Conference Session

Capstone Design II

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Susannah Howe, Smith College; Ron Lasser, Tufts University; Katie Su, Smith College; Sarah Pedicini, Smith College

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

program, identify a benchmark, andrecommend areas for improvement? The work presented in this paper is a first step in a longerprocess to answer this question.The research discussed below builds on the premise that an academic institution is preparing itsengineering students for a level of proficiency in their discipline. Upon graduation, theseeducated engineers are attractive to industry as entry-level employees. (Note, this work isspecifically focused on the industrial career path.) The best measurement for proficiency is tovalidate industry’s expectations of an entry-level engineer against the product that academia hasproduced. Within that context, the focus of this research is on the design, project, andprofessional attributes associated with

Conference Session

Develop Course / Materials / Topics for a Global Engineering Education

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Melany Ciampi, Organization of Researches in Environment, Health and Safety; Claudio Brito, Council of Researches in Education and Sciences

Tagged Divisions

International

institutionsinterested in the improvement of career and quality performance. It is a flexible program that isdeveloped in according to the needs for the accomplishment of the main goal of the group. It isimportant to point out that it has also hands on study totally developed in teams, which is noteasy but necessary. No doubt that it is the most difficult part of the program, to work in teams,but as much as possible the groups try their best to overcome the obstacles such ascommunication, stress management and so on [4-5].The feed back has been very positive from students and enterprises once it has corresponded totheir expectations. The program has been a success such that this concept of customized programwill be extended for other engineering areas. It is a

Conference Session

Sustainability in Engineering Courses

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Joseph Delfino, University of Florida

Tagged Divisions

Environmental Engineering

ecology, it is only natural that engineering andscience students seek to learn more about the topic, especially in the context of formalacademic courses. Students at Yale University and Arizona State University, have thebenefits of Professors Thomas Graedel and Braden Allenby, respectively, who builtcourses utilizing their text content and broad awareness of the growing field. Expandingbeyond this important base of initial courses in industrial ecology, students at theUniversity of Florida requested a similar course to prepare them for eventual entry intothe evolving field of sustainability, either as a career in itself or in a capacity that blendedengineering design along with sustainability.Using the Graedel and Allenby text as a logical

Collection

1996 Annual Conference

Authors

James V. Masi

the physically challenged. Through cooperative programs with Shriners Hospital, Baystate Medical (.Tufts), Monsanto Chemical Co., and (for certain devices) NASA Technology Utilization, students from Western New England College, School of Engineering enter into design experiences which have as their goal the solution (via bioengineering and biophysics) of problems unique to the handicapped individuals. The experience related in this paper is that of an engineering professor’s teaching involvement in this merger of physics,bioengineering, industry, government, and student/patient in one of the most rewarding experiences the author has observed in overthirty years of his career. This experience is from the perspective of some of the problems

Collection

1996 Annual Conference

Authors

Barbara Blake Bath

, physical and social Science, and engineering course-work. It is sponsored by the Fund for Post Secondary Education of the United States Department of Education. The program is designed to address two areas: 1) poor integration of humanities and social science into technical curricula, and 2) freshman-level instruction that discourages students from pursuing careers in engineering and mathematics, By enhancing higher order thinking abilities, the hope is that the students will discover important connections among their various courses and that the learning will be deeper and more complete, The Connections program proposal promised that it will allow students to: . discover and develop significant connections among their freshmen

Collection

1996 Annual Conference

Authors

Peter K. Liaw; N. Yu

determine the importantphysical properties, and to characterize the thermo-mechanical and fracture behavior as well as microstructuralevolution of CMCs; (3) have the capabilities of predicting and explaining the material behavior based onmechanics analyses; and (4) be able to perform basic compositional and microstructural designs of advancedCMCs. Even if the students’ future careers are not focused on CMC-related fields, they will have thecapability and strategy of approaching mechanics and materials problems in a systematic manner. Numerous multimedia techniques, together with computers, are utilized in the present program. Theyinclude videotapes, on-line lecture notes with audio/video effects under world wide web (WWW), computersimulation

