Collection

2010 ASEE Zone 1 Conference

Authors

Suxia Cui; John Fuller; Pamela Holland-Obiomon; Warsame H. Ali

Educate New Generation on Nuclear Technology through Collaborating Engineering Project Suxia Cui, John Fuller, Pamela Holland-Obiomon, and Warsame H. Ali Electrical and Computer Engineering Department Prairie View A&M University Session: Interdisciplinary programs, sustainability and alternative energy as related to engineering educationAbstractFor the past several decades, nuclear technology has remained as one of the top interested issuesdue to its application as a new energy resource as well as a threaten weapon of massivedestruction. In the United States, the National Nuclear Security Administration

Collection

2010 ASEE Zone 1 Conference

Authors

Xingguo Xiong; Linfeng Zhang; Lawrence V. Hmurcik P.E.

view to show the MEMS device structure and fabrication flow arealso used to help students understand the structure of the devices. Upon completion of theMEMS curriculum, many students chose MEMS as their research topic in their masterproject/thesis research. Based on the research results, various student posters/papers havebeen published in academic conferences. After graduation, some students continue theirPh.D study in MEMS field, while some other students find jobs as MEMS engineers inindustry. We are also actively making efforts to further extend the MEMS education intohigh school students in nearby communities. This will help to introduce MEMS field toeven more students in their early years, so that they may enter the MEMS field in

Collection

2010 ASEE Zone 1 Conference

Authors

John Adams

to utilize the 8051 in a real world applicationincluding monitoring, timing, and signal generating applications. Students propose atopic, which they then design, write and debug the assembly code, interface, andtroubleshoot. After taking this course, students are well prepared to go on in their juniorand senior years with embedded controller based projects involving measurement andcontrol. The figure below provides a flow chart of the pertinent coursework. Figure 1: Coursework for EE majors pertinent to renewable energy. 2 ASEE-NE 2010 Conference - WITAdams: Renewable Energy Education …The special topics course

Collection

2010 ASEE Zone 1 Conference

Authors

Ross McCurdy

to educate and demonstrate to students the benefits of fuel cell energyin a science curriculum. As the students of today are the leaders and consumers of tomorrow,education represents a critical component toward furthering the wide-scale implementation offuel cells in our society. Through a Perkins Foundation grant, ten solar hydrogen fuel cell labkits were acquired for classroom use and were the first step in establishing fuel cell education atPonaganset High. These Heliocentris lab kits enabled students to produce hydrogen throughsolar-powered electrolysis and use the generated hydrogen to power a small fuel cell in the onewatt range. The electricity generated by these fuel cells was used to power a tiny light bulb andspin a small wheel

Collection

2010 ASEE Zone 1 Conference

Authors

Enrique Sola; Anne E. Mohan; James Patrick Abulencia

generate and choose from many alternatives [4]. It iswith this assistance from computers that chemical engineers have been allowed to branch outinto other fields. In the fall semester of 2008 at Manhattan College, a graduate level course entitled FoodEngineering, taught by the current department chair, Ann Marie Flynn Ph.D., was offered for thefirst time. The students who attended this course learned important principles specific to variousfood production processes. Some examples of problems that were solved during the course of theclass were: (1) determining the overall heat transfer coefficient required to cook different typesof food, (2) learning how to create an aseptic environment for the mass production of cannedgoods and, (3

Collection

2010 ASEE Zone 1 Conference

Authors

Peter S. Rourke

manufacturing education. A notableexample is the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) initiative: Manufacturing is Cool (2). This is alarge scale effort by a leading professional group to attract young people into the field. Throughinteractive links, classroom activities, and various other internet based tools K-12 teachers can bring theworld of manufacturing into their curriculum in an interesting and innovative way. SME is active at alllevels of education, from primary through graduate work. Scholarships, local chapters and studentgroups at technical colleges and universities are used as outreach. Their web page describes theireducation foundation: The SME Education Foundation is committed to inspiring, supporting andpreparing the next generation

