Conference Session

Curricular Innovations

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Janice McCain, Howard University; Lorraine Fleming, Howard University; Dawn Williams, Howard University; Kimarie Engerman, University of the Virgin Islands

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

commitment to studying engineering grew stronger over time. Examination forlevel of commitment was guided by the review of the question, “How committed are you topursuing an engineering degree? And why”? A total of 60 engineering students longitudinallyparticipated in Year 1, Year 2 and Year 3 of the study. In Year 1, 27 first year students (45%)stated that they were very committed to completing the major in engineering. The number ofsecond year students that were very committed increased to 49 students (81.6%), representing a37% increase from the previous year. Third year students showed only a 5% increase, to 52, thatindicated that they were very committed (Table 1). Correspondingly, the number of students thatindicated that they were “somewhat

Conference Session

Engineering Without Borders: Programs Involving Students

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ivan Esparragoza, Pennsylvania State University; Richard Devon, Pennsylvania State University

Tagged Divisions

International

global distributed team, learn the value of different ideasfrom different cultures, gain knowledge of design opportunities in other countries and becomeskilled at how to use collaborative tool effectively.IntroductionThe growing integration of economies and societies around the world, better known asglobalization, has been one of the most hotly-debated topics in international economics over thepast few years.1 Its advantages and disadvantages have been discussed in many forums and bothsides, in favor of and against globalization, have presented clear and strong ideas. Beyond theeconomic point of view, this international integration has multiple implications in the interactionbetween the different constituents. Understanding globalization means

Conference Session

Creating 'Materials' Awareness

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Craig Johnson, Central Washington University; Beth Rogers, Yakima Valley Community College; OraLynn Manweller, Smiths Aerospace Corporation

Tagged Divisions

Materials

temperaturevs. inverse time before starting to cast. After making soap the student data was plotted, resultswere discussed and soap was compared.In consultation with the Central Washington University Human Subjects Review Committee,assessment questions were delivered to the group verbally, and responses were privately recordedby the instructors. Students unanimously indicated that the relationship (T vs. 1/t) ought to be a‘curve’. Results showed the linear relationship. Post-activity assessment showed a completereversal from the student’s earlier prediction to support the linear relationship. Studentcomments indicated support for this activity as having an ‘engineering’ component as opposed toother just ‘fun’ camp activities.IntroductionThis effort is

Conference Session

Engineering and Poverty

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Legand Burge, Tuskegee University; Heshmat Aglan, Tuskegee University; Pradosh Ray, Tuskegee University; Nader Vahdat, Tuskegee University; Connie Price, Tuskegee University; Prakash Sharma, Tuskegee University; Stephen Sodeke, Tuskegee University; Vascar Harris, Tuskegee University; Gregory Murphy, Tuskegee University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Ethics

Associate Professor and Head of Electrical Engineering in the College of Engineering, Architecture and Physical Sciences. Page 12.658.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2007 Engineering, Ethics and Society: Program Outcomes, Assessment and EvaluationAbstractThis paper describes a new course that has been offered to the engineering students at TuskegeeUniversity during the past two years. This course provides the students with an understanding of:1) the nature of engineering ethics, 2) the engineering activities in a societal context, and 3) thecontemporary issues in the engineering

Conference Session

Bioengineering laboratories: Bringing research into the classroom

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Daphne Rainey, Virginia Bioinformatics Institute; Bruce Mutter, Bluefield State College; Lionel Craddock, Bluefield State College; Susan Faulkner, Virginia Bioinformatics Institute; Frank Hart, Bluefield State College; Martha Eborall, Bluefield State College; Lewis Foster, Bluefield State College; Stephen Cammer, Virginia Bioinformatics Institute; Betsy Tretola, Virginia Tech; Bruno Sobral, Virginia Bioinformatics Institute; Oswald Crasta, Virginia Bioinformatics Institute

Tagged Divisions

Biomedical

the area of emerging infectious diseases to enable them ingeneration, storage, analysis and/or interpretation of ‘omic data. The effective interaction hasenhanced discovery of new knowledge as well as feedback for infrastructure development.1 IntroductionAdvances in computational technology are changing the way research is conducted in all aspectsof science. Rapid advances in scientific engineering and computer technologies have facilitatedthe generation of a vast amount of research data. For example, the number of nucleotidesequences in public databases doubles every six months. The integration of knowledge fromvarious fields such as computer science, mathematics, chemistry, and biology has resulted in avast opportunity for creating new

Conference Session

Multidisciplinary Design in the Classroom

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Dean Kim, Bradley University; Martin Morris, Bradley University; Richard Deller, Bradley University

