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Session 2526

Undergraduate Engineers for Curriculum and Laboratory Equipment Development

Steven Barrett, Abbie Wells, Carrie Hernandez, Theodore Dibble, Yi Shi, Thomas Schei, Joshua Werbelow, Jerry Cupal, Lew Sircin, George Janack

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071-3295 e-mail: steveb@uwyo.edu, (307) 766-6181

Abstract

Often, engineering departments are faced with the need to update laboratory exercises and equipment. However, adequate funds do not always exist to accomplish these upgrades in a timely manner. Another challenge faced by departments are satisfying Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) requirements for a major design experience within the curriculum. ABET guidelines state, “Students must be prepared for engineering practice through the curriculum culminating in a major design experience based on the knowledge and skills acquired in earlier course work and incorporating engineering standards and realistic constraints that include most of the following considerations: economic; environmental; sustainability; manufacturability; ethical; health and safety; social; and political”. Furthermore, specific Program Outcomes require an ability to function on a multi-disciplinary team.

In this paper we will describe how we solved these two challenges by updating our microprocessor laboratory facilities on a limited budget using student engineers. This highly successful program provided state-of-the-art computer engineering laboratory equipment using student designed, fabricated, and tested laboratory equipment. Furthermore, the students were completely responsible for developing all of the supporting courseware such as laboratory assignments for the new equipment.

From the department’s point of view, state-of-art, custom laboratory equipment based on the 68HC12 microcontroller was obtained at a lower the cost than commercially available trainers. Furthermore, students were exposed to a real world design problem and all of the inherent related issues such as: working on a design team, interacting with highly skilled technicians, budget constraints, timelines, manufacturability issues, reliability issues, and customer satisfaction.

“Proceedings of the 2003 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference and Exposition Copyright 2003, American Society foe Engineering Education”

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Dibble, T., & Hernandez, C., & Wells, A., & Barrett, S. (2003, June), Undergraduate Engineers For Curriculum And Laboratory Equipment Development Paper presented at 2003 Annual Conference, Nashville, Tennessee. 10.18260/1-2--12266