Conference Session

K-12 and Outreach

Collection

ASEE Southeast Section Conference

Authors

Suren Jayasuriya, Arizona State University; Ramana Pidaparti, University of Georgia; John M Mativo, University of Georgia; Kimberlee Ann Swisher, Arizona State University

Tagged Topics

Professional Engineering Education Papers

design, computational mechanics, STEM Education, and related topics. Dr. Pidaparti has published over 300 technical papers in refereed journals and conference proceedings. Dr. Pidaparti received a Research Initiation Award from the National Science Foundation and the Young Investigator Award from the Whitaker Foundation. He is a member of Tau Beta Pi, Sigma Gamma Tau, and Who’s Who societies. He is a member of professional societies including AIAA (Associate Fellow), AAAS (Fellow), ASME (Fellow), RAeS (Fellow), and ASEE (member).Dr. John M Mativo, University of Georgia Dr. John Mativo is Associate Professor at the University of Georgia. His research interest lies in two fields. The first is research focusing on best

Conference Session

Graduate School

Collection

ASEE Southeast Section Conference

Authors

Mazen I. Hussein, Tennessee Tech University

Tagged Topics

Professional Engineering Education Papers

Paper ID #36567Survey of Online Graduate Industrial & Systems Engineering and SupplyChain Management ProgramsDr. Mazen I. Hussein, Tennessee Tech University Mazen is an Associate Professor in the General and Basic Engineering Department at Regional University. His research interests include: Freight modeling and logistics, facilities planning and material handling, optimization and simulation modeling, production planning and control, reverse logistics and recycling, modern manufacturing systems, microalloying and mechanical behavior, teaching statistics and increasing the data analytics content in engineering

Conference Session

Graduate School

Collection

ASEE Southeast Section Conference

Authors

Ioulia Rytikova, George Mason University; Mihai Boicu, George Mason University; Harry J Foxwell, George Mason University; Duoduo Liao, George Mason University; Larisa Olesova, University of Florida

Tagged Topics

Professional Engineering Education Papers

learning modules helped them applyresearch concepts and methods. The purpose of this study was to develop and investigate theeffectiveness of an approach that addresses the challenges of the rapidly evolving workplace bycreating a collaborative multidisciplinary research environment for graduate students using © American Society for Engineering Education, 2023inquiry-based and active learning methods and the concept of cognitive presence. We developedand evaluated three generic learning modules and their adaptation and implementation in fivedomain specific courses, that introduced a graduate student to research activities gradually,consistently, and systematically, with the goal of developing collaboration, innovation

Conference Session

Capstones and Economics

Collection

ASEE Southeast Section Conference

Authors

Simon Thomas Ghanat P.E., The Citadel; Kweku Tekyi Brown P.E., The Citadel; William J. Davis P.E., The Citadel; Dan D Nale PE

Tagged Topics

Professional Engineering Education Papers

problems/case-based and direct instruction using textbookproblems).KeywordsEngineering EconomyBackground and Literature ReviewEngineering majors in their first two years of their education are generally taught methods andare not exposed to the applications of these methods until later in their education. Unfortunately,it is difficult to motivate students when they do not see how their work applies to the real world1 . To maximize student learning, it is essential to develop ways to promote student motivationand engagement2-3. Motivated students strive to make the most of their education by acquiringnew information and using it to further their knowledge 2-4. To increase the value that studentsplace on a task, it is helpful to relate it to their

Conference Session

Computer Science

Collection

ASEE Southeast Section Conference

Authors

Peng Li, East Carolina University; Ciprian Popoviciu, East Carolina University; Steve Keith Baker

Tagged Topics

Professional Engineering Education Papers

exercises in practical applications.Unlike Computer Science graduates, many graduates from our Information and ComputerTechnology Program will become Network Administrators, Data Analysts, Security Managers,and Cloud Architects, among others, who may use Python scripts to perform tasks but do notfocus on software development or programming. They need to develop career-ready skills of © American Society for Engineering Education, 2023integrating Python in various fields such as IT automation, networking, data analytics, webservices and cloud management. Our students are eager to learn hands-on skills of using Pythonin real-world scenarios, which are not covered adequately in the textbook.Learning by doing is important in our

