Showing papers in "Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education and Practice in 2011"
TL;DR: The research presented herein aims to develop two teaching aids; a tangible model and an augmented reality (AR) model, to help students better understand the relationship between 3D objects and their projections.
Abstract: Engineering graphics courses are typically a requirement for engineering students around the world. Besides understanding and depicting graphic representation of engineering objects, the goal of these courses is to provide students with an understanding of the relationship between three-dimensional (3D) objects and their projections. However, in the classroom, where time is limited, it is very difficult to explain 3D geometry using only drawings on paper or at the blackboard. The research presented herein aims to develop two teaching aids; a tangible model and an augmented reality (AR) model, to help students better understand the relationship between 3D objects and their projections. Tangible models refer to the physical objects which are comprised of a set of differently shaped pieces. The tangible model we developed includes eight wooden blocks that include all the main geometrical features with respect to their 3D projections. The AR models are the virtual models which can superimpose 3D graphics of t...
141 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors discuss the experience of combining BIM and LCA methods in undergraduate and graduate engineering teaching at Drexel University and the application of commercial building information modeling (BIM) software for teaching sustainable design of buildings.
Abstract: Buildings embody and consume among the largest fraction of energy within the built environment, and likewise they are responsible for large emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs), often referred to as their carbon footprint. From smalland medium-sized buildings to the most energy intensive of structures, architects and engineers are faced with many new challenges in designing and retrofitting buildings for reduced energy and GHG intensity. Engineers and environmental scientists have been examining the embodied energy and related carbon emissions of buildings for more than 40 years (Baird and Chan 1983; Buchanan and Honey 1994; Cole 1998; Venkatarama Reddy and Jagadish 2003; Nassen et al. 2007; Kellenberger and Althaus 2009), yet arguably few undergraduates recognize this research as a basis for sustainable design. As sustainable and “green” design has become more prevalent in the architecture and engineering industries, college graduates must be prepared not only to follow environmental guidelines but also to understand the implications as well. After more than two decades of research into “greening” the design and construction of buildings, many new methods and tools have emerged to meet the energy challenges of the built environment. Residential and commercial buildings in the United States currently consume about 40% of the country’s primary energy and emit 20% of the national carbon dioxide budget (Yeang 1999; Yudelson 2007; Dimoudi and Tompa 2008; U.S. Department of Energy 2009; U.S. Energy Information Administration 2010). Thus, one major focus of sustainable building design is to reduce the carbon intensity of building components as well as lower operational energy demand (Kellenberger and Althaus 2009). Courses that focus on sustainability are becoming integral within higher education as part of greenand sustainable-engineering undergraduate programs (AASHE 2010). Within the civil engineering discipline, life-cycle assessment (LCA) has become an important analytical framework for evaluating the environmental sustainability of civil engineering infrastructure. Moreover, for architectural engineering specifically, building information modeling (BIM) is evolving as a valuable tool for meeting sustainability objectives in building programs. This paper discusses the experience of combining BIM and LCA methods in undergraduate and graduate engineering teaching at Drexel University and the application of commercial BIM and LCA software for teaching sustainable design of buildings.
88 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a framework for incorporating sustainable design/thinking as a new civil engineering course and experiences from the pilot offering is discussed and important areas are outlined to aid all engineers in understanding sustainability in context with traditional engineering principles.
Abstract: This paper discusses a framework for incorporating sustainable design/thinking as a new civil engineering course and experiences from the pilot offering. Important areas are outlined to aid all engineers in understanding sustainability in context with traditional engineering principles. Green-building rating systems were used to introduce the concepts of sustainability in buildings and infrastructure, highlighted by presentations from green-building professionals. By providing a better understanding of sustainability through education, civil engineers can provide proactive solutions to a growing global infrastructure.
56 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a sustainability module was added into two required first-year, 1-credit introductory courses, one for civil engineering and one for environmental engineering, and data from approximately 150 students were evaluated using a written survey.
