Chicago, Illinois
June 18, 2006
June 18, 2006
June 21, 2006
2153-5965
Engineering Technology
10
11.1268.1 - 11.1268.10
10.18260/1-2--225
https://peer.asee.org/225
519
Charles Neuman is an Assistant Professor of Physics at Queensborough Community College of the City University of New York. His research interests include accelerator physics, free electron lasers, and education. He also serves as PI on a CUNY grant on education research.
David Lieberman is a Professor of Physics at Queensborough Community College of the City University of New York. His research interests include bio-physics, laser, and education. He had several NSF grants and is currently serving as PI on a NSF grant on designing remote laser laboratory for teaching technicians
Don Engelberg is a Professor of Physics at Queensborough Community College of the City University of New York. His research interests include nuclear physics, laser physics, and education. He was awarded several NSF grants and is currently serving as PI on a NSF grant in laser physics education.
Alex Flamholz is an Assistant Professor of Physics at Queensborough Community College of the City University of New York. His research interests include bio-physics, electronics, and education. He worked in photonics research and development at IBM for many years before returning to teaching recently.
Paul Marchese is an Assistant Professor of Physics at Queensborough Community College of the City University of New York. His research interests include geophysics, laser physics, and education. He also serves as PI on a NSF geophysics grant.
George Tremberger, Jr. is a Lecturer in the Physics Department of Queensborough Community College of the City University of New York. His research interests include astronomy, anthropology, and education. He also serves as PI on a CUNY grant for exo-planet study.
Tak David Cheung is a Professor of Physics at Queensborough Community College of the City University of New York. His research interests include bio-physics, astronomy, and education. He also serves as PI on a CUNY grant in bio-physics.
The design of an ABET accredited laser technology program and its relationships with engineering programs Abstract
An ABET accredited laser technology program was designed for an AAS degree curriculum as well as for a smooth transition to a 4-yr engineering program. Important issues such as calculus preparation, instruction level, and student mindset, were addressed in a flexible AAS program supplemented with graphical programming, e-portfolio student mentoring, internet assisted instruction and look-ahead capability for upper division courses. The teaching of graphical programming is conducted in LabVIEW, and data analysis is performed using Excel. The goal of e-portfolio student mentoring is to have an early focus on student mindsets. Internet assisted instruction is used for developing self-learning skills. The use of Schaum’s engineering and technology series enables look-ahead capabilities for upper division courses in a cost effective way. Costs effectiveness is important as most students in our community college work to pay for their college expenses. The laboratory exercises are supplemented with numerical simulation in analogy to practical situations where there are no closed form mathematical expressions. The numerical simulation also has the advantage of setting the student's attitude to understand the difficulties of the associated inverse problems, which usually are the problems that demand attention in the upper division courses as well as in a workplace. With input from the program advisory board, the program is designed to enrich a student's life-long learning experience and keep abreast of new developments in laser technology. The laser program design could also be extended to other technologies with similar principles. Articulation issues with a BS degree program were also discussed.
I. Introduction
The Queensborough Community College City University of New York (CUNY) has a laser technology program accredited by ABET. Although it is a 2-year AAS degree program, many students transfer to 4-year college engineering programs regularly and some have continued to graduate school. Our college is located in New York City and many of our students are first generation college students. Queensborough also has a degree program in pre-engineering. All together, the transferring student spectrum is rather wide, ranging from the best students who are admitted to Ivy League colleges such as Columbia and Yale to others who continue in a general engineering program such as City College, another unit of CUNY. Some of our working graduates from the laser technology program attend school part time. In these cases it often takes many more years to complete the various 4-year degree programs. The laser program courses are listed on the college website (www.qcc.cuny.edu).
Our experience shows that the initial advisement and high school preparation is rather important in order to properly place the transferring student into the correct program. Some students do change their minds on their courses of study and join our programs later on. We have devised plans to accommodate those students. The ABET accredited laser technology program contains a simplified calculus course that is not suitable for engineering programs. Fortunately, our laser technology program has a strong LabVIEW component and could be used to bridge the calculus gap.
Neuman, C., & Lieberman, D., & Engelberg, D., & Flamholz, A., & Marchese, P., & Tremberger, G., & Cheung, T. (2006, June), The Design Of An Abet Accredited Laser Technology Program And Its Relationships With Engineering Programs Paper presented at 2006 Annual Conference & Exposition, Chicago, Illinois. 10.18260/1-2--225
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