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Satisfying ABET's Program Criteria for Environmental Engineering: Experiences with a Laboratory-Based Course in Air Quality

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Conference

2016 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Location

New Orleans, Louisiana

Publication Date

June 26, 2016

Start Date

June 26, 2016

End Date

June 29, 2016

ISBN

978-0-692-68565-5

ISSN

2153-5965

Conference Session

Environmental Engineering Division: Curricula, Criteria, Student Performance, and Growth

Tagged Division

Environmental Engineering

Page Count

12

DOI

10.18260/p.26132

Permanent URL

https://peer.asee.org/26132

Download Count

599

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Paper Authors

biography

Prahlad Murthy Wilkes University

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Prahlad Murthy is a Professor of Environmental Engineering at Wilkes University, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. He is currently serving as the Associate Dean of the College of Science & Engineering at the university. Since receiving his doctoral degree in civil & environmental engineering from Texas A&M University, he has been teaching courses in environmental engineering and science such as air pollution, water and wastewater treatment, GIS, and synoptic meteorology among others. Dr. Murthy has a combined experience of over 25 years in teaching, research, and consulting in the field. He is a licensed professional engineer in Pennsylvania and Delaware, a Board Certified Environmental Engineer (BCEE) by the American Academy of Environmental Engineers & Scientists, and a Qualified Environmental Professional (QEP) by the Institute of Professional Environmental Practice. He is also a program evaluator for the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET. He is an active member of many professional organizations such as the Air & Waste Management Association (A&WMA), the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), the American Academy of Environmental Engineers & Scientists (AAEES), and the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE).

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Abstract

Program criteria for environmental engineering program as stated in ABET’s 2015-16 Criteria for Accrediting Engineering Programs requires that the curriculum must prepare graduates to “conduct laboratory experiments and analyze and interpret the resulting data in more than one major environmental engineering focus area e.g., air, water, land, and environmental health.” Observation and evaluation of curricula at various accredited environmental engineering programs since 2005 indicates that a majority of the programs achieve this program criteria requirement with water and land as focus areas. This paper discusses the experiences, successes and challenges in teaching a course in air quality which has a significant laboratory component. The course is offered at a small private liberal arts school as part of the curriculum of an accredited environmental engineering undergraduate program. This required-for-graduation course has been taught for over twenty years and along with courses in water quality and soils, is used to satisfy the2015-16 program criteria that relates to conducting laboratory experiments in more than one major environmental engineering focus area. Along with the course content and objectives, this paper will discuss how the course achieves some of the ABET Student Outcomes and how the results are used in improving the course and the program in general.

Murthy, P. (2016, June), Satisfying ABET's Program Criteria for Environmental Engineering: Experiences with a Laboratory-Based Course in Air Quality Paper presented at 2016 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, New Orleans, Louisiana. 10.18260/p.26132

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