Conference Session

Capstone Projects and Experiential Learning

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Tianrui Bai, Southwest Jiaotong University; Jinwen Zhu, Missouri Western State University; Virendra Varma, Missouri Western State University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

AC 2007-1755: CHARACTERISTICS OF CAPSTONE DESIGN PROJECTS ATUNIVERSITIES IN US AND CHINA: AN ANALYSISTianrui Bai, Southwest Jiaotong UniversityJinwen Zhu, Missouri Western State UniversityVirendra Varma, Missouri Western State University Page 12.353.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2007 Characteristics of Capstone Design Projects at Universities in US and China: An AnalysisAbstractThe objectives of the capstone or other integrating experiences in the engineering andtechnology curriculums are to: 1. Pull together the various diverse elements of thecurriculum, and 2. Develop student competencies in problem-solving utilizing bothtechnical and

Conference Session

Patenting & IP Issues for Commercializing University-Developed Technology and Launching Innovative Technical Entrepreneurship Ventures in Universities

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jeffrey Schox, Stanford University; David Chesney, University of Michigan

Tagged Divisions

Entrepreneurship & Engineering Innovation

truth is that the patentability of an invention, and the right to sell and make the inventionwithout infringement of another patent, are completely unrelated. By misunderstanding thisconcept, engineers may eventually lose patent rights or infringe the patent rights of a competitor.More importantly, engineers may fail to gain adequate funding for their technology and mayconsequently fail to introduce, sell, and make an impact with their technology.Attempts to Educate EngineersPatent law courses are offered to engineering students at many of the top engineering schools,including: • Massachusetts Institute of Technology (6.901: Inventions and Patents)1, • Stanford University (ME208: Patent Law and Strategy)2, • University of Illinois

Conference Session

Computer-Assisted Lab Studies

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Nasser Houshangi, Purdue University Calumet

Tagged Divisions

Division Experimentation & Lab-Oriented Studies

the undergraduate level in the U.S. does not receive enoughattention, as was pointed out at the NSF-sponsored workshop on “New Directions in ControlEngineering” at the University of Illinois [1]. To improve the introductory undergraduatecourses in control, there was consensus [2] to include computer control and simulation, hands-onexperiments, and design problems.The control system laboratory is designed with emphasis on mechatronics systems that is part ofthe “Introduction to Control Systems” course offered for both Electrical and ComputerEngineering, and Mechanical Engineering students. The three credit hour course (2 creditlecture, 1 credit laboratory), “Introduction to Control Systems” (ECE 384 and ME 485),currently exists in the

Conference Session

Teaching Ethics II

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Emine Atasoylu, Eastern Mediterranean University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Ethics

substantial equivalency to must demonstrate thattheir graduates have an understanding of professional and ethical responsibility 1. This can beachieved by offering an engineering ethics course or by incorporating ethics throughout thecurriculum 2,3. Cyprus, a beautiful Mediterranean country, has in recent years been referredto as “the island of universities” due to its impressively large number of universities despiteits small size and population. Table 1 shows the universities with engineering programs inboth the North and South side of Cyprus 4,5.AimThe aim of this study was to compare the ethical knowledge of practicing engineers who hadgraduated from the various engineering programs in Cyprus having received an ethics courseduring their training

Conference Session

Best Practices in Industrial Technology

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kathryne Newton, Purdue University; Edie Schmidt, Purdue University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

management involves the physical, information, and financial flows to meetcustomer demand and maximize profit.1 The SCMT Lab utilizes demonstration andsimulation activities that allow students to manipulate equipment and products in a “workingwarehouse” space. Additionally the SCMT lab allows students to simulate the supply chainactivities and information that flow between manufacturers, supplier and distributor partners,and industrial end users. A key challenge for faculty teaching in the SCMT Lab has beenthe development of instructional materials that are appropriate for teaching “hands on”applications of application software and various technologies that will illustrate the supplychain concepts being taught in the class.Distribution management

Conference Session

Faculty Development: Creating successful NEEs

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Andrew Jackson, East Carolina University; Robert Chin, East Carolina University; Charles Coddington, East Carolina University; Paul Petersen, East Carolina University; Fonooni Hamid

