Conference Session

Inclusivity, Mentorship, and Entrepreneurial Thinking

Collection

2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Matthew W Liberatore, University of Toledo

Tagged Divisions

Chemical Engineering Division (ChED)

being part of largerorganizations. Many professional engineering organizations, e.g., IEEE, ASME, AIChE, ASCE,NSBE, SHPE, etc., offer opportunities to engage and lead during undergraduate study as well asthroughout a person’s career. In this contribution, I summarize and examine several iterations ofa goal-setting and leadership-development workshop focused on student chapters. Theoverarching objective of the workshop is to lead participants through exercises to help buildgreat student chapters. Specifically, AIChE students at a regional conference, STEM studentsand advisors on the author’s home campus, and student chapter advisors at the AIChE AnnualConference participated in different activities centered upon the entrepreneurial

Conference Session

Multidisciplinary Engineering Division (MULTI) Technical Session 7

Collection

2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Margaret A Hunter, Hofstra University; David M. Rooney, Hofstra University; Richard J. Puerzer, Hofstra University

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Multidisciplinary Engineering Division (MULTI)

Computing/Engineering (W-SPiCE) was utilized as an incentive for women to enter the school as first year students and continue past their first year. The program focuses on learning about five degree options available to them for future careers, devoting one week of instruction and design to each area, with five different faculty leading the activities. A stipend of $2500 is awarded to the participants. The program is limited to no more than 15 students per summer who have demonstrated academic proficiency in their first year. Measure of Success: The proportion of women undergraduate students increased from 20.9% in Fall 2019 to 23.9% in Fall 2022. Improvements can be seen from 2021 to 2022 when the

Conference Session

Electrical and Computer Engineering Division (ECE) Poster Session

Collection

2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jennifer Cromley, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Jessica R Gladstone, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Juan Alvarez, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Zhengyan Ye, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Parth Shastri, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Aizhan Daukenova, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Shiyu Sun, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer Engineering Division (ECE)

in educationin general--students do not achieve the scores they desire on homework, quizzes, and exams.Thus, the ability to navigate and respond to failure as an opportunity for growth and learning is akey component of the engineering enterprise. However, engineering education research is sparseon how students respond to failure.Research on response to failure has been extensive in workplace settings, in which there is a verywide range of negative and positive responses to failure, which include emotional responses(denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance, shock, fear, renewed dedication, increasedsusceptibility to stereotypes, blame, shame, despair, changes in interest, reassessing career,reassessing self-perceived ability) and

Conference Session

Graduate Studies Division (GSD) Technical Session 5: Skill Development in Graduate Education

Collection

2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Peter Jamieson, Miami University

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies Division (GSD)

implementation details for this intervention.2.1 Learning to Read Academic PapersIn terms of how to read scientific papers, there is a small set of research papers related to the topicbroadly in the domain of graduate education, reading groups, literature searches, and focus paperson how to teach this skill. Reading comprehension is a broad topic in K-12 education andhigher-education research but is beyond the scope of this work. As for information on how to readscientific papers, there are some online articles such as “How to (seriously) read a scientificpaper” (Accessed January 10th, 2024 - http://www.sciencemag.org/careers/2016/03/how-seriously-read-scientific-paper).From a graduate engineering education perspective, Jenkins et al. [17] in their

Conference Session

Charting Inclusivity: Advancing Diversity, Equity, and Technology in Engineering and Computing Education

Collection

2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Fatima Glovena Fairfax, Duke University; Jabari Kwesi, Duke University; Elyse McFalls, Duke University; Reagan Lenora Razon, Duke University; Alexandra Thursland, Duke University; Crystal E. Peoples, Duke University; Shaundra Bryant Daily, Duke University; Alicia Nicki Washington, Duke University; Eduardo Bonilla-Silva, Duke University; Brean Elizabeth Prefontaine, Duke University

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Culture & Social Justice in Education Division (EQUITY), Equity

