Milwaukee School of Engineering

Tagged Divisions

Biomedical Engineering

one two-hour laboratory session eachweek. Following training, students are given access to the department maker space, whichfeatures 3-D printers, circuit fabrication stations, and hand and power tools. Approximately 50%of the lecture topics in the course provide a survey of biomedical engineering careers paths andour curriculum, and the remaining lecture topics relate to the design project. These includepresentations covering computer-aided drawing, electric circuits, cardiovascular physiology, andengineering standards. Laboratory activities provide practice in developing skills in usingSolidWorks (Dassault Systemes), making electrical measurements, fabricating circuits, and using3-D printers. Students work in pairs on the term design

Conference Session

Work-In-Progress Postcard Session

Collection

2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Taryn Melkus Bayles, University of Pittsburgh

Tagged Divisions

Chemical Engineering

the undergrads to be creative and to share their experienceswith K-12 students. All of our undergrads are great role models, and this is a chance to introduce K-12 students to technical areas and careers that they might have not considered. It is also an exercisein problem-based learning. Undergrads must decide what they need to learn, then figure out how tolearn it and then how to teach the material. Our undergraduate students also have the opportunity topractice communication skills with people who possess little technical knowledge. In addition, theyalso have to work in a group setting, towards a common goal and they have to critically assess theirown performance, as well as the performance of others.The project has the following

Collection

2019 CIEC

Authors

Paul McPherson; Kyle Reiter

actuallylooking for individuals that have a breadth of hands-on skills and practical experience relatedquality in their discipline rather than just management theories. Therefore, to adequately preparestudents for a career in manufacturing, and gain the necessary skills related to quality beforeentering the workforce, the author suggests developing partnerships with a diverse set ofmanufactures to integrate practical projects into the classroom. This paper will discuss therelationships with industry and the projects that students enrolled in Quality for Manufacturingcourse at Purdue University undertake to gain a well-rounded understanding of the various waysthat quality impacts industry.Building Connections with IndustryAs manufacturing companies

Collection

2019 CIEC

Authors

Gregory Lyman; Jeffery Wilcox; Rowdy Sanford

based instruction to prepare graduatesfor careers in industry. Each of the programs also utilize an Industry Advisory Board (IAB)comprised of industry experts to assist in curriculum steering and program development. Severalfaculty members within the programs, along with assistance from IAB members recognized aneducational gap between the students entering undergraduate degrees interested in robotics(based off of their robotics experiences in high school), and the demand from industry lookingfor graduates with knowledge in automation and industrial distribution. Conversations betweenthe EET program faculty and the IAB, lead to planning of a Robotics and Automation minor Proceedings of the 2019 Conference for Industry and Education

Conference Session

Entrepreneurship & Engineering Innovation Division Technical Session 5

Collection

2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Chris Carroll, Saint Louis University, Parks College of Eng.; Scott A. Sell, Saint Louis University, Parks College of Eng.; Michelle B. Sabick, Saint Louis University, Parks College of Eng.

Tagged Divisions

Entrepreneurship & Engineering Innovation

and Educational Materials and he has been formally engaged in K-12 engineering education for nearly ten years.Dr. Scott A. Sell, Saint Louis University, Parks College of Eng.Dr. Michelle B. Sabick, Saint Louis University, Parks College of Eng. Dr. Michelle Sabick assumed the role of Dean of Parks College of Engineering, Aviation and Technology at Saint Louis University in July of 2016. Prior to that she was Chair of the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Saint Louis University. Dr. Sabick began her academic career at Boise State University in Boise, Idaho where she co-founded the Center for Orthopaedic and Biomechanics Research and served as Chair of the Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering for

Conference Session

ConstDiv Technical Session 1 - Capstone & Case Study

Collection

2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

William P. Manion, University of Maine; Philip A. Dunn Jr. P.E., University of Maine

Tagged Divisions

Construction Engineering

sets the stage forbeginning their professional careers. Although service learning is relatively common ineducation, few examples were specifically noted in a review of ABET ETAC accreditedconstruction programs. This paper begins with a review of relevant literature to service learningin construction education programs, followed by a description of the two-semester educationalprogram and outcomes we expect students to achieve in the capstone process. At the time ofpublication, four semesters of students have responded to a reflective survey, asking aboutdevelopment of teamwork skills, awareness of the complexity of construction, communityservice, the construction profession, interpersonal skills, construction operations management,and open

Conference Session

Technological and Engineering Literacy/Philosophy of Engineering Division Technical Session 3

