Conference Session

Digital Simulation Tools in Energy Education

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Robert McMasters, Virginia Military Institute

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

. Page 22.105.2IntroductionFinding thermodynamic properties for various substances has traditionally been accomplished byusing thermodynamic tables. Interpolation between established values is normally requiredwhen the desired values of the properties do not exactly match the tabulated values. This can bea time-consuming process, particularly when iterative calculations requiring thermodynamicproperties are involved. A Microsoft Excel add-in that is available per Reference [1] includesthermodynamic properties for air and for flue gasses. To provide the versatility needed for awide variety of fuels and their combustion products, the thermodynamic tables from Reference[2] were written into Visual Basic Applications (VBA) in a Microsoft Excel file

Conference Session

BME Courses and Learning Activities

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Eric M. Brey, Illinois Institute of Technology; Kelly Laas, Illinois Institute of Technology, Center for the Study of Ethics in the Professions; David W. Gatchell PhD, Northwestern University

Tagged Divisions

Biomedical

librarian with an expertise in research ethics). An ABETstyle syllabus was developed for the course (see the appendix). While topics varied somewhatfrom one year to the next, the topics were generally composed of the areas shown in Table 1. Thedetails of the course have evolved over the lifetime of the program as described below. Table 1: Typical Topics Covered in Ethics Course Codes of Ethics Advisor/student relationships Issues facing women and underrepresented groups Intellectual Property Authorship Conflicts of

Conference Session

Oceans & Marine Technical Session

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ziqian Liu, State University of New York, Maritime College

Tagged Divisions

Ocean and Marine

Gw (s)   , w(s) s(s  0.2674)(s  0.0063)where   heading angle, rad,  r  reference heading angle, rad r   yaw rate, rad/sec   rudder angle. Rad w  wind speed, m/sec. Page 22.107.3Laboratory assignment: Using Program CC: (1) To investigate the relationship between the yaw rate r and the rudder angle  , determine the settling time of r for a step change in  , and make a plot. (2) To investigate the relationship between the heading angle  and the wind speed w , and plot the response of heading

Conference Session

Study Abroad, International Exchange Programs, and Student Engagements

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Steven L. Shumway, Brigham Young University; SClaudina Vargas, Complex Systems Optimization Lab; Geoff Wright, Brigham Young University; Ron Terry, Brigham Young University

Tagged Divisions

International

Republic (DR).1 Two coreobjectives of MACILE are: (1) to develop solutions to optimally increase access to challengingand stimulating learning environments and quality MACILE resources; and (2) to nurturetalented young people from less privileged backgrounds. It is hoped that these students will thenrise to the highest educational standards, pursue studies and careers in mathematics, science, andengineering fields, and make a difference in the world by creating opportunities to furtheradvance science and technology in their countries and communities and to promote sustainabledevelopment.MACILE started in the Itabo-Nigua (Ytabo) region of the DR. Ytabo is approximately 20 milessouthwest of the capital, Santo Domingo. The region includes six towns

Conference Session

Digital Technologies and Learning

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

John Chen, California Polytechnic State University; Christine A. Victorino, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo; Charles Birdsong, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo; Unny Menon, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo; Marilyn Tseng, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo; Tyler Scott Smith

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

reduced cost, portability, and smaller environmental footprint. Despite therelative benefits of online textbooks, however, concerns about them include poor user interfaces,inconsistent or nonexistent standards among textbook publishers, restrictive licensing, limitedrange of available textbooks, and growing pains associated with learning new technologies.In order to provide insight into students’ attitudes and usage regarding online textbooks, weexamined the following questions: 1. What is the extent to which students use online textbooks when assigned? Page 22.109.2 2. What are student attitudes regarding online textbooks? 3. How does the use