Conference Session

Mathematics and Material Science

Collection

ASEE Southeast Section Conference

Authors

Elizabeth A. Powell, Tennessee Technological University; Kumar Yelamarthi, Tennessee Technological University

Tagged Topics

Professional Engineering Education Papers

, such as increased retention [7], predictions oflower time-to-graduation rates [8], improved math skills or readiness [9], and general collegereadiness [5].Based on the unique needs at Tennessee Tech University, the RAMP program was developedwith several goals. The highest priority was advancing math knowledge; it was important as well © American Society for Engineering Education, 2023to increase students’ self-efficacy in math, as studies have shown that when students’ self-effi-cacy increases, their performance increases [10]. Moreover, the program was developed to pro-vide incoming freshmen with a way to engage, to get involved, and to gain a sense of belonging,as evidence suggests a strong correlation between these

Conference Session

Using Research in Engineering Ed

Collection

ASEE Southeast Section Conference

Authors

Vincenzo Alessandro Macri, Florida Atlantic University; Daniel Raviv, Florida Atlantic University; Juan David Yepes, Florida Atlantic University

Tagged Topics

Professional Engineering Education Papers

skills.Motivation and Desired TakeawaysIn this section we will discuss our main objectives going into this research from both educationaland technical points of view.1. Educational PerspectiveFrom an educational perspective, the main motivation of this research is to see how anundergraduate student approaches learning a completely new, high-level topic and converges ona final system design from the divergence of exploratory learning. Additionally, we gave thestudent the opportunity to improve on both technical skills and general problem-solving skillsthrough this research project that would be hard to obtain exposure to in the traditionalengineering classroom environment. These skills include: • Hands-on system development skills: Assembling not just

Conference Session

Classroom Skills

Collection

ASEE Southeast Section Conference

Authors

Stephanie Laughton, The Citadel; Dan D Nale PE

Tagged Topics

Professional Engineering Education Papers

Citadel and both a MS and PhD in Civil Engineering from The University of South Carolina. Dan a ©American Society for Engineering Education, 2023 2023 ASEE Southeastern Section Conference Student Interaction and Perception of FE-Based Formula Sheet Use in Engineering Exams Stephanie Laughton and Dan Nale The Citadel, The Military College of South CarolinaAbstractCompletion of the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Exam is a graduation requirement for students inthe Civil & Environmental Engineering program at The Citadel. The FE supplied resource handbook(FERH) contains formulas, standard

Conference Session

First Year and Cross-Disciplinary

Collection

ASEE Southeast Section Conference

Authors

Karen Dinora Martinez Soto, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; Homero Murzi, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Tagged Topics

Professional Engineering Education Papers

. Homero’s goal is to develop engineering education practices that value the capital that traditionally marginalized students bring into the field and to train graduate students and faculty members with the tools to promote effec- tive and inclusive learning environments and mentorship practices. Homero aspires to change discourses around broadening participation in engineering and promoting action to change. Homero has been rec- ognized as a Diggs Teaching Scholar, a Graduate Academy for Teaching Excellence Fellow, a Global Perspectives Fellow, a Diversity Scholar, a Fulbright Scholar, a recipient of the NSF CAREER award, and was inducted into the Bouchet Honor Society. Homero serves as the American Society for

Conference Session

Classroom Skills

Collection

ASEE Southeast Section Conference

Authors

Timothy Aaron Wood P.E., The Citadel; Dan D Nale PE; Stephanie Laughton, The Citadel

Tagged Topics

Professional Engineering Education Papers

activities, and abbreviated social media arguments. However, upon graduation engineersneed to be able to interact and synthesize non-interactive sources like codes and design guides.Innovative practicing engineers are critical thinkers, actively synthesizing knowledge,constructively developing new solutions, and interactively engaging with various stakeholders.Engineering students will require coaching and teaching to develop their understanding the way © American Society for Engineering Education, 2023innovative engineers of all generations have: through reading, note-taking, problems solving,peer-interaction, and mentoring4. Engineering educators have a role in training students to usethese methods. Yet, many students are

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering 2

Collection

ASEE Southeast Section Conference

Authors

Alta Knizley, Mississippi State University; Morgan Green, Mississippi State University; Shanti Bhushan, Mississippi State University