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

which student teams design radio-controlled aircraft that must carry cargo. Another exampleis the SAE Formula competition, for which the student teams design formula-style racing cars.The competition which is the focus of this paper is the SAE Baja competition (formerly knownas the Mini-Baja competition), for which student teams must design and build an off-roadvehicle that can maneuver robustly through rough terrain. At many universities, the Baja projectis organized as a voluntary extra-curricular activity and previous literature has focused on facultyadvising such projects under this format.1 Some of these Baja teams have as many as twenty-five members consisting of students ranging from freshmen to graduate students.A key component of most

Conference Session

Teaching Strategies in Graphics

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Fernando Class-Morales, Cessna Aircraft Company; Jim Leake, University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign; Brenton Hall, University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Design Graphics

principles. However, the curriculum is socrowded that there is little or no room for instruction on the computational tools that can be usedto design and analyze mechanisms. Moreover, instructors often cannot keep pace with the latestvirtual technology software developments.To address this problem, a number of universities are introducing innovative curricula withcomputer-aided design (CAD) modeling and computer-aided engineering (CAE) analysis tools tohelp promote a better understanding of engineering basics and fundamentals among students,with the ultimate goal of preparing engineers who can fully integrate computer modeling anddesign with analytical skills.1 Researchers at the Department of Mechanical Engineering at

Conference Session

Teams and Teamwork in Design I

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ibibia Dabipi, University of Maryland-Eastern Shore; Bryan Burrows-McElwain, University of Maryland-Eastern Shore; Anthony Stockus, University of Maryland-Eastern Shore; Christopher Hartman, University of Maryland-Eastern Shore

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

-directed learning, intellectualchallenge and “active involvement in learning rather than passively listing to lecture”(Henschke, 2000). [1] This design project presented a more open and active approachthan would a project directed solely by the instructor. Through repeated questioning,which became more specific as time progressed, the engineering design students wereable to formulate a clear picture of the problem and integrate a solution into their design.Several design options were considered and the iterative process was key to the students’learning. These design considerations dealt with both material and cost associated withthe choice of a final design.IV. Team Formation and Project ManagementGiven that there were eleven students in the class

Conference Session

Teaching Courses in Renewable Energy Systems

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Robert Weissbach, Pennsylvania State University-Erie; Isaac Aunkst, General Dynamics Corporation

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

solar panel. To better explain this, please refer to Figure 1. A solar panel under an opencircuit is able to supply a maximum voltage with no current, while under a short circuit is able tosupply a maximum current with no voltage. In either case, the amount of power supplied by thesolar panel is zero. The key is to develop a method whereby maximum power can be obtainedfrom the voltage and current multiplied together. This “maximum power point” is illustrated bylooking at a voltage-current (VI) curve in Figure 1, and finding the “knee” of the curve. Anumber of maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithms have been developed andemployed.2 Figure 1. Illustration of a V-I Curve for a Solar PanelThe third method to increase

Conference Session

Meeting ABET Requirements

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Karinna Vernaza, Gannon University; Mahesh Aggarwal, Gannon University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

Council and theIndustrial Review Board) and alumni. In 2003, after several revisions and input from the abovementioned groups, a set of six educational objectives was developed with the inclusion of theprimary aspects of the current feedback process. The future implementation of the PRS toassess the Program Educational Objectives will be discussed later in the article.The program outcomes are derived and judged based on the ABET criteria and specialrequirements for the Mechanical Engineering Degree. These outcomes are consistent with theProgram Educational Objectives and the University Mission. Table 1 presents the mechanicalengineering program outcomes. The objectives of all required and elective mechanicalengineering courses are correlated to

Conference Session

Innovative Instruction Strategies in Calculus

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Martha Allen, Georgia College & State University; Amy Kelley, Georgia College & State University

Tagged Divisions

Mathematics

teamwork. Finally, we willoutline our plans for further investigation of questions raised as a result of teaching withinnovative activities designed to encourage teamwork and communication skills while allowingstudents to take a more active role in the learning of calculus.IntroductionTeamwork and communication skills are recognized as important outcomes in undergraduateengineering curricula. Accordingly, Criterion 3 of the ABET guidelines states that a student musthave an “ability to apply knowledge of mathematics,” an “ability to function on multi-disciplinaryteams,” and an “ability to communicate effectively.”1 In addition, the Committee on theUndergraduate Program in Mathematics (CUPM) of the Mathematical Association of America2004 Curriculum

Conference Session

Best Practices in Interdisciplinary Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programs

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Karen Thornton, University of Maryland; Jacqueline Rogers, University of Maryland (Retired); Kristen Waters; Nathan Myers, University of Maryland; Lisa Rawlings, Prince George's Prince Community College

Tagged Divisions

Entrepreneurship & Engineering Innovation

Conference Session

Laboratory and Internship Innovations in IT/IS

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Robert Walters, Pennsylvania State University; John Bertoty, Blueroof Technologies, Inc.