Athena Institute for Artificial Intelligence (AI). Her career in higher education began at Howard University as the first Black female faculty member in the Department of Computer Science. Her professional experience also includes Winthrop University, The Aerospace Corporation, and IBM. She is a graduate of Johnson C. ©American Society for Engineering Education, 2024 Paper ID #43790 Smith University (B.S., ’00) and North Carolina State University (M.S., ’02; Ph.D., ’05), becoming the first Black woman to earn a Ph.D. in computer science at the university and 2019 Computer Science Hall of Fame

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division WIPS 1: Projects, Teams, and Portfolios

Collection

2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Matthew James, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; Juan David Ortega-Alvarez, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University / Universidad EAFIT; Cassie Wallwey, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; Michelle Soledad, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs Division (FYP)

that does not have a tangible product as an outcome or answer, and sometimes struggleto relate concepts that, while important, are more theoretical to their intended majors and careers[1]. In the authors’ experiences, foundational engineering courses that cover non-technical skillssuch as problem solving, teamwork, communication, recognition of holistic issues, and otherimportant transferable skills are especially prone to this challenge of engaging students whocome into the discipline expecting engineering to look more like the more concrete math orscience courses they are familiar with from their prior studies. Community engagement projects,also commonly referred to as service-learning projects, are one way that instructors facingsimilar

Collection

2012 ASEE Midwest Section Conference

Authors

Charles Baukal; Floyd Ausburn; Lynna Ausburn

, Rinehart & Winston, 1954.3. E. Dale, Audiovisual Methods in Teaching. New York: Dryden Press, 1969.4. L.J. Ausburn and F.B. Ausburn, Effects of desktop virtual reality on learner performance and confidence in environment mastery: Opening a line of inquiry. Journal of Industrial Teacher Education, 45(1), 54-87, 2008.5. F.B. Ausburn and L.J. Ausburn, Sending students anywhere without leaving the classroom: Virtual reality in CTE. Techniques: Connecting Education & Careers, 83(7), 43-46, 2008.6. R.E. Mayer, Multimedia Learning (2nd ed.). New York: Cambridge University Press, 2009.7. D. Lewalter, Cognitive strategies for learning from static and dynamic visuals. Learning and Instruction, 13, 177-189, 2003.8

Collection

2015 Spring ASEE Middle Atlantic Section Conference

Authors

Sunil Dehipawala; Vazgen Shekoyan; Raul Armendariz; Chantale Damas; Todd Holden; David Lieberman; Tak Cheung

, as discussed above, to topics other than the Bohr atommodel.The student performance on the client- contractor simulation had been assessed as satisfactory (>75%) for the participated students. The rubric displayed in Figure 1 was followed. Studentfeedback includes observed non-participation, indifference, and enthusiastic attitude variations,which bear similarity to the grade histogram. The non-participation attitude could be attributedto a narrow mindset such as those focusing on taking the professional engineering exam as a firststep in their Professional Engineer career pursuit. The indifference attitude could be attributed toshyness as well as the traditional rote learning academic experience. A recent 2014 study onacademic

Collection

2015 Spring ASEE Middle Atlantic Section Conference

Authors

Aparicio Carranza; Casimer DeCusatis

growing demand in this field4. While industrycertification programs are available5, they tend to emphasize memorization and repetition over adeeper cognitive framework or understanding. It can be quite challenging to prepare students forIT careers in this rapidly evolving field, or to integrate these offerings into a more traditionalundergraduate engineering curriculum. More hands-on experience is desirable, since studentsmust be prepared to deal with not only existing security threats but also new and increasinglycomplex exploits which emerge more frequently each year. However, students require a secure,isolated environment in which to practice their security skills without risking damage to thecampus data centers or servers on the Internet

