Work in Progress: Integrating Process Safety and Ethics in Classroom Discussion through Surveys

Reginald E Rogers

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Conference: 2018 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
Publication Date: June 23, 2018
Start Date: June 23, 2018
End Date: July 27, 2018
Conference Session: Works-in-Progress Postcard Session
Tagged Division: Chemical Engineering
Page Count: 7
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--31293
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/31293
Download Count: 414

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Paper Authors

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Reginald E Rogers Jr Rochester Institute of Technology (COE)

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Reginald Rogers is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Rochester Institute of Technology. His research focuses on the use of carbon nanomaterials for water treatment and sodium-ion battery applications. Dr. Rogers has been recognized for his teaching, research, and service efforts through numerous invited seminars and awards. Notable awards include the 2015 Partner of the Year Award from RIT’s Multicultural Center for Academic Success, the 2016 Richard and Virginia Eisenhart Provost’s Award for Excellence in Teaching from RIT, the 2017 Emerging Investigator designation from Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology, the 2017 Henry C. McBay Outstanding Teacher Award from the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers, and the 2018 Dr. Janice A. Lumpkin Educator of the Year Award from the National Society of Black Engineers.

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Abstract

Process safety and ethics within Chemical Engineering continues to be a strong topic of focus. Students are continually challenged to be mindful of soft skill issues associated with being a professional engineer; however, the retention of that knowledge is low. The prevalence of increasing student awareness in process safety and ethics beyond the textbook requires innovative ways to bridge the discussion between fundamental course content and experiential learning. Given the time constraints of contact hours an instructor may have for a course, the integration of practical discussions can be pushed aside to ensure the learning outcomes are met. This, however, can be a disservice to the students as they prepare to take up jobs either in a co-op/internship or full-time position.

One approach to overcoming the time constraints associated with limited contact hours is to seed the conversation of process safety and ethics through the use of scenario-based surveys. Using applications, like SurveyMonkey, can help to facilitate discussion on different topics associated with process safety and ethics. For example, what should you do as a lead engineer when a hurricane is approaching your chemical plant, and you must choose between staying to stabilize the operation or evacuating all employees to safety? Add to this the potential harm to the surrounding community and such a question tends to spark lively debate between the students. In order to simulate the in-the-moment decision making process, students are not told in advance when such questions will be posed. Instead, they are surprised and forced to make a decision that some of them might not be comfortable making in the spur of the moment. Such an approach brings the practicality of engineering to life and shows students that being able to adapt to changing situations is a must, and that making ethical choices along the way leads to better engineering practices.

In this work-in-progress paper, a discussion on the use of ready-made technology to facilitate process safety and ethics in the classroom will be shared. A primary focus will be on implementing the approach while not sacrificing classroom contact time. Tips for successfully engaging the students in process safety and ethics discussion will be discussed.

Citation
Format

Rogers, R. E. (2018, June), Work in Progress: Integrating Process Safety and Ethics in Classroom Discussion through Surveys Paper presented at 2018 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition , Salt Lake City, Utah. 10.18260/1-2--31293

TY - CPAPER
AB - Process safety and ethics within Chemical Engineering continues to be a strong topic of focus. Students are continually challenged to be mindful of soft skill issues associated with being a professional engineer; however, the retention of that knowledge is low. The prevalence of increasing student awareness in process safety and ethics beyond the textbook requires innovative ways to bridge the discussion between fundamental course content and experiential learning. Given the time constraints of contact hours an instructor may have for a course, the integration of practical discussions can be pushed aside to ensure the learning outcomes are met. This, however, can be a disservice to the students as they prepare to take up jobs either in a co-op/internship or full-time position.

One approach to overcoming the time constraints associated with limited contact hours is to seed the conversation of process safety and ethics through the use of scenario-based surveys. Using applications, like SurveyMonkey, can help to facilitate discussion on different topics associated with process safety and ethics. For example, what should you do as a lead engineer when a hurricane is approaching your chemical plant, and you must choose between staying to stabilize the operation or evacuating all employees to safety? Add to this the potential harm to the surrounding community and such a question tends to spark lively debate between the students. In order to simulate the in-the-moment decision making process, students are not told in advance when such questions will be posed. Instead, they are surprised and forced to make a decision that some of them might not be comfortable making in the spur of the moment. Such an approach brings the practicality of engineering to life and shows students that being able to adapt to changing situations is a must, and that making ethical choices along the way leads to better engineering practices.

In this work-in-progress paper, a discussion on the use of ready-made technology to facilitate process safety and ethics in the classroom will be shared. A primary focus will be on implementing the approach while not sacrificing classroom contact time. Tips for successfully engaging the students in process safety and ethics discussion will be discussed.

AU - Reginald E Rogers Jr
CY - Salt Lake City, Utah
DA - 2018/06/23
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - Work in Progress: Integrating Process Safety and Ethics in Classroom Discussion through Surveys
UR - https://peer.asee.org/31293
DO - 10.18260/1-2--31293
ER -