Tagged Divisions

New Engineering Educators

commitment tonew faculty takes on several related, yet distinct features. Examples of these initiatives include:1) reduced workloads for new faculty for the first two years to enable them to generateindividual and collaborative research activities, funded grants, and publications, 2) periodicuniversity-wide training to learn policies and procedures that affect day-to-day activities on acollege campus, 3) periodic workshops hosted by senior faculty mentors, and 4) one-on-onediscussions between senior faculty members and junior faculty members to encourage candiddialogue between professional colleagues. Another feature of the mentorship philosophy is aproposal to the dean of the college to offer newly hired faculty a contractual start date of July

Conference Session

IE Program Design II

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Joseph Hartman, Lehigh University; Gregory Tonkay, Lehigh University

Tagged Divisions

Industrial Engineering

thesolid foundation that every graduating IE requires to be successful but also provides enoughbreadth and flexibility such that a student can tailor a career path if they so desire. We haveenabled this vision through two steps: 1. Increasing the number of electives. The main intent of this was to allow students to seek further education outside of our department, such as pursuing a minor in economics or international relations, for example. 2. Defining career tracks with suggested courses to be completed with in-department electives and/or technical out-fo-department electives.It should be noted here that a student is not required to define a track and complete courses in a

Conference Session

Practice/Partnership/Program Issues

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Stan Guidera, Bowling Green State University

Tagged Divisions

Architectural

computation as a 2D documentation tool to a 3D design tool. Object orientedprogramming is computational ontology; a data model that represents a “domain” and is used toreason about the objects in that domain and the relations between them. Programmers define adata structure, and then define the operations that can be applied to that data structure. Therefore,the data structure is defined as an object that includes both data and functions with specifiedrelationships between the object and other objects [1]. Consequently, architectural objects relate“intelligently” [2] and function more intuitively, enabling powerful applications to be easier andmore intuitive to use. Parametric object-based design tools have become standard inarchitectural CAD

Conference Session

Technical Issues in Architectural Engineering II

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

P. Paxton Marshall, University of Virginia; Benjamin Kidd, University of Virginia; Ping Guan, University of Virginia

Tagged Divisions

Architectural

, energy efficient appliances, and improvedwindows have made headway in the residential housing market, home owners, buyers, and evenbuilders still have little solid information on the question of “Where does all the energy go in myhome?” ecoMOD, a sustainable, affordable design-build project engages architecture andengineering students in modular residential design and construction. Over the past two years theteam has designed and built two houses, and is currently in the design-phase of a third. Thispaper will describe our use of modeling, simulation, and post-construction monitoring of energyusage to improve the energy-efficient design and operation of these houses. We modeled theecoMOD 1 house using CFD software, Simulink, Energy plus

Conference Session

The Evolution of Engineering Economy

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Joseph Hartman, Lehigh University; David Enke, University of Missouri

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Economy

Conference Session

Assessment and Evaluation in Engineering Education II

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kirk Allen, Purdue University

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

assumes an under-lying ability influences an individual’sresponse to items. This ability is called a latent trait and symbolized θ. CTT is interested inperformance on the test as a whole, with the individual test items being summed to yield a totalscore (X, above). Item Response Theory (IRT), as the name implies, begins at the item level andis concerned with an examinee’s pattern of responses. This bottom-up vantage drives themethods and associated conclusions of IRT.In its simplest form, item response theory fits a logistic regression model to binary itemresponses with each examinee’s true score (θ) as the independent variable. The 1-parameterlogistic (1-PL) model accounts for varying item difficulties. Developer George Rasch, a

Conference Session

Multimedia Tutorials and Web Development

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Anne Donnelly, University of Florida

Tagged Divisions

Minorities in Engineering

the life of the grant, and it is expected that this will result in significant increases in thenumbers of advanced degrees earned by minority students in the future. In addition, SEAGEPoffers research experiences to minority undergraduate STEM students to increase their interest inand preparedness for graduate school. Specific program offerings and program evaluationresults will be described, as well as recommendations on how faculty can become part of theseprograms across the country.IntroductionThe need to diversify the American scientific workforce 1-4 has been well documented. The NSFhas taken a leadership role in efforts to meet this need, by developing programs to directlyaddress the issue through the Directorate for Education and Human

