ASEE Gulf-Southwest Section Annual Meeting 2018 Papers

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/2152/65338

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List of 2018 ASEE Gulf-Southwest Section Annual Meeting Papers
(American Society for Engineering Education, 2018) American Society for Engineering Education
A New Scale for Measuring Engineering Identity in Undergraduates
(American Society for Engineering Education, 2018-04) Borrego, Maura; Patrick, Anita; Martins, Luis; Kendall, Meagan; Borrego, Maura; Patrick, Anita; Martins, Luis
Identity, or how people choose to define themselves, is gaining traction as an explanation for who pursues and persists in engineering. A number of quantitative studies have developed scales for predicting engineering identity in undergraduate students. However, the outcome measure of identity is sometimes based on a single item. In this paper, we present the results of a new two-item scale. The scale is adapted from an existing measure of identification with an organization that was developed by Bergami and Bagozzi [1] and refined by Bartel [2]. The measure focuses on the “cognitive (i.e., self-categorization) component of identification” (p. 556), and has been found to have high convergent validity with another, rigorous measure of identification with an organization or other entity created by Mael and Ashforth [3]. This measure utilizes one primarily visual and one verbal item to assess the extent to which an individual cognitively categorizes himself or herself as an engineer. The scale was administered to 1528 engineering undergraduate students during the 2016-2017 academic year. Internal consistency of the new engineering identity scale, as measured by Cronbach’s alpha, is 0.84. This new scale is an important step toward refining quantitative measures of, and the study of, engineering identity development in undergraduate students and other populations.
Water Content and Thermoplastic Polyurethane Effects on Thrombosis Clotting
(American Society for Engineering Education, 2019-04) Small, Madeline; Jackson, Monica; Neuenschwander, Pierre; Chou, Shih-Feng
One of the main factors that can increase the chance of heart disease is unwanted blood clotting, or thrombosis. In addition, implantable biomaterials and/or medical devices are likely to trigger a series of adverse reactions that can lead to unwanted blood clotting. Herein, we study a thromboresistant polymeric material, specifically thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs), on their physical properties and anticoagulation performance. Their hydrophobic nature and superior mechanical properties make them an ideal candidate for coating materials on implantable medical devices, such as vascular stents. Our results show that hydrophobic TPUs absorbed minimal to negligible water content and provided excellent thromboresistant properties against human plasma.
Using the Spreadsheet as a Tool for Teaching the Fundamentals of Engineering
(American Society for Engineering Education, 2019-04) Garcia, Arthur F. Jr.
This paper will demonstrate how the electronic spreadsheet has been used in a freshman level Fundamentals of Engineering course to prepare students for maximizing their analytical skills with the most ubiquitous analytical tool available today.
Beyond First/Last Mile Active Transportation - BikeShare@UH
(American Society for Engineering Education, 2019-04) Alonso, Julio; Vargas, Jesus; Li, Daniel; Elizarraras, Abraham; Hoang, Tony; Vu, Khanh; Patterson, J.; Palwala, Mohammad; Maldonado, Marco; Isago, Masaki; Aranda, Mark; Trinh, Lan; Huynh, Tu; Nguyen, Tie; Ly, Bao; Huang, Jiao; Malki, Heidar; Yuan, Xiaojing
Bike sharing is a new green transportation solution that has been developed and adopted at various cities around the world. In this paper, we present the process and results of the design and prototypes that a group of undergraduate students developed for a BikeShare@UH program during Summer 2017. After presenting the detailed results of four project teams focusing on customer discovery, bike share station (BSS) location identification, cloud-based mobile computing platform for user engagement and bike share program operation and management, smart lock, and alternative energy source based on PV panel. With the phase one implementation at the University planned in Spring 2018, we anticipate gathering real time data and feedback to improve the system.
