Collection

2009 Northeast Section Meeting

Authors

Samantha Murray

than 9.5% of engineering professionals are African American,Hispanic American or Native American. The project team includes Michigan Technological University (Dr. Neil Hutzlerand Joan Chadde), Foundation for Family Science/David Heil & Associates, and theAmerican Association for Engineering Education (Dr. William Kelly and SamanthaMurray), along with Dr. Christine Cunningham, who has developed the Engineering isElementary (EiE) curriculum now used in 46 states, will participate in development of thematerials. ASEE will help to disseminate the Family Engineering project to more than 50engineering societies, student chapters, and engineering professionals. This project brings engineering education to the elementary family unit

Conference Session

Integrating Design into the BME Curriculum

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Patricia Mellodge; Brad Deschenes

Tagged Divisions

Biomedical

design tools, technical writing, intellectual property,and ethics. Figure 1: Organization of the Engineering by Design course.Grades are determined by assessing student performance in both the project section and commonlecture, with the majority based on the project. In the project section, grades are based onattendance, peer evaluation, writing assignments, and presentations. In the common lecture,grades are based on attendance and quizzes.Further details of the course, its history, and how it supports the curriculum have been previouslypublished2.Digital HealthDigital health is the monitoring, diagnosis, and treatment of chronic and acute health conditionsthrough the use of medical devices, remote sensing technologies, local

Conference Session

Entrepreneurship Education: Crossdisciplinary Programs

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

sasikumar naidu, University of Tennessee; Prasanna Venkateswara Rao, University of Tennessee, Knoxville; Paul Frymier, University of Tennessee, Knoxville; Spivey Douglas, University of Tennessee, Knoxville; Gary Smith, University of Tennessee, Knoxville; Masood Parang, University of Tennessee, Knoxville; Rapinder Sawhney, University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Tagged Divisions

Entrepreneurship & Engineering Innovation

University of Tennessee was initiated in fall 2001with a focus to provide students in Engineering with skills and knowledge of businessfocused towards new product development. National Science Foundation (NSF) providedfunding for the program from 2005 to 2008 which helped enhance the program and led todevelopment of several prototype products and commercialization of one the productsSafelightTM. The program has graduated more than 25 joint MS/MBA students so far withthe number growing every year. The graduates have a double set of skills:enterpreneurship and business skills along with the advanced engineering skills needed tobecome leaders in innovative science and technology. The faculty associated with theprogram, who had limited previous

Conference Session

Design Cognition

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Eric Pappas

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

Noted author andproduct designer Robert G. Cooper sums up the dilemma well, stating that “most companies lackmuch in the way of effective product innovation and technology strategy, and worse yet, seem ata loss for developing such a strategy.”14 Obviously, universities are, at least in part, as much responsible for this problem as theyare for the solution. The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology recognizes thisshortcoming in engineering programs, and has clearly outlined the technical and non-technicalskills necessary for success in an increasingly complex and interdisciplinary workplaceenvironment.15 Teaching cognitive processing skills, communication and team working skills,ethics, global awareness, and environmental

Conference Session

Preparing Engineers for the Global Workplace & Successful Graduates for a Flat World: What Does It Take?

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Lisa Romkey; Yu-Ling Cheng, University of Toronto

Tagged Divisions

International

and the Global EngineerIt is nearly universally acknowledged that the world is becoming increasinglyinterconnected, interdependent and integrated, and that technology is accelerating at anescalating pace. The interdependence of financial systems and world economies turned a“made-in-America” banking problem into a global economic crisis of historicproportions. Ease of travel allowed avian flu to spread from an isolated remote village inChina to cities around the world, and created a health crisis that brought Toronto to a nearstandstill. Global warming, global political unrest, global epidemics, global poverty –the challenges that future generations of engineers will be asked to address are global innature. Charles Vest31 urged universities to

Conference Session

Laboratory Development in ECE Education

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Zorica Nedic, University of South Australia; Andrew Nafalski, University of South Australia; Ozdemir Gol, University of South Australia; Jan Machotka, University of South Australia

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

Nafalski, University of South Australia Andrew Nafalski's career spans several decades in academic and research institutions in Poland, Austria, the UK, Germany, France, Japan and Australia. He holds BEng(Hons), GradDipEd, MEng, PhD and DSc degrees. He is Chartered Professional Engineer and Fellow of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (UK), Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (USA) and Honorary Member of the Golden Key International Honour Society. He is currently a Professor of Electrical Engineering at the University of South Australia in Adelaide and Professor of Information Technology and