Conference Session

Physics Poster Session

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Bala Maheswaran, Northeastern University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Physics & Physics

ofthe course also performed well in the project that involved math and multi dimensional physics.IntroductionOur freshmen take physics for Engineers (Physics 1) in the second semester of the freshmenyear. Most of our freshmen have high school physics, but their skills are highly dependent on thehigh school they attended and the level of physics that they have taken. They learn electricpotential in their sophomore year. The purpose of this final project was not only to full fill thecurriculum requirement, but also to introduce this multi dimensional, that is the two dimensionaland three dimensional tasks to freshman engineering students to get ready for future courses.The project deals with the calculation of electric potentials for different

Conference Session

Global Education in Construction Education

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ifte Choudhury, Texas A&M University

Tagged Divisions

Construction

aconstruction project was first mathematically established by Bromilow et al.4. For the updatedmodel, the authors analyzed the time-cost data for construction projects in Australia. Theequation describing the mean construction time as a function of project cost was found to be: Page 22.111.2T = K*CB Eqn. (1)WhereT = duration of construction period from the date of possession of site to substantial completionC = completed cost of project, adjusted to constant labor and material pricesK = a constant indicating the general level of time performanceB = a constant describing how the

Conference Session

Multimedia and Distance Learning

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Julie M. Little-Wiles, Purdue University, West Lafayette; Linda L. Naimi, Purdue University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

than the traditionalcounterparts, mostly due to the necessity of the delivery of the curriculum online. Meanwhiletraditional classes, and even institutions, may be operating their LMS at a much lowerperformance level due to former practices that circumvent the system.MethodThis study was guided by three main questions: 1. What can we do as university administrators and educators to ensure our students are fully engaged in regards to course instruction within a learning management system? 2. How do we enhance a student’s academic experience and provide a sense of community to them – online in a learning management system? 3. What elements need to be present in an online learning management system to benefit students within

Conference Session

Innovative Adult and Technology Enhanced Programs

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Stephen W. Crown, University of Texas, Pan American; Arturo A. Fuentes, University of Texas, Pan American; Robert A. Freeman, University of Texas-Pan American

Tagged Divisions

Continuing Professional Development

promoted faculty are able to experience the learning environment from astudent’s perspective.Challenge based Instruction (CBI) is implemented in the form of a slightly modified STARLegacy Cycle19. This cycle “is an exemplar of an inductive approach to teaching and learning” 20and contains a directed sequence of steps that immerses the learner in the four dimensions of theHow People Learn (HPL) effective learning environment and provides a framework for CBI andthe design of associated learning activities21. The cycle is illustrated in figure 1 and it is brieflydescribed next18. The legacy cycle contains steps or activities that appeal to different learningstyles20 and most of those activities align themselves nicely with key phases of the

Conference Session

New Teaching Methods in Construction Eduction

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kirsten A. Davis, Boise State University

Tagged Divisions

Construction

if theychoose. The quiz questions can be seen in Table 1. Also included in Table 1 are the math skillsrequired to solve them and the approximate grade level the skills necessary to solve the problemsare taught in the state of Idaho. Table 1 Approx. Math Skills # Quiz Question Grade Level Required Skills Taught Convert 115 inches to feet and inches

Conference Session

Professional Graduate Education and Industry

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Joy Watson, University of South Carolina; Jed S. Lyons, University of South Carolina

Tagged Divisions

College Industry Partnerships, Graduate Studies

needed level of ability is not correlated with the level of preparation that thegraduates received. Results suggest that one of the most significant areas for improvements inpreparing doctoral students is related to teamwork. These findings and others are discussed inthis paper.BackgroundTraditionally, engineering doctoral programs largely train doctoral students to conduct researchin narrowly defined areas that are selected by the faculty advisors, with the expectation thatstudents will become university faculty members. Such specialization does not explicitlyprepare graduates for long-term success in the continuously evolving, multidisciplinary, globalresearch environment 1, 2. Furthermore, there has been a shift in employment options

