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2001 Annual Conference

Authors

Roli Varma

Session 3592 Barriers to Overcome: Women in Information Technology Roli Varma University of New Mexico, AlbuquerqueAbstractWomen are under-represented in information technology (IT) disciplines, similar to physicalsciences and engineering. With the rapid growth of IT and its profound impact on productivityand national economy, tremendous career opportunities in IT have emerged over the last fewyears. Furthermore, there is a shortage of IT workers, with the U.S. depending upon foreignworkers to address the growing workforce needs. The gender equity in IT is critical

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2001 Annual Conference

Authors

K. Arthur Overholser

freshmanseminars in conjunction with the colleges of arts and science, education, music, and business.I. Introduction: Challenges of the Freshman YearThe self-examination urged on us by the expectations of Engineering Criteria 2000 made it clearthat the Vanderbilt University School of Engineering, like many of our counterparts elsewhere,faces challenges in the engineering freshman year. Our objectives for the freshman year -- (1) toillustrate the practice of engineering as an iterative process of synthesis and analysis, (2) to helpthe student make career choices, (3) to provide tools prerequisite to further study, (4) to developlearning skills, (5) to illustrate the role of ethics in the professional practice of engineering, (6) todevelop teamwork skills

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2001 Annual Conference

Authors

Bethany Oberst; Russel Jones

a desirable one. Butseen from the inside, U.S. engineering education appears to have significant problems –such as declining enrollments, and the utilization of its graduates as a ‘commodity’ byemployers. It also appears that new quasi-engineering academic programs have opened orare being developed to allow students to take more palatable paths to entry to lucrativetechnology careers. What are foreign countries getting when they adapt our engineeringcurricula, and is that approach appropriate to their needs?IntroductionThere was nothing unusual about the circumstances: two American university professorseach received an invitation to share their knowledge of U.S. higher education with fellowacademics and some government and industry types in

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2001 Annual Conference

Authors

Marion Hagler; John Chandler; A. Dean Fontenot

lifelong learning, the vital importance of interpersonal skills, the intrigues of corporate politics, the centrality of teamwork in engineering, the existential pleasures of completed projects, the varieties of motivation for engineering practitioners, the frequent career path transition of engineers from focusing primarily on technical work to focusing on management, the unrelenting pressures on personal life. • The Civilized Engineer by Samuel Florman 2. This book is a collection of essays in which Florman, a practicing engineer, explores the origins of engineering, engineering ethics, conflicting loyalties, women in engineering, engineering curricula, the existential pleasures of engineering

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2001 Annual Conference

Authors

Nicholas Massa; Gordon Snyder; Fenna Hanes; James Masi; Gary Mullett

in the global marketplace and to train capable workforce for the years to come.The effort to train the trainers and offer technology career awareness to students is key to makingthis happen. The cooperation of industry, government, and education facilitates this workforcesynergy.I. IntroductionThe Northeast Center for Telecommunications Technologies is located on the campus ofSpringfield Technical Community College in their Technology Park. Other educational partnersare located at exceptional institutions throughout the Northeast and the Center’s Business andIndustry partners number in excess of 36 companies. The educational and industrial collaboratorstogether are addressing the need of business/industry for educated technologies by

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2001 Annual Conference

Authors

Joan A. Burtner

people first. Civil Engineering, 69(7), 124.10. Allen, T. D. & Poteet, M. (1999). Developing effective mentoring relationships: Strategies from the mentor's viewpoint. Career Development Quarterly, 48(1), 59-73.11. Muller, C. B., & Single, P. B. (1999, Nov.). Encouraging women students to persist in engineering and science through industrial mentoring using electronic communications. Page 6.1046.7 Proceedings of the 2001 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright  2001, American Society for Engineering Education Proceedings of the

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2001 Annual Conference

Authors

William Edward Howard; Joseph Musto

Session 1566 The Use of Solid Modeling in Mechanical Engineering Outreach Programs for High School Students Joseph C. Musto, William Edward Howard Milwaukee School of EngineeringAbstractIn an effort to attract talented high school student to careers in engineering, the MechanicalEngineering Department at Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) participates in a numberof engineering outreach programs. Great successes in these programs have resulted from the useof solid modeling techniques and software to motivate engineering concepts and allow thestudents to

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2001 Annual Conference

Authors

Donald Goddard

Session 1566 Linking College Engineering Courses With High School Preparation Donald L. Goddard PhD PE The University of Texas at TylerAbstractA Report titled “Expanding the Technology Workforce”1 prepared by the Texas HigherEducation Coordinating Board found that : “…Texas Students are not being sufficiently informed nor prepared for some of the most interesting, challenging, and lucrative careers in the new economy”1 “The recruitment of top quality high school students to the engineering profession is an area