Conference Session

NSF Grantees Poster Session

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Hamid Vakilzadian, University of Nebraska, Lincoln; Dietmar Moeller, University of Hamburg

must approach educating and training students. As our engineers prepare for the 21stcentury global market economy, they will face significant international competitors who arebuilding on the technologies the U.S. pioneered in the 20th century. Although the UnitedStates has led the world in advances in technology, competitors are harvesting thetechnological and economic advantages. Simulation-Based Engineering Science (SBES) is amajor area with current and future potential. In order to stay on the cutting edge, we mustmeet the challenges presented by other countries, such as those in Western Europe and Asia,whose governments are investing heavily in modeling and simulation and computationalengineering and science, threatening U.S. leadership in

Conference Session

NSF Grantees Poster Session

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Craig Laramee, State University of New York, Binghamton; Shelley Dionne, State University of New York, Binghamton; Hiroki Sayama, State University of New York, Binghamton; David Wilson, State University of New York, Binghamton

AC 2009-2193: TEACHING SOCIAL COMPLEXITY AND MULTIDISCIPLINARYTEAM BUILDING: AN EXPERIMENTAL ENGINEERING APPROACHCraig Laramee, State University of New York, BinghamtonShelley Dionne, State University of New York, BinghamtonHiroki Sayama, State University of New York, BinghamtonDavid Wilson, State University of New York, Binghamton Page 14.1151.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2009 Teaching Social Complexity and Multidisciplinary Team Building: An Experimental Engineering ApproachAbstractNumerous organizations, including the National Science Foundation (NSF), the AccreditationBoard for Engineering and Technology (ABET), and the National Academy of

Collection

2009 Pacific Southwest Section Meeting

Authors

Bruno Osorno

be targeted for online teaching.Universities have been developing strategic plans to tackle the implementation of onlineteaching. The major hurdles needed to overcome are; changing the mindset of faculty, budgets,teacher training in new technologies, online student population’s new studying habits andquality of instruction.ChangeChange is never easy; perhaps it is the most difficult hurdle in online teaching. Faculty, need tobe fully aware of the linking of pedagogy, technology and learning-styles [2]. Furthermore, it hasbeen our experience that the need of “electronic textbooks availability” is a critical event thatfacilitates online teaching of electrical engineering in a very large scale. (Which by the way, it ishappening very fast

Conference Session

Engineering in the Middle Grades

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Karen High, Oklahoma State University; Becky Hammack, Stillwater Middle School; Beth Watt, Stillwater Middle School; Julie Thomas, Oklahoma State University; Adrienne Redmond, Oklahoma State University; Pat Jordan; Jean Dockers, Oklahoma State University

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

Page 14.57.2© American Society for Engineering Education, 2009 A Middle School Project for Science and Math Enhancement through EngineeringAbstractThis study is focused on the impact of curricular and extra curricular engineering-basedinstructional activities on middle students’ perceptions of their ability to become engineers.Middle school students are at an age where high interest activities are essential for motivationand relevant learning. This is also the age where students’ interest can be piqued to considercareers in STEM fields. This study also looks at math content knowledge, attitudes toward mathand science, and perceptions of technology, engineering, and what defines engineering.In 2007, the

Conference Session

Measurement Tools

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Adam Carberry, Tufts University; Matthew Ohland, Purdue University; Hee-Sun Lee, Tufts University

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

AC 2009-206: DEVELOPING AN INSTRUMENT TO MEASURE ENGINEERINGDESIGN SELF-EFFICACYAdam Carberry, Tufts University Adam Carberry is a doctoral student in the Math, Science, Technology, and Engineering Education program at Tufts University. He serves as a research assistant and director of the Student Teacher Outreach Mentorship Program (STOMP) at the Tufts University Center for Engineering Education & Outreach. His dissertation research involves the development of assessment instruments for investigating the impact of service-learning on engineering students.Matthew Ohland, Purdue University Matthew W. Ohland is an Associate Professor in the School of Engineering Education at Purdue University

Conference Session

New Learning Paradigms I

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Warren Hull, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge; Warren Waggenspack, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge; Lillian B Bowles, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge; David Bowles, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge; Tiffany Walter Choplin, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

-based work already existed within the course, so it merely had to be adapted to meet CxCrequirements.In 2006, the CxC Faculty Institute hosted 33 faculty participants, with engineering facultycomprising the majority. The focus of the 2006 Summer Institute was on assessment strategiesin the four communications modes: oral, written, visual, and technological. Not only didparticipants explore assessment strategies and rubric design, they also learned ways to integrateiterative assessment effectively throughout the course of a project and a semester.Engineering Communication Studio. During the fall of 2005, the first of several plannedCommunication Studios opened on campus. These studios are intended to be integrated intovarious university colleges