Collection

2015 Spring ASEE Middle Atlantic Section Conference

Authors

Vijay Kanabar; Carla Messikomer

Engineering DisciplineA subject that is broadly seen as being relevant across all engineering disciplines is ‘projectmanagement’, since the ‘project’ has become the way in which engineering organizations dotheir work4. As such undergraduates and graduates from engineering programs are invariablyexpected to have functional knowledge and skills in project management (PM) 2. A well-designed engineering curriculum should go a long way to preparing the future project managersinvolved in various engineering careers. Providing sound education to students and practitionerscan alleviate project failures. Engineers can be taught a baseline set of modern projectmanagement theory as well as practical tools and techniques that can be applied to both large

Collection

2011 Spring ASEE Middle Atlantic Section Conference

Authors

Grant Crawford; Elizabeth Bristow

variety of projects in locations across theworld. Members have the opportunity to travel but need not do so in order to make valuablecontributions to their chapter's project.ConclusionOur experience is only one example of how a few engineers can make a significant impactbeyond their normal scope of influence. We took the knowledge and skills that we havedeveloped in our careers and used them in a capacity we had never anticipated. When asked,“What did you do with your summer vacation?”, in 2009 we can honestly say that, “We made adifference.” If asked, “Was it worth it?”, the answer is a resounding, “YES!”AcknowledgmentsThe views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not purport to reflect the position ofthe United States Military

Collection

2011 Pacific Southwest Section Meeting

Authors

AJ Almaguer

 (DAST). The test was administered before and after the 10 week program to gauge the ideas and preconceptions about science and engineering held by our mentees. By comparing the results and identifying key themes and trends in the students' drawings, we were able to qualitatively judge the impact our outreach program had on attitudes about technical careers. Mentors also developed their own forms of assessment and reported the results as part of their final project. ResultsThe achievement of mentor and mentee learning objectives is used to quantify the success of the BEAM program. The various assessment activities (mentor survey, draw a scientist test, final projects, etc) implemented provided a vehicle for qualitative and quantitative outcomes

Collection

2009 Pacific Southwest Section Meeting

Authors

David Lanning

Pacific Southwest Regional Conference 220classes at Embry-Riddle (perhaps unfortunately), although students are encouraged to repeatclasses in which they receive a grade of D.Students with such transcripts are clearly at-risk. While only one of these students from theAutumn 2008 semester is currently on probation, the author knows enough about the rest of thesestudents to predict that at least three or four are rapidly nearing serious academic trouble, or arelikely to be leaving the degree program shortly. There are additional students from the othersemesters who also appear to be nearing the end of their academic career. However, we

Conference Session

Track 1 - Session II - Student Development

Collection

2013 ASEE International Forum

Authors

Patrick D Ulrich, Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences; Chad D Vecitis; Jason Dyett, Harvard University, DRCLAS; Monica F A Porto, USP

Tagged Topics

Student Development

collaborations. To help meet these goals, Harvard and USP participants were fullyintegrated in the classroom, on field visits, in hotels, and throughout their social interactions.Participants were encouraged to experience the culture of the destination cities during the freetime and organized group outings. Additionally, students were given information about potentialfunding opportunities for international internships and were encouraged to talk with facultymembers about their academic and career goals.Course planning and pre-departure preparationsIn order to plan an effective course that encompassed these comprehensive goals, a long-termcollaborative effort by a dedicated team of faculty and staff members from the three sponsoringinstitutions was

Conference Session

EM Program Design

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mary A. Viola, School of Engineering, Tufts University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Management

spend about 30% of their classroom hours on leadership coursework. This is higherthan many other engineering management programs where leadership is often offered as anelective (Cornell and Stanford) or is taught in seminar format without credit (Duke) or not at all(Northwestern). Dartmouth has a required Professional Skills Course that targets career self-assessment, ethics, interpersonal and communication skills. MIT’s System Design andManagement program requires a course in the Human Side of Technology, which focuses on Page 22.3.6skills such as negotiating, cross-cultural communication and teamwork and students are alsooffered a number of

Conference Session

Embedded System Design

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jeanne Christman, Rochester Institute of Technology; Eric J. Alley, Rochester Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