Tagged Divisions

Information Systems

Page 12.1375.3 Shown in Figure 1 - a floor plan for the Smart Cottage: Figure 1. Smart Cottage Floor PlanTechnology and InfrastructureThe Smart Cottage has a small computer/logic center with the modems, firewalls, routers and switchesthat are required to connect the home to the Internet. Data/network security is an integral part of thehouse. The cottage has “technology” channels embedded in each wall during construction. After thehouse is constructed, CAT 5E cable, RG-6 coaxial cable and telephone cable (Tri-modal) is droppedthrough the technology channels from the computer center to all rooms, all appliances and sensors.Cables of any type can easily be inserted into the channels for future applications

Conference Session

Innovations in ECE Education III

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Don Millard, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; Mohamed Chouikha, Howard University; Frederick Berry, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

discussion, which was immediately followed by an activity where students solved paper-and-pencil problems, investigated computer simulations, or conducted hands-on experiments. • Access to Professors: The entire class was taught and supervised by a Ph.D. faculty member. Previously, the professor-in-charge had contact with the students only through the lecture Page 12.861.2 portion in which the entire enrollment met in a large lecture hall. Recitation (discussion) and ‐ 1 ‐  laboratory classes, where student-instructor interaction was more easily fostered, were taught by

Conference Session

Embedded Computing

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

J.W. Bruce, Mississippi State University; Lee Hathcock, Mississippi State Univ.

Tagged Divisions

Computers in Education

instructed to describe the product, its market, its high-level operation, and anyother nontechnical aspects. Page 12.596.4Figure 1: Dissection journal: Product IntroductionProduct market and retail informationStudents must determine the product's history, the manufacturer's suggest retail price (MSRP),discounted street price, retail outlets, and if other rebranded or OEM version are available forsale. Page 12.596.5Figure 2: Dissection Journal: Product Market AnalysisDissection Photo JournalStarting with a photo of the product in unopened, retail

Conference Session

Unique Laboratory Experiments and Programs Poster Session

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Robert Szlavik, California Polytechnic State University

Tagged Divisions

Division Experimentation & Lab-Oriented Studies

experiments that utilize Hodgkin-Huxley neuron models are carriedout by students in the BMED 440 course as well as an upper division physiological simulationand modeling course (BMED 430).Extensive use of the SPICE sub-circuit definition capabilities are made to develop virtualexperiments such as is illustrated in Figure 1., involving the injection of a stimulus current pulsetrain into an electrically small biological neuron such as a leech Retzius Cell4. Page 12.316.3 Micropipette ISTIM(t) Retzius Cell Figure 1. Simple SPICE equivalent

Conference Session

Special programs and activities for minorities in engineering

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Gerald Watson, North Carolina A&T State University; Xiaochun Jiang, North Carolina A&T State University; Marcia Williams, North Carolina A&T State University; Sanjiv Sarin, North Carolina A&T State University

Tagged Divisions

Minorities in Engineering

. Once again,strong evidence from the statistical analysis indicated that the NC-LSAMP project has thepotential to significantly impact the retention and graduation rates of underrepresented STEMstudents.1. IntroductionStudies have shown that diversity has a positive impact on the workplace, and thecompetitiveness of corporations in the global market1. According to the US Census Bureau, byyear 2050, it is projected that the minority population will represent about 50% of the total U. S.population (US Census Bureau). Consequently, the minority labor force will be an importantsource of labor in the 21st century. However, shortage in minority students majoring in scienceand engineering has been an ongoing challenge for engineering educators 2, 3

Conference Session

Student Diversity: attracting and retaining a diverse population of students

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kelly Crittenden, Louisiana Tech University; Galen Turner, Louisiana Tech University; Alicia Boudreaux, Louisiana Tech University; James Nelson, Louisiana Tech University

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

Science at “the University” has already been very successful at increasing enrollment, retention, and graduation in recent years. Yet, further improvements are attainable. Our overall goal is an annual increase in STEM graduation rates – fromFigure 1. Students working during the Bridges to approximately 220 students per year to aEngineering pilot. sustainable 300 students per