Conference Session

Attracting Young Minds: Part II

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Qiang Le, Hampton University; Eric Sheppard, Hampton University

Tagged Divisions

Minorities in Engineering

the freshmen and pre-collegestudents at Hampton University and discusses the next steps in our plan to improve preparationand engagement in our engineering students. Our goal is to improve retention and learning. Andthis effort integrates educational research and the classroom experience.IntroductionThe nation’s current and projected need for more Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math(STEM) workers, coupled with the chronically lagging participation of students from ethnicallygrowing segments of the population, argue for policies and programs that will increase thepathways into engineering. Enhancing the curriculum is recognized to be an important way toimprove overall diversity in engineering. Retooling curricula to prepare students for

Conference Session

Design Education in Manufacturing Programs

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jaby Mohammed, Indiana University-Purdue University, Fort Wayne; Jared May, Morehead State University

Tagged Divisions

Manufacturing

AC 2009-2150: APPLYING AXIOMATIC DESIGN AND KNOWLEDGE-BASEDENGINEERING TO PLASTIC DRUM DESIGNJaby Mohammed, Indiana University-Purdue University, Fort Wayne Jaby Mohammed is a faculty at Indiana Purdue University at Fort Wayne, IN. He received his PhD in Industrial engineering from University of Louisville in 2006. His research interest includes advanced manufacturing; design methodologies, computer aided design, six sigma, and enterprise resource planning. He is a member of IIE, ASEE,ASQ, SME, POMS, ITEA, NAIT, KAS, and Informs.Jared May, Morehead State University JARED MAY is currently a junior at Morehead State University. He is pursuing his Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology

Conference Session

New Learning Paradigms II

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Gisele Ragusa, University of Southern California

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

. Results of this important metricwere compared to students’ course grades, engineering efficacy and outcomes-based academicprogram success. Results of this research indicate that engineering students who were mostglobally prepared were also most efficacious and received higher grades in courses. Additionally,diversity in preparedness among the subscales of the index was noted, suggesting that studentswith diverse demographic profiles have diverse preparedness indices.Keywords: Global, global preparedness, engineering education, preparation for globalworkforcesIntroduction We live in an era with unprecedented changes due to dramatic advances in technology onmany fronts. The explosive growth in computing and communication has revolutionized

Conference Session

Been There, Done That: Advice for NEEs

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Saeed Moaveni, Minnesota State University, Mankato; Deborah Nykanen, Minnesota State University, Mankato; Karen Chou, Minnesota State University, Mankato

Tagged Divisions

New Engineering Educators

of female faculty being hired, tenured, or promoted. Considering thatnearly 37% of the doctoral degrees in science and engineering are awarded to women, it shouldthen be alarming to discover that women make up only 9% of full professors in Science,Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields2. Of course, it is only in recent yearsthat this issue has drawn some attention. The NSF’s Advance Program was created out ofconcern for this same exact issue. Because of the Advance Program, large universities such asIowa State University6, Rice University, University of Washington, University of Michigan,University of Wisconsin, and Virginia Tech are developing or have already developed policiesand programs to support, recruit, and retain

Conference Session

Retention Tools and Programs

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Daina Briedis, Michigan State University; Neeraj Buch, Michigan State University; Jan Collins-Eaglin, Michigan State University; Nathaniel Ehrlich, Michigan State University; Denise Fleming, Michigan State University; Timothy Hinds, Michigan State University; Jon Sticklen, Michigan State University; Mark Urban-Lurain, Michigan State University; Thomas Wolff, Michigan State University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

AC 2009-864: CONNECTOR FACULTY: A FRIENDLY FACE FOR EARLYENGINEERING STUDENTSDaina Briedis, Michigan State University Dr. DAINA BRIEDIS is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science at Michigan State University. Dr. Briedis has been involved in several areas of education research including student retention, curriculum redesign, and the use of technology in the classroom. She is a co-PI on two NSF grants in the areas of integration of computation in engineering curricula and in developing comprehensive strategies to retain early engineering students. She is active nationally and internationally in engineering accreditation and is a Fellow of

Conference Session

Pedagogical Developments in BME

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

James Cawthorne, Purdue University; Osman Cekic, Purdue University; Monica Cox, Purdue University; Melissa Stacer, Purdue University

Tagged Divisions

Biomedical

AC 2009-1215: ASSESSMENT OF THE VANTH ENGINEERING RESEARCHCENTER ON GRADUATE STUDENTSJames Cawthorne, Purdue UniversityOsman Cekic, Purdue UniversityMonica Cox, Purdue UniversityMelissa Stacer, Purdue University Page 14.262.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2009 Assessment of the VaNTH Engineering Research Center Experience on Graduate StudentsAbstract The Vanderbilt-Northwestern-Texas-Harvard/MIT (VaNTH) Engineering ResearchCenter, started in 1999, has focused on improving bioengineering education through theapplications of learning science, learning technology, and assessment and evaluation within thedomain of