Collection

2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Sarah B. Lee, Mississippi State University; Richard A. Sun CFA, Mississippi Coding Academies; Randy Lynn

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Technological and Engineering Literacy/Philosophy of Engineering

Paper ID #24867Mississippi Coding Academies: A Nontraditional Approach to ComputingEducationDr. Sarah B. Lee, Mississippi State University Sarah Lee joined the faculty at Mississippi State University (MSU) after a 19 year information tech- nology career at FedEx Corporation. As an associate clinical professor and assistant department head in the Computer Science and Engineering Department, she is co-founder and co-director of the Bull- dog Bytes program at MSU that engages K-12 students with computing and provides trans-disciplinary professional development to K-12 teachers in computer science and cybersecurity. She is

Conference Session

Student Division Technical Session 2

Collection

2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kruse Michael Ranly, Ohio Northern University; Feng Jao, Ohio Northern University; Kiana Lynn Curtiss

Tagged Divisions

Student

Paper ID #26601Project-based Learning: An Integration of Real World Project in a 3D DesignClassMr. Kruse Michael Ranly, Ohio Northern University I am a 4th year student at the Ohio Northern University majoring in Manufacturing Technologies. I have been the Teacher’s Assistant for the TECH 2311: Product Design class for the fall 2018-2019 semester. After school I wish to pursue a career in the manufacturing field preferably designing factory layouts to implement robotic lines.Dr. Feng Jao, Ohio Northern University Feng Jao, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Technology at Ohio Northern University. She has been teaching

Conference Session

Issues in Mechanical Engineering Technology II

Collection

2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jorge Rodriguez P.E., Western Michigan University; Alamgir A. Choudhury P.E., Western Michigan University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

on input from industrial constituents will be conducted.It is expected that the development of these six modules will address the limited exposure tofluid power that current students of engineering and engineering technology programs have, thusallowing them to consider careers in the hydraulic fluid power industry. The initialimplementation of the proposed development will take place in the Fall semester of 2019.IntroductionFluid power industry has wide applications in the manufacturing segment across the globe, it is a$100 billion industry. This is an important component for the U.S. economy (i.e., roughly 25%of market share), with a ten-fold downstream economic impact for the top ten industries utilizingfluid power [1]. Its range of

Conference Session

Graduate Student Support

Collection

2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Michael R. Berta, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Univ., Daytona Beach; James J. Pembridge, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Univ., Daytona Beach

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

their professional careers. Fives,Hamman, and Olivarez [11] further summarized that research indicating that factors associatedwith role ambiguity, lack of decision making power, and perceived lack of control contribute toburnout among these pre-service student-teachers.Contemporarily, higher education news highlights the burnout of graduate students. Wedemeyer-Strombel [12] discussed the personal sacrifice of graduate school in terms of lost relationshipsciting the immersive, exhaustive, and unyielding demands of graduate student responsibilities.The immersive, demanding, and sacrifice-oriented acculturation of graduate students becomesnormalized in higher education because advisors and faculty control much graduate students’professional

Conference Session

Minorities in Engineering Division Technical Session 5

Collection

2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Harriet Hartman, Rowan University; Ralph Alan Dusseau P.E., Rowan University; Beena Sukumaran, Rowan University; Stephanie Farrell, Rowan University; Tiago R. Forin, Rowan University; Stephanie Lezotte, Rowan University; Kauser Jahan P.E., Rowan University; Sarah K. Bauer, Rowan University; Danilo Zeppilli

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Minorities in Engineering

college students (FGCS) face considerable obstacles to college success,including a lack of role models in the family, a lack of familial mentoring and support, a lack offamiliarity with the college climate, and, generally, lower socioeconomic status [1-6]. They tendto be less academically prepared for college, and English is not their native language for a higherproportion than of continuing-generation college students (CGCS) [3]. However, in many ways,recent research suggests that FGCS are very similar to CGCS. They respond to the same factorsencouraging college persistence and success [7-8], and often demonstrate considerable “grit” inpursuing their undergraduate careers (9), a factor instrumental in undergraduate achievement.Indeed, Boone and

Conference Session

Minorities in Engineering Division Technical Session 3

Collection

2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

José Carlos Villalobos, University of Central Florida; Uday K. Nair, University of Central Florida; Lisa Massi, University of Central Florida; Rachel Straney, University of Central Florida