Conference Session

FPD5 -- Placement & Early Success

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Beverly Jaeger, Northeastern University; Susan Freeman, Northeastern University; Richard Whalen, Northeastern University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

engineering educators, typically they are to: 1. Facilitate student learning and concomitant motivation. 2. Strengthen genuine retention of students. 3. Prepare students for engineering application in the industry outside the classroom. 4. Identify the most effective selection of course components and best use of class time.While each of these objectives might be considered mutually exclusive on some levels, an idealcourse would be one developed to create maximum overlap across each of these goal categories.Ensuring that students like their work certainly helps to retain them, but do they feel they arelearning from the same experience?Review of LiteratureLearning Styles. It is well established that using a variety of teaching styles

Conference Session

Design of Lab Experiments II

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Gregory Mason, Seattle University; Frank Shih, Seattle University; Jeff Dragovich, Seattle University

Tagged Divisions

Division Experimentation & Lab-Oriented Studies

science laboratory and presentsresults of student surveys and instructors interviews regarding the effectiveness of this system.System DescriptionThe real-time data collection system is comprised of a desktop computer running LABView andtwenty-one Tablet PC connected to a wireless network. The Tablet PCs run custom softwarewhich communicates with the desktop computer and can display real-time test data in variousformats. Although the data acquisition is portable and can be used on different experiments, it iscurrently connected to a MTS axial test machine. Figure 1 shows a schematic of the system. Adetailed description of each component follows. Figure 1. Schematic of Wireless Data Acquisition System

Conference Session

ChE: Bioengineering, nanotechnology, and systems engineering in the Classroom

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Milo Koretsky, Oregon State University; Danielle Amatore, Oregon State University; Shoichi Kimura, Oregon State University; Alexandre Yokochi, Oregon State University

Tagged Divisions

Chemical Engineering

. Page 12.517.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2007 Development of a Nanotechnology Curriculum at Oregon State UniversityAbstractThere is a need to adapt engineering and science curricula to equip students with the skills andattributes needed to contribute effectively in manufacturing based processes that rely onnanotechnology. Two activities have been undertaken at Oregon State University (OSU) insupport of this goal: (1) development of a Nanotechnology Processes Option in the ChemicalEngineering (ChE) Department and (2) development a survey course within the College ofEngineering (CoE) that is broadly available to all engineering undergraduates. The hands-onbased Option is designed to

Conference Session

Embedded Computing

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Keith Curtis, Microchip Technology Inc.

Tagged Divisions

Computers in Education

methodology that will allow new engineers tocreate complex, solid code quickly.How can junior engineers quickly develop complex, solid code? Let us start by definingthe specific goals: 1. The methodology must produce code that is capable of multitasking. Today’s electronics do not perform just one task, so engineers must be able to produce code that can accomplish more than one thing at a time. Additionally, being able to replace hardware with software is always a prime consideration in cutting production costs In order to do this, the code must be able to multitask and execute the soft peripherals with other main software functions. 2. The methodology must produce code that is capable of real-time control. The

Conference Session

Technology Literacy for Engineering Students

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

John Krupczak, Hope College

Tagged Divisions

Technological Literacy Constituent Committee

several themes that resonate with this group.12-15 These are summarized inTable 1. In learning engineering topics, non-engineers place a high value on knowledgerelevant to familiar technological devices, seek practical applications and skills, andaspire to a sense of empowerment in their relationship with technology. While non-engineers are willing to pursue and even welcome developing in-depth understanding oftechnological principles, mathematical arguments alone are not sufficiently compelling inthis regard. Page 12.1553.3Engineering educators might consider these preferences and priorities of non-engineeringstudents as valuable data. Insights from non

Conference Session

FPD6 -- Early Intervention & Retention Programs

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Pat Pyke; John Gardner; Marcia Belcheir; Janet Callahan; Amy Moll; Cheryl Schrader

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

national measuresof higher education institutions are: 1) persistence (retention) of first-time, full-time freshmen,and 2) six-year graduation rate of students who started and finished at the same university. Asstudents are central to this discussion, here are descriptions of four typical engineering studentsat Boise State University, a public metropolitan university. (Names have been changed toprotect their identities.) • Stefano entered college as an engineering major full of hope and ability but lacking in adequate preparation. He attended full time for three semesters but then slowed down his academic progress as he had to work to support his family. He graduated from the university more than eight years later as a capable

Conference Session

Advice from the Experts for NEEs at Small Universities

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Eric Larson, Seattle University; Agnieszka Miguel, Seattle University

Tagged Divisions

New Engineering Educators

, andpublishing results. One key tip that is pervasive throughout this paper is understanding thetenure requirements in your department at your institution.1. IntroductionResearch expectations have been constantly increasing at teaching colleges and universitieswhere the primary focus is on teaching. This includes liberal arts colleges, comprehensiveschools, and universities that have a Master's program but do not offer doctorate degrees.Research has several benefits to teaching oriented institutions. First, faculty members must staycurrent in their field. This makes faculty members more knowledgeable and as a result, moreeffective teachers. Having faculty members that perform research opens up opportunities tostudents. They can assist faculty in

Conference Session

Special Session on Fixed-Point Education

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jonathan Hill, University of Hartford; Hisham Alnajjar, University of Hartford; Saeid Moslehpour, University of Hartford

Tagged Divisions

Computers in Education

students ready for a moreinductive approach can use the toolkit in their own projects by drawing schematics or modifyingexample VHDL modules. Students are not expected to write code using a hardware descriptionlanguage, but the underlying code is always available for inspection.Preliminary ExperienceThe first experience students have with the toolkit involves basic practical concerns that studentsmust become familiar with. The first topics to address are how to convert from analog to digitaland digital back to analog. Figure 1 is the conceptual diagram of a test circuit that students usealong with a voltmeter. A potentiometer is sampled by an analog to digital converter and theresult is displayed in hexadecimal. Switches provide a digital value

Conference Session

Women, Minorities and the New Engineering Educator

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Brook Sattler, University of Washington; Jessica Yellin, University of Washington; Yi-Min Huang, University of Washington; Jennifer Turns, University of Washington

Tagged Divisions

New Engineering Educators

from this in-depth study included: (1) the use of narratives/storytelling to describe their views of diversity; (2) the self reporting of a critical incident (positive ornegative) involving diversity; and (3) the use of politically correct terms when talking aboutdiversity. The use of narratives to describe diversity views was very personal and concrete. Whenparticipants discussed a critical incident they used narratives to describe and reflect about aspecific personal experience. Many times in telling their stories, participants were cautious of theirwords and acknowledged needing to be politically correct, frequently using the acronym PC for“politically correct”. Many participants described one or more of these diversity themes whentalking

Conference Session

Trends in Construction Engineering II

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Thomas Currin, Southern Polytechnic State University; Timothy Zeigler, Southern Polytechnic State University

Tagged Divisions

Construction

meet ABET criteria for accrediting engineering programs.Although ABET encourages unique outcomes specific to individual programs; allengineering programs must produce graduates that attain eleven specific outcomesdescribed in the criteria for accrediting engineering programs.1 The prescribed elevenoutcomes and outcomes defined in the program criteria must be achieved by the time ofgraduation. The final program outcomes for the construction engineering programs weredeveloped to address the aforementioned ABET criteria as well as meet needs of theprogram constituents. The developed program outcomes are: a. Graduates will recognize careers in the construction engineering field and appreciate the importance of

Conference Session

NSF Grantees Poster Session

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

William Clark, Worcester Polytechnic Institute; David DiBiasio, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

AC 2007-823: COMPUTER SIMULATION OF LABORATORY EXPERIMENTSFOR ENHANCED LEARNINGWilliam Clark, Worcester Polytechnic Institute William Clark is associate professor of Chemical Engineering at WPI. He earned a B.S. from Clemson University and a Ph.D. from Rice University, both in Chemical Engineering. After postdoctoral work at the Technical University of Denmark and the University of Delaware he has taught at WPI since 1986. His current research interests include finite element computer modeling for improving separation processes as well as for improving engineering education. Address: WPI, Department of Chemical Engineering, 100 Institute Rd., Worcester, MA 01609; telephone: (+1

Conference Session

Creating a Technology Incubator and Creating a Seed Fund

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Thomas Duening, Arizona State University

Tagged Divisions

Entrepreneurship & Engineering Innovation

AC 2007-824: DEVELOPING AN ANGEL INVESTOR FORUM TO COMPLEMENTAN ENGINEERING SCHOOL'S ENTREPRENEURSHIP INITIATIVESThomas Duening, Arizona State University Page 12.484.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2007Developing an Angel Investor Forum to Complement an Engineering School’s Entrepreneurship Initiatives Page 12.484.2BackgroundAfter two years of decline, entrepreneurial activity in the United States increased from 10.5percent in 2002 to 11.9 percent in 2003. This level of activity ranks the U.S. 7th among 31nations surveyed by the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor in Total Entrepreneurial Activity(TEA).1