Conference Session

Information Systems and Computing Potpourri

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mohammad Rafiq Muqri, DeVry University, Pomona; Javad Shakib, DeVry University, Pomona

Tagged Divisions

Computing & Information Technology

this program is to show how general Java workhorsediscrete Fourier Transform and other control theory methods 7 can be introduced at an earlieststage to engineering technology students with the tools and concepts they will further reinforcein future DSP courses.public class Fourier { public static double[] discreteFT(double[]fdata, int N, boolean fwd){ double X[] = new double[2*N]; double omega; int k, ki, kr, n; if (fwd){ omega = 2.0*Math.PI/N; } else { omega = -2.0*Math.PI/N; } for(k=0; k>= 1; } j += k; } if (fwd) fscale = 1.0; else fscale = -1.0

Conference Session

Reports from ADVANCE Institutions

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jan Rinehart, Rice University; Eden B. King, George Mason University; Mikki Hebl, Rice University

Tagged Divisions

Women in Engineering

, Perspectives of IO Psychology, and Group and Organization Management, integrates organizational and social psychological theories in conceptualizing social stigma and the work-life interface. This research addresses three primary themes: 1) current manifestations of discrimination and barriers to work-life bal- ance in organizations, 2) consequences of such challenges for its targets and their workplaces, and 3) individual and organizational strategies for reducing discrimination and increasing support for families. In addition to her academic positions, Dr. King has consulted on applied projects related to climate ini- tiatives, selection systems, and diversity training programs, and has worked as a trial consultant. She is

Conference Session

Sustainability, Diversity, and STEM in Contemporary Energy Education

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Lynn Albers, North Carolina State University; Laura Bottomley, North Carolina State University; Amber C. Spolarich, North Carolina State University; Clair Ellen-Ann Wilson, RAMP-UP; Laura Elizabeth Ganson, North Carolina State University

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

, one of thefounders of pragmatism in education who believed that learning was active and that mathcould be learned through everyday activities such as cooking.[1] Building upon thisconcept, RAMP-UP has created original activities that anyone could recreate in theirhome to help teach math. For example, one of the Program’s most popular activities isthe “Marshmallows and Toothpicks Activity” where students build two-dimensional andthree-dimensional geometric shapes using marshmallows and toothpicks.Following a pragmatist approach, it is believed that active learning is a fun and feasibleteaching style that replaces words with activities as the means of communicating newconcepts. RAMP-UP creates opportunities for active learning through many out

Conference Session

NSF Grantees Poster Session

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Claudio Olmi, University of Houston; Bo Cao, Smart Materials and Structures Laboratory; Han Wang, University of Houston; Xuemin Chen, Texas Southern University; Gangbing Song, University of Houston

Tagged Topics

NSF Grantees

resources.MethodologyThe primary goal of the developed unified framework is to allow the set up of a distributednetwork of online experiments that works in any Internet browser without the need of any extraplug-in. The project includes three sections: client side, web server, and experiment server.Figure 1 shows the simplest remote laboratory with a single online experiment. Multipleexperiments would connect to the same local web server. The client side browser loads a Web2.0 interface from the web server that is specifically designed for the running experiment. Whenthe client is ready to run the experiment, the user starts the connection to the web server byrequesting the use of the experiment. Afterward, the web server sends the “Start” command tothe experiment

Conference Session

Developing Young MINDS in Engineering, Part II

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

G. Padmanabhan, North Dakota State University; Robert V. Pieri, North Dakota State University; Carol Davis, North Dakota State University

Tagged Divisions

Minorities in Engineering

activities developed and presented are successful in fulfillingtheir purpose of motivating the high school students to consider a college education. A soliduniversity-tribal college collaborative platform has been established via NATURE and itspredecessors. The platform could serve as a launching pad for other collaborative STEMinitiatives.References[1] Monette, G.,1995. High Plains Rural Systemic Initiative, NSF-RSI Award # 9554467 to Turtle MountainCommunity College and Systemic Research Inc. NSF-RSI Key Indicator Report, 2004, Pages 74, 81, 82 and 86.[2] Davis, C. A., Padmanabhan, G., and Pieri, R. V., 1998. An Adaptive Systemic Initiative of Tribal Collaborationfor Increasing Native American Participation in Mathematics, Science, and Engineering