Collection

1996 Annual Conference

Authors

Erdogan Sener

engineering education is the development of intellectual skills and knowledge that willequip graduates to contribute to society through productive and satisfying careers as innovators, decision makers,and leaders in the global economy.” It is expected that today’s engineeringkehnology graduates will bechanging jobs several more times compared to a deeade or two ago. This inevitably leads to the requirementthat emphasis given in higher education to skills and attributes that are transferable from one type of endeavorto another be as much as, if not more, than that given to purely technical skills, which beeome obsolete quicklyin face of rapidly evolving and changing technologies. In line with above, it is anticipated that the following would be the

Collection

1996 Annual Conference

Authors

Richard D. Swope; J. Paul Giolma

andconceptually difficult physical phenomena and to provide “hands-on” experience. In this process of change,the teaching and practice of engineering design principles began to disappear from the curriculum. Issues raised and discussed in this paper support a return to design as the primary purpose for theengineering laboratory. The issues include: the purposes and style of experimentation, the roles of simulationand the computer, pedagogical relationships between the laboratory and the lecture, the role of engineeringscience in support of design, and intended outcomes for students (graduate school vs. immediate career entry). We provide an example which articulates our goals for an engineering laboratory experience: thegathering of

Collection

1996 Annual Conference

Authors

Youlu Zheng; Xiaoan Hou

laboratory’s graphical environment supports both regular courses and specialprojects, and extends the level of training beyond what is possible with the PC-instructional clusters. With thelaboratory, the students gain hands-on experience with state-of-the-art graphics and visualization technologiesand better prepare themselves for careers in research, public service, and industry. Many undergraduate and graduate students in the Department of Computer Science, University ofMontana, have worked in and used the lab in various visualization projects. Numerous professionals fromschools, government agencies attended tutorials, seminars utilizing this lab. The authors are indebted for thesupport from the National Science Foundation.REFERENCE1. Dave

Collection

1996 Annual Conference

Authors

R. R. Reynolds; Glynn P. Adams; Ing-Chang Jong

of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Arkansas. He and Dr. Bruce G. Rogers published an engineering mechanics textbook in 1991. Currently, he is serving as the Program Chair, Mechanics Division, ASEE.R. R. REYNOLDSRobert R. Reynolds received a B.S.M.E. from Carnegie-Mellon University in 1985, an M.S.M.E from Purduein 1989, and a Ph.D. from Duke University in 1993. Following his graduate career, he began work as a post-doctoral researcher at Duke in the area of structural dynamics. He continues his research and publishing as anassistant professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Arkansas.G. P. ADAMSGlynn P. Adams received a B.S.M.E. and an M.S.M.E. from LSU in 1982 and 1989, respectively. He receivedhis Ph.D. from

Collection

1996 Annual Conference

Authors

Arthur T. Johnson

able to solve almost any engineering problem involving biological systems. Appended to this paper areseveral of the design projects as assigned. Answers to detailed questions asked in class by the studentsmay have further modified project requirements. Biological Process Engineering is a course that is a lot of work for students, but this challenge isoffset by the payoff: students learn a great deal in this course and usually realize how valuable this is tothem in their career goals. Rather than deal with a somewhat homogeneous group of students and withnarrowly-focused course material, this course prepares students for a future that is less focused and morevariable. Environmental engineering students who must consider the human angle

Collection

1996 Annual Conference

Authors

Jim Jones; Ed Berger; Linda Blevins; William Oakes

. General references of national and regional resources are also included. A list of thedepartment contact-people at Purdue is also provided. -At the conclusion of the lecture portion, a panel of about five graduate students field questions. Thisinformal portion of the presentation has been very well received. The key to effectively reaching a diverseaudience is to have the panel include people the audience can relate to. This means the panel should be diverseby gender, ethnic background, discipline and future career plans. Having a faculty member available is alsovery helpful during the questioning. The panel members stay after the presentation to answer questionsindividually and offer a personal touch which makes the audience more comfortable