Using the Internet of Things to Teach Good Software Engineering Practice to High School Students
(American Society for Engineering Education, 2019-04) Julien, Christine
This paper describes a course to introduce high school students to software engineering in practice using the Internet Of Things (IoT). IoT devices allow students to get quick, visible results without watering down technical aspects of programming and networking. The course has three broad goals: (1) to make software engineering fun and applicable, with the aim of recruiting traditionally underrepresented groups into computing; (2) to make young students begin to approach problems with a design mindset; and (3) to show students that computer science, generally, and software engineering, specifically, is about much more than programming. The course unfolds in three segments. The first is a whirlwind introduction to a subset of IoT technologies. Students complete a specific task (or set of tasks) using each technology. This segment culminates in a “do-it-yourself” project, in which the students implement a simple IoT application using their basic knowledge of the technologies. The course’s second segment introduces software engineering practices, again primarily via hands-on practical tutorials. In the third segment of the course, the students conceive of, design, and implement a project that uses the technologies introduced in the first segment, all while being attentive to the good software engineering practices acquired in the second segment. In addition to presenting the course curriculum, the paper also discusses a first offering of the course in a threeweek summer intensive program in 2017, including assessments done to evaluate the curriculum.
Challenges to Developing Professional Skills in Undergraduate Chemical Engineers at a Minority Serving University
(American Society for Engineering Education, 2019-04) Alexander, Matthew
Undergraduate engineering students at a minority serving institution present unique challenges for professional skill development. Students in the Chemical Process Design II and III course sequence in chemical engineering at Texas A&M University-Kingsville are introduced repeatedly to the importance of communication skills, and the topics of professional engineering licensure and life-long learning. A fraction of these students have English as their second language, and development of oral and written communication skills to the level of fluency expected of engineers in the United States is challenging. The students are tested in their oral communication skills through delivery of six group-format project presentations in the two course sequence. The course sequence also requires significant written communication exercises, particularly in the second course which is a writing intensive course. The overall performance of those students with English as a second language is reasonably strong once the instructor’s grading expectations are realized and the students avail themselves of outside assistance, such as provided by the University Writing Center. The undergraduate student’s development of a sense of the importance of life-long learning is also challenging for the instructor to instill. An open-ended technical problem requiring solution as part of a senior design project is an opportunity for the instructor to use coaching methods to guide students to their own independent solution, thus reinforcing self-learning outside of the instructor-led paradigm. Instilling an interest for professional registration is also difficult to accomplish, in particular because the fraction of chemical engineers that become registered in their career is far less than in other engineering disciplines such as civil engineering. The approaches used to accomplish instruction of these important professional skills at a minority-serving institution are presented.
A Second Language Acquisition Toolkit for Teaching Introduction to Computing
(American Society for Engineering Education, 2019-04) Gardner, Michael R.; Telang, Nina K.
Introduction to Computing and higher-level programming courses are common first-year engineering curricula at the university level and are key in developing logical thought processes in engineering students. Recent research has shown that employing second language acquisition (SLA) techniques to teach programming increases exam performance and student motivation compared to more classical approaches. However, the presentation of pedagogical techniques has been largely limited to higher-level languages with more intuitive linguistic analogs and has not been extended to lower-level computing course material. In this paper we present several SLA techniques and their analogs in a computing course setting and the results of implementing an SLA strategy in a first-year engineering course. Statistical analysis shows that students taught with SLA methods completed quizzes more quickly, enjoyed recitation more, and had a higher perceived value of the class when compared with students taught with non-SLA techniques.
Extending an alginate drug delivery experiment to teach computational modeling and engineering analysis to 1st year biomedical engineering students
(American Society for Engineering Education, 2019-04) Puperi, Daniel
Engaging biomedical engineering (BME) students in the first year has been an important part of The University of Texas at Austin’s strategy to improve student motivation, retention, and self-efficacy. First year engineering curricula across the country have increasingly included an introduction to engineering or design course in addition to core math and science courses. At UT Austin, a first-year design course and drug-delivery design class module has been previously described[1]. This course has since been expanded from 1 credit hour to 3 credit hours and the drug-delivery design module has been enhanced to include computational design and analysis using 2 different tools (Microsoft Excel and MATLAB). Previously, students analyzed their experimental data using simple curve fitting to determine the diffusivity constant. This paper describes the instruction of a Fick’s law-based computational simulation implemented in both Excel and MATLAB in order to match students’ experimental data. Students were able to use their simulation to solve for the diffusion coefficient and to estimate the amount of drug (a dye was used as a surrogate for a drug) lost in the drug delivery device loading process. In addition, students learned how to use both Excel and MATLAB for engineering analysis so that they will be prepared for future engineering courses. General Excel and MATLAB competencies were tested using low-stakes in-class quizzes and students’ attitudes were measured from end-of-semester course and instructor surveys. Students showed functional Excel and MATLAB knowledge and responded positively on course and instructor surveys.
Space-Based Capstone: Public-Private-Academic Partnership in the Making
(American Society for Engineering Education, 2019-04) Ryan, Colby; Crandall, Alexis; Martinez, Mitch; Kennedy, David; Ecolango, Kristian; Porter, Jay; Morgan, Joseph
The Electronic Systems Engineering Technology (ESET) Program at Texas A&M University provides a recognized undergraduate program with an emphasis in electronics, communication, embedded systems, testing, instrumentation and control systems. The program combines engineering and industrial knowledge and methods to develop, design, and implement new innovative products through a two-semester long Senior Capstone Project. Capstone is designed to prepare future engineers by bridging the gap between the classroom and industry. Students are required to form teams of two to six members which allows them to develop the skills necessary to succeed in a diverse industry setting. Each team is required to use their knowledge and skills to design, develop, document, and deliver a real-world project equivalent to the assignments they will soon receive as professional engineers. Following NASA’s approval for funding the development of a research facility named Hermes, a Capstone team, named Microgravity Automated Research Systems (MARS), was sponsored by T STAR, a local space commercialization company, to develop the electronics portion of the facility. Hermes will reside on the International Space Station for five years in the hopes of streamlining the development of experiments that require extended periods of time in microgravity environments. The Hermes facility will host and manage up to four experiments at a time while allowing for the downlink of experiment data to an Earth station, and the uplink of commands to change experiment parameters. Experiments will adhere to a power budget and communication standard established by MARS so that experiments can be swapped out during the facility’s lifetime. MARS will work with the Mobile Integrated Solutions Laboratory (MISL), an undergraduate applied research lab, in order to prepare them to maintain support for Hermes in the future.
A Conceptual Mechanism Design Activity for an Introduction to Mechanical Engineering Course
(American Society for Engineering Education, 2019-04) Rios, Oziel; Fadda, Dani
A conceptual design activity is presented in this paper to introduce freshman students to motion transmission with simple gear train mechanisms. The activity requires students to select components from a catalog and perform kinematic simulations using CAD software. The activity described in this paper was implemented in an introduction to mechanical engineering course but it could also be deployed in an upper-level, undergraduate mechanisms course. The activity was successfully administered to a class of 221 students during the Spring 2017 semester but can be administered to smaller classes as well. A description of the activity is presented along with a discussion of the resources and personnel required (instructors and teaching assistants). The activity is considered simple to implement, requiring only a computer station with CAD software available in most engineering schools. Continuous improvements to the project are made based on faculty observations and assessments, as well as a survey administered to the students.
The Design and Development of a Multi-Disciplinary Project in Embedded Systems Design
(American Society for Engineering Education, 2019-04) Fry, Cynthia C.; Potter, Steven P.
As has been noted over the past ten years, “The wall between computer science and electrical engineering has kept the potential of embedded systems at bay. It is time to build a new scientific foundation with embedded systems design as the cornerstone, which will ensure a systematic and even-handed integration of the two fields.”[1] In Baylor University’s School of Engineering & Computer Science, the Embedded Systems course in the Department of Computer Science, and the Embedded Systems Design course in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering have been offered independent of each other in the recent past. In the past year, however, this is beginning to change, with plans developing to combine the project portion of the two courses into one multi-disciplinary group project. This paper will document the two courses – scope and sequence, as well as emphasis, equipment used, and delivery style – highlighting the need for a new and innovative approach at the systematic integration of software and hardware in the design and development of a mutli-disciplinary group project. The beta test of this group project is occurring in the fall 2017 semester, with full first-time full-scale deployment during the spring 2018 semester. The results of this beta test will be discussed, and the lessons learned and planned modifications to the course will be considered.
Heat Transfer Activity for a First-Year Mechanical Engineering Course
(American Society for Engineering Education, 2019-04) Fadda, Dani; Rios, Oziel
A heat transfer educational activity is designed for freshman students who declare a mechanical engineering major. This activity is part of an introductory course given during the first year to introduce students to mechanical engineering and give them tools to use in while pursuing their Bachelors of Science degree in mechanical engineering. The activity is designed to challenge students in learning heat transfer concepts. However, its rigor is planned for students (at the freshman level) who have not yet taken the prerequisites required for heat transfer. The activity is scalable and can be easily deployed in other educational institutes. It is presented with its goals, goal attainment measures, and feedback representing the student perception.
Practicum of Systems Integration in Engineering Education
(American Society for Engineering Education, 2019-04) Yazdanshenas, Alireza; Oyedele, Joseph; Morrison, Emilli; Goh, Chung Hyun
This project asked engineering students to develop a multi-subsystem design that would produce electricity. Students over the duration of this project learned how to simulate and design systems theoretically using computer tools. Furthermore, students were expected to produce a prototype of their model, thereby self-analyzing the practicality levels and enhancing learning. With the technology available to students advancing, systems integration techniques become more efficient learning experiences to the students. The benefits of systems integration can also be expanded to the professional world these students will soon step into. Therefore, teaching these techniques now will give students a better further insight on real world experience in a classroom setting. When students make the expected leap into the job market, it is important for them to have a solid understanding of system integration and multi-system design. It is this understanding that will make students more desirable to top end employers and set them apart form their peers.
Applying Problem Based Learning to Improve Student Engagement in an Engineering Economics Course
(American Society for Engineering Education, 2019-04) Donndelinger, Joseph A.
Maintaining high levels of student engagement and interest is a widespread challenge in teaching Engineering Economics courses. To address this challenge at Baylor’s School of Engineering and Computer Science, a series of problem-based homework assignments focused on personal investing and tax return preparation have been developed and integrated into the Global Business Economics and Communication course. This transition in course structure has resulted in significant improvements in student engagement as measured by class attendance, homework completion rates, and course evaluation statistics. This transition also increased polarization of students’ academic performance which may be addressed through further development of the problem-based learning course content.
Introduction of Structural Health Monitoring to Civil Engineering Education
(American Society for Engineering Education, 2019-04) Gopu, Vijaya; Okeil, Ayman; Seals, Roger
This paper describes the development of a Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) Education Unit; its initial implementation and assessment at Louisiana State University (LSU) and the University of Louisiana- Lafayette (UL-Lafayette) during the 2016-17 Academic Year; and its subsequent re- implementation and assessment during the 2017-18 Academic Year at these institutions plus its initial implementation at four partner institutions  Case Western Reserve University, Tuskegee University, University of North Florida and Virginia Tech. The SHM Education Unit encompasses the Fundamentals Education Subunit and the Applications Education Subunit. The Fundamentals Education Subunit consists of an introductory and four content online modules whereas the Applications Education Subunit consists of two content online modules, a SHM system design/evaluation module and a SHM instrumentation model demonstration. Using a pedagogical model developed during the project, the former Subunit is implemented in two classes of a structural analysis course whereas the latter Subunit is implemented in two classes of a reinforced concrete design course. The results of readiness tests and student assessments demonstrate the effectiveness of the content and the pedagogical model to engage students and teach SHM fundamentals and practices.
Identifying Challenges to Infusing Ethics into the Development of Engineers at Texas State University
(American Society for Engineering Education, 2019-04) Tate, Jitendra; Hanks, Craig; Stern, Harold; Trybula, Walt
Over the past six years we have worked to integrate ethics education throughout the curriculum of the still-new Ingram School of Engineering. During work on an NSF funded grant, we were able to infuse ethics related modules in 13 different courses, across three colleges and at all levels of undergraduate study. Our goal in participating in the GSW ASEE meeting is to share ideas about addressing challenges that arose during this project. We also hope to learn about faculty resources others have found most helpful in allowing faculty with diverse cultural and professional backgrounds to effectively infuse ethics into technical courses.
Development and Transfer of Innovative Problem Solving Strategies and Related Confidence in Biomedical Engineering
(American Society for Engineering Education, 2019-04) Clegg, John R.; Diller, Kenneth R.
Twenty-nine biomedical engineering (BME) undergraduates participated in a challenge-based instruction biotransport course, offered by the UT Austin BME Department in an accelerated format, at the University of Cambridge. Students’ attitudes toward, and aptitude for solving genuine and complex biomedical problems were assessed throughout the semester through surveys, interviews, observations, and in-class examinations. Students’ aptitude for problem solving improved throughout the semester, in a manner independent of content knowledge development. By the end of the semester, students readily transferred the problem-solving framework, learned within a biotransport context, to solve biomechanics problems. Additionally, we observed significant increases over time in students’ confidence in their ability to complete challenges within and outside of the biotransport domain. We believe that this illustrative case study provides significant quantitative evidence supporting the effectiveness of challenge-based pedagogies for engineering courses.
A Survey of Digital Systems Curriculum and Pedagogy in Electrical and Computer Engineering Programs
(American Society for Engineering Education, 2019-04) Ochoa, Hector A.; Shirvaikar, Mukul V.
Digital Systems is one of the basic foundational courses in Electrical and Computer Engineering. One of the challenges in designing and modifying the curriculum for the course is the fast pace of technology change in the area. TTL chips that were in vogue with students building physical circuits, have given way to new paradigms like FPGA based synthesis with hardware description languages such as VHDL. However, updating a course is not as simple as just changing the book, and changing the syllabus. A large amount of work needs to be done in terms of selecting the book that will accommodate the course, the device that should be used, the laboratory content, and even how much time needs to be dedicated for every topic. All these issues, and many more makes it hard to take the decision of updating the course. For that reason, this paper surveys the pedagogy and methodology that is used to teach the digital systems curriculum at different universities. The goal is that it will serve as a resource for faculty looking to update or revamp their digital systems curricula. Within the document they will find a comparative study by electrical and computer engineering program, a list of textbooks, and the devices most commonly used.
An Example of Teaching Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T) Concepts using 3D Printed Parts
(American Society for Engineering Education, 2019-04) Rios, Oziel
Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T) is an important tool for engineers to efficiently communicate design intent and requirements. GD&T has several advantages but can be difficult for students to learn due to the inherent 3D nature of the geometric tolerance zones. This paper describes an example of how 3D CAD models and 3D printed parts were used to illustrate several GD&T concepts including position tolerance zones, bonus tolerances, and designing functional gages for part inspection. The example described in this paper was implemented in a sophomore-level CAD course. The example was successfully delivered to a class of 45 students during the Fall 2017 semester. A description of the example is presented and, administering the example, requires simple 3D CAD modeling software and a 3D printer which are common in most engineering schools. Continuous improvements to the example are made based on faculty observations and assessments, as well as an end-of-semester survey administered to the students.

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