Conference Session

Simulation and Virtual Instrumentation

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Sorraya Khiewnavawongsa, Purdue University; Ron Leong, Purdue University; Edie Schmidt, Purdue University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

communicate back to an instructor. In this study, the real-time methodwas performed to improve the communication. Pre-test, post-tests and surveys were conductedto evaluate if there was a significant difference between distant learning through Adobe ConnectProfessional and traditional classroom.Introduction The student’s ability to learn was measured using three dimensions: (1) ability to retaininformation, (2) ability to comprehend information, and (3) ability to meaningfully apply theknowledge. In a previous study, we were able to establish that there was no statistical differencein the learning progress between the group of students who attended a Material RequirementPlanning (MRP) class virtually and the group of students who attended the

Conference Session

Programming for Engineering Students

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

William Birmingham, Grove City College; David Adams, Grove City College

Tagged Divisions

Computers in Education

. These schools also offer a variety of gaming classes.3. Pedagogy and course sequenceThe catalog descriptions for the games courses are given in Figure 1. Each course is three credithours and runs for an entire semester. The first course, Comp 441, is to be taken in the firstsemester, junior year; the second course, Comp 446, is taken second semester, junior year; andthe final course, Comp 447, is to be taken first term, senior year. While we do not have a formalcourse, we are expecting our students to participate in a research project in the second term,senior year, concerning multiplayer gaming or mobile gaming.The courses are all in a lecture format, with some design work done in class. GCC has acomprehensive Tablet PC program, where all

Conference Session

Manufacturing Capstone and Design Projects

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Sorraya Khiewnavawongsa, Purdue University; Kathryne Newton, Purdue University; Edie Schmidt, Purdue University; Patrick Green, Purdue University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

just the companies. The students, faculty,and companies all benefit from such partnerships, educationally and economically. 1, 5 Thepurpose of this paper is to share the results of a follow-up study with an industry partner, and tovalidate the benefit of collaboration between educational institute and industry. The first studywas implemented in 2005 to identify customer perceptions related to key success factors for thetrucking industry in general and the company in particular. The survey was conducted by PurdueUniversity senior and graduate students, and was designed to collect customer responses rating acombination of qualitative and quantitative questions.This study is the follow-up project of the previous study.6 For consistency, the

Conference Session

Design in the ECE Curriculum

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Douglas Williams, Georgia Institute of Technology; Robert Butera, Georgia Institute of Technology; Selcuk Uluagac, Georgia Institute of Technology; Matthew Clark, Georgia Institute of Technology; Andy Deck, National Instruments; Michael Torba, National Instruments; Steven Trahan, National Instruments

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

12.409.2LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT was designed from the ground up using input from LEGO roboticsenthusiasts. All aspects of the NXT kit are significantly upgraded from earlier LEGO kits andhave increased functionality at roughly the same cost. The NXT controller incorporates threeprocessors, including a microcontroller for motor control, another for Bluetooth wirelessnetworking, and the 32-bit ARM7 microprocessor. This improved processing power also enablesa more sophisticated programming environment. A screen capture from the LEGOMINDSTORMS programming environment is shown in Figure 1. The motors and sensors allhave six-wire cables connecting them to the controller, allowing both analog and digitalconnections. The motors feature built-in rotational

Conference Session

NSF Grantees Poster Session

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

S. Scott Moor, Indiana University-Purdue University-Fort Wayne; Polly Piergiovanni, Lafayette College

detailed content on the issue. The modular kits have integrated easily Page 12.1085.2with the other modes of instruction.IntroductionProcess Control is often a difficult subject to teach. Students find it difficult conceptually as theyare faced with the transient nature of processes, often for the first time. Few students haveexperience with process control and it seems quite separate from the other subjects they learn.Instructors have to balance teaching theory, equipment, analysis and synthesis. As a resultstudents often “find it more of a chore than fun to learn.”1 Stephanopoulos has noted that we areusually preoccupied with the analytical

Conference Session

BME Assessment and the VaNTH ERC

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

David Cordray, Vanderbilt University; Alene Harris, Vanderbilt; Thomas Harris, Vanderbilt University

Tagged Divisions

Biomedical

accomplishmentsof programs. This approach attempts to capitalize on available experimental and non-experimental as a means of testing effectiveness and monitoring subsequent performance.We also present analyses that show the unique contribution (to learning and otheroutcomes) of variations in specific core components of the Legacy Cycle and its learningprinciples.I. Introduction The Vanderbilt-Northwestern-Texas-Harvard/MIT Engineering Research Center(VaNTH/ERC) for Bioengineering Educational Technologies has developed over 60innovative instructional modules in a variety of bioengineering areas (See Harris et al.1).These innovations are based on the model of learning and instruction, (referred to as HPLfor “How People Learn”) described by Bransford et

