Faculty

Research: Sustainability May Be Under-Prioritized in Mechanical Engineering Courses

Anonymous — Fri, 07 Jun 2024 15:16:06 +0000

Research: Sustainability May Be Under-Prioritized in Mechanical Engineering Courses Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 06/07/2024 - 09:16

A review of undergraduate Mechanical Engineering programs at 100 universities worldwide found only 43 that included sustainability topics in at least one required course, and seven included sustainability in five or more courses.

Off

Traditional

White

Study offers roadmap for integrating sustainability into mechanical engineering curricula

Anonymous — Fri, 13 Oct 2023 20:54:32 +0000

Study offers roadmap for integrating sustainability into mechanical engineering curricula Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 10/13/2023 - 14:54

Grace Wilson

"Sustainability in Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Courses at 100 Universities," published in The American Society of Mechanical Engineers Open Engineering Journal, offers inspiration for educators working to integrate sustainable engineering principles in their courses.

Study author Joany Tisdale, a teaching assistant professor in the Integrated Design Engineering program, said, "To me, this work is exciting and impactful because it can serve as a beginning roadmap for mechanical engineering programs and professors seeking to include sustainability."

The research, sourced from data involving 100 universities—90 in the United States and 10 international—aimed to characterize the current state of sustainability within undergraduate ME courses. It found that a commendable number of mechanical engineering programs have started incorporating sustainability into their curriculum.

A noteworthy finding was that only 43 out of the 100 benchmarked institutions included sustainability topics in at least one required undergraduate ME course. This number increased to 83 institutions when elective undergraduate ME courses were included, such as renewable energy and global engineering courses. Seven universities stood out by weaving sustainability themes into five or more required courses.

Sustainability was most commonly integrated into required courses in thermodynamics, engineering design, introduction to engineering and heat transfer. The authors identified an area of growth in including all three sustainability pillars—environmental, social and economic—as evidence of this inclusion was somewhat lacking.

While the findings draw attention to the move toward a sustainable future in the mechanical engineering sector, it also underscores the potential for wider integration. The hope, Tisdale said, is that this study will not only provide a clearer picture of the current landscape but also serve as a catalyst for a more pronounced sustainability focus in ME programs globally.

A comprehensive study highlights the promising integration of sustainability within mechanical engineering (ME) programs across universities, offering a roadmap for educators aspiring to emphasize its principles in their curricula.

Off

Traditional

White

Integrated Design Engineering Faculty present at ASEE annual conference

Anonymous — Thu, 11 Aug 2022 19:14:47 +0000

Integrated Design Engineering Faculty present at ASEE annual conference Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 08/11/2022 - 13:14

IDE faculty contributed to national efforts to improve engineering education at the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) annual conference in June 26-29, 2022.

Mindy Zarske presented 'Female student attitudes towards engineering: Are they influenced by the roles the take on project teams?' and 'WIP: ASEE Year of Impact on Racial Equity: P-12 Parents and Guardians Engagement'

Joan Tisdale presented 'Range of Practices of Sustainability Incorporation into First-Year General Engineering Design Course' (co-authored by Katherine Ramos and Angela Bielefeldt) and 'Sustainability Inclusion Efforts in Three Unique First-Year Engineering Courses' (co-authored by Bielefeldt).

Bielefeldt authored 10 papers presented in the Civil Engineering, Engineering Ethics, Military and Veterans, Technological and Engineering Literacy / Philosophy of Engineering, and the Educational Research and Methods divisions. A paper she co-authored with her former doctoral student Dr. Rebecca Komarek was selected as the Best Paper from the Engineering Leadership Development Division.

IDE faculty contributed to national efforts to improve engineering education at the 2022 American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) annual conference.

Off

Traditional

White

Meet Instructor Katherine Ramos

Anonymous — Mon, 20 Sep 2021 18:51:13 +0000

Meet Instructor Katherine Ramos Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 09/20/2021 - 12:51

The Engineering Plus program in the College of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Colorado Boulder welcomes Teaching Assistant Professor Katherine Ramos.

Prior to joining the department, she taught in the First-Year Engineering program at the University of Notre Dame, where she received her MS and PhD in Mechanical Engineering. She holds a BS in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering from the University of Texas at El Paso. Ramos is passionate about engineering education and recognizing untapped potential in students from diverse backgrounds.

“I am enthusiastic and humbled to join the University of Colorado Boulder and specifically the Engineering Plus program where I look forward to working with exceptional faculty who share my passion for engineering education. I’m excited to contribute and enhance the partnership between Engineering Plus and the Integrated Teaching and Learning Program.”

Prior to joining the department, Ramos taught in the First-Year Engineering program at the University of Notre Dame, where she received her MS and PhD in Mechanical Engineering. She holds a BS in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering from the University of Texas at El Paso. Ramos is passionate about engineering education and recognizing untapped potential in students from diverse backgrounds.

Off

Traditional

White

Dr. Zarske receives 2020 Innovation in Education award!