Conference Session

Design Education

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

John E. Pakkala, Milwaukee School of Engineering

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

and their multi-degree of freedomcouplings. In addition, nonlinear functions such as tire lateral forces may be altered within thesolver routines to make design decisions for vehicle components. Much of the detail provided inthis work is the result of those two theses. [1, 2]Dynamics ModelingThe modeling in the design tool is quite comprehensive and only a few of the modeling andsimulation methods and results are provided in this paper. The modeling and solvers weredesigned to simulate the behavior of a vehicle under various inputs by both the road and thedriver. Using these simulations, the influence of different design parameters on the vehiclebehavior may be evaluated.The vehicle is modeled as a 14-DOF system consisting of three

Conference Session

Project-Based Education in Energy Curriculum

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Youakim Kalaani, Georgia Southern University; William Trotter Nichols

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

configurations. PV modules,commonly called panels, are a collection of PV cells that are connected in series and/or parallelcombination and bound together on a common frame. A row of modules connected in series iscalled a series string or simply, a string. The combiner box contains several protection devicessuch as circuit breakers and combines the series strings into a single output. The inverterconverts the DC power from the array into standard AC electricity.Solar Radiation and Local ClimateSolar irradiation is the total amount of solar energy collected on an area over time. Solarirradiation is typically expressed in kWh/m2. At most locations on Earth, solar irradiation willpeak around 1 kW/m2 every day around solar noon. Insolation is the solar

Conference Session

What Else do Environmental Engineers Need to Know

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Sirjana Dahal, Missouri University of Science & Technology; Richard H. Hall, Missouri University of Science & Technology; Glenn Morrison, Missouri University of Science & Technology; Seth Paul Lamble, Missouri University of Science & Technology; Ronaldo Luna, Missouri University of Science & Technology

Tagged Divisions

Environmental Engineering

. His research interests include: engineering education, geotechnical earthquake engi- neering, and hazard mitigation. Address: Department of Civil, Architectural & Environmental Engi- neering, 130 Butler Carlton Hall, Missouri S&T, Rolla, MO, 65409; telephone: (+1) 573.341.4484 be- gin of the skype highlighting(+1) 573.341.4484end of the skype highlighting; e-mail: rluna@mst.edu Page 22.123.1 c American Society for Engineering Education, 2011 A Web-Based Learning Module for Teaching GIS within the Context of Environmental EngineeringAbstractThere is a growing need for

Conference Session

Experiential Learning and Globalization in BME

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Megan Ida O'Connor, Milwaukee School of Engineering; Linda Young, MSOE School of Nursing; John D. Gassert, Milwaukee School of Engineering

Tagged Divisions

Biomedical

create a better world both for themselves and others. Figure 1 and 2: Students working on the clinic remodeling in the El Salvador trip of 2009.Inn comparison to similar programs programs, the grand uniqueness of HWB lies in the facts that it is notresearch based; it is built strictly on the motivation and leadership of the students; students and it is aconglomerate of interdisciplinary participation.. Some universities have classroom creditdedication, open research facilities, and thus research based project design. Due to a lack of suchresources, HWB was created as an organization based outside of the classroom, and functions asa

Conference Session

Why Industry Says that our Engineering Students Cannot Write

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

William K. Durfee, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities; Benjamin Adams, University of Minnesota; Audrey J. Appelsies, University of Minnesota; Pamela Flash, University of Minnesota

