2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Engineering with Engineers: Fostering Engineering Identity through Industry Immersion

Presented at NSF Grantees: RED 1

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Revolutionizing Engineering and Computer Science Departments (RED) program awarded a grant to Mechanical Engineering Department at a private, mid-sized university in July 2017. This grant supports the development of a program where students and faculty are immersed in a culture of doing engineering with industry engineers, that will in turn, help students and faculty develop stronger engineering identities.

This culture of “engineering with engineers” is being cultivated through changes in four essential areas: a shared department vision, faculty, curriculum, and supportive policies. A theme unifying these changes is a significant connection to industry.

Actions taken to develop this culture based on the four essential areas include-
Shared department vision: The department revisited its vision and goals at the beginning of the project. Collaboratively, they created a pithy, informative mission statement that serves as a guideline for departmental activities. Recently, the department revisited how students are mentored and advised in the light of the revised mission.
Faculty: The department implemented actions to improve faculty’s connection to industry. An industry adviser is on campus every Friday to bridge the knowledge between industry and academia. Two faculty members spent a summer month working in local companies and shared their experiences with other faculty. In the upcoming summers, other faculty will participate in the industry immersion experience. Several faculty members and practicing engineers worked together to offer open-ended projects in their classes. More collaborations with industry partners are expected in upcoming years.
Curriculum: A new mechanical engineering curriculum is rolling out in the 2019-20 academic year. The curriculum focuses on maintaining strong connections with industry and incorporating industry practice in courses. New courses reflect the current needs from industry and emphasize skills such as design thinking, problem solving and project management. The new curriculum also integrates knowledge of electrical engineering and computer science into traditional mechanical engineering core courses creating a better connection between theory and practice.
Supportive policies: A number of changes to the structure and priorities of the program are in progress. For example, places for students to connect and collaborate are being developed. Additionally, departmental annual performance review encourages faculty to connect with industry.

This paper also provides insights on lessons learned thus far and plans to enhance this culture of doing engineering in the coming years.

This project was funded by the Division of Undergraduate Education (DUE) IUSE/PFE: RED grant through NSF.

Authors

Dr. Yen-Lin Han Seattle University [biography]

Yen-Lin Han is an Associate Professor in the department of Mechanical Engineering at Seattle University. Her research interests include micro-scale molecular gas dynamics, micro fluidics, and heat transfer applications in MEMS and medical devices as well as autonomous vehicles and robotics. She is passionate about Engineering Education and experienced in developing inverted classroom lectures and facilitating students' learning through authentic engineering problems. She is currently the Co- PI for the NSF Revolutionizing Engineering and Computer Science Departments grant awarded to the Mechanical Engineering department at Seattle University to study how the department culture changes can foster students' engineering identity. Dr. Han received her BS degree in Material Science and Engineering from National Tsing-Hua University in Hsinchu, Taiwan, her PhD degree in Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering and MS degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Southern California. She is a member of American Society of Engineering Education and American Society of Mechanical Engineering.
Dr. Kathleen E. Cook Seattle University [biography]

Kathleen Cook, Ph.D. is a Professor in the Psychology Department at Seattle University. Dr. Cook received her doctorate in Social and Personality Psychology from the University of Washington, with a minor in quantitative methods and emphases in cognitive and educational psychology. Her research has included classroom learning, identity, and person perception.
Dr. Gregory Mason P.E. Seattle University [biography]

Gregory S. Mason received the B.S.M.E. degree from Gonzaga University in 1983, the M.S.M.E. degree in manufacturing automation from Georgia Institute of Technology in 1984 and the Ph.D. degree in mechanical engineering, specializing in multi-rate digital controls, from the University of Washington in 1992.
He worked in a robotics lab for the Department of Defense for five years after receiving his M.S.M.E. He is currently a Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Seattle University, Seattle, WA. His research interests are controls system and the use of technology to enhance engineering education.
Dr. Mason is a member of the American Society of Engineering Education and the Society of Manufacturing Engineers. He is a licensed professional engineer.
Dr. Teodora Rutar Shuman Seattle University [biography]

Professor Teodora Rutar Shuman is the Chair of the Mechanical Engineering Department at Seattle University and an Affiliate Professor at the University of Washington. She is the PI on a NSF-RED grant "Revolutionizing a Mechanical Engineering Department through Industry Immersion and a Focus on Identity". Her research also includes NOx formation in lean-premixed combustion and electro-mechanical systems for sustainable processing of microalgae. Her work is published in venues including the Journal of Engineering Education, IEEE Transactions on Education, Bioresource Technology, Chemical Engineering Journal, Proceedings of the Combustion Institute, and Combustion and Flame. She is a member of the American Society for Engineering Education, ASME, and the Algae Biomass Organization. Dr. Shuman recently served as Chair for the ASEE Energy Conversion and Conservation Division.

She holds a Dipl.Ing. degree in mechanical engineering from Belgrade University, and both M.S.M.E. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Washington.
Dr. Jennifer A. Turns University of Washington [biography]

Jennifer Turns is a Professor in the Department of Human Centered Design & Engineering at the University of Washington. She is interested in all aspects of engineering education, including how to support engineering students in reflecting on experience, how to help engineering educators make effective teaching decisions, and the application of ideas from complexity science to the challenges of engineering education.

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