Collection

2010 ASEE Zone 1 Conference

Authors

Chiara Silvestri; Adriana Hera; Malcolm H. Ray; Siamak Najafi

mesh generator and is employed aspre-processors for FE analysis [4]. Also, Ls-PrePost can be used as post-processor to process theresults from FE solvers. Envisioning the increased integration of technology in the classroom and software usage inthe courses, in March 2006, WPI initiated a new information technology (IT) program, intendedto support the academic undergraduate and graduate curriculum by providing training sessionson main scientific and engineering software applications (SESA) and technical expertise to assistthe research efforts of students and faculty. This program proved to become very popular and highly appreciated by students and isconsidered a valuable resource by faculty. At the end of the academic year 2008-2009, 24

Collection

2010 ASEE Zone 1 Conference

Authors

Vijay Kanabar; Virginia Greiman; Jim Cormier

longaccepted methodology particularly valuable in teaching such disciplines as law, management andengineering [14]. Mustoe and Croft have described the importance of communicating case studies inMotivating Engineering Students by Using Modern Case Studies, European Journal of EngineeringEducation [15]. Since historically, the case study method has been primarily used in live classrooms,there is little empirical research on the comparison of the lecture and or case study method with onlinecase study pedagogy. There are, however, several studies that indicate that generally online education isas effective as live classroom teaching. This is a good area for further study and research. 7. Final Paper ConclusionsIn conclusion let us ask ourselves the

Collection

2010 ASEE Zone 1 Conference

Authors

Ali Moazed; Richard L Roberts; Xiaobin Le P.E.; Anthony William Duva P.E.

Teaching Finite Element Analysis in Undergraduate Technology Curriculum Ali R. Moazed, Richard Roberts, Xiaobin Le, Anthony Duva Session: Tools, techniques, and best practices of engineering education for the digital generationI. AbstractTypically, FEA courses are offered at a graduate level, covering the theoretical basis with littleor no effort to apply this technology to real problems. In some institutions, this course is offeredto seniors, but the content is also mostly theoretical. At Wentworth, we have designed an FEAcourse based on our industrial experience which could be labeled “Applied Finite ElementAnalysis”. This paper describes the methodology followed in the development of this course,along

Collection

2010 ASEE Zone 1 Conference

Authors

Chiara Silvestri; Suzanne LePage; Paul P. Mathisen

audio instructions.The tutorials helped the students gain experience and confidence in software use, with the goal ofincreasing the students’ interest, motivation and comprehension of course material.Introduction Incorporating software packages in the undergraduate curriculum represents a significantteaching challenge for educators. Proficiency in the use of specific software is often an importantqualification for students looking to join the work force in their area of interest. To effectivelymake use of these packages, however, time and often training is needed. Given the increasingbreadth of topics that must be covered in our undergraduate curriculum, it is becomingincreasingly difficult to allot the time needed to provide this background

Collection

2010 ASEE Zone 1 Conference

Authors

David H. Plantz; William M Simpson Jr. P.E.

ethical aspects ofengineering projects. Educators are recognizing that material science and engineering coursescan be a particularly good venue for case studies considering the many applications acrossengineering disciplines. Kathleen L. Kitto of Western Washington University points out that,because of the interdisciplinary nature of material science and engineering, introductory materialscience can be a challenge to teach. She has used case studies and other active learningtechniques to enhance student learning and interest [5]. At the USCGA, most graduates of theEngineering Material Science course will serve either in the Naval Engineering, Marine Safety,or Aviation Programs as Coast Guard Officers. As such, the use of Coast Guard case

Collection

2010 ASEE Zone 1 Conference

Authors

Elif Kongar; Kurt A. Rosentrater

. As a result, students were able to analyze theirfamiliar university campus from an environmental perspective and suggest solutions forimprovement. Therefore, the project outcomes are considered to be beneficial from two aspects;(i) improved engineering and problem solving skills, (ii) increased awareness regarding currentenvironmental problems.Keywords: curriculum enhancement, education, green engineering, sustainability, consumption.I. IntroductionToday, engineering systems producing goods and/or services require additional concerns otherthan purely economic factors, including environmental and social impacts. Energy andenvironment appear to be the two crucial topics that are naturally embedded in these systems dueto their embracing nature