Collection

1996 Annual Conference

Authors

Melissa Mattmuller

they were given an opportunity to develop soldering skills that would be needed the next afternoon.4:00 Co-Rec After spending most of the afternoon sitting the campers were taken to the gymnasium to burn off some energy. Tennis, swimming, weight equipment was all at their disposal. It also provided an opportunity to mix with the few college students that were around.5:30 Dinner At dinner each camper was given paper and pencils to write down two questions to be asked of the graduate panel. These questions were their “entry requirement” to the next room.7:00 Graduate Panel EET graduates, male and female, were present to talk with the campers about careers in EET.9:00 Freetime The explorers were given their

Collection

1996 Annual Conference

Authors

Jr., Alfred J. Bedard; David G. Meyer

,but elegant experiments we call hands-on-homeworks (HOH) and these will: ● encourage students to use engineering theory to explain everyday phenomena and compare their observations to theoretical predictions, ● provide open-ended opportunities to explore engineering questions using readily available materials and familiar experiences, ● train students to conduct “reality checks” and naturally apply theoretical analysis to experimental observations, and ● provide continuous opportunities for students to empirically explore engineering questions throughout their college careers and develop habits contributing to life long learning. Thus far, we have designed and piloted

Collection

1996 Annual Conference

Authors

Pau-Chang Lu

apply in depth for about half of the course; and we are insistent inrequiring the students to master this “kit” WITHOIJT any contact with a computer, andto carry it into their career as a part of their second nat m-e. On the other hand, the modern trend of adding a software for symbolic manipulationin the students’ learning environment may easily result in a separate layer being added t othe numerical platform, without any designed integration. The subject course addressesthis possible lack of integration by consciously displaying its conceptual, symbolic, andnumerical parts as three facets of the same object. Consolidation In assembling items for the conceptual part of the course, we do NOT review per sesubjects from previous courses

Collection

1996 Annual Conference

Authors

Richard M. Felder; Philip R. Dail; Leonhard E. Bernold; John E. Gastineau; Ernest E. Burniston

-semester and post-semester (IMPEC, control, COE freshmen). This survey, developed at the University of Pittsburgh, assesses (i) attitudes toward engineering as a curriculum and career, (ii) self-reported confidence levels in core freshman-year subjects, and (iii) (in the postsurvey) attitudes toward the freshman year experience. It is also being administered to students at the University of Pittsburgh and elsewhere, making inter-institutional comparisons possible.3. Myers-Briggs Type Inventory Profiles (IMPEC only).4. Hestenes Force Concept Inventory scorespre-semester and post-semester (IMPEC, regular physics class). Assesses conceptual understanding of mechanics.5. Hestenes Mechanics Baseline Test scorespost-semester (IMPEC

Collection

1996 Annual Conference

Authors

Manon Bourgeois; Gilbert Drouin

specific and different orientations, including very specialized courses and occasionally peri-technological courses. This module is conceived in order to allow a certain flexibility to the student whom will beable to make pertinent choices according to his career goals. The third module, generally called integration module,allows the student to realize supervised practical work either in a training form or in engineering project in industry,in the specialized field that this master has trained him for. This program structure, other than being modular, also distinguishes itself from the traditional programs becauseit allows the student to receive an official recognition at each step of his studies. Thus, when the student hascompleted his basic

Collection

1996 Annual Conference

Authors

Ian A. Waitz; Edward C. Barrett

modeland a mentor. While it is true that communications skills area critical aspect of engineering practice, it is often thecase that training in communications is viewed as a bitter pill by undergraduate engineering students. Thestudents feel that “... it’s not what I came here to learn,” or they fail to recognize the importance of communica-tions skills for career advancement. More importantly, the students are often unaware of the interdependence ofthinking and expression, and the positive influence that having to communicate can have on the progressiontowards a technical goal. As noted by Hoffmannz, “The writing of a research paper is in no way an activitydivorced from the process of discovery itself. I have inklings of ideas, half

