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Hands-On Introduction to Chemical and Biological Engineering Abstract

Montana State University has revised our freshman seminar course by modeling it after Rowan University’s exemplary Freshman Engineering Clinic which utilizes a hands-on laboratory approach to introduce freshman students to engineering.

In the first half of the course, innovative laboratory modules developed by faculty at MSU and Rowan were adapted and implemented. These laboratories utilize common activities (such as brewing coffee, taking blood pressure, and delivery of medication) and cutting edge research (such as magnetic resonance imaging and microbial fuel cells) to teach fundamental engineering principles, techniques for experimental measurement, data representation and analysis, and group problem solving and communication skills. Many of these laboratories are designed to build upon the student’s current base of knowledge and experience. A unique aspect of these lab units is that many concepts are taught in an inductive learning format. Students are asked to predict experimental outcomes, perform the experiments, plot and analyze the data, and compare results to their predictions. All this occurs prior to exposing the student to the underlying theory, predictive calculations, and industrial applications.

In the second half of the course, student groups are asked to design their own experiment, run the experiment, analyze and interpret the data, and present their experimental design and results to peers and instructors. In this experiment, students must apply their learning from the first half of the semester to an experiment of their own choosing.

In this paper, we will briefly discuss the structure of the course and present assessment data from Fall 2004 and Fall 2005 course offerings. The assessment data include a pre- and post-course assessment exam, pre and post-course skills survey, student assessment of learning in the labs, and focus group interviews as well as the standard end-of-course instructor evaluation and course outcomes survey.

Introduction In a manner similar to Rowan University’s Freshman Engineering Clinic I, students were introduced during their first semester in the program to fundamental engineering concepts using a hands-on laboratory approach. Innovative laboratory modules were designed and/or adapted from published materials. These laboratories utilize common activities (such as brewing coffee, taking blood pressure, and delivery of medication) to teach fundamental engineering principles, techniques for experimental measurement, data representation and analysis, and group problem solving skills 1,2,3. Many of these laboratories are designed to build upon the student’s current base of knowledge and experience. Through hands-on laboratories and follow-up seminars, the students were also introduced to the breadth of traditional and non-traditional careers available to graduates in chemical engineering. A unique aspect of this laboratory based course is that most concepts are taught in an inductive learning format. Students were asked to predict experimental outcomes, perform the experiments, plot and analyze the data, and

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Menicucci, J., & Duffy, J., & Palmer, B. (2007, June), Hands On Introduction To Chemical And Biological Engineering Paper presented at 2007 Annual Conference & Exposition, Honolulu, Hawaii. 10.18260/1-2--2450