Engineering Commons^™

A Teaching Unit Plan For Introducing Engineering In 1st-2nd Grade Classrooms, Claudia Smith

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

The field of engineering, and specifically chemical engineering, is projected to increase significantly over the next 10 years. Engineering programs require students to have a strong foundation of math and science. Students in the United States are often underprepared to enter these programs, and the majority of high school students are not interested in pursuing a career in the STEM field at all. For this project, a unit teaching plan was created to introduce students to the field of engineering, providing a foundation for their upper-level STEM classes, and encouraging them to consider engineering as a career in the future. …

Why Do I Have To Know This? Engineering In A Globalized Society, Caleb Cunningham

Honors Theses

Through a pilot comparative study, this thesis examines the problem-solving of chemical engineering students and chemical engineering faculty. Specifically, the thesis examines the extent to which individuals include global factors (cultural, social, environmental, and economic) into their engineering solutions as specified by ABET. Several hypotheses were investigated in this pilot study: (i) having a study abroad experience would increase the likelihood that participants included the global factors of interest, (ii) the type (PUI, Research Intensive, Unique) of institution students attended would impact how individuals approached the problem, (iii) students with similar career aspirations would approach the problems similarly, (iv) having …

The Creation, Validation, And Implementation Of The Engineering Process Safety Research Instrument, Brittany Lynn Butler

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate an instrument that can measure how senior chemical engineering students make process safety decisions. The Engineering Process Safety Research Instrument (EPSRI) contains dilemmas that represent process safety scenarios, followed by three decision options, and 12-15 considerations that fall into pre-conventional, conventional, or post-conventional forms of reasoning. Three studies were completed as a part of this research. The content validation study ensured the dilemmas represented process safety scenarios, the considerations matched their perceived theoretical definitions, and that no content areas were omitted. This study resulted in validation of the content, following …

Addition Of Exothermic Reaction Scale-Up Lab To Unit Operations Curriculum., Lisa A Anderson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

According to the Chemical Safety Board’s 2002 report entitled "Improving Reactive Hazard Management,” the CSB identified 167 serious accidents involving uncontrolled chemical reactions in the United States between 1980 and 2001 causing 108 deaths and hundreds of millions of dollars in property damage. Of the 167 accidents, 35% involved runaway reactions. One noteworthy incident from recent history is the fatal explosion that occurred at T2 Laboratories in Jacksonville, FL as a result of improper scale-up and an insufficient cooling design for the system.

One recommendation resulting from the CSB investigation of the incident was that the Accreditation Board for Engineering …

Development And Implementation Of Problem-Based Chemistry Experiments For Engineering Students In A Multi-Disciplinary Course, Tiffany Hesser, Stephanie R. Bunyea

Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Faculty Publications

This paper will describe the implementation and continuing development of five problem based laboratory experiments in a general chemistry course designed specifically for multiple disciplines of engineering students at the University of New Haven. The Problem Based Laboratory Experiments (PBLE) were developed to provide students with the opportunity to perform and develop experimental procedures working in interdisciplinary teams, while achieving a greater understanding of the role of chemistry in engineering fields. In each PBLE, students first complete a traditional chemistry experiment to gain an understanding of the chemical concepts and to become familiar with executing a written procedure with a …

Using Student Ambassadors To Relay Themes From Changing The Conversation In Engineering First Year Seminars, Sarah Rzasa Zappe, Melissa Marshall, Enrique D. Gomez, Esther W. Gomez, Angela D. Lueking

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper describes the efforts at a large mid-Atlantic university to integrate themes from Changing the Conversation into First Year Seminars. Changing the Conversation, a 2008 book by the National Academy of Engineering, found that both male and female students were more attracted to messages describing engineering in terms relating to societal impact, such as the phrases, "Engineering makes a world of difference" and "Engineering is essential to our health, happiness, and safety." Although the research was conducted with younger students, the potential for using these themes in the undergraduate curricula could have the potential to impact persistence in engineering, …

The Current Generation Of Integrated Engineering Curriculum, Michael A. Collura, Samuel Bogan Daniels, Jean Nocito-Gobel, David Harding

Engineering and Applied Science Education Faculty Publications

In September of 2004 our university adopted the Multidisciplinary Engineering Foundation Spiral Curriculum as the basis for disciplinary engineering programs in Chemical, Civil, Electrical, Mechanical and General Engineering. The curriculum includes a sequence of first and second year engineering courses, matched closely with the development of students’ mathematical sophistication and analytical capabilities and integrated with course work in the sciences. Students develop a conceptual understanding of engineering basics in this series of courses which stress practical applications of these principles. The new curriculum was designed to provide students with a multidisciplinary perspective while developing basic engineering skills and fostering an …

Penn State University Nsf Gk-12 Project: Using Web-Based Education And Interaction With K-12 And College Freshman To Promote Science And Engineering, Elana M. Chapman, Angela D. Lueking, Robin A. Tallon, Philip H. Henning, William S. Carlsen, Daniel C. Haworth

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Penn State University has hosted an NSF-sponsored GK-12 Outreach project for the past five years, and has just begun the second phase of the project. The Penn State project utilizes the talents of many science and engineering graduate students as teachers, mentors and role models for the K-12 classrooms. The project focuses on developing skills of students in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics through the use of Advanced Transportation Technologies. A new project component was devised and implemented-the interaction of K-12 students with college freshman via a website project. The college freshmen were asked to create a …

Project Planning & Development For Engineering Freshmen, Bouzid Aliane, Michael Collura, Samuel Bogan Daniels, Jean Nocito-Gobel

Engineering and Applied Science Education Faculty Publications

The nature and background of students seeking an engineering education has changed drastically in the last decade, as has the expectations of industrial employers. Many students lack the organizational skills needed for academic success. Similar organizational skills, although more advanced, are required for managing engineering projects. A new course was developed by the faculty at the School of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of New Haven. Through this course, a key component of the Multidisciplinary Engineering Foundation Spiral, seeks to promote higher retention rates, increase student motivation and begin a confidence-building transition to professional practice. Project management concepts …

Environmental Sustainability Education At The University Of Michigan: Collaboration With Industry To Provide Experiential Learning Opportunities, Angela D. Lueking, Deborah A. Ross, Walter Weber Jr

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The Concentrations in Environmental Sustainability (ConsEnSus) Program at the University of Michigan is a new multi-disciplinary opportunity for graduate students in the College of Engineering to pursue interests in environmental sustainability white obtaining a traditional engineering Master's degree. Students from several engineering departments complement traditional disciplinary course requirements with courses in environmental regulations, policies, and technology. A required case studies course of the ConsEnSus Program brings practicing engineers together with students to discuss real-world sustainability problems. The industrial participants interactively present relevant case studies, and provide opportunities for experiential learning through classroom activities and term projects. This paper …