Collection

1996 Annual Conference

Authors

Raj Mutharasan; Alan Lawley

anticipated that upperclassmajors in electrical engineering, mechanical engineering and in chemistry and physics will find the coursecontent complementary to their required core curricula.Anticipated BenefitsIt is anticipated that the two-quarter course sequence described here will enhance significantly the exposure ofundergraduate students to important areas within the field of materials processing. The concurrent exposureto research results and industrial practice in the five areas cited is expected to spawn increased student interestin this important area of materials technology. Thus, potential for career paths in materials processing shouldincrease - consistent with the manpower needs identified in the NRC report (1).Exporting the CoursesA

Collection

1996 Annual Conference

Authors

Christopher R. Carroll

equations and someknowledge of basic physical phenomena to use as foundations for developing material.Microprocessor programming and interfacing is one area that does not require sophisticatedpreparation, and with today’s technology, significant microprocessor-based systems can be describedand used in introductory classes without exceeding the preparation level of beginning engineeringstudents. Furthermore, particularly in a department called Electrical and Computer Engineering,introducing microprocessors very early in the students’ technical careers incites interest and inspiresexcitement in the topic and in the program. Because other faculty in the department also were eager to present their own special areas ofexpertise in this new

Collection

1996 Annual Conference

Authors

Robert F. Abbanat; Jeffrey W. Honchell

, Proceedings Frontiers in Education, 24th Annual Cotierence, 1994.ROBERT F. ABBANAT is an engineer and President of Engineered Multimedia. In 1992 Mr. Abbanatreceived his B.S. in Physics with a minor in Computer Science from Boston College. In 1994 he received hisM.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. In 1994 he founded EngineeredMultimedia for the purpose of developing scientific and engineering based multimedia products for highereducation.JEFFREY W. HONCHELL is an Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering Technology at PurdueUniversity at South Bend. He has a B.S.E.T. from Purdue University and a M.S.C.S. from the State Universityof New York at Binghamton. Prior to starting his teaching career in 1993, Mr

Collection

1996 Annual Conference

Authors

Mark Gordon; Joel Greenstein; Jack Hebrank; Douglas E. Hirt; Daniel P. Schrage; Bill Mason; Tom Miller; Jim Nau

complete details.5. Chemical engineering students that learn engineering science courses in the context of an evolvingdescription of an industrial process. We have taken the first steps to alleviate student complaints that they never see anything practical bygiving the students design projects (case studies) in the early stages of their academic careers and having themwork on that project as they proceed through a portion of the curriculum. This program is similar to workbeing performed at West Virginia University by Bailie et al.,4 the major exception being how to handle aprogram of this type when a large number of co-op students are continually rotating on and off jobassignments. The concept of an evolving design project is best

Collection

1996 Annual Conference

Authors

John A. Fillo

Engineering degree and that aresearch degree is not for all students who choose to pursue a Master’s degree. There are students, though, whoare going onto graduate school with interests in research and hopes to pursue a career in research and possiblyacademia which would require education for the Ph.D. Surely this will continue into the fbture, and with this inmine, this paper is written for the Master of Science as its focus. Reviewing for a minute those arguments being made for the Master of Engineering, and what theyshare in common, namely, a more relevant and versatile education for industrial practice, or looked at anotherway, a heightened sense of professionalism, we might ask ourselves if this should be reserved solely for theMaster of

Collection

1996 Annual Conference

Authors

Karl F. Meyer; Stephen J. Ressler; Thomas Lenox

individual courses and instructors. Each year, this methodology is taught to newfaculty members as part of an intensive five-week new instructor training program. Most new instructors find itso effective that they choose to continue using it for the remainder of their teaching careers. On course critiquesand surveys, the vast majority of students rate it as the most effective teaching style they have experienced.The Methodology The process of preparing for and teaching a class generally consists of five distinct activities, performed inthe following sequence: ● Research e Organize the class ● Practice the class . Prepare the classroom . Teach the classThis paper will focus primarily on organizing the