AC 2011-2160: A HANDS-ON APPROACH TO DEMONSTRATING HARD-WARE/SOFTWARE TRADEOFFS IN AN EMBEDDED SYSTEM DESIGNJeanne Christman, Rochester Institute of Technology (COE) Jeanne Christman is an Assistant Professor in the Computer Engineering Technology Department at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Her expertise is in the area of Embedded Systems Desgin and System on a Chip. She is also actively involved in recruitment and retention of females in engineering technology.Eric J Alley, Rochester Institute of Technology Eric Alley is a 2011 graduate of the Rochester Institute of Technology with a degree in Computer Engi- neering Technology. His RIT career includes working as a teaching assistant for many core curriculum

Conference Session

SPECIAL SESSION: Interdisciplinary Course Design Opportunities for Chemical Engineers

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

William J. Kelly, Villanova University

Tagged Divisions

Chemical Engineering

participate in collaborative research that has resulted in severalundergraduate researchers contributing to publications in journals. This new interdisciplinarycourse, The Global Pharmaceutical Industry, was developed to be an important addition to theexisting three technical courses in biochemical engineering at Villanova. The courses togetherwill interest engineering students that are motivated to learn biotechnology and pursue careers inthe pharmaceutical industry. The engineering students taking these courses will receive a well-rounded and thorough foundation for entering the pharmaceutical industry. These students arepositioned then to make positive impacts on the industry in their entry-level jobs and beyond.For the business students, this new

Conference Session

Teaching Circuit Theory and Electronics

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

James W. Bales, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

non-EE students who wish to learn more about electronics without having to digest extensive theory and math. • Gets students building circuits from the start, with little theoretical introduction. • Lets students experience early in their careers the non-idealities of real-world engineering, and demonstrates the utility of simple rule-of-thumb design. • Appears to have students complete the subject with a positive impression of engineering as a field of study. • Can be readily taught by a graduate student or an advanced undergraduate, enabling large numbers of students to take the subject without taxing a limited (and over-worked) faculty and staff.Its weaknesses include that it: • Is somewhat more

Conference Session

Engineering as the STEM Glue

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ben Pelleg, Drexel University; David Urias, Drexel University; Adam K. Fontecchio, Drexel University; Eli Fromm, Ph.D., Drexel University

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

students’ newly acquired knowledgeabout scientists and engineers are invaluable. We have gained increased interest and respect forthese fields that were intimidating in the past. Thank you for this rewarding experience.”“I have gained so much knowledge from my participation and my Fellow. I feel this is a veryvaluable program for teachers and students and that with continued support in the classroom,teachers can prepare students beginning in middle school for careers in science and engineeringby getting them excited about science and math through interesting hands on activities as well asspecific instruction in science, math and technology and engineering principles.”DiscussionThe data gathered by the external evaluator shows positive outcomes

Conference Session

Multidisciplinary Technical Session

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Gül E. Okudan Kremer, Pennsylvania State University, University Park; Mike Murphy, Dublin Institute of Technology; Brian Bowe, Dublin Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Multidisciplinary Engineering

differences in both the level andmechanisms to impart problem solving and professional skills around the world.Despite the unavoidable differences we still expect that our engineering graduates will, at somepoint in their careers, work with their international peers in collaborative settings. Cognizant ofthis, engineering programs provide opportunities for course level collaborations across multiplecountries to provide students with an understanding of working in global engineering teams.Mostly, programs involve design-based problem solving in order to practice professional skills(i.e., teamwork, communication, leadership) in a context. We have not found an extensivequantitative study showing the differences in the way students and faculty members

Conference Session

Green Renewable Energy and Engineering Technology

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Radian G. Belu, Drexel University; Irina Nicoleta Ciobanescu Husanu, Drexel University, Goodwin College of Professional Studies, Engineering Technology Program