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Minorities in Engineering

first-generationcollege students [9, 10].The CAMP-YES program design is based on the attributes described above, which are known topromote academic success, especially for under-represented groups. CAMP-YES is a S-STEMprogram funded by the National Science Foundation with a goal of preparing academicallyjjjjtalented, financially needy students to successfully transition to the workforce, graduate school,or create/work at a startup company. This diverse, cohort-based program has 124 junior andsenior STEM students (48% First Generation, 28% Women, 39% Hispanic, and 11% AfricanAmerican). CAMP-YES students choose from three career preparation pathways (Internship,Research, or Entrepreneurship Path) to explore their professional interests and make

Conference Session

Poster Session

Collection

2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mark Dempsey, Collin County Community College ; Ann F Beheler, Collin County Community College

Tagged Divisions

Computing and Information Technology

intently to business leadersand understand the trajectory of change they are bearing witness to [12].” If business andeducation can work together, “schools will have greater placement opportunities for graduates,and students will have far more employment and career options [12].”The CTC’s BILT – which includes IT experts from national companies based in regions acrossthe US – convenes quarterly to discuss emerging industry trends and provide program guidanceto faculty attendees. The CTC has found that only through frequent regular meetings can astrong relationship develop between business and educators. Each spring, the CTC’s BILT usesa unique voting system to rank and update a list of IT knowledge areas that entry-level ITworkers need to know in

Conference Session

Educational Research and Methods Division Poster Session

Collection

2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Stephanie Cutler, Pennsylvania State University, University Park; Kacey Beddoes; Rachel Miriam Vriend Croninger, Pennsylvania State University

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

their division. The list above is the list ofconfirmed divisions that sent out the announcement. Participants completed a screening surveythat asked about their experiences submitting and publishing with JEE. Seventy-three potentialparticipants responded to the initial survey; 62 volunteered to be interviewed. Two additionaltargeted surveys were distributed to recruit a representative sample of experiences. The firsttargeted survey was distributed to authors who had published in JEE in the past five years. Thesecond targeted survey was distributed to early-career faculty holding positions in engineeringeducation departments across the United States. Survey respondents were a mix of Assistant,Associate, and Full professors as well as non-tenure

Conference Session

First-Year Program Division Poster Session

Collection

2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Lindsay Corneal, Grand Valley State University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

students about the modules or suggesting topics todiscuss in their advice, it was very interesting to see that so many of the points discussed in themodules were the focus of the advice that was given by the students that had completed theengineering program (see Figure 2). This highlights the fact that these are important skills andthat successful students may be able to identify and develop them on their own, however, givingall students these insights upfront can help them develop these skills earlier. Establishing theseskills early in their college careers can prevent some initial poor performance, which can lead todiscouragement and attrition. “The amount of time needed to do engineering homework is so much more than in high school. Make sure

Conference Session

NSF Grantees Poster Session

Collection

2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Joel Alejandro Mejia, University of San Diego; Damian Ruiz, University of San Diego/San Diego State University; Vitaliy Popov, University of San Diego; Alberto Esquinca, San Diego State University; Danielle Gadbois

Tagged Topics

Diversity, NSF Grantees Poster Session

funded by the National Science Foundation (Awards #1826354 (RFE) and #1713547 (AISL)); one of these projects is developing a STEM summer camp that supports career pathways for Latinx students.Dr. Alberto Esquinca, San Diego State University Alberto Esquinca is an Associate Professor in the Department of Dual Language and English Learner Education at San Diego State University.Danielle Gadbois c American Society for Engineering Education, 2019 Asset-Based Practices in Engineering Design (APRENDE): Development of a Funds of Knowledge Approach for the Formation of EngineersAbstractAlthough different scholars have offered several reasons behind why Latinx

Conference Session

NSF Grantees Poster Session

Collection

2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Melissa Lynn Morris, West Virginia University; Robin A. M. Hensel, West Virginia University; Joseph Dygert, West Virginia University

Tagged Topics

Diversity, NSF Grantees Poster Session

progress paper discusses the Academy of Engineering Success (AcES), an NSF S-STEMsupported program, which employs known best practices to support and retain underrepresentedstudents in engineering through graduation. The goal is to graduate more students fromunderrepresented populations in an effort to ultimately diversify the engineering workforce.This paper describes this program’s unique implementation of a specific subset of retention bestpractices, such as facilitating (1) the development of both a feeling of institutional inclusion andengineering identity by providing opportunities for faculty-student and student-student interaction aswell as major and career exploration, (2) academic support, including support for the development ofbroader

Conference Session

Pre-College Engineering Education Division Poster Session

Collection

2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Constanza Miranda, Pontificia Universidad Catholica de Chile; Julián Iñaki Goñi, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile - Dilab UC - School of Engineering; Hellen Massiel Fuenzalida , Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile- Ingeniería UC- Dilab