Conference Session

Engineering and Sustainability

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Brock Barry, Purdue University; Aman Yadav, Purdue University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Ethics

caseapproach and their influence on students’ critical thinking skills about ethical issues in Page 12.1394.4engineering. Future research needs to assess whether this approach to teaching ethics (i.e, case- 3based instruction) has the hypothesized benefits of increasing students’ awareness aboutengineering ethics as well as increase their moral reasoning. Thus, rigorous research methodsshould be utilized to design investigations that compare the outcomes resulting from variousethics instruction methods, including case-based instruction.References:1

Conference Session

Introductory Materials Science for the 21st Century

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Carolyn Skurla, Baylor University

Tagged Divisions

Materials

additional self-pacedmanufacturing exercises during the first half of the semester.This report describes the steps that were taken to maintain the quality of the hands-onexperiences of a greater number of students in a laboratory course with limited laboratory space,a description of the modifications and innovations that were attempted, and a review of whichmodifications were successful and which require future modification or replacement.IntroductionIn the second semester of their junior year, our mechanical engineering students take EGR3322 –Mechanical Engineering Materials and Manufacturing Processes (hereafter referred to asMaterials), a 3-credit course (i.e., 2 credits lecture / 1 credit laboratory) that is their first upper-division, hands-on

Conference Session

Innovative K-12 Engineering Programs

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Summer Dann Johnson; Warren Waggenspack, Louisiana State University; Brenda Nixon, Louisiana State University; Daivon Craft, Louisiana State University; Cheryle Peters, Louisiana State University

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

estimated population of 4.5 million for 2005, approximately 1.1million live in rural locations. Within the city limits, the elementary and secondary school systemis comprised of a combination of public and private institutions. According to the US Census Bureau statistics for 2004, the median household income inthe state is $32,700 with an estimated 20% of the population living below the poverty level.Only 19% of the population age 25+ has a bachelor degree or higher. The Census Bureau reportsthat approximately 64% of the state is white, 33% is African American, and approximately 3% is“other.” [1] The state is also in the lowest percentile in the nation for beginning teacher salaries,ranging from $27,000 to $32,000. [2] The median salary

Conference Session

Laboratories and Computer Simulation in BME

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Timothy Allen, University of Virginia; Brett Blackman, University of Virginia

Tagged Divisions

Biomedical

culture, microscopy, RNA and protein extraction, western blotting, RT-PCR, biomaterials and tissue engineering, ultrasound, EKG, biomechanics, microfluidics,biofluid dynamics, and quantitative clinical measurement methodologies. The end of this courseconsists of a four-week project which empowers the students to integrate the skills andknowledge accumulated throughout the year towards independently addressing a relevanthypothesis or question in BME. Student lab proficiency and analytical ability were assessed viadetailed group lab reports on each module, weekly quizzes, in-lab observation by the instructorsand TAs, and a final written practicum exam. Additionally, feedback on the course was gatheredfrom: 1) student evaluations, surveys, and

Conference Session

Curriculum Development in Civil and Architectural Engineering Technology

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Vernon Lewis, Old Dominion University; Carol Considine, Old Dominion University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

MinorsThis CET program has traditionally recommended either the Mechanical EngineeringTechnology (MET) minor or the Engineering Management (ENMA) minor. The requirementsfor each minor are given in Table 1 below. All courses are three credit hours: Table 1 MET Minor Engineering Management Minor MET 305 – Fundamentals of Mechanics ENMA 301 – Engineering Management MET 300 – Thermodynamics ENMA 302- Engineering Economics MET 310 - Dynamics ENMA 401 – Project Management ENMA 420 – Statistical Concepts in Engineering MET 330 – Fluid Mechanics

Conference Session

Emerging Technologies in Manufacturing Education II

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Salil Desai, North Carolina A&T State University; Devdas Pai, North Carolina A&T State University; Jagannathan Sankar, North Carolina A&T State University