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2001 Annual Conference

Authors

Chris Lorenz; Trevor Harding; Jennifer Kadlowec; Kurt DeGoede

perspective of current studentmembers and recent graduates, who are now college faculty. The chapter events andopportunities are provided as suggestions that other ASEE Student Chapters or similar studentorganizations may benefit from as well.IntroductionThe ASEE Student Chapter at the University of Michigan began in 1994 as a student-basedorganization committed to furthering education in engineering and engineering technology. Thiswas to be accomplished by providing services to prepare members for a career in academia,educating undergraduate students about graduate education and encouraging involvement ofunderrepresented minority groups in academia and graduate school.In 1994, a core group of students and faculty advisor, Dr. Susan Montgomery

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2001 Annual Conference

Authors

Ted Aanstoos; Steven Nichols

Stakeholders, show the Relevance toEngineering Professionalism, estimate their own Career Impact arising from this topic, andpresent Conclusions and Recommendations. Not surprisingly this assignment yielded manyinteresting and well-researched reports.Bridging the Gap Page 6.244.3“Proceedings of the 2001 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition,Copyright 2001, American Society for Engineering Education”Methods and Approaches. In arriving at a perception of their expected level of preparednessfor the workplace, students began by analyzing their own four-year curriculum for the BSMEdegree at UT Austin, and comparing

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2001 Annual Conference

Authors

Nathan Richardson; Carl White

ofundergraduate entrance is by recommendation from senior level associates.Graduate students conducting research under the guidance of the director receive automaticadmission into COMSARE. These students are continuing COMSARE undergraduates who havesuccessfully completing the B.S. degree and seek graduate study, or they are recruited viaMSU/COMSARE participation in career and college fairs.Currently, COMSARE’s has a total of forty (40) associates and assistants- seven (7) PMAssociates, three (3) R&D Associates, ten (10) Engineering Associates, and ten (10) EngineeringAssistants. Since its inception, COMSARE has produced a total of 150 highly skilled engineers,who are making productive contributions to their affiliate organizations

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2001 Annual Conference

Authors

John Williams

items included course content and pedagogy to be introduced to the enteringclass in the fall semester of 2000. Along with a technical review of algebra, trigonometry,geometry, and physics, student development would be the main focus. Specific items to beaddressed included the exploration of the engineering profession, community building,identifying and developing academic skills, and setting goals.Many students enter engineering without much information about their intended career path. Infact, one third of the freshmen enter into engineering at Alfred University with an undecidedmajor for the first year. These students have yet to actually understand the job for which they aretraining. This lack of vision prevents students from putting in a

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2001 Annual Conference

Authors

John Olson; Georgia Ehlers; David Lovelock; Ali Mehrabian

(Henderson 1999).The opportunity to study, conduct research, and establish a career in these fields is a reachablegoal for students regardless of physical ability.In the Spring of 1998, a group consisting of students with physical disabilities, faculty fromSMET disciplines, and staff at the University of Arizona (UA) proposed a program to the Page 6.418.1 “Proceedings of the 2001 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright  2001, American Society for Engineering Education”National Science Foundation (NSF) aimed at encouraging more students with physicaldisabilities

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2001 Annual Conference

Authors

Nohemi Rubio; Lourdes Sanchez-Contreras; Connie Della-Piana

undergraduate students in research. Participation in anundergraduate research experience in science, engineering and mathematics holds the promise ofincreasing student interest in pursuing graduate degrees and research careers in these fields.According to an advisory committee to the National Science Foundation, an undergraduateresearch experience provides students with the opportunity to attain high levels of competenceand confidence in the their field of interest. Students develop an understanding of the methodsand process of research and learn to make informed judgments about technical and scientificmatters and develop a strong set of skills to communicate and work in teams to solve complexproblems1. In addition, students are provided an opportunity

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2001 Annual Conference

Authors

Laura Lucas

the School of Engineering and Technologyhave to offer… the better prepared they will be to make informed college and career choices.Another objective of this activity will be to create a learning environment that will motivate ourstudents in a new way. They will be motivated to learn the concepts of good criticism, becausethey will be “on show “so to speak, themselves when they go out to these high schools as the‘expert’, also being there as mentor or role models and perhaps providing career guidance back tothis community of high school students.SignificanceThe Expected Benefits of integrating this outreach to High Schools is to better teach the objectiveof discussing and presenting your ideas. To, in effect, ‘set in’ the teaching, by

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2001 Annual Conference

Authors

Mary Cummings; Tamara Knott

hours.First semester course loads are in essence a measure of college students’ commitment andinvolvement in university life. Motivation, persistence, and commitment have long beenrecognized as critical for academic success. Those students that initially take a full loadare making a conscious commitment to college, which sets the pace for their entirecollege career. In a college student retention study, Cope and Hannah state, “personalcommitment to either an academic or occupational goal is the single most importantdeterminant of persistence in college.”4 In another study that focused on the performanceof students who dropped or withdrew from courses, those who did so had lower grades.Students who maintained more difficult schedules received higher

