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Session 1464

Development of an Integrated Materials Engineering Course

William Jordan, Norm Pumphrey Louisiana Tech University

Abstract

Louisiana Tech University’s undergraduate engineering program has been significantly modified during the past two years. Emphasis has been placed on creating an integrated (college-wide) program for freshmen and sophomores. Fall quarter sophomores take statics/strength, materials engineering, and their fourth calculus course. This paper deals with the new materials engineering course.

In the past there were three different introductions to materials engineering courses taught in different engineering programs. This has been reduced to one course for all disciplines. Since much engineering practice is cross-disciplinary, this allows students to learn about materials from other than just their own disciplinary perspective. This course is integrated with the statics/strength and math courses they are taking at the same time. Faculty teaching these different courses meet regularly to make sure that the integration between them is working well. For example, this integration allows us to discuss mechanical behavior of materials, while relying on the statics/strength course for their mechanics background.

Connected with this new materials lecture course are two revised lab courses: a civil engineering materials lab, and a materials lab for other disciplines. In both these labs we introduce the students to statistical issues related to mechanical testing. We can rely on the statistics they have covered this quarter in their math course. About 40% of these two lab courses are in common. For example, we are exposing the civil engineers to heat treating of steel, and the mechanical engineers to mechanical testing of concrete (which are new topics for each group). Inclusion of untraditional topics in some of the labs reinforces our cross- disciplinary approach to the lecture course.

This approach to materials engineering is providing a superior environment in which to learn. Integration of this course with the statics/strength and calculus courses will allow us to teach the course material in a more effective manner.

I. Integrated curriculum at Louisiana Tech University

Over the past several years we have been strongly encouraged by our management board to reduce the number of semester hours to make it more likely for students to graduate in four years. At about the same time, we were undergoing a significant reevaluation of our own. The result of these two things happening at the same time is a dramatically restructured freshman

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Pumphrey, N., & Jordan, W. M. (2000, June), Development Of An Integrated Materials Engineering Course Paper presented at 2000 Annual Conference, St. Louis, Missouri. 10.18260/1-2--8300