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Identifying Students’ Connections to Advanced Topics in an Introductory Materials Engineering Course

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Conference

2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Location

Minneapolis, MN

Publication Date

August 23, 2022

Start Date

June 26, 2022

End Date

June 29, 2022

Conference Session

Materials Division Technical Session 1

Page Count

14

DOI

10.18260/1-2--41439

Permanent URL

https://peer.asee.org/41439

Download Count

202

Paper Authors

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Breejha Quezada Purdue Engineering Education

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Breejha Sene Quezada is an Engineering Education PhD student at Purdue University.

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Emily Haluschak Purdue University at West Lafayette (COE)

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Emily M. Haluschak is a Research Assistant in the School of Engineering Education at Purdue University. Emily primarily works on integrated curriculum for K-2 computational thinking and post-secondary microelectronics workforce development efforts. Her research background is comprised of K-2 student problem scoping and teacher actions in response to implementation of STEM integration in the classroom. Additionally her work in program equity evaluation as part of a graduate degree in education policy led her to refocus on designing curriculum with the goal of expanding access and increasing retention for underserved populations in engineering.

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Aileen Ryan Purdue University at West Lafayette (COE)

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Aileen Ryan is an undergraduate studying Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University.

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Katherine Schieltz

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Katherine Schieltz is an undergraduate student studying Chemical Engineering at Purdue University. She works at the INSPIRE Research Institute, currently assisting research in improving postsecondary engineering education.

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Congying Wang Purdue University at West Lafayette (COE)

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Amanda Johnston California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

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Amanda Johnston is a lecturer at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.

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Alejandro Strachan Purdue University at West Lafayette (COE)

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Tamara Moore Purdue University at West Lafayette (COE)

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Tamara J. Moore, Ph.D., is a Professor of Engineering Education, University Faculty Scholar, and the Executive Director of the INSPIRE Research Institute for Pre-College Engineering at Purdue University. Dr. Moore’s research is centered on the integration of STEM concepts in K-12 and postsecondary classrooms in order to help students make connections among the STEM disciplines and achieve deep understanding. Her work focuses on defining STEM integration and investigating its power for student learning. She has examined different mechanisms of bringing engineering content and standards into the classrooms that led to a framework for quality K-12 engineering education. Dr. Moore’s team has developed several sets of instructional modules for elementary and middle school learners that employ engineering and literacy contexts to integrate STEM and computational thinking content in meaningful and significant ways. In 2012, she received a U.S. Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) for her work with urban youth. In 2016, she received Purdue University’s Faculty Engagement Scholarship Award for working with teachers and students across the United States on teaching and learning engineering.

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Abstract

Abstract Workforce shortages in STEM fields are not a new phenomena, but in niche technological fields like microelectronics there are troubling trends abounding. The microelectronics industry has a hand in virtually every other field, and shortages of both chips and talent have spurned the United States government into action. To increase exposure and interest in the microelectronics industry, a multi-university program has been set up to give undergraduate engineering students opportunities to explore future careers and the impact this field may have on the future as a whole. This study took place in an early Materials Science and Engineering undergraduate class. The students, from a variety of majors, got exposure to how MSE is critical to the field of microelectronics through a specific context. A module integrating an introduction to soldering science into the class standard of phase diagrams was taught. Students were then given a homework assignment with an attached survey that gave insight to exposure and interest in microelectronics, as well as asking students to connect it to the learning objectives of the assignment. The basic findings were that students were able to acknowledge design and properties as elements of MSE that tied phase diagrams to microelectronics, and that there was at least a slight interest and awareness in the potential of microelectronics to improve the future and lead to future careers.

Quezada, B., & Haluschak, E., & Ryan, A., & Schieltz, K., & Wang, C., & Johnston, A., & Strachan, A., & Moore, T. (2022, August), Identifying Students’ Connections to Advanced Topics in an Introductory Materials Engineering Course Paper presented at 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Minneapolis, MN. 10.18260/1-2--41439

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