Tagged Divisions

Liberal Education/Engineering & Society, Mechanical Engineering

three-phase WEC process is (1) to develop awriting plan based on discipline-specific writing outcomes desired for graduating majors, (2)implement the plan and (2) assess the plan and revise based on the assessment. The plan formechanical engineering defined nine attributes of mechanical engineering writing and 14 desiredwriting ability outcomes for graduating majors. Stakeholders agreed that problem sets were thenumber one form of writing for engineering students and that attention paid to writing a problemset would help students to learn the material. The plan was implemented by targeting three corecourses for explicit writing instruction and raising the awareness of writing in other requiredcourses in the program. Assessment is on-going and

Conference Session

Two Year-to-Four Year Transfer Topics Part I

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Julie A. Rursch, Iowa State University; Douglas W. Jacobson, Iowa State University

Tagged Divisions

Two Year College Division

caused several teams to have to cancel their plannedtrips, there were still 75 students in attendance and 15 teams representing 6 community collegedistricts. This is the second time an ice storm or blizzard has occurred just prior or during thecompetition and the authors are planning to move the event forward in the academic calendar toavoid further weather related problems. Table 1 shows the four year participation in theCCCDC. On December 4 & 5, 2009, the third year of CCCDC competition, there were 19teams with a total of 90 students participating. These 19 teams represented 10 communitycollege districts or two-thirds of the 15 total community college districts in the state.Table 1. Participation in the Annual Community College Cyber

Conference Session

ABET Accreditation, Assessment, and Program Improvement in ECE

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Stephen Zahorian, State University of New York, Binghamton; Douglas H. Summerville, Binghamton University; Scott Craver, Department of Electrical Engineering, Binghamton University; Michael Elmore P.E., Binghamton University

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

Compliance Tracking System or ACTS. In this paper, thepreparation of ACTS, its key components, its usage and continued development are described.ACTS can be readily adapted for use by other engineering programs.Introduction and BackgroundSeveral engineering educators have addressed the issues of efficiently assessing ABETengineering criteria, especially outcomes a-k, listed under criterion 3. Felder and Brent[1] havewritten a comprehensive paper on many of the issues involved in designing and teaching coursesto satisfy ABET assessment expectations. Their paper also includes a comprehensivebibliography of related papers.Development of ACTSThe development of ACTS began with defining the Program Outcomes themselves, each ofwhich is then assigned a

Conference Session

TAC/ABET Related Outcome Based Assessment Methods and Models

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Richard Cliver, Rochester Institute of Technology (CAST); William M. Leonard, Rochester Institute of Technology; Elizabeth Dell, Rochester Institute of Technology; Robert A. Merrill, Rochester Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

educational objectives and program outcome…”1 which at thesurface does not appear to require anything more than a single page, graphic report. However,the creation of the documented process requires a living document and must be maintainedduring the entire accreditation cycle. The criterion continues to state “The results of theseevaluations of program educational objectives and program outcomes must be used to effectcontinuous improvement of the program through a documented plan.” The goal of thedocumentation process is to effect continuous improvement on the program. The wordscontinuous and improvement are co-requisites and must be used together to make a positivechange to the program. Using the process to “effect continuous improvement” is often

Conference Session

Design Communications & Cognition II

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Brian Bielenberg, Petroleum Institute

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

students already possess Page 22.130.6sufficient skills to engage in the learning of engineering. Unfortunately, it is often the case thatstudent aptitudes and attitudes regarding communication, thinking, use of technology and habitsof mind is less than desired. A 2002 study by the Intersegmental Committee of AcademicSenates[38] found that most first year students lack strategies in effective critical reading, and that83% of faculty felt that a lack of analytical reading skills contributes to students’ lack of successin a course. Additionally, it was found that only 1/3 of entering college students are sufficientlyprepared for writing

Conference Session

Making Students Aware of Their World: Five Perspectives

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Warren N. Waggenspack Jr., Louisiana State University; Warren R. Hull, Louisiana State University; David Bowles, Louisiana State University; Sarah Liggett, Louisiana State University; Stephen O. Sears, Louisiana State University