Tagged Divisions

Manufacturing

Advanced Materials and Smart Structures. He received his Ph.D. from Lehigh University. He conducts research and teaches courses related to advanced materials. Page 12.970.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2007 Introducing Nanotechnology Education within Industrial Engineering Curriculum1. IntroductionIndustrial engineering (IE) programs are concerned with the design, improvement andinstallation of integrated systems of people, materials, information, equipment and energy [1]. Animportant part of industrial engineering curriculum focuses on product/process design

Conference Session

Trends in Construction Engineering II

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Gunnar Lucko, Catholic University of America; Michael Madden, United Space Alliance; Justin Molineaux, Catholic University of America

Tagged Divisions

Construction

construction engineering and management programs at universities,which are taught with a plethora of different textbooks (1), the leading Journal of ConstructionEngineering and Management dedicates a Cost and Schedule specialty area to it to publishcurrent research papers, the Project Management Institute, an professional organization ofapproximately 180,000 members in 2002 created a special interest group called College ofScheduling, and the available commercial scheduling software over the past two decades hasmade a strong contribution to the popularity of a particular scheduling technique, the critical pathmethod (CPM) (2). Researchers have regularly examined the use of CPM (3, 4, 5, 6, 7), and havefound it to be the dominant scheduling technique

Conference Session

Web-Based Education

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ahmed Abu-Hajar, San Francisco State University; Michael Holden, San Francisco State University

Tagged Divisions

Computers in Education

critical to thesuccess of engineering curriculums—was developed as a new educational model. CBVCemploys computer animation and other virtual visual tools that cannot be employed in traditionalclassroom settings. In CBVC, interactive questions are integrated within lectures—a model thatreinforces the assimilation of fundamental topics. Surveys conducted on the efficacy of CBVCshow that 80% of students questioned benefit from using CBVC, and 20% believe CBVC mayreplace conventional classrooms.1. IntroductionAt present, many engineering courses mandate the use of computers1.. Computers areincreasingly playing a major role in the learning process, and the number of college students whoown a computer is on the rise. The OpenCourseWare (OCW) Program at

Conference Session

The Challenges of Tech Transfer

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Bruce Mutter, Bluefield State College; Frank Hart, Bluefield State College

Tagged Divisions

Entrepreneurship & Engineering Innovation

Conference Session

Effective Learning Innovations in Civil Engineering Courses

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Heiko Merle, Darmstadt University of Technology; Joerg Lange, Darmstadt University of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

revolutionary it is impossible to compare the evolutional step with theinitial situation1. Mountains Field of possible of quality adjustments Figure 1: Improvement depending on causalityFigure 1 explains this problem. The center describes the initial situation. The outer circledescribes the modification of the current situation. The bigger the diameter the morerevolutionary is the system. The lower left circle describes the area, where an upgrade of thesystems quality can be achieved. If change is too big the upgrading circle will be passedwithout improving the quality.Here quality stands for an

Conference Session

Experiential and Service Learning

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Margaret Bailey, Rochester Institute of Technology; Elizabeth DeBartolo, Rochester Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Multidisciplinary Engineering

academic quarters (22 weeks). The MSD experience is a studio course in that it adopts ageneral approach to student interaction that is hands-on, instructor facilitated, and student-centered [1]. Refer to companion paper by Walter et al, 2007 [2]for more details on the overallMSD program at RIT. Like its peer institutions, RIT strives to continuously improve curriculumstructure, integration, and assessment. The MSD course sequence is particularly crucial to thisongoing improvement due to its culminating nature. Accordingly, the Accreditation Board forEngineering and Technology (ABET) Criterion 3 Program Outcomes and Assessment states thatengineering programs must demonstrate that their students attain the following set of attributesupon graduation

Conference Session

Capstone Design II

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mason Webster, Brigham Young University; Daniel Korth; Owen Carlson, Brigham Young University; C. Greg Jensen, Brigham Young University

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

solutionsto many of the problems engineers face today. Albeit these solutions will always need to beverified either by empirical results or analytical methods, computer software continues to makeengineering analysis more complex and more thorough. Capstone projects should strive toincorporate these software tools to more fully simulate an actual work experience. Recentresearch indicates that a lack of authenticity is one of the current drawbacks to capstone designexperiences. 1 The use of real industry software tools and analysis packages offers students amore authentic experience than would otherwise be available.Since the inception of advanced communication devices and transportation equipment, the worldhas, in a sense, become smaller. The world