Anonymous — Tue, 01 Sep 2020 06:00:00 +0000

Dr. Zarske receives 2020 Innovation in Education award! Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 09/01/2020 - 00:00

Dr. Mindy Zarske, Associate Director and Senior Instructor for the Engineering Plus Department received the 2020 John and Mercedes Peebles Innovation in Education Award. This award recognizes CEAS faculty who have a unique commitment to students demonstrated through innovations in education. From leading First-Year Engineering Projects (GEEN 1400) to teaching through the CU Teach Engineering Program and being Chair of the American Society of Engineering Education Board of Directors Commission on P-12, Dr. Z always brings new ideas and innovation to help students follow their dreams.

Congratulations Dr. Z- We are so lucky to have you on our team!

Off

Traditional

White

Meet Instructor Nick Stites

Anonymous — Tue, 14 Jul 2020 17:31:13 +0000

Meet Instructor Nick Stites Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 07/14/2020 - 11:31

Nick A. Stites is the Director of the Integrated Teaching and Learning Program. Nick is also an instructor in the Integrated Design Engieering (IDE) Program. His research interests include the development of novel pedagogical methods to teach core engineering courses and leveraging technology to enhance learning experiences. Nick has a PhD in engineering education, MS and BS degrees in mechanical engineering, eight years of engineering experience, and multiple years of experience as an instructor at the research-university and community-college levels.

What has been your favorite work or personal project so far?

My favorite professional project since returning to CU has been designing and teaching a new course on data analysis and measurement. I really enjoy the subjects of data acquisition and statistics, and getting back into the classroom last fall reminded me of how much I love teaching.

What’s something most people don’t know about you?

I really enjoy Broadway musicals. I saw quite a few of them when I lived in Indiana because Purdue University would bring multiple shows to campus every year. My favorite musical is Hamilton, which I got to see in Chicago.

What is your guilty pleasure?

Jalapeño kettle chips. I have been known to purchase a large bag of them at the store and eat half of the bag before I even get home!

Who was the most famous person you met and where?

Probably Archbishop Desmond Tutu. I met him at a reception for the Monfort Lecture Series, and our picture is quite funny because I am pretty tall and Archbishop Tutu … well … is not.

What do you most like to do to unwind?

I love spending time with my family because they help me keep my perspective. Our family likes to play games together, and the included picture shows us playing card games in our tent trailer (a camping trailer). What you can’t tell from the photo is that the trailer was parked in our driveway because we had to cancel our camping trip over spring break because of COVID-19. The pandemic cannot keep us from having fun!

Get to know instructor Nick Stites

Off

Traditional

White

Meet Instructor Dan Godrick

Anonymous — Sat, 19 Oct 2019 06:00:00 +0000

Meet Instructor Dan Godrick Anonymous (not verified) Sat, 10/19/2019 - 00:00

Dan has been working at the University of Colorado Boulder for a little over 5 years and came to the CU Engineering school after seeing a neighbor of his build fantastic things with the resources available to students in the Integrated Teaching and Learning Laboratory. After getting a Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering here at CU, Dan heard about a job opening with the ITL Program and jumped at the opportunity.

Recently, Dan switched his role here at CU to become an Instructor with the Engineering Plus program, and is enjoying the new challenges that come with this role change. Prior to Dan’s time at CU, he worked in a variety of roles and industries. Directly out of college, Dan worked with a strategic business consulting firm and with an internet startup. He also received a Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering with a focus on transportation safety, and worked for many years as a professional engineer examining the circumstances surrounding automobile collisions. This work enabled Dan to see every state (except Alaska), and work in places from Washington D.C. to Munich, Germany. It was through this work that Dan was able to visit Colorado, and eventually decided to move and stay!

What is your motto?

My personal motto is “This circus only comes to town once!” I use this as a playful reminder to myself to embrace life, its challenges, and its joys along the way.

What does a typical day look like for you?

I’m usually up early, 5-5:30 am or so. Sometimes this is by choice, sometimes it is not - my wife and I have a 2 year old son. After a cup of coffee from the MoccaMaster and playing with my son who is an early riser like me, I will come to work and start on my day’s projects. These days I’m working with students about math related topics or helping them develop engineering skills. After a full day here, I’ll head home and have a couple hours of family time before we eat as a family and fall asleep.

If you were stranded on a deserted island, which coworker would you want to organize your rescue party, and why?

I’d have to say Mo Woods (ITL Product Design & Instrumentation Engineer). It might take him a little time to get a solution, but his ideas are often filled with whimsy. After a couple weeks/months on a desert island, I’d love to get picked up by some crazy contraption from the Mind of Mo! It would be well worth a day or two extra on the island!

What is the best advice you have ever been given?

A close friend of mine was very sick. He, his family, his best friends and I were all sitting at a table enjoying a dinner, sharing laughs while also realizing that the end was close for our friend. After dinner he said, “If you haven’t figured it out, this right here is what life is all about. Not the crazy nights. Not the money in the bank. This right here. This time with family and friends.”

What do you most like to do to unwind?

I love nothing more than exercising in the woods. Whether this is mountain biking, snowboarding, trail running or hiking, nature brings me to my happy place. As much as I love being in the woods by myself, this experience is made better when I can share it with my wife, Lisa. We are both very happy that our son LOVES to be outside as well.

Which TV show do you never miss?

I love The Masked Singer. Don’t tell anyone. :)

Get to know instructor Dan Godrick.

Off

Traditional

White