Abstract: As articulated in the Bodies of Knowledge for Civil Engineering and Environmental Engineering, all civil and environmental engineering students should be introduced to the concept of sustainability. A sustainability module was added into two required first-year, 1-credit introductory courses, one for civil engineering and one for environmental engineering. Data from approximately 150 students were collected. Student attitudes about sustainability were evaluated using a written survey. There was greater initial knowledge of sustainability and positive attitudes toward sustainability among students enrolled in the environmental engineering course compared with those in the civil engineering course, but this did not translate into better performance on the related homework assignment. There was strong evidence that the inclusion of the sustainability module encouraged the students to consider sustainability in subsequent course assignments, even when not explicitly prompted to do so. This indicates that earl...
54 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present two instructional approaches to introduce students to social sustainability by using a conceptual model derived from four dimensions of social sustainability: community involvement, corporate social responsibility, safety through design, and social design.
Abstract: Social sustainability is often overlooked in favor of environmental and economic considerations in civil engineering (CE) education. To help address this issue, this paper presents two instructional approaches to introduce students to social sustainability by using a conceptual model derived from four dimensions of social sustainability: community involvement, corporate social responsibility, safety through design, and social design. In the first instructional approach, the instructor is the primary facilitator; in the second approach, the students become the experts, sharing their knowledge with their peers. Methods to assess student understanding of these dimensions, such as concept mapping, are proposed. By providing the conceptual model and methods to teach it, this paper is for the purpose of assisting those teaching the social dimensions of sustainability to CE students, who will gain an understanding of how their technical decisions affect social sustainability.
37 citations
TL;DR: The authors describe two approaches to incorporate sustainability into the undergraduate engineering curricula and list a variety of existing course resources that can easily be adopted or adapted by science and engineering faculty for this purpose.
Abstract: The objectives of this study were to describe two approaches to incorporating sustainability into the undergraduate engineering curricula and to list a variety of existing course resources that can easily be adopted or adapted by science and engineering faculty for this purpose. The two approaches described are (1) redesigning existing courses through development of new curricular materials that still meet the objectives of the original course and (2) developing upper division elective courses that address specific topics related to sustainability, such as manufacturing or life-cycle assessment, in depth. Case studies of three courses—Green Industrial Organic Chemistry, Environmentally Conscious Design and Manufacturing (Kettering University), and Sustainable Engineering (University of Oklahoma)—are presented. Assessment results from Green Industrial Organic Chemistry indicate that alternative curricular materials incorporating green chemistry can be used to meet the learning objectives of more traditiona...
35 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a review of educational competencies, which are used to plan educational programs, develop curricula, and assess existing programs, among other functions, and evaluate existing programs.
Abstract: Educational competencies represent learning objectives and are used to plan educational programs, develop curricula, and assess existing programs, among other functions. After reviewing the literat...
30 citations
TL;DR: The Integrated Design Experience (IDeX) as discussed by the authors is a capstone course in which undergraduate and graduate students interact with faculty and practitioners in the engineering field to learn about sustainable development and the green building movement.
Abstract: Sustainable development and the green building movement have been adopted faster than any recent movement in the engineering field. With over 40% of the total U.S. energy usage servicing the operation of commercial and residential buildings, this trend is well founded. Recent surveys of the industry indicate that within 4 to 5 years, a vast majority of engineering firms expect their business will be significantly dedicated to green building designs. In contrast, current academic institutions are not well positioned to prepare young engineers for this challenge, and current faculty are not well trained in the tenets of sustainability or the roles of engineers in this movement. Change must occur if the engineering and design professions are to remain relevant and responsive to societal needs. To accommodate this challenge, the writers have designed and implemented the Integrated Design Experience (IDeX), a capstone course in which undergraduate and graduate students interact with faculty and practitioners o...
30 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a crane-mounted vision system was developed to solve blind lifts and other viewing concerns related to the operation of tower cranes on construction sites, thereby enhancing safety and productivity and saving money.