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2001 Annual Conference

Authors

Casey Preston; R. Mark Worden; Daina Briedis

undergraduatelevel, an engineer will be better prepared to deal with bioprocesses in industry orgraduate school.International Society of Pharmaceutical Engineers (ISPE)In the early 1990s, MSU chemical engineering students established one of the fewstudent chapters of ISPE in the country. The chapter has provided excellent learning andnetworking opportunities. The student-organized activities include monthly meetingswith industrial speakers who cover a variety of topics from home brewing to patent law.These presentations have introduced students to the multiple career options available to achemical engineer in the pharmaceutical industry. Networking opportunities arrangedthrough ISPE functions have led to employment opportunities, including internship, co

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2001 Annual Conference

Authors

William Whitaker

, many young people do not recognize the important role that construction plays inour society. Nor do they understand the many opportunities the construction industry providesfor college trained professionals. It is the challenge of the construction industry and theuniversities to encourage the high school students of today to consider careers in construction.Enrollment in engineering and engineering technology programs has been a concern since the Page 6.839.1 Proceedings of the 2001 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright  2001, American Society for Engineering Educationearly 80

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2001 Annual Conference

Authors

Raju Dandu; Doug Oliphant; David Delker

Consulting: Responsibility or Promiscuity? The Journal of Higher Education, 55(5), 637-659, 1984.2. Jeffrey A. Griffen & Rick Homkes. Faculty Internships, 1999 ASEE Annual Conference Proceedings, Session 1375.3. Richard M. Reis. When Faculty Consulting helps and when it Hurts---Your Career. The Chronical of Higher Education, Career Network, Ca4. URL: http://sll.stanford.edu/projects/tomprof/newtomprof/postings/37.html. Tomorrow’s Professor- Msg # 37 Consulting and other Industry Relationships.5. URL: http://sll.stanford.edu/projects/tomprof/newtomprof/postings/41.html. Tomorrow’s Professor- Msg # 41 Consulting –Needed Prior to Tenure, not just after Tenure.6. URL: http://chronicle.com/jobs/99/10/99102202c.htm. When Faculty

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2001 Annual Conference

Authors

Rosalyn Hobson; Kenneth Burbank

for science and technology and itsrole in society. They also hoped to motivate the students to choose careers in engineering.Finally, this group wanted to aid these students in building a strong background in mathematicsand physical sciences; a background that would enable the student to enter directly into the corecurriculum of any engineering school with confidence in their ability to successfully completethe program and graduate.Consequently, from these ideas came the development of the Richmond Area Program forMinorities in Engineering (RAPME). RAPME, a non-profit organization, was officiallyincorporated in July 1978 with 10 sponsors. RAPME developed two recognized programs to aidin accomplishing its goals: the Summer Engineering

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2001 Annual Conference

Authors

Craig Gunn

taken because when students find a connection with their major early intheir college careers, they stand a greater chance of actually graduating in that major. TheResidential Option for Science and Engineering Students (ROSES) program provides studentswith not only close proximity to fellow engineers through centralized housing, but classes thatgroup these students together in math, physics, and chemistry. The students are also required toenroll for a customized engineering course housed in the College of Engineering. This courseaddresses issues that are commonly experienced by most freshmen, but it also focuses on highlyspecialized topics involving engineering in particular. Topics range from introductory materialon their chosen majors to

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2001 Annual Conference

Authors

John Brown; Patricia Click

anability to engage in life-long learning; and (j) a knowledge of contemporary issues.Description of the ProjectFirst-year students entering UVA’s engineering program must take TCC101, a communicationsclass that also explores the engineering sub-disciplines to help prepare students to declare theirmajors. During the first half of the semester, students are involved in the Research InterviewProject in which they each interview an engineer to learn more about engineering careers, as wellas a typical research project. The students then use the information obtained in the interview tocomplete a number of assignments, ranging from a simple summary memo to a research proposaland oral presentation. Fourth-year students are required to take TCC401 and

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2001 Annual Conference

Authors

Stephanie Eisenbarth; Siddhartha P. Duttagupta; Robert Walters; Paul Dawson; Joseph Guarino; George Murgel; Christopher Pentico

initial development of the microelectronicslaboratory facilities, have been documented.1 The State of Idaho recently approved theestablishment of four new M.S. programs in Electrical, Computer, Civil, and MechanicalEngineering. The impetus to initiate each of these programs came principally from the demandsof local citizenry, industry, and institutions to meet local technical education needs. This articlewill describe the efforts that have been undertaken by the Engineering faculty in partnership withthe community as a whole, to ensure that these programs will adequately prepare students forengineering and other high technology careers with an emphasis on technology management.II. Development of M.S. programsThe challenges faced when developing