Collection

1996 Annual Conference

Authors

Nelson C. Baker; Paul S. Chinowsky

to transportation to structural mechanics and design to construction overthe course of an academic career. Students obtain in-depth knowledge and training in subjects such asconstruction scheduling and traffic management through a curriculum emphasizing specialization andnarrow fields of expertise. In the traditional classroom setting, examples are often used to convey specificelements of a project such as a difficult structural problem or a complex cost estimating situation.However, these blackboard-based examples often have a distinctively artificial feeling. Specifically,blackboard-based examples fail to provide students with a project context in which to understand theinformation being provided. Furthermore, the examples tend to be

Collection

1996 Annual Conference

Authors

Christopher Stook; Asad Azemi

otherwise have to be studied onlytheoretically. Moreover, they were pleased with the time that was saved and the increased accuracy using thesepackages to perform routine mathematical steps. Some students are interested in using these packages in theirprofessional careers. General Disadvantages Three of the disadvantages of using these packages are the maintenance and operation of these packageson an accessible computer system, the extra work required by students (and instructors) to learn how to useCAE packages, and assuring that the packages are included in the baseline curriculum as part of the requiredcourse material. Requiring the use of these packages in homework assignments generally

Collection

1996 Annual Conference

Authors

B. Grossman; William H. Mason

. The program will be offered for the first time in thefall of 1996. Introduction As educators, we are constantly being told that increased international competitiveness has created aneed for engineers with a better understanding of design methodology and concurrent engineering. Probably themost significant documentation of the need is contained in a National Research Council Report.1Representatives of Boeing,2 Lockheed Martin,3 and McDonnell Douglas4 have also voiced strong opinions. Toprepare engineers for careers in design requires not only learning about these specific topics, but anunderstanding of the broad context of the practice of engineering, experience in solving problems with

Collection

1996 Annual Conference

Authors

Willard D. Bostwick; Walter Buchanan

operational functions. Among the essentialcharacteristics of engineering technology graduates are mastery of the technology of the selected discipline,overall technical competency, adaptability, flexibility, effective communications capabilities and interpersonalskills, creativity in problem solving, effective teamwork skills, ethical responsibility, understanding andappreciation of diverse cultures and ability to continue learning throughout a career of expanding professionalcapacity.” Most people within the engineering technology community consider this a reasonable definition ofengineering technology education and of what the graduates of this education do. Nevertheless, therepresentation of engineering technology within ABET was such that

Collection

1997 Annual Conference

Authors

Stephen Gwinn; Kenneth Reid

goal tostrive for. In addition, students gained experience in writing formal proposals and final projectreports.Of course, extra credit projects mean additional work for the instructor, as well as the professors,organizations, or departments who serve as the customer. The customers will have had a needaddressed at the conclusion of the process, so the additional work may be a small price to pay forthem. Before offering students the opportunity of extra credit, an instructor must be prepared toexpress to the students that this work is in addition to the requirements of the course, and not toreplace required work. If you are willing to take the additional workload, extra credit projectscan add a tremendous amount to the collegiate career of your

Collection

1997 Annual Conference

Authors

Erdogan Sener

and to act as a coach in directing the process to its ultimategoal. 3. Students should be given sufficient time and opportunity to practice what they learn sothat they can discover and create their own knowledge, where knowledge is defined as that whichresults from use of information for a particular application. To this end students must beengaging in activities similar to the ones they will be faced with in their professional careers. Fora discipline like construction engineering this is especially challenging in view of the difficulty ofthe scale of things that go on in this industry and bringing them into the classroom. However,new technologies as well as new approaches have helped significantly in addressing this