Gleixner, S., & Backer, P. R., & Ph.D., E. K. (2011, June), Service Learning in a Multi-Disciplinary Renewable Energy Engineering Course  Paper presented at 2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Vancouver, BC. 10.18260/1-2--18904

\bibitem{asee_peer_18904}
  Gleixner, S., \& Backer, P. R., \& Ph.D., E. K. (2011, June), \emph{Service Learning in a Multi-Disciplinary Renewable Energy Engineering Course}
  Paper presented at 2011 ASEE Annual Conference \& Exposition, Vancouver, BC.
  10.18260/1-2--18904

Stacy Gleixner, Patricia Ryaby Backer, and Elena Klaw, Ph.D..  "Service Learning in a Multi-Disciplinary Renewable Energy Engineering Course".  2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Vancouver, BC, 2011, June.  ASEE Conferences, 2011.  https://peer.asee.org/18904 Internet.  30 May, 2025

\bibitem{asee_peer_18904}
  Stacy Gleixner, Patricia Ryaby Backer, and Elena Klaw, Ph.D..
  "Service Learning in a Multi-Disciplinary Renewable Energy Engineering Course".
  \emph{2011 ASEE Annual Conference \& Exposition, Vancouver, BC, 2011, June}.
  ASEE Conferences, 2011.
  https://peer.asee.org/18904 Internet.  30 May, 2025

@INPROCEEDINGS{asee_peer_18904
author = "Stacy Gleixner, Patricia Ryaby Backer, and Elena Klaw, Ph.D."
title = "Service Learning in a Multi-Disciplinary Renewable Energy Engineering Course"
booktitle = "2011 ASEE Annual Conference \& Exposition"
year = "2011"
month = "June"
address = "Vancouver, BC"
publisher = "ASEE Conferences"
note = {https://peer.asee.org/18904}
number = {10.18260/1-2--18904}
}

TY  - CPAPER
AB  -    Service Learning in a Multi-Disciplinary Renewable Energy Engineering                                   CourseOne of the most significant challenges facing this coming generation of engineers is how to fightthe complex issue of climate change. One aspect of this that is playing an increasingly importantrole is alternative and renewable energy technologies. Emerging applications such as solar cells,wind energy conversion devices, and fuel cells involve significant contributions across a range oftraditional engineering disciplines. Therefore, for companies to be successful in researching,designing, and manufacturing these products, they must operate in a truly multi-disciplinaryenvironment. To prepare graduates to be successful in this, engineering education must providestudents with multi-disciplinary learning environments.We offer a general engineering course on Renewable Energy Engineering. The course is open tojuniors, seniors, and graduate students of all engineering majors and is part of the College ofEngineering’s multi-disciplinary minor in Green Engineering. The course has been offered threetimes to date and typically has representatives from every engineering major on campus. Theclass covers a range of renewable energy topics including: how traditional energy is produced,measured, and sold; solar thermal; photovoltaics; wind; hydropower; fuel cells; biofuels;geothermal; and ocean, wave, and tidal energy. In all of the topics, the classes cover enough ofthe engineering fundamentals to do mini-design projects in each technology. The classroomperiods use an active learning methodology. The classes are structured such that the studentswork together in multi-disciplinary teams where each student is able to bring the expertise oftheir major to understanding the technology. For example, the background of mechanicalengineers combined with electrical engineers will allow a team to begin to grasp the basicfundamentals of fluid flow and power generation needed to understand how a hydropower plantoperates. Details of the class structure, active learning assignments, design projects, andteamwork structure will be presented.A significant assignment in the class is a multi-disciplinary, team based service learning project.Each team is assigned a renewable energy technology (such as wind power) at the start of thesemester. They have a series of assignments designed to give them technical depth in the areaand confidence as an “expert” in the technology. They then design a hands-on teachingdemonstration for the technology. They bring this to an after school program for 4th- 7th gradersat a nearby community center. The community center is part of a unique University/ city/community partnership (CommUniverCity). The service learning project is facilitated by theUniversity’s Center for Community Learning and Leadership. These will be discussed in moredetail in the paper. Details of the service learning project as well as assessment of the servicelearning experience on student perception of their confidence as engineers, their confidence tomake a difference in society, the broad view of the role of engineers in society, and the role ofmulti-disciplinary teams in engineering will be presented.
AU  - Stacy Gleixner
AU  - Patricia Ryaby Backer
AU  - Elena Klaw, Ph.D.
CY  - Vancouver, BC
DA  - 2011/06/26
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Service Learning in a Multi-Disciplinary Renewable Energy Engineering Course
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/18904
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--18904
ER  -