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Sustainability and Life Cycle Assessment in Engineering Curriculum

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Conference

14th Annual First-Year Engineering Experience (FYEE) Conference

Location

University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tennessee

Publication Date

July 30, 2023

Start Date

July 30, 2023

End Date

August 1, 2023

Page Count

5

DOI

10.18260/1-2--44847

Permanent URL

https://peer.asee.org/44847

Download Count

42

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Paper Authors

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Madeline Fisher Ohio Northern University

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Evan Budnik Ohio Northern University

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Evan Budnik is a Civil engineering student planning on studying enviromental engineering. He is focousing on water recources and water management engineering.

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Brady Harmon

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Lauren H. Logan Ohio Northern University Orcid 16x16 orcid.org/0000-0003-2780-5872

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Lauren H. Logan is an assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at Ohio Northern University. Her research focuses on the interconnection of water and energy, as well as life cycle assessment within engineering education. She earned her Ph.D. from the Energy-Water-Environment Sustainability program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Lauren is active in Tau Beta Pi, and the Sustainability Committee of the Environmental and Water Resources Institute (EWRI). She is passionate about the recruitment and retention of under-represented minorities into engineering programs, particularly through unique and cross-disciplinary engagement.

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Abstract

To educate students on sustainability and how to apply sustainability practices to engineering practices, an engineering life cycle assessment (LCA) module was developed and piloted within a first-year engineering course at Ohio Northern University. To determine the current LCA gaps in engineering education while designing a standalone module, a literature review of current practices in university sustainability and LCA curriculum was completed. Curriculum was analyzed on the basis of major/program, course integration (horizontal vs. vertical), and overall pedagogical techniques. The intended result of this module development is to improve engineering education as it relates to sustainability and the triple bottom line of people, planet, and profit. Initial module design (which incorporated undergraduate student research) and implementation will be shared, and feedback is welcome.

Fisher, M., & Budnik, E., & Harmon, B., & Logan, L. H. (2023, July), Sustainability and Life Cycle Assessment in Engineering Curriculum Paper presented at 14th Annual First-Year Engineering Experience (FYEE) Conference, University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tennessee. 10.18260/1-2--44847

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