Tagged Topics

Professional Engineering Education Papers

greatly impacted student performance, even well into face-to-faceinstruction in 2022. Jonathan Malesic details this in the New York Times guest essay “Mystudents are not ok,” in which he discusses dwindling student performance and the perpetuationof poor study habits generated during the online years2. Keshvarz points out that one of severalshortcomings of total online education includes the lack of discipline and inefficient time usage3,which compliments Malesic’s viewpoint on the development of bad habits. However, theinstructors in this department have noticed a deeper issue that became apparent through Covid-19 and post-Covid-19 instruction: a lack of quality control in terms of course consistency andstudent retention of knowledge. While

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering 2

Collection

ASEE Southeast Section Conference

Authors

Elizabeth Whitehurst, Mississippi State University; Nathaniel Hyams, Clemson University; Morgan Green, Mississippi State University; Matthew William Priddy, Mississippi State University

Tagged Topics

Professional Engineering Education Papers

become increasingly vital in engineering, as interdisciplinary collaboration has 9 become commonplace in many engineering workplaces. The engineering education curriculum10 implemented in universities has mirrored this trend by introducing students to group-based work11 to cultivate group centric skills necessary for post-graduate work. A study was conducted within12 Mississippi State University’s Department of Mechanical Engineering (ME) with a goal of better13 understanding the group work experience for ME undergraduate students. A general survey was14 distributed throughout the ME curriculum (n = 215, freshman through senior participants) to15 comprehensively inquire of students. The survey consisted of 30 questions, asking

Conference Session

Thermodynamics

Collection

ASEE Southeast Section Conference

Authors

Marino Nader, University of Central Florida; Ronald F. DeMara P.E., University of Central Florida

Tagged Topics

Professional Engineering Education Papers

joint faculty member of Computer Science, at the University of Central Florida, where he has been a full-time faculty member since 1993. He has completed over 325 articles, 50 funded projects as PI or Co-PI, and 56 graduates as Ph.D. dissertation and/or M.S. thesis advisor. He was previously an Associate Engineer at IBM and a Visiting Research Scientist at NASA Ames, in total for four years, and has been a registered Professional Engineer since 1992. He has served ten terms as a Topical Editor or Associate Editor of various IEEE Transactions and in many IEEE/ACM/ASEE conferences including General Co- Chair of GLSVLSI-2023. He has received the Joseph M. Biedenbach Outstanding Engineering Educator Award from IEEE and

Conference Session

Gamification

Collection

ASEE Southeast Section Conference

Authors

John David O’Brian III, Mississippi State University; Sara C. Vick, Mississippi State University; Nazanin tajik, Mississippi State University

Tagged Topics

Professional Engineering Education Papers

do not have to stop at specially designed programs; other gamingplatforms are taking advantage of this opportunity to develop new learning tools for engineeringeducation. Several institutions use VLEs in electrical engineering labs to demonstrate Faraday’sLaw of electromagnetic induction as well as show the internals of machinery. For example, theUniversity of Ulster3 is using Second Life, a virtual social game, to create interactive maps thatrepresent different sections of an AC generator. In Germany, the University of Bremen7,8 isworking closely with Open Simulator to enhance students’ understanding of mechatronics. Thereis seemingly endless potential for the implementation of virtual learning environments inengineering education. This

Conference Session

Retention

Collection

ASEE Southeast Section Conference

Authors

Marino Nader, University of Central Florida; Ronald F. DeMara P.E., University of Central Florida; Harrison N Oonge, University of Central Florida

Tagged Topics

Diversity, Professional Engineering Education Papers

University of Central Florida, where he has been a full-time faculty member since 1993. He has completed over 325 articles, 50 funded projects as PI or Co-PI, and 56 graduates as Ph.D. dissertation and/or M.S. thesis advisor. He was previously an Associate Engineer at IBM and a Visiting Research Scientist at NASA Ames, in total for four years, and has been a registered Professional Engineer since 1992. He has served ten terms as a Topical Editor or Associate Editor of various IEEE Transactions and in many IEEE/ACM/ASEE conferences including General Co- Chair of GLSVLSI-2023. He has received the Joseph M. Biedenbach Outstanding Engineering Educator Award from IEEE and is a Fellow of AAAS.Harrison N Oonge, University of