Abstract: The conception, development, implementation, and commercialization of a crane-mounted vision system through close academia-industry cooperation illustrate how such joint efforts can yield research and development success. The vision system was devised to help solve the problem of blind lifts and other viewing concerns related to the operation of tower cranes on construction sites, thereby enhancing safety and productivity and saving money. In addition to other expected difficulties, the project faced the traditional skepticism of a conservative industry reluctant to adopt changes. The paper relays the chronology of the project and analyzes, stage by stage, the steps taken by the university-based developers to work in harmony with construction companies in particular, and with the industry at large, to ensure success. Lessons drawn from this experience are offered to future academician developers in the field of construction technology.
25 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors describe the experiences of a university course International Collaborative Construction Management that was developed to educate the next generation of civil engineers to be more internationally savvy, including cross-cultural collaboration and communication skills, multinational team management skills, the ability to overcome the social challenges of geographically distributed teams, and familiarity with construction materials, standards, and methods of foreign countries.
Abstract: Economic globalization is increasingly affecting both the construction industry and academia. It is changing the traditional roles of civil engineers and construction managers. Cross-cultural collaboration and communication skills, multinational team management skills, the ability to overcome the social challenges of geographically distributed teams, and familiarity with construction materials, standards, and methods of foreign countries are vital for modern construction professionals. However, the traditional skills and education style of engineers and construction managers do not equip them to successfully deal with such issues. This paper describes the experiences of a university course International Collaborative Construction Management that was developed to educate the next generation of civil engineers to be more internationally savvy. Throughout the three years that the course has been conducted to date, students in Turkey, the United States, Israel, and Brazil were grouped in multinational teams. ...
24 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors explored the effectiveness of using simulation as a tool for enhancing classroom learning in the Civil Engineer- ing Department of the University of Minnesota at Twin Cities, and found that simulation effectively enhanced students' self-reported understanding of transportation planning and their skills of forming opinions, evaluating projects, and making judgments.
Abstract: This research explores the effectiveness of using simulation as a tool for enhancing classroom learning in the Civil Engineer- ing Department of the University of Minnesota at Twin Cities. The authors developed a modern transportation planning software package, Agent-Based Demand and Assignment Model ADAM, that is consistent with our present understanding of travel behavior, that is platform independent, and that is easy to learn and is thus usable by students. An in-class project incorporated ADAM and the perfor- mance of this education strategy was evaluated through preclass survey, postclass survey, scores in the quiz focusing on travel demand modeling, and final scores. Results showed that ADAM effectively enhanced students' self-reported understanding of transportation planning and their skills of forming opinions, evaluating projects, and making judgments. Students who prefer visual and active learning were found to benefit more than others through simulation-based teaching strategy. Findings in this research could have significant implications for future practice of simulation-based teaching strategy. DOI: 10.1061/ASCEEI.1943-5541.0000038 CE Database subject headings: Transportation engineering; Engineering education; Simulation. Author keywords: Agent-based model; Transportation education; Simulation.
TL;DR: In this article, an existing multidisciplinary course on sustainable engineering in developing societies was expanded to include sustainability issues and challenges faced in the developed world, which included a semester-long project experience conducted in interdisciplinary teams.
Abstract: An existing multidisciplinary course on sustainable engineering in developing societies was expanded to include sustainability issues and challenges faced in the developed world. The new course consisted of independent modules on general background, sustainability concepts and tools, sustainable water and waste systems, sustainable energy systems, sustainable agricultural and food systems, and sustainable building systems. The course included a semester-long project experience conducted in interdisciplinary teams. Projects were sourced from local businesses and institutions or from organizations involved in international development. Course evaluation included an end-of-semester self-assessment by students and an analysis of project reports. Thirteen out of 18 students surveyed (72%) agreed that their ability to consider techno-economic, environmental, and social aspects of sustainability was improved as a result of the course. An improved student understanding of aspects of sustainability and its measure...
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors apply the sociological theory of professions, as espoused by Abbott and Freidson, as a conceptual framework to assess the critical issues associated with the ongoing implementation of ASCE Policy Statement 465.
Abstract: This paper applies the sociological theory of professions, as espoused by Abbott and Freidson, as a conceptual framework to assess the critical issues associated with the ongoing implementation of ASCE Policy Statement 465—also called the “Raise the Bar” initiative. The sociology of professions provides an objective basis for evaluating key aