Kinetic friction of nonwetting drops

Numerous engineering applications have been proposed to exploit the load-carrying and non-contact nature of noncoalescing and nonwetting systems. One such application is a lab-on-a-chip , or LOC, in which liquid samples would be delivered from point-to-point by sliding over a film of air without requiring either the large driving forces required to pump liquid through a microchannel or liquid-solid contact that could lead to sample-to-sample contamination. Due to the axisymmetry of the flow fields in both the lubricating gas and droplet associated with a stationary nonwetting droplet, such a situation has a vanishing coefficient of static friction. However, once motion is imparted, droplet deformation requires that a force be applied to sustain such motion. The program of research in this dissertation focuses on investigating the lubrication force between a drop of silicone oil and a moving unwetted substrate due to the presence of a gas lubricating film driven by a rotating disk. The frictional (or lubrication) force was measured using an optical-lever technique as a function of: (1) linear velocity of the moving solid; (2) relative displacement of the drop toward the solid; (3) drop volume; and (4) viscosity. The data reveal an increase in magnitude of the measured force with either increasing relative squeezing of the drop against the glass or increasing speed of the rotating disk. Contrary to initial expectations, no pattern could be isolated regarding drop volume or viscosity of the oil. The experimental data collected will serve to validate numerical work as further models are developed.Ph.D.Committee Chair: Neitzel, G. Paul; Committee Member: Allen, Mark G.; Committee Member: Degertekin, F. Levent; Committee Member: Schatz, Michael; Committee Member: Smith, Marc K

Assessing an Online Engineering Ethics Module from Experiential Learning Perspective

Today, engineers play a crucial role in the direction of technology, research, social wellbeing, and economic growth, thus the lives of people. An engineer’s professional responsibility for complying with ethical standards and conduct is essential to the needs and requirements of individuals, organizations, and the society. Educating the future engineering workforce and establishing effective and timely policies that ensure engineering professional’s compliance with requirements are two important pillars of sustaining the ethical knowledge and practice in engineering profession. In this study, the researchers focused on investigating the learning effectiveness of an online ethics module developed for and implemented in a senior year Engineering Ethics Seminar course. The module consisted of three pillars: code of ethics, case studies, and methods for applying ethical reasoning. Each pillar requires the student to take a quiz consisting of 4 to 7 questions, and a final 10 question quiz at completion of the module. In-class activities and assignments complement the module. The research team conducted a two-semester assessment on learning effectiveness of the online ethics module with a sample of 41 engineering students from well-represented diverse majors, self-identification and racial/ethnic backgrounds compared to the enrollment population. Results indicate that the proposed online module positively impacted the students’ proficiency in knowledge of ethics and ethical reasoning in terms of students’ perception of improved confidence and the instructor’s assessment. The same interpretation was reached by the instructor’s assessment as well. The team did not identify any correlation between the students’ answers to the survey questions and their final grades, which indicates that the students’ positive response on their learning experience was found to be independent of their letter grade

What Does It Mean to Be an Engineer? A Comparison of Adult Students at Three Institutions

Our work is motivated by the need to cultivate a diverse group of talented future engineers. Adult undergraduate students over the age of 25 are an important source of engineers, with life experience that can enhance student experience, but not much is understood yet about this specific group. Adult students face challenges specific to their demographic due to responsibilities in other aspects of their life as employees, parents, spouses, and more. This paper examines adult engineering students’ conceptions of what an engineer is, across three distinct academic environments: a community college, a small private undergraduate university, and a large public research university. A semi-structured interview approach was used to collect data from adult students with prior engineering-related work experience. These data reveal strong similarities among the conception of what it means to be an engineer, despite differences in the demographic background and institutional context of the participants. There are differences in course load, employment status, and number of dependents among the sample populations at the three institutions. Participants from all institutions identified with occupational respect, application of knowledge to find solutions, benefiting society, and problem solving as important aspects of the engineering occupation. We conclude that a well-defined, accessible engineering support structure is instrumental in promoting students\u27 conception of the engineering occupation. This work suggests opportunities to enhance professional identity development at institutions of multiple types through industrial collaboration and mentorship, policies and programs to support student-parents, and cooperative work opportunities that marry engineering education with engineering practice

EML Indices to Assess Student Learning through Integrated e-Learning Modules

The University of New Haven has facilitated the development and integration of e-learning modules on entrepreneurial topics into regular engineering and computer science courses. In addition to faculty at the University of New Haven, over three years 77 faculty at 53 other universities in the US have also integrated these modules into their courses. Starting in fall 2017, rubrics were developed so that student work related to topics covered in the modules could be assessed directly by instructors. Topics covered by each module were also mapped to learning outcomes published in the KEEN Framework [1]. An Entrepreneurial Minded Learning (EML) Index is proposed to quantify how well students attain each learning outcome in the KEEN Framework through completion of a given e-learning module and the related contextual activities developed by instructors for the courses into which the module was integrated. The EML Index is computed for each learning outcome in the KEEN Framework for seven e-learning modules deployed by 1-8 faculty at various universities. Results from multiple offerings of the same module are compared to assess how well the different deployments worked. An EML Effectiveness Index is proposed to quantify the effectiveness of a particular deployment in enabling students to achieve each learning outcome. The EML Effectiveness Index is useful for identifying faculty and courses that need attention in order to improve module deployments. By completing several e-learning modules in different courses, students can successfully attain many of the learning outcomes in the KEEN Framework. A comprehensive EML Index is proposed to quantify student achievement of each learning outcome from completing multiple e-learning modules integrated into different courses. This comprehensive index is computed for students at the University of New Haven who do take several courses in which the e-learning modules are integrated. This paper refines preliminary ideas on the EML Index presented by the authors previously and presents data from a broad set of e-learning module deployments. References 1. Kern Entrepreneurial Education Network (KEEN) (2016). Mindset + skillset: Education in tandem. Retrieved from https://engineeringunleashed.com/Mindset-Matters/Framework.asp

Development of an Instrument to Measure the Entrepreneurial Mindset of Engineering Students

This work in progress describes the development of an instrument to measure entrepreneurial mindset of engineering students. The need for developing the entrepreneurial mindset of engineering students is being recognized by many universities. However, very few comprehensive, generalized and well-validated instruments are available for assessing the entrepreneurial mindset of engineering students. Most research and educational efforts focus on the design and implementation of engineering entrepreneurship programs, but assessment practices have not kept up.1-2 There are several reasons for the shortfall in assessment practices: 1) Introducing engineering students to entrepreneurship is a relatively new trend and it will take time for the successes to be quantified and assessed; 2) There are inconsistencies across different engineering entrepreneurship programs; 3) The program can involve a single course, multiple courses, projects or experiential learning; 4) The concepts can be taught by engineering faculty, business faculty, practicing engineers, or a mix of these.3 These program differences lead to variations in assessment methods and instruments. Most importantly, there is lack of a clear, consistent and comprehensive definition of engineering entrepreneurship characteristics within the community.4 The Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network (KEEN) states that an entrepreneurially minded engineer should possess curiosity about our changing world, habitually make connections, gaining insight from many sources of information, and focus on creating value for others.5 KEEN defines 12 secondary learning outcomes based on the primary 3C’s.5 This paper describes the development of an assessment instrument to measure the entrepreneurial mindset of engineering students based on KEEN’s definitions. An assessment instrument consisting of 37 questions was developed. Since psychological measurement theory suggests that lengthy questionnaires can lead to low response rates and distorted responses due to fatigue, the survey was designed to be reasonably concise. Students’ general entrepreneurial characteristics such as their intellectual and exploratory curiosity levels, interests and experiences in entrepreneurship, career plans, etc. are measured through 12 items. The other 25 items are designed to measure the KEEN secondary learning outcomes, with one or two questions related to each outcome. The specific approaches undertaken for item validation and data collection are described. Statistical analysis results from t-tests on different student populations, reliability analysis based on Cronbach’s α, and exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses of the assessment instrument are presented. It is expected that the outcomes of the factor analyses will result in a rigorously validated assessment instrument for the measurement of the engineering entrepreneurial mindset of students. 1. Shartrand, et al, 2008, “Assessing student learning in technology entrepreneurship”, the 38th ASEE/ISEE Frontiers in Education Conference, Oct. 2008, Saratoga Springs, NY. 2. Pittaway and Hannon, 2009, “Assessment practice in enterprise education”, International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior and Research, Vol. 15, No. 1, 2009, pp. 71-93. 3. Standish-Kuon and Rice, 2002, “Introducing engineering and science students to entrepreneurship: Models and influential factors at six American universities,” JEE, Vol. 91, No.1, 2002, pp. 33-39. 4. Bilen, S.G., Kisenwether, E. C., Rzasa, S. E. and Wise, J.C. “Developing and Assessing students’ entrepreneurial skills and mind-sets”, Journal of Engineering Education, April 2005, pp 233-243. 5. KEEN website: http://keennetwork.org/, last retrieved on Oct.11. 201

Assessing the Growth in Entrepreneurial Mind-set Acquired through Curricular and Extra-curricular Components

In an effort to develop an entrepreneurial mindset in our engineering students, the University of New Haven has adopted both curricular and extra-curricular approaches. The curricular components include: 1. Several e-Learning modules covering specific entrepreneurial concepts integrated into the regular engineering and computer science curricula. Available online, each module contains readings, short videos, and self-assessment exercises. Students complete these self-paced modules outside of the classroom over a two-week period. Instructors normally engage students on the content of the module through online or in-class discussions and in-class contextual activities. 2. An elective course on business principles and entrepreneurship that incorporates four e-learning modules. The elective extra-curricular components include: 1. A 24-Hour Imagination Quest event held twice a year. 2. A Startup Weekend event held once a year. 3. A 10-day immersive design experience held once a year. 4. Events at other universities that some students participate in. In order to measure the growth in students’ entrepreneurial mindset as a result of these curricular and extra-curricular components, a measurement instrument containing 37 items was developed. The survey was first administered to first-year students during the new student orientation in August 2014. An exploratory factor analysis was performed based on the data collected and a revised instrument with 50 items was developed subsequently. 25 items from the first version of the instrument were retained in the revised survey. Many of the first-year students who enrolled in fall 2014 graduated in May 2018 and the revised instrument was administered to them just before they left the university. We analyzed the responses of 25 students who took the surveys in 2014 and 2018 to the 25 items that were identical on both surveys. The results of the analysis indicate that the students generally achieved significant growth in their entrepreneurial mindset. The growth is more obvious in the areas addressed by the e-learning modules integrated into the curricula. This result is very encouraging and indicates that the curricular and extra-curricular components are effective in developing an entrepreneurial mindset in engineering and computer science students

Integrating e-Learning Modules into Engineering Courses to Develop an Entrepreneurial Mindset in Students

Engineering graduates who will be leaders in today’s rapidly changing environment must possess an entrepreneurial mindset and a variety of professional skills in addition to technical knowledge and skills. An entrepreneurial mindset applies to all aspects of life, beginning with curiosity about our changing world, integrating information from various resources to gain insight, and identifying unexpected opportunities to create value. The Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network (KEEN) defines curiosity, connections and creating value as three core components of an entrepreneurial mindset. These 3Cs coupled with associated engineering skills forms KEEN’s entrepreneurial mindset framework. An entrepreneurial mindset enables engineers to develop sound technical solutions that address customer needs, are feasible from a business perspective, and have societal benefit. The Tagliatela College of Engineering at the University of New Haven is working to develop an entrepreneurial mindset in its engineering students through a four-faceted framework based on KEEN’s constructs that includes: 1) developing an entrepreneurial mindset amongst faculty; 2) providing curricular components that develop specific student knowledge and skills; 3) structuring the physical environment to promote entrepreneurial minded learning; and 4) providing opportunities for students to engage in meaningful extra-curricular activities. This paper focuses on the curricular component of this framework. As part of these curricular activities, 18 short, self-paced, e-learning modules will be developed and integrated into courses spanning all four years across all engineering and computer science disciplines. Each module contains readings, short videos and self-assessment exercises. Five of these e-learning modules were developed in fall 2014, four of these five were piloted in the Spring 2015 semester, and all five modules were broadly deployed in the Fall 2015 semester. A flipped classroom instructional model is used to integrate the modules into courses. Content is delivered via a short online module outside the class, and student learning is improved by reinforcing the content covered in the module through class discussions and contextual activities. Direct and indirect assessment is performed through formative and summative class assessments and module specific pre and post surveys, respectively. The five integrated e-learning modules presented in this paper are: 1) Developing customer awareness and quickly testing concepts through customer engagement, 2) Learning from failure, 3) Cost of production and market conditions, 4) Building, sustaining and leading effective teams and establishing performance goals, and 5) Applying systems thinking to solve complex problems. The first two modules were integrated into freshman classes, the third into a sophomore class, the fourth into third year laboratory courses, and the fifth into senior design courses. This paper describes the learning outcomes and the reinforcement activities conducted in the courses into which they were integrated for two of these modules. The findings of the module specific surveys and the assessment results are also presented

Investigating the Entrepreneurial Mindset of Engineering and Computer Science Students

In recent years, numerous engineering programs around the country have introduced curricular revisions and co-curricular activities to develop entrepreneurial skills in students. The primary motivation of these efforts is to graduate engineering students who can rapidly contribute to the economic growth of the nation through entrepreneurship and innovation. A precursor to launching startups or creating new products or services is the development of an entrepreneurial mindset. Efforts focused on developing an entrepreneurial mindset in engineering students through curricular and co-curricular activities are emerging from the many partner institutions of the Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network (KEEN). As these efforts strengthen, approaches to assess the entrepreneurial mindset have also been developed. A popular approach is the use of survey instruments. We have developed a rigorously validated assessment instrument to explore the entrepreneurial mindset of engineering and computer science students. This instrument was developed based on a framework in which an entrepreneurially minded engineer is defined as one who possesses curiosity about our changing world, habitually makes connections to gain insight from many sources of information, and focuses on creating value for others. The italicized words, referred to as the 3C’s, form the core of this framework which was developed by the Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network (KEEN)1. The instrument consists of 50 questions loaded on 14 factors that are associated with learning outcomes based on the 3C’s. The instrument was administered to first-year and senior engineering students in two consecutive years and 394 valid samples were collected. Statistical analyses were performed to answer the following research questions: 1. How diversified is the entrepreneurial mindset of first-year students when they enter the university? 2. How diversified is the entrepreneurial mindset of seniors when they complete their program? 3. How does the entrepreneurial mindset of students evolve through traditional engineering and computer science undergraduate experiences? 4. Are there differences in the entrepreneurial mindset between male and female students? 5. How does family background influence the entrepreneurial mindset? By investigating the answers to these research questions, we hope to answer the broader question: How can engineering and computer science undergraduate programs be revised to enhance entrepreneurial mindset growth as we strive to meet the challenges of “Educating the Engineer of 2020”

Impact of Integrated E-Learning Modules in Developing an Entrepreneurial Mindset based on Deployment at 25 Institutions

In this paper, we describe an innovative curricular model employed at the University of New Haven to develop an entrepreneurial mindset in engineering students. The entrepreneurial mindset in this model is characterized by the Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network (KEEN)’s 3C’s, which are curiosity, connections and creating value. The core of the model is the integration of short, self-paced, e-learning modules into courses spanning all four years of all engineering and computer science programs. A flipped classroom instructional model is used to integrate the modules into courses. We are in the third year of implementation on campus, and following a pilot deployment of the model at five other institutions in spring 2016, have conducted a large-scale deployment. Six e-learning modules were deployed at 25 institutions across the country during the 2016-17 academic year. We first summarize the integrated e-learning model implemented at the University of New Haven, which follows a clearly defined structure on module and course mappings. This structure, however, is not rigid, and we demonstrate by examples the wide potential for adopting these modules within all engineering disciplines and at all class levels. We also describe the deployment and adoption of these modules at 24 other institutions. We assessed the impact of the modules on student learning using pre and post surveys, and student and instructor feedback. We performed assessment across all institutions where modules were deployed. We also discuss lessons learned during development, and internal and external deployment of the e-learning modules

Integrated e-Learning Modules for Developing an Entrepreneurial Mindset: Direct Assessment of Student Learning

In an effort to develop an entrepreneurial mindset in all our engineering and computer science students, the University of New Haven is embedding entrepreneurial concepts throughout the 4-year curricula in their majors. This is done with the use of several short e-learning modules developed by content experts. The modules are integrated into engineering and computer science courses by faculty who reinforce concepts through a related activity, project, or assignment. The e-learning modules, available online through course management systems, are self-paced and targeted at conceptual learning of 18 specific entrepreneurial topics. Using a flipped-classroom instructional model, students complete the modules outside of class, typically over a set two-week period, and instructors engage the students in discussion either in-class or online and through an activity. This mode of integration enables the assessment of higher cognitive understanding of the concepts and students’ ability to apply what they learn. At present, 12 modules have been developed. In addition to the modules being integrated within the University, they have also been adopted by faculty at 42 other institutions across the country over the past three years. The broad-scale deployment has provided assessment and feedback data regarding the effectiveness of integrating the modules into existing courses using a blended approach (face-to-face and online learning). Whereas prior work relied on indirect assessment using pre/post student surveys to quantify the acquisition of knowledge from the e-learning modules and contextual activities, the current work employs student deliverables that are directly assessed by instructors. Faculty were provided assessment rubrics based on criteria aligned with the learning outcomes of the e-learning modules. Direct assessment is tangible, visible and measurable, and provides more compelling evidence of student learning. In this paper we propose an Entrepreneurial Mindset Learning Index to map and quantify the progress of students toward attaining an entrepreneurial mindset. The criteria in the assessment rubrics for the e-learning modules were mapped to the learning outcomes associated with an entrepreneurial mindset proposed by the Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network’s (KEEN) framework. The KEEN framework is based on the premise that an entrepreneurial mindset is characterized by a persistent curiosity of all things, the skills to make connections between seemingly unrelated things, and an ever-present goal to create value. Through the mapping, the direct assessment results provided an indication of how well students taking courses with integrated e-learning modules achieved elements of an entrepreneurial mindset