Collection

2010 ASEE Zone 1 Conference

Authors

Gautham Das; Sameer Shaik

Optimization of the Design of a Concrete Canoe using Finite Element Analysis Das, Gautham1 and Shaik, Sameer2 1 Assistant Professor, Wentworth Institute of Technology, 550 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA2 Engineer, GL Noble Denton, 1155 Dairy Ashford, Suite 315,Houston, TX 77079, USA Session: All other topics relevant to engineering educationStudents at Wentworth Institute of Technology (WIT) participate in the annual concretecanoe competition conducted by the American Society of Civil Engineers. Every yearstudents design and fabricate a canoe. For the 2009 competition, a Finite

Collection

2010 ASEE Zone 1 Conference

Authors

Salah Badjou

based on 2 carefully designed anonymous surveys of thestudents, at midterm and the end of semester, and quantification of improvements in studentperformance, including comparison to previous classes. Results so far are encouraging. Theabove approach may be considered as a good example of a hybrid or blended online project-based education in engineering.How the online system was developed Previously, there was no significant online component to this course. The author had usedBlackboard [5] minimally while teaching this course in the past, essentially to post relevantinformation such as syllabi, announcements and short tutorials of general interest on topics suchas microcontrollers, motors, and servos. However, the author had no other

Collection

2010 ASEE Zone 1 Conference

Authors

Siben Dasgupta

Teaching Digital Signal Processing with MATLAB,Simulink and DSP Kits A Practical, Cohesive, and Hands-On Approach Siben Dasgupta Associate Professor, Wentworth Institute of TechnologyAbstractThis paper provides an introduction to Digital Signal Processing topics taught in the undergraduateelectronics /computer engineering programs at Wentworth Institute of Technology. This paper describeshow Wentworth Institute of Technology provides “hands on” experience with real signals by using a“laboratory” based on MATLAB and SIMULINK running on PC’s. In addition, an innovative approach isprovided in this paper for integrating DSP course in to the graduate program

Collection

2010 ASEE Zone 1 Conference

Authors

Brian Savilonis

butemphasized technical expertise. Bannerot et al [5] suggested overall curricular changesstarting with the freshman year to demonstrate the relevance of thermodynamics andenergy in the global society. Manno [6] points out that, after years of disinterest in powerproduction in the educational circle, this is a prime time to discuss the environmental,economic and social implications of various large scale power systems.WPI has long had a strong emphasis on project based learning. WPI placed project-basedlearning at the core of its academic program in the early 1970’s when it redesigned its 1graduation requirements to include two major projects [7]. WPI graduation

Collection

2010 ASEE Zone 1 Conference

Authors

Charles Thomas; Loren Byrne; Jeremy Campbell

engineering educationAbstractThe general consensus among institutions of higher education is that for a course inSustainability Studies to be successful it must treat the subject in a transdisciplinary manner.The authors (an Engineer, Ecologist, and Anthropologist) have collaborated to create and delivera course titled “Introduction to Sustainability Studies.” It will become the introductory course inthe minor in sustainability studies at Roger Williams University. The students in the course werefrom many different majors (for example: Criminal Justice, Architecture, Biology, although noEngineering majors were enrolled), and ranged from freshman to seniors. The content of thepaper will describe the genesis of the course and the manner in which it was

Collection

2010 ASEE Zone 1 Conference

Authors

Kara Cokeley; Claire Mockler; Min Feng Zheng; James Patrick Abulencia

extent to whichbiofuels can eventually replace fossil fuels as the world’s primary source of energy depends onhow efficiently they are produced. As research in this field intensifies to optimize theseproduction methods, it is imperative to educate students on the importance of alternative energy. Biodiesel from algae has great potential because of its high-volume, cost efficientproduction. Consequently, it is crucial for engineers and scientists to understand how algalgrowth is affected by parameters such as temperature and carbon dioxide concentration, as wellas the methodology on how to extract the necessary oils from these sources. One way toincorporate this topic into the chemical engineering curriculum is to integrate alternative

Collection

2010 ASEE Zone 1 Conference

Authors

Nancy Ortins Savage; Samuel Daniels; Michael A. Collura P.E.

dependent behaviorof gases and liquids, allowing for a more general view of all materials, and providing earlyemphasis on the deviation from ideal behavior for engineering gases, liquids and solids. Whilethis course may seem an unusual mix of topics it is not unique; the course is based in part on thepioneering efforts of faculty at Texas A&M as part of the NSF Foundation Coalition. A coursewith very similar scope “Properties of Matter” [11] was introduced as a science-baseddevelopment of properties of solids, liquids, and gases.Methodology EAS 213 meets twice weekly for 100-minute sessions, enrolling approximately 24students per section. Since the course’s inception in 2005, it has been taught primarily in atraditional format; in class

Collection

2010 ASEE Zone 1 Conference

Authors

Andrea Baruzzi; Theresa M Calcagno

topics.Consequently, information literacy may be mentioned in passing or instruction time for it may becompletely eliminated to make room for other topics in the syllabus. 1Academic libraries have developed tools to help students learn basic information literacy andresearch skills online and to enhance these skills as their research becomes more varied andcomplex. At George Mason University (GMU), librarians have developed two different tools toassist both students and faculty researchers: InfoGuides target undergraduates, while ResearchPortals assist faculty researchers and graduate students. Each tool allows librarians to highlightrelevant information resources

Collection

2010 ASEE Zone 1 Conference

Authors

David Potter

in which fundamental principles and analytic techniques are presented to students. A common feedback theme from graduates is that they had to learn “the real stuff” after graduation or on a co-op job. We hypothesize that unstructured experimentation – tinkering - by students totally outside the academic schedule would improve abilities to relate classroom topics to application. This is a review of what resources are available for students, defined as people with limited time and limited money, which would allow them to experiment in ways that could provide significant educational value. A set of development boards, software tools, and test equipment is presented that are available for

Collection

2010 ASEE Zone 1 Conference

Authors

Vijay Kanabar; Robert Schudy

international students. This model permits students tocomplete their education at a time that is most convenient to them. The model also benefits workingstudents who generally devote late evenings or weekend hours to coursework. There are no requirementsfor participating in “same time” sessions—even though many professors offer recorded video or audiosessions that are attended by as much as 20% of the students. However, one important aspect thatremains missing in our pure online model is the immediacy and dynamics of live communication. Figure 1: Blended ModelBlended Format Boston University has used a blended format which we term eLive to teach courses. AsFigure 1 illustrates, this model is a blend of Pure

Collection

2010 ASEE Zone 1 Conference

Authors

Ismail I. Orabi

enable real-time adjustments of the fuselage dampers – sponsored by Sikorsky AircraftCourse ObjectivesThe students are expected to learn and demonstrate the abilities to: • solve open-ended problems • use design methodologies and technical analysis to implement solutions • effectively communicate ideas in a written and oral format • effectively work in a team • integrate ethical, social, safety, cost and environmental concerns in the design processTopics coveredThe course involved four main components: (1) lectures by engineering faculty aimed atproviding the students with important information on topics related to professional practice, (2)presentations by invited outside speakers, (3

Collection

2010 ASEE Zone 1 Conference

Authors

Daniel Domato; Marco Castaldi; James Patrick Abulencia

end, there has to be a decrease in the contribution of coal and oil, and an increasein contribution of the renewable energy. This trade off is necessary because one can predict fromthe trend in the past, energy consumption will still increase. There will be a need for renewableenergy sources assuming that new sources of oil and coal aren’t discovered In engineering curriculums across the U.S. and specifically Manhattan College, emphasison green engineering is on the rise. The ideas and methodology of green technology and designshould be embedded in each graduating class of engineers.Background: As a widely dispersed, naturally occurring carbon source, biomass is a logical choice as araw material for the production of a broad