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2001 Annual Conference

Authors

Andrew Lau; Robert Pangborn

attractive to, and effective for, both its students and faculty. In the College ofEngineering, the seminar program was configured as a mix of offerings tuned to the differingneeds of the 1000 incoming first-year students, as well as to stimulate interest among the facultyto teach them. The resultant array of more than 50 distinct courses ranges from those that allowexploration of a variety of majors and careers, sections that emphasize particular disciplines,offerings that help students develop key academic skills or that provide hands-on and laboratoryexperiences, and seminars that are developed around a special interest of a faculty member or aprofessional or technical theme. An attractive funding mechanism was developed to helpmotivate faculty

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2001 Annual Conference

Authors

April Brown; Donna Llewellyn; Marion Usselman

transform teacher education programsthat prepare K-12 teachers in the areas of science, engineering and mathematics (SEM). The titleof the NSF sponsored project, InGEAR (Integrating Gender Equity and Reform"), suggested itspurpose: To promote equal access to quality science and mathematics education for boys and girls across Georgia. Equal access includes encouragement to explore and discover, intellectual challenge, and success that is born out of these opportunities. Access also includes awareness of career opportunities associated with science, mathematics and related technical fields, such as engineering.4The Georgia Institute of Technology was designated the lead institution in the consortium due toits reputation

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2001 Annual Conference

Authors

Regina Zmich; Thomas Wolff

pursue majors and careers in technical fields.Participation in the program is selective for incoming freshmen with majors in the Colleges ofAgriculture & Natural Resources, Engineering, and Natural Science. The majority of thesestudents, about 150 of 200, are Engineering majors, with the rest from the College of NaturalScience and the College of Agriculture & Natural Resources. The primary components of theprogram include a common residence hall, a seminar course, reserved sections of commonfreshmen courses, tutoring and provision of peer leaders in the residence hall. The program hasbeen in place for eight years, providing the opportunity to relate some lessons learned and performsome program assessment.II. Why a Living-Learning Program

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2001 Annual Conference

Authors

Rose Marra; Andrew Lau; John Wise; Robert Pangborn

-student workshops, the following specific goals were adopted, along withpotential strategies for achieving them:1. Introduce students to a specific field, or encourage their exploration of a number of fields, of study in engineering; • familiarization with the engineering majors and career options and with the objectives of general education and other components of the curriculum • development of a particular topic, contemporary issue, emerging or inter-disciplinary field of concentration, or professional responsibilities in engineering • plant tours or demonstrations of engineering facilities2. Acquaint students with tools, resources and opportunities available to them in the Department(s), College and University

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2001 Annual Conference

Authors

Lisa Ritter; Barbara Lazarus; Susan Ambrose

doctoral program, it’s the beginning of a long and arduous—butexciting—educational adventure. Over those next few years, the student will work closely withboth superiors and peers. She will form professional relationships with some and closefriendships with others. And as she goes through this very important phase of her career, she willrely on that network of people to talk with, get feedback from and offer help to.The most important professional relationship a student will have in graduate school is with heradvisor. Her success as a student depends on it—and the course of her career may depend upon itas well. The advisor is an indispensable resource. She or he suggests what courses to take, directsthe program of study, supervises research and

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2001 Annual Conference

Authors

Richard Seagrave; R. Vigil; Debra Hawker-Schreiner; Charles Glatz

preparing reports with and without specificcourses and instructors being named.The focus of the Junior Survey is the advising system within the department. This survey hasbeen in place for several years with slight modifications. Students are asked which resourcesthey consider to be the most helpful for a variety of situations, such as receiving career assistanceand obtaining various forms. A report is generated consisting of tallies of the responses,computation of averages and variances, and evaluating comments for general trends. Thisinformation is discussed with the students to help determine what changes should be made to theadvising system. One of the major outcomes of this process was the development of adepartmental undergraduate booklet

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2001 Annual Conference

Authors

John Chandler; A. Dean Fontenot

traditionally have been underrepresented in science and engineeringdisciplines into educational and career paths in these fields. In addition, the program alsodirectly addresses the problem of the growing “digital divide.” This program putscomputers in students' homes and teaches them meaningful ways to use the technology torelate to their schoolwork, family, and community. At-risk students work side-by-sidewith their parents and teachers to build their own computers and learn to use them byparticipating in community-oriented projects that incorporate essentials of science,mathematics, engineering, and technology (SMET) disciplines. They also developcommunication and writing skills with curriculum components involving essay writing,business