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

systems, communication, control and power electronics, electric machines, instrumentation, radar and remote sensing, numerical methods and data analysis, space and atmosphere physics, and physics. His research interests included power system stabil- ity, control and protection, renewable energy system analysis, assessment and design, power electronics and electric machines for wind energy conversion, radar and remote sensing, wave and turbulence simu- lation, measurement and modeling, numerical modeling, electromagnetic compatibility and engineering education. During his career Dr. Belu published several papers in referred journals and in conference pro- ceedings in his areas of the research interests. He has also been

Conference Session

Sustainable Energy Education

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Faruk Yildiz, Sam Houston State University; Keith L. Coogler, Sam Houston State University; Ayhan Zora, Deere & Company

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

independent research, creative thinking,team work skills, and hands-on experiences with current and future systems that will have greatimpact on their future careers. This project will be used in a renewable energy and electronicsrelated undergraduate course for training and hands-on lab section purposes. The topics include,but are not limited to: a) photovoltaic systems, b) hydrogen fuel cell systems, c) measurement oftemperature, speed, solar insolation, voltage, current, gas flow and regulation, d) motor controlsystems, e) battery technology, f) circuit analysis, energy harvesting and conversion.Students who enroll in the related classes will be asked to extend the project to an advanced levelimplementing more alternative energy systems to

Conference Session

Special Session: Next Generation Problem-Solving

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ronald Miller, Colorado School of Mines; Tamara Moore, University of Minnesota; Brian Self, California Polytechnic State University; Andrew Kean, California Polytechnic State University; Gillian Roehrig, University of Minnesota; Jack Patzer, University of Pittsburgh

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

. I am an early-career mechanical engineeringprofessor, and prior to participating on this project, my classes consisted of entirely lecture-basedteaching. Now, even when a course does not have a “lab-period”, I will take time out of lecturesto run MEAs or other group-based learning exercises. I recognize that I will not be able to coveras much material in class, but instead my students are achieving greater depth of learning on keyconcepts. Model-Eliciting Activities enhance my ability to convey difficult concepts to studentsand have provided an invaluable tool for identifying misconceptions in understanding. On apersonal level, it has been extremely rewarding to observe improved understanding offundamental concepts that results from

Conference Session

Teams and Teamwork in Design

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Yogesh Velankar, Purdue University; Sean Brophy, Purdue University; Masataka Okutsu, Purdue University; Daniel Delaurentis, Purdue University

Tagged Divisions

Design in Engineering Education

this process on their own. However, the instructor may be introducing newdomain specific tools that teams can use to manage their design process and to monitor somelevel of the teams’ productivity and cohesiveness. In an engineering undergraduate curriculumthis kind of model is implemented by teaching teaming, design, problem solving and projectmanagement skills in the first year of engineering, then engaging students in design projects ofvarious scales throughout the remainder of their undergraduate career. In designing thesecourses, instructors need mechanisms to monitor teams’ progress and potentially provide Page 15.1190.2feedback on their

Conference Session

Faculty Development for Distance Learning

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Donald Visco, Tennessee Technological University; Dirk Schaefer, Georgia Institute of Technology; Tristan Utschig, Georgia Institute of Technology; J. P. Mohsen, University of Louisville; Norman Fortenberry, National Academy of Engineering; Michael Prince, Bucknell University; Cynthia Finelli, University of Michigan

Tagged Divisions

Continuing Professional Development

learning and engineering performance • Engaging in reflective practice and continuous learning These common focus areas of existing faculty development efforts can be used to guidedevelopment of a broadly recognized core of competency areas for EET faculty. As afundamental aspect of the SPEED program, these competencies would be articulated at distinctlevels to promote the continuous development of faculty.Levels of Professional DevelopmentThe SPEED program would be open to all interested engineering educators as part of theirongoing professional development whether they are newly appointed faculty or establishedacademics. Additionally, post-docs or Ph. D. candidates who wish to embark on a career paththat will involve educating others could

