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Tools and Methods for enabling senior design classes during the COVID19 pandemic and their application to future challenges

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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

Experimentation and Laboratory-Oriented Studies Division Technical Session 2: Instructional/Learning Resources and Pedagogies

Page Count

11

DOI

10.18260/1-2--40643

Permanent URL

https://peer.asee.org/40643

Download Count

193

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Paper Authors

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stavros kalafatis Texas A&M University

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Bio – Stavros Kalafatis
Stavros Kalafatis studied in Canada and England and obtained by BSc in Electrical and Computer Engineering at Surrey. He completed his MSc degree in Computer Engineering at the University of Arizona. He joined Intel in 1991 as a design engineer and architect in the Pentium-Pro and eventually become the Senior Director responsible for the development of Gen IV and V Intel desktop processors, leading large teams of engineers whose efforts resulted in revenues exceeding $5 Billion. He then moved to direct new business initiatives for Intel in the dense server space resulting in businesses with a net present value of $600 Million. Stavros holds 11 patents in the field of CPU computer architecture. In 2016 he joined the faculty at the Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) department at Texas A&M University as a Professor of Practice where he was appointed Director of the Capstone program. He was the ECE ABET representative for 2 years and was appointed co-Associate Department Head in 2019. He has been a Texas A&M Maroon and White Leadership coach since 2017 and won the coach of the year award in 2021. Since joining Texas A&M University, he has published 6 papers and has 2 pending submission. His research interests lie in: AR, VR solutions, Robotics, High performance computing and networking and AI applications in Agriculture.

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Kevin Nowka Texas A&M University

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Professor of Practice, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas A&M University

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John Lusher Texas A&M University

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Abstract

Engineering curricula across the US seek to develop well rounded engineers that have the ability to solve real problems upon graduation. To that end, Capstone/senior design classes are present in most if not all ABET accredited undergraduate engineering programs. As the goal is to get students exposed to the tools they will need to solve actual problems, these classes are centered around team projects in a laboratory setting, with some lecture delivery in a supporting function. Physical distancing rules, as well as reduced/remote access of laboratories and equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic, posed significant challenges to the continued delivery to stated educational outcomes of these classes. A Southwestern institution developed new and creative strategies to address these challenges while continuing to operate under these constraints. Some were temporary, while others led to discoveries that modified the class delivery in the long term thus benefiting both students and instructors. In this paper we will describe the challenges we faced and the solutions we came up with in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, as well as the student reaction to the COVID-19 laboratory experience. The learnings from affected 2019 - 2021 capstones provide an opportunity to both apply methods to normal, post-pandemic instruction and to be prepared for potential future interruption of capstone team-based laboratories.

kalafatis, S., & Nowka, K., & Lusher, J. (2022, August), Tools and Methods for enabling senior design classes during the COVID19 pandemic and their application to future challenges Paper presented at 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Minneapolis, MN. 10.18260/1-2--40643

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