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Pre-College Engineering Education

effects caused by the lack of parental participation in university education,prior educational disadvantages, among other risk factors (Cabrera, 2001). To overcome thesechallenges, many initiatives with both private and public funding have been deployed. Amongthese, engineering schools in the US have developed educational programs to instill engineeringabilities while students are still in high school. These programs have been called pre-engineeringprograms.Academic studies have showcased the benefits of pre-engineering education. For example, thesetype of programs in K-12 are linked to higher self-efficacy in engineering (Fantz, Siller &DeMiranda, 2011), increases in pursuing STEM careers due to the early exposure to math andsciences (Raines

Collection

2019 ASEE Zone I Conference & Workshop

Authors

Michael Martin

fromCollege to Career”, AC2011-1421, Proceedings of the 2011 Annual American Association ofEngineering Educators Conference.[10] Erez, M., 1981, "Fostering a career in Engineering". Journal of Vocational Behavior,Vol.18,pp. 115-120.

Conference Session

Manufacturing Division Technical Session 3

Collection

2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Divya Pahuja, Florida State University; Marcia A. Mardis, Florida State University; Faye R. Jones, Florida State University

Tagged Divisions

Manufacturing

three factors to remaincompetitive: “advanced knowledge,” “advanced processes,” and “advanced business models.”This study is both timely and important because in a dynamic field such as AM, educators andindustry leaders must work together to meet workforce needs. Clear understanding of AM caninform competency models, bodies of knowledge, and empirical research that documents school-to-career pathways. Both our findings and our methods may shed light on the nature of relatedtechnical fields and offer industry and education strategies to ensure their alignment.OverviewHaving a strong domestic manufacturing base is vital to the United States innovation leadership.Technology-rich advanced manufacturing (AM) provides an important foundation for

Conference Session

First-Year Programs: Work in Progress Postcard Session

Collection

2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Krishna Pakala, Boise State University; Kim M. B. Tucker, Boise State University; Samantha Schauer, Boise State University

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

hassupported close to 350 students over the past 5 years. Fall 2014 was the first time teaching afreshmen class for the FIR, and they had to adjust their teaching style to motivate 18-year-oldstudents. As someone who typically teaches upper-division Mechanical Engineering courses, theFIR had to change their classroom approach in order to work with first-year college students.The class contained several homework assignments which culminated into a final report. Theclass also had several seminars where faculty members came to the class as guest speakers, andthe FIR worked with the career center to host workshops. The EIRC’s class was more structuredduring the first semester.The second semester was more unstructured, meaning teams were allowed work on

Conference Session

First-Year Programs: Work in Progress Postcard Session

Collection

2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ramanitharan Kandiah P.E., Central State University; Krishna Kumar Nedunuri, Central State University; Edison Perdomo, Central State University

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

, understanding majors and careers,academic requirements, student responsibilities, and financial management, it was notcompletely tooled to handle some issues pertinent to engineering disciplines.In 2016, the authors received an S-STEM Grant from NSF (Undergraduate Scholarships forExcellent Education in Environmental Engineering and Water Resources Management(USE4WRM)) to address the challenges being faced by first-generation minority students inengineering programs and to improve recruitment and retention of financially deprived studentswith high academic credentials who would pursue their undergraduate degrees in EnvironmentalEngineering or Water Resources Management. Since Fall 2016, the authors have taught a sessionof FYS 1101 for these majors as a

Conference Session

M1B: WIP - Learning Experiences 2

Collection

2019 FYEE Conference

Authors

Kimberlyn Gray, West Virginia University Inst. of Tech.; Rachel L. Bragg, West Virginia University Institute of Technology

Tagged Topics

FYEE Conference - Paper Submission

happen.Various studies of writing transfer, such as those conducted by Bergman and Zepernick andWardle, have sought answers to questions related to writing skills learned in first-yearcomposition courses and how those skills are applied in other courses, including those specific toa student’s discipline [2]. Studies like those of Bergman and Zepernik have found that “studentsperceived writing in English classes to be very different in kind from the writing they did in othercourses” [3]. Thus, understanding how transfer of writing skills from first year writing coursesto engineering courses occurs for engineers, whose career path includes a wide variety of writingtasks, is an important area to consider. An examination of the writing of first year

Conference Session

Embedded Systems & Cybersecurity for ECE

Collection

2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Shiny Abraham, Seattle University; Mehmet Vurkaç, Seattle University; Agnieszka Miguel, Seattle University; Nhan K. Nguyen, Seattle University; Olsen John Salgado Ong, Seattle University

