Asee peer logo

Designing an Industrially-Situated Virtual Laboratory to Support Electrochemistry Learning in Chemical Engineering

Download Paper |

Conference

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Location

Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Publication Date

June 22, 2025

Start Date

June 22, 2025

End Date

August 15, 2025

Conference Session

Advancing Labs: From VR to Process Control

Tagged Division

Chemical Engineering Division (ChED)

Page Count

14

DOI

10.18260/1-2--56238

Permanent URL

https://peer.asee.org/56238

Download Count

5

Paper Authors

biography

Samuel Gavitte Tufts University

visit author page

A PhD student working at Tufts University working with Dr. Milo Koretsky to research engineering epistemic practices in the context of virtual and physical lab activities.

visit author page

author page

Bertrand Neyhouse Department of Chemical Engineering & Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto

author page

Shirin Kuppusamy Tufts Center for Engineering Education and Outreach

author page

Graham Leverick Tufts University

author page

Fikile Brushett Massachusetts Institute of Technology

biography

Milo Koretsky Tufts University

visit author page

Milo Koretsky is the McDonnell Family Bridge Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and in the Department of Education at Tufts University. He received his B.S. and M.S. degrees from UC San Diego and his Ph.D. from UC Berkeley,

visit author page

Download Paper |

Abstract

The use of electrochemical processes in industry has grown rapidly over the past decade and is predicted to continue that way. Chemistry and engineering students need access to effective electrochemical education within their programs to address this growing need for electrochemical knowledge. This paper describes a virtual laboratory designed to address a gap in the educational tools currently available for electrochemistry. The laboratory uses a software package based on a mathematical model that simulates both species decay and crossover within a redox flow battery (RFB) cell over charge-discharge cycles. The laboratory positions students as engineers working on a realistic task where they design and troubleshoot an RFB system to power buildings on campus. The problem is intended to be personally relevant for students as well as expose them to environmentally just engineering work. To design their battery system, students need to use scientific concepts to select from different electrolyte chemistries, electrodes, and membranes. Based on data and their own assumptions students will need to assess the viability of their design and make improvements accordingly. After students have created a battery design that meets the deliverables of the activity, they will need to troubleshoot one of many possible realistic problems that can occur. This activity attempts to engage students in practices typical of real engineering work, including working in teams, designing experiments, learning from failure, and managing uncertainty. Rather than doing measures after students leave the laboratory, we investigate which engineering epistemic practices they engage in while completing the laboratory. This laboratory looks to leverage and develop ideas from research on industrially-situated laboratories in the context of electrochemistry by engaging students in productive engineering practice.

Gavitte, S., & Neyhouse, B., & Kuppusamy, S., & Leverick, G., & Brushett, F., & Koretsky, M. (2025, June), Designing an Industrially-Situated Virtual Laboratory to Support Electrochemistry Learning in Chemical Engineering Paper presented at 2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition , Montreal, Quebec, Canada . 10.18260/1-2--56238

ASEE holds the copyright on this document. It may be read by the public free of charge. Authors may archive their work on personal websites or in institutional repositories with the following citation: © 2025 American Society for Engineering Education. Other scholars may excerpt or quote from these materials with the same citation. When excerpting or quoting from Conference Proceedings, authors should, in addition to noting the ASEE copyright, list all the original authors and their institutions and name the host city of the conference. - Last updated April 1, 2015