Conference Session

Focus on Faculty

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Daniel Knight, University of Colorado, Boulder; Katie Corner, University of Colorado, Boulder; Beverly Louie, University of Colorado, Boulder; Amber Shoals, University of Colorado, Boulder; Cindy Cabrales, University of Colorado, Boulder

Tagged Divisions

Women in Engineering

Engineering Program (MEP) merged to become a new organization known as theBroadening Opportunity through Leadership and Diversity (BOLD) Center. The BOLD Centercontinues to offer scholarship support, education and career advice, as well as socialnetworking opportunities to students underrepresented in engineering. Female communitybuilding events such as department luncheons, Girl Scout technology badge volunteer days, andother K-12 outreach events are also offered through the BOLD Center. In the fall of 2009, theBOLD Center launched a new living-learning community in the university residence halls. Thisliving and learning hall is a shared space with the Engineering Honors Program and offers them

Conference Session

Innovative Teaching and Assessment Tools

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Tristan Utschig, Georgia Institute of Technology; Judith Norback, Georgia Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

highly relevant for engineering students.Again, to our knowledge, a number of oral communication rubrics are available, mostly on websites. But only in a few cases have any steps used to create the rubric been described. Ourreview has indicated that none of these rubrics has been based on executiveinput, as ours is. Building on this foundation results in a rubric very relevant to engineeringstudents in becoming successful in their first jobs and as they ascend the career ladder. Page 15.1021.3A few resources about how to create effective rubricsThe literature contains a wealth of information about the broader array of rubrics and scoringsystems

Conference Session

Global Engineering Education: Intercultural Awareness and International Experience

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Brent Jesiek, Purdue University; Deepika Sangam, Purdue University, West Lafayette; Juila Thompson, Purdue University; Yating Chang, Purdue University; Demetra Evangelou, Purdue University

Tagged Divisions

International

the international labor market and workplace imperatives; • Understanding of the international business, economy and world market; • Competency in applying engineering solutions/applications in a global context.16The authors have used surveys to identify gaps between employer perceptions of the importanceof attributes as compared to their satisfaction with the actual performance of recent graduates.In the more specific context of global engineering education, Lohmann et al. have noted acontinued dearth of research on student learning, career impacts, and intercultural proficiency:“Largely absent are rigorous methods for assessing foreign language ability or competenciesspecifically related to professional practice within the academic

Conference Session

Engineering Technology Progress Reports: Part I

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kenneth Stier, Illinois State University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

ObjectivesProgram educational objectives need to be developed that are consistent with the mission of theinstitution16. Rogers defines objectives as “the broad statements that describe the career andprofessional accomplishments that the program is preparing graduates to achieve”17. Other termsthat are sometimes used in place of the word objectives are goals or standards18. Whendeveloping program educational objectives the emphasis is placed on what the graduates of theprogram will be doing three to five years after graduation. Careful assessment needs to be madeof what the curriculum and program prepares the students achieve in the early stages of theircareer.The Engineering Technology faculty at MU developed their educational objectives to align withthe

Conference Session

Retention Strategies in Action Part II

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Sheryl Custer, Texas A&M University, Kingsville; Harriet Lamm, Texas A&M University-Kingsville; David Ramirez, Texas A&M University; Kuruvilla John, University of North Texas

Tagged Divisions

Two Year College Division

successful. Not only does the data reveal this with the increase in the numbers oftransfer students to TAMUK, but also through the participants themselves. These students returnto their community colleges where they share their May-mester experiences with others whomay also be apprehensive about pursing a career in one of the STEM disciplines.AcknowledgementThe authors would like to thank the STEP project team Dr. John Chisholm, Dr. Greg Moehring,Dr. Ali Pilehvari, Dr. Larry Lee, Martie De La Paz, Rose Rodriguez, Idolina Cortez, and LauraParr for their support in the May-mester Research Program. This paper is based on worksupported by the National Science Foundation under DUE grant No. 0525496. Any opinions,findings, and conclusions or