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Session 3566

Underwater Model Rockets: An Innovative Design Problem and Competition for Undergraduate Students in Engineering, Math and Science

Richard Layton, Joshua Holden, Tina Hudson and Laurence D. Merkle Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

Abstract

For a recent student conference, the authors developed a day-long design problem and competition suitable for engineering, math and science undergraduates. This paper describes the design problem, apparatus, software and tutorials for others who may be interested in replicating and improving the competition. Detailed plans for the apparatus, circuits, computer interfaces and computer programs and tutorials are made available via the Internet. The results of a personal self-evaluation (PSE) from the design competition are described.

Introduction

An annual student conference is sponsored by the Midwestern Undergraduate Private Engineering Colleges (MUPEC) group, comprising the institutions listed in Table 1. The purpose of the conference is to give undergraduate engineering, science and math students from these institutions a forum to showcase their work in oral and poster presentations. A different institution hosts the event each year.

The conference often includes a design competition in addition to the oral and poster presentations. The challenge for the conference organizers is to create a design problem suitable for students from a variety of science, math and engineering disciplines. This paper describes the design competition the authors developed for the 2004 MUPEC conference hosted by Rose- Hulman Institute of Technology. Our goal in designing the competition was to create a day-long design problem suitable for undergraduates in engineering, math and science. Our goal in presenting this work is dissemination: to describe the design problem, apparatus, software and tutorials for others who may be interested in replicating and improving the competition. Detailed plans are available via the Internet.

Table 1: MUPEC Member Institutions Cedarville Univ. Milwaukee School of Engng Tri-State Univ. Indiana Inst. of Techn. Ohio Northern Univ. Univ. of Evansville Kettering Univ. Rose-Hulman Inst. of Techn. Valparaiso Univ. Lawrence Techn. Univ. St. Louis Univ.

The Design Problem and Competition

A waterproofed model rocket is installed in the base of a vertically-mounted polycarbonate tube as shown in Fig. 1. The tube is filled with water and the rocket is launched.

Proceedings of the 2005 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright © 2005, American Society for Engineering Education

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Hudson, T., & Merkle, L., & Holden, J., & Layton, R. (2005, June), Underwater Model Rockets: An Innovative Design Problem And Competition For Undergraduate Students In Engineering, Math And Science Paper presented at 2005 Annual Conference, Portland, Oregon. 10.18260/1-2--14586