Conference Session

Innovations in ECE Education II

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Rachid Manseur, State University of New York, Oswego; Adrian Ieta, State University of New York, Oswego

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

Engineering and Technology (ABET). It can beargued that implementing a suitable accreditation processes is more effective during thedevelopment phase of a degree program rather than if inserted through changes in an alreadyestablished program. Page 14.772.2In this work, the implementation of the new ECE program is divided into five closely interrelatedcategories: curriculum, personnel, facilities, budget, and institutional support. Each of theseissues is addressed and discussed in a separate section.CurriculumThe curriculum under consideration allows students to graduate as engineers after taking a totalof 128 semester credit hours distributed into

Conference Session

Curriculum Development and Applications

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Claude Villiers, Florida Gulf Coast University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Design Graphics

use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for civil andenvironmental engineering practice are all requirements of the Accreditation Board forEngineering and Technology (ABET) 3. ABET also requires effective communication skills forundergraduate students. There are not unique ways to identify engineering talents/abilities instudent learning. Oftentimes, outside of academia, potential performance super stars areidentified by allowing contestants to sing a song; for example, on The American Idol reality TVshow. The judges and the general public (by virtual voting) identify the person with the besttalent. Many of these young performers find success, live their dreams, and gain acceptance fromboth from the music industry

Collection

2009 ASEE Midwest Section Conference

Authors

Kaylea Dunn

1 The Case for Leadership Skills Courses in the Engineering Curriculum Kaylea Dunn Olsson Associates, Lincoln, NEAbstractLeadership courses are often encouraged, but not mandatory for an undergraduate engineeringdegree. The research presented here focuses on implementing specific undergraduate leadershipcourses as part of an American Board of Engineering and Technology (ABET) accreditedprogram at a Midwestern University.The purpose of this study is to identify what professional skills engineering companies expectstudents to develop through coursework before

Conference Session

Exploring Retention

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Susan Freeman, Northeastern University; Beverly Jaeger, Beverly Jaeger, and Richard Whalen are members of Northeastern University’s; Richard Whalen, Northeastern University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

through the use of technology is the way to maintain the U.S. edge inthe global market place.1 An argument for the second perspective is the belief that the U.S. leadsin creativity and innovation and has the best universities in the world to pilot the way.2Regardless of the viewpoint taken, it is apparent that we must transition more high schoolstudents into engineering to be competitive; having a clear picture of the current state of themarket factors that may influence our youth as they make their career choice is imperative.According to the U.S. Department of Education5 it was estimated that in the fall of 2008 nearly49.8 million students attended public schools in the U.S. with an additional 6.2 million attendingprivate schools. Of those

Conference Session

Engineering Collaboration: Faculty and Student Involvement in K-12 Programs

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Robin Autenrieth, Texas A&M University; Karen Butler-Purry, Texas A&M University; Cheryl Page, Texas A&M University; L. Diane Hurtado, Texas A&M University; Jennifer Welch, Texas A&M University

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects, and all havestudent bodies that are primarily from underrepresented minority groups (average 88%), lowincome (average 77%), and first generation to college. The goal “to involve teachers inengineering research” has been accomplished by satisfying 3 objectives linked to the intendedoutcomes and impacts. The objectives are: 1) Provide contemporary engineering researchexperiences and enhance understanding of the nature of engineering; 2) Scaffold teacherdevelopment of authentic inquiry activities for the high school classroom; and 3) Improve publicschool teachers’ knowledge about careers in engineering. Assessment of the program isintegrated into its structure providing regular feedback which is

Conference Session

Engineering in the Middle Grades

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jed Lyons, University of South Carolina; Bethany Fralick, University of South Carolina; Jennifer Kearn, University of South Carolina

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

engineering and science. Improving student awareness ofengineering and science contributes to technological literacy among the general public and alsohelps students make informed career path decisions. A significant body of literature exists on theattitudes of K-12 students and teachers towards science and scientists. This literature hasinformed the development of science education outreach programs. However, a comparablebody of literature about K-12 student attitudes towards engineering and engineers is not yet fullydeveloped.Some work has been done in this area. Yasar1 developed a survey to study K-12 teacherperceptions of engineering, primarily to determine their interest in and comfort level for teachingdesign, engineering and technology in their