Conference Session

First Year and Cross-Disciplinary

Collection

ASEE Southeast Section Conference

Authors

Patrick J Martin, Virginia Commonwealth University; Joseph Adams Shelton, Virginia State University

Tagged Topics

Diversity, Professional Engineering Education Papers

University Dr. Joseph Shelton is an assistant professor in the Computer Science department at VSU. He is a recent computer science Ph.D. graduated from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical (NCAT) State Uni- versity. He has published over 30 publications that incorporated artificial intelligence techniques, a vital role in data analytics. Additionally, he has participated in a number of activities that emphasized teaching STEM principles to a young audience. Though Dr. Shelton focused on innovating his research, he also has a passion for educating any audience in his research. Dr. Shelton is working with the national 4H program to inspire young practitioners up to age 14 in STEM fields, specifically computer science

Conference Session

Curriculum Development 2

Collection

ASEE Southeast Section Conference

Authors

Basel Alsayyed, Western Carolina University

Tagged Topics

Professional Engineering Education Papers

education is hit hard due to the reality of so muchinformation available on the internet. The current environment for future engineers has threedimensions (pillars): degree, career, and success. The first of these, getting a degree remains themain most important pillar, it includes acknowledging that an engineer is ready to get a job, buildhis/her career and be a successful engineer. Any engineering degree has requirements, once theyare met, a degree is conferred upon the graduate. However, any first degree in engineering willgive the “engineer” a permit to be able to practice engineering but never to claim that he/she gotall the knowledge to make him/her an expert in the field.In this paper, the author is proposing a shift in how engineering

Conference Session

Retention

Collection

ASEE Southeast Section Conference

Authors

Colin J. Reagle P.E., George Mason University; Oscar Barton Jr, Morgan State University

Tagged Topics

Professional Engineering Education Papers

problemsolving skills, communication skills, and develop a systems level perspective4. The study alsoshows a significant difference in how graduates, educators, and employers assess variousstrengths and weakness of recent ME graduates. Ultimately, this study recommended that MEprograms should increase flexibility in its curriculum5.There are no shortages of recommendations on what changes can be made to engineeringeducation in general. Mechanical engineering curricula are surprisingly similar and rigid to meetrequirements of mechanical and thermal system design required by ABET. Most mechanicalengineering educators emphasize technical skills throughout their programs while paying lessattention to the boundary crossing competencies, mindset, aptitudes

Conference Session

Computer Science

Collection

ASEE Southeast Section Conference

Authors

Xiang Zhao, Alabama A&M University; Showkat Chowdhury, Alabama A&M University; Tamara Chowdhury, Alabama A&M University

Tagged Topics

Professional Engineering Education Papers

funded by DOE, NRC, NASA, USED and NSF, and generated over 50 journal and conference papers.Dr. Showkat Chowdhury, Alabama A&M University Dr. Showkat Chowdhury is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Alabama A&M University in Huntsville, AL. Dr. Chowdhury has extensive background in teaching undergraduate and graduate students in Mechanical Engineering, and performing research in the fields of Computational Fluid Dynamics, Renewable Energy, Nano-Technology, Heat & Mass Transfer, and Combustion. He is managing multi-million dollar external research grants from NSF and DoED as PI. Previously, he worked as a Professor at Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology (BUET) and at

Conference Session

Gamification

Collection

ASEE Southeast Section Conference

Authors

Dimitra Michalaka, The Citadel; David S Greenburg, The Citadel; Nandan Hara Shetty, The Citadel

Tagged Topics

Professional Engineering Education Papers

Science (M.S) in 2009 and with a Ph.D. in 2012. Her research is primarily focused on traffic operations, congestion pricing, traffic simulation, and engineering education. Dr. Michalaka is a registered Professional Engineering in the state of South Carolina. Also, in December 2020, she graduated with a M.S. in Project Management from The Citadel.Dr. David S Greenburg, The Citadel David Greenburg is an Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Engineering Leadership and Program Management (ELPM) in the School of Engineering (SOE) at The Citadel. He served over 20 years of active military service in the United States Marine Corps in a variety of command and staff and leadership positions. Upon completion of