Tagged Divisions

Liberal Education/Engineering & Society

our evolving program initiative.Tables 1-3 show summaries of the demographic characteristics of the 38 respondents. Althoughwe purposely attempted to skew experience to favor more senior engineers, our responses wereeven more skewed than anticipated, leading us to believe that younger engineers are eitherdisinterested or perhaps didn’t feel adequately attuned to the topic to formulate opinions.Another possibility we considered is that senior engineers are simply more passionate about thetopic of globalization. The diversity of academic backgrounds was not a surprise to us, nor wasthe spread of employers.Table 1 – Years Experience How many years of engineering experience do you currently have

Conference Session

Expanding the Borders of Engineering Education

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Sandra Ingram, University of Manitoba; Anita H. Ens, University of Manitoba; Marcia R. Friesen, University of Manitoba

Tagged Divisions

Cooperative & Experiential Education

Manitoba, Winnipeg Canada, R3T 5V6; telephone:(1) 204.474.9698; e-mail: Sandra Ingram@umanitoba.ca.Anita H Ens, University of Manitoba Anita Ens is a Ph.D. candidate in Curriculum, Teaching, and Learning in the Faculty of Education at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Canada. She has over 15 years of experience working with adults in adult education and postsecondary settings, with particular focus on learning strategies and writing pedagogy. Influenced by the social, cultural, and relational aspects of learning, her research interests include collaborative writing, sustainability in education, and diversity in learning groups.Marcia R. Friesen, University of Manitoba

Conference Session

Teaching Analog and Digital Communication: Novel Ideas for Lecture Courses, Laboratories, and Projects

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ratchaneekorn Thamvichai, Saint Cloud State University; Tonya Lynette Smith-Jackson, Virginia Tech; Carl B Dietrich P.E., Virginia Tech; Tamal Bose, Virginia Tech

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

topic inwireless communications area that spans electrical and computer engineering, computer science,and human factors engineering, integrates software defined radio with automated learning,decision making, and adaptation capability embodying aspects of artificial intelligence.Cognitive radio and related technologies are a fertile area of research and provide an ideal focusfor introducing undergraduate students to university research. The program is designed topromote the STEM knowledge, interdisciplinary skills, motivation, and self-efficacy ofundergraduate students. Innovative knowledge results are some outcomes embedded within thevalues of interdisciplinary research, team collaboration, and a focus on research-to-practice.1. Introduction

Conference Session

Design Education I

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Julia L. Morse, Kansas State University, Salina; Raju S. Dandu, Kansas State University, Salina

Tagged Divisions

Manufacturing

tolerancing,production, inspection, and related documentation practices within the freshman course sequencethrough specific instructional tools and outcomes requirements.The Freshman Course Sequence The freshman course sequence of the Mechanical Engineering Technology Program atKansas State University Salina is designed to immerse beginning students in basic technicalgraphics, manufacturing processes, and design tools. The course sequence is outlined inFigure 1.The First Semester The first semester includes a fairly standard Technical Graphics course which utilizes2-D sketching and CAD methods for development of part and assembly geometry and printdocumentation. However, it is the Manufacturing Methods class which gives students their

Conference Session

BME Courses and Learning Activities

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jennifer Vernengo, Rowan University

Tagged Divisions

Biomedical

for seniors,are presented here that involve the design of biomaterials for cartilage and bonereplacement. An assessment plan, to be executed during Spring 2011, will measurestudent mastery of learning outcomes specific to the field of biomaterials science andthose set forth by ABET for undergraduate Chemical Engineering programs. 1.  Introduction   Biomaterials have received considerable attention over the past 30 years.  A biomaterial has been defined as a material intended to interface with a biological system to evaluate, treat, augment, or replace any tissue organ or function in the body (1).  Therefore, the study of biomaterials encompasses the study of materials science, medicine, and biology. It is estimated that over 11 million