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PHYSICAL PROPERTIES AND PROBLEM SOLVING IN ENGINEERING: BROADENING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TRADITIONAL ENGINEERING COURSES Abstract

The continuity of courses related to mechanics and mechanical behavior of materials is based on a sequence that often includes an introduction of forces in a physics course based on mechanics, followed by a course on statics (and dynamics), a course on mechanics (or strength) of materials and then a course in mechanical behavior of materials. For students in materials engineering the course on mechanical behavior of materials takes place during undergraduate studies, for students in other engineering disciplines this course may be taken as a senior elective or in graduate school. The foundations leading to this upper level coursework have remained essentially unchanged for the last thirty to forty years. Although efforts have been made to evaluate and improve courses in statics, mechanics and mechanical behavior or materials, the coordination of these pieces at most universities is often nonexistent. This paper is intended to offer perspective on the continuity of this theme and the potential for broadening the foundation of this sequence to include mathematical and computational treatments throughout the curriculum that complement the math we require of undergraduate engineers. At the same time, the opportunities to introduce a broader range of tensor properties and introductory design concepts can coexist. Such an alternative path has been proposed as part of the new Multidisciplinary Engineering (MDE) program at Purdue University and preliminary discussion of progress in its implementation will be described.

Introduction: The Multidisciplinary Engineering Curriculum

The reason for initiating this new course at Purdue is based on fulfilling the needs for students in the new Multidisciplinary Engineering (MDE) located in the new Purdue School of Engineering Education (ENE), which was founded in 2004. The ENE program is Purdue's answer to a need to better understand the learning and teaching of engineering.1 The MDE program is intended to build upon the success of the Purdue Interdisciplinary Engineering (IDE) program that has enabled students to earn a degree at the interface between different engineering disciplines or engineering and other disciplines by providing a common multidisciplinary foundation for students who will then pursue a individually tailored upper level program of study to earn a

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Bowman, K. (2006, June), Physical Properties And Problem Solving In Engineering: Broadening The Effectiveness Of Traditional Engineering Courses Paper presented at 2006 Annual Conference & Exposition, Chicago, Illinois. 10.18260/1-2--639