Conference Session

Engineering and Mathematics Potpourri

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Athanasios Tsalatsanis, University of South Florida; Ali Yalcin, University of South Florida; Autar Kaw, University of South Florida

Tagged Divisions

Mathematics

technologies, integrating research in classroom, thermal stresses, computational mechanics, and mechanics of nonhomogeneous nanolayers. Page 14.218.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2009 APPLICATION OF EMERGING KNOWLEDGE DISCOVERY METHODS IN ENGINEERING EDUCATIONAbstractThe purpose of this study is to investigate the application of emerging knowledge discoverymethodologies in analyzing student profiles to predict the performance of a student in a course.Knowledge discovery is the research area concerned with analyzing existing information andextracting implicit, previously unknown, hidden and

Conference Session

Automation and Robotics Subjects in Manufacturing Education

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Arif Sirinterlikci, Robert Morris University

Tagged Divisions

Manufacturing

AC 2009-2063: UTILIZING ROBOTICS IN TEACHING MICROCONTROLLERPROGRAMMING TO MANUFACTURING ENGINEERING STUDENTSArif Sirinterlikci, Robert Morris University ARIF SIRINTERLIKCI is currently an Associate Professor of Engineering at Robert Morris University. He has been the Coordinator of the RMU Learning Factory and Director of Engineering Laboratories. He holds a B.S. and an M.S., both in Mechanical Engineering from Istanbul Technical University in Turkey, and a PhD in Industrial and Systems Engineering from the Ohio State University. He has conducted research and taught in mechanical, industrial, manufacturing engineering, and industrial technology fields. He has been active in ASEE

Conference Session

Learning as a Community

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Janet Meyer, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis; Patrick Gee, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis; Laura Masterson, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

AC 2009-1256: INTEGRATED LEARNING IN FRESHMAN ENGINEERING: THETHEMED LEARNING COMMUNITYJanet Meyer, Indiana University-Purdue University, IndianapolisPatrick Gee, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis Patrick Gee, MSME, is a Lecturer in the Purdue School of Engineering and Technology, IUPUI. He is also director of the Minority Engineering Advancement Program (MEAP). Patrick has both a B.S. and an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering.Laura Masterson, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis Laura Masterson is a joint advisor in the School of Engineering and Technology, IUPUI and University College at IUPUI. She has a B.S. degree from the University of Notre Dame and a Masters

Conference Session

Early Engineering Design Experiences

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

M. Reza Emami, University of Toronto

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

. W 9. Appropriately model the physical world with mathematics. W 10. Consider economic, social, and environmental aspects of a problem. W 18. Design experiments to better understand systems and verify ideas/hypotheses. HW 19. Handle uncertainty and ambiguity is system modeling. H 20. Use statistical techniques as well as engineering intuition to make reasonable estimates. WA3: Information Collection/Dissemination Capabilities: 6. Find information and use a variety of resources (i.e., resourcefulness). W 7. Identify critical technology and

Conference Session

Entrepreneurship Education: Innovation, International Cooperation, and Social Entrepreneurship

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Pritpal Singh, Villanova University; William Hurley, Villanova University; Edmond Dougherty, Villanova University; James Klingler, Villanova University

Tagged Divisions

Entrepreneurship & Engineering Innovation

Page 14.76.10they enjoyed the class and applied many of the skills that they had learned in the courseto their term project. Pre- and post-course assessments indicated that the students’confidence in their ability to create new products and services had significantly improvedin the case of several students as a result of taking the class. Most of the students whotook this class are now continuing in the engineering entrepreneurship minor program.AcknowledgementsThe authors gratefully acknowledge the support of the Kern Family Foundation. Theauthors are also grateful to Mr. Gerry Mayer for hosting the tour to Lockheed MartinCorporation’s Advanced Technology Laboratory.References[1] P.Singh, E.J. Dougherty, W. Hurley, and J. Klingler, “A Novel

Conference Session

Measuring Success of Graduate Program Components

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Wendy Crone, University of Wisconsin, Madison; Raelyn Rediske, University of Wisconsin, Madison; Steve Ackerman, University of Wisconsin, Madison; Sharon Dunwoody, University of Wisconsin, Madison

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

arenationwide surveys that tell us we are a scientifically illiterate public2,3.The goals that have been offered for promoting a scientifically literate society include benefits to bothindividuals and government1,4. As science and technology become the dominant engines for economicgrowth in the world, a better-educated citizen is able to increase his/her own status by being prepared forthis new market; once a county’s citizens reach this point, of course, the country itself secures anenhanced place in the market. Especially in democracies, better-educated citizens can ethically decide onfuture scientific paths and technological uses5. In addition to the benefits to the public, scientiststhemselves benefit from having a better-informed population