Conference Session

Computer Science

Collection

ASEE Southeast Section Conference

Authors

Ciprian Popoviciu, East Carolina University; Sohan Gyawali, East Carolina University; Colby Lee Sawyer, East Carolina University

Tagged Topics

Professional Engineering Education Papers

, and even smart cities. For all the benefits provided by the IoTdevices, many of them are minimally considered for security during the design and developmentphase. The communications technologies used for integration are also relatively new and they arestill being evaluated in terms of both functionality and security. The novelty of the technologies,devices and developing best practices lead to an expected shortage of talent in deploying,managing and securing the emerging IOT infrastructures.Academia is in general lagging in delivering education that addresses leading edge technologies.In the case of IoT security, higher-Ed institutions lack the personnel and infrastructure to providestudents with the much-needed knowledge and hands on

Conference Session

First Year and Cross-Disciplinary

Collection

ASEE Southeast Section Conference

Authors

Gregory J. Mazzaro, The Citadel; Kevin Skenes, The Citadel; Timothy Aaron Wood P.E., The Citadel

Tagged Topics

Professional Engineering Education Papers

open desktop space for drawing/assembling [14].There appears to be a consensus that a standalone intro-freshman engineering course shouldcontain a mix of lectures, labs, and discussion [4, 16–18]. One strategy is to begin the coursewith several-weeks-worth of general modules focused on problem-solving and using computers,followed by shorter (student, self-selected) discipline-specific modules [19]. The discipline-specific assignments reinforce themes presented in the generic module. “Discussion” modulescan center on softer-skill topics like how-to-register-for-courses, how-to-study, and careerawareness. “Labs” are more technical; they can address problem-solving using mathematics(e.g. matrices, plotting) and computer tools (e.g. Matlab

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering 1

Collection

ASEE Southeast Section Conference

Authors

Sally J. Pardue, Tennessee Technological University; Byron A Pardue, Tennessee Technological University; Taylor Chesson, Tennessee Technological University

Tagged Topics

Professional Engineering Education Papers

retain a higher percentage of students in the major because of this first-yearexperience in mechanical engineering.KeywordsFirst Year, Retention, Course DesignIntroductionThe curriculum design for an ME program can vary significantly with respect to the upper-level MEtechnical discipline content; however, the first and second years are frequently dominated by courses thatmeet general education requirements for a given state as well as the required number of hours inmathematics and/or sciences that support the major for ABET accreditation. Since 2000, our program hasundergone both minor and major redesign due to a variety of circumstances:  reduction in the number of credit hours for the degree, from 136 to 128 credit hours, driven by state

Conference Session

K-12 and Outreach

Collection

ASEE Southeast Section Conference

Authors

Ramana Pidaparti, University of Georgia

Tagged Topics

Professional Engineering Education Papers

concepts.KeywordsBoard Games, STEM, Design Thinking, Middle ScholarsIntroductionMost elementary and middle schools lack the engineering (design innovation) component in the STEMcurriculum as identified by the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and the National ResearchCouncil (NRC). These reports also emphasize that “engineering design” should be taught in schools topromote engineering education and the engineering habits of mind. In addition, there is a need to provideearly exposure to STEM fields and use innovative methods to engage future generations, particularlystudents from underrepresented groups.In light of the 50th anniversary celebration of the first moon landing, we are excited and proud to note thatwe used nontraditional learning tools and

Conference Session

First Year and Cross-Disciplinary

Collection

ASEE Southeast Section Conference

Authors

Rahul Sharan Renu, Francis Marion University; Michael V Potter, Francis Marion University; Mark Kanaparthi, Francis Marion university

Tagged Topics

Professional Engineering Education Papers

students have declaredMechanical Engineering.Both engineering programs share nine engineering courses and have common general educationrequirements. The first three semesters of engineering coursework are identical and include © American Society for Engineering Education, 2023courses such as Introduction to Engineering, Engineering Graphics, and Engineering Mechanics.In addition, first semester university students are encouraged (during advising) to enroll in a one-credit University Life 100 (UL100) course. This is first-year seminar course whose objective ishelp students transition from high school to university. The official course description is as fol-lows:Students will be introduced to skills and strategies for