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

; 3:Likely; 4: Extremely likely Q4: To what extent do you 3 3 4 2.67 3 2 anticipate using what you’ve learnt in your future career?* We included the mean even though it’s not recommended by statisticians for Likert data because itseemed to add to the interpretability of the median and mode which alone would give the impression thatthe results were too similar across the board Post-activity Survey Responses 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 Fall 2017 Fall 2018 Fall 2017 Fall 2018 Fall 2017 Fall 2018 Fall 2017 Fall 2018 Q1 Q2 Q3

Conference Session

Liberal Education/Engineering & Society Division Technical Session 5

Collection

2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Katie Barillas, Rowan University; Stephen Fernandez, Rowan University

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Liberal Education/Engineering & Society

of Engineering(NAE) Grand Challenges of Engineering. To determine if students’ career paths generally led tosolutions for these problems, they were given statistics that showed the companies that are themajor employers for Rowan University graduates. This encouraged students to reflect on theirfuture career paths and to consider whether the companies they may work for are providingsolutions for either the problems students identified or the NAE Grand Challenges ofEngineering. The technical discussion focused on developing the chassis for the drone. Severalstudent groups also gave technical presentations on the topic of FAA regulations for smalldrones.During weeks four and five, we had students explore many issues related to

Conference Session

Creating Impactful Learning Experiences for Engineering Leaders

Collection

2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Meg Handley, Pennsylvania State University, University Park; Dena Lang, Pennsylvania State University, University Park; Andrew Michael Erdman, Pennsylvania State University, University Park; John Jongho Park, Pennsylvania State University, University Park

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Leadership Development

Paper ID #25320Leaders as CoachesDr. Meg Handley, Pennsylvania State University, University Park Meg Handley is currently the Associate Director for Engineering Leadership Outreach at Penn State University. Previously, Meg served as the Director of the Career & Corporate Connection’s office at the Smeal College of Business at Penn State University. Meg completed her PhD in Workforce Education at Penn State, where she focused on interpersonal behaviors and their impact on engineering leadership potential. Meg is a board certified coach with experience in developing students’ leadership and professional com

Conference Session

Insights for Teaching ECE Courses - Session I

Collection

2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Safeer M. Khan P.E., Arkansas Tech University; Mohamed Ibrahim, Arkansas Tech University; Nansong Wu, Arkansas Tech University

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

many career choices available to them. The engineering profession isalso about dedication to problem-solving and making the world sustainable.To prepare students in navigating the rigors of engineering programs and succeed in theengineering profession requires mastery of quantitative skills. These skills prepare students tohandle data and use numerical methods for systematic analysis and design of engineering systems.The students also follow engineering design processes to identify and solve complex problems.Engineering design is purposeful and requires formulation of an explicit goal. Engineers mustchoose the best possible option within the constraints of time, cost, tools, and materials. It is alsoa systematic and iterative process that

Conference Session

Liberal Education/Engineering & Society Division Technical Session 6

Collection

2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Cynthia Hampton, Virginia Tech; David Reeping, Virginia Tech

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Liberal Education/Engineering & Society

graduate career was the concept of reflexivity.This reflexivity was represented in my methodological coursework as a tool to be used whileconducting qualitative research. As a means of checks and balances, this tool’s purported usebecame a way to navigate through qualitative research in a manner that acknowledged therelationship between the researcher as an instrument and the processing of information over thecourse of research projects [8]. This navigation can be conceptualized in practices such as fieldtexts and reflections before, after, and during interaction with research participants as a means toshow proof of consideration of positionality, specifically for communities of color [9]. This tool,however, seemed to be accepted as a one size

Conference Session

Course Transformation in ECE

Collection

2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Renee M. Clark, University of Pittsburgh; Mohan Wang, University of Pittsburgh; Mohamed A. S. Zaghloul, University of Pittsburgh; Spencer Mark Sullivan; Kevin Chen

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

teaching awards, and since 2016 he has been appointed to the Postgraduate Research Program at the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) administered through Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE).Mr. Spencer Mark SullivanProf. Kevin Chen c American Society for Engineering Education, 2019 Project-Based Learning of Optics and Photonics: How to Teach a Stand- Alone Technical Elective “Niche” Course?AbstractAt the typical engineering school, lasers and optics is an elective “niche” area, often with astandalone senior course offering. This course is generally taken by students in their final yearswhen they are ready to graduate and start their careers or graduate school. For