Conference Session

Curriculum Development 2

Collection

ASEE Southeast Section Conference

Authors

George A. Hazelrigg, Mechanical Engineering Department, George Mason University

Tagged Topics

Professional Engineering Education Papers

application.The problem of transition to a curriculum with a decision-making focus is more difficult with thefaculty as many of the faculty teaching the engineering sciences and even the capstone designcourse have received a problem-solving treatment of the engineering sciences and themselves lackthe knowledge needed to teach the decision-related topics noted above. Thus, it may be necessaryto provide courses for the faculty in order that they are fully prepared to teach decision-makingskills. It may be necessary to seek outside funding sources to support such courses. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2023 2023 ASEE Southeastern Section ConferenceConclusionsDesign decision making is

Conference Session

Curriculum Development 1

Collection

ASEE Southeast Section Conference

Authors

Ciprian Popoviciu, East Carolina University; Colby Lee Sawyer, East Carolina University; Joshua Edison Pitzer, ECU College of Engineering and Technology

Tagged Topics

Professional Engineering Education Papers

University Current Software Engineering MS Student at East Carolina UniversityMr. Joshua Edison Pitzer, ECU College of Engineering and Technology ©American Society for Engineering Education, 2023IOT Platform to Facilitate Student InnovationCiprian Popoviciu, Colby Sawyer, Joshua PitzerAbstract: The Internet of Things (IOT) holds the promise of enabling trulytransformational increases in productivity like those enabled by steam power andelectricity. IOT can enable significant optimizations of workflows and processes across awide range of domains and activities. Educators face the challenge of providing studentswith both the knowledge to understand the capabilities of IOT but also with providingstudents with practical

Conference Session

Gamification

Collection

ASEE Southeast Section Conference

Authors

Chang Ren, Auburn University; Cheryl Seals, Auburn University; Dongji Feng, Auburn University

Tagged Topics

Diversity, Professional Engineering Education Papers

incorporating gamification techniques to increase children’s motivation for speech therapy through a more interactive experience.Dr. Cheryl Seals, Auburn University Dr. Cheryl Denise Seals is a professor in Auburn University’s Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering. She graduated with a B.S. C.S. from Grambling State University, M.S. C.S. from North Carolina A&T State University, and a Ph.D. C.S. from Virginia Tech. Seals conducts research in Human-Centered Articffidial Intelligence U & HCI with an emphasis on visual programming of educa- tional simulations, user interface design & evaluation, and educational gaming technologies. Dr. Seals also works with computing outreach initiatives to improve

Conference Session

Retention

Collection

ASEE Southeast Section Conference

Authors

Marino Nader, University of Central Florida; Harrison N Oonge, University of Central Florida; Shawn A Putnam, University of Central Florida

Tagged Topics

Diversity, Professional Engineering Education Papers

leads articulation and the curriculum alignment effort of 53 gateway courses between UCF and DirectConnect partner institutions. Prior to joining UCF, Har- rison worked for three years at West Virginia University (WVU) as a project specialist in Undergraduate Academic Affairs and an adjunct professor in WVU’s College of Education and Human Services where he taught undergraduate and graduate-level courses. Harrison holds a B.A. in Education (Kenyatta Uni- versity, Kenya), a M.A. in Special Education (WVU), and Ed.D. in Curriculum and Instruction (WVU). His research focuses on the role of curriculum on student access, success, and persistent.Dr. Shawn A Putnam, University of Central Florida Dr. Shawn A. Putnam joined

Conference Session

Communications and Ethics

Collection

ASEE Southeast Section Conference

Authors

Brian Aufderheide, Hampton University; Otsebele E Nare, Hampton University; Garrick E. Louis, University of Virginia; Andres Clarens, University of Virginia

Tagged Topics

Diversity, Professional Engineering Education Papers

by12 percent.1Furthermore, one may consider what happens when Black students are at the university andenrolled in a STEM field? In 2015, an in-depth study looked at students declaring for STEM fieldsand their retention rates over time.4 Initially, the sub-population of students choosing a STEMmajor was the same for both Blacks and Whites at 18 to 19%.4 The problem the study found was © American Society for Engineering Education, 2023 2023 ASEE Southeastern Section Conferencein overall retention to graduation. Though retention rates for all students was poor, the rate forWhite students was 43%, nearly double that for Black students at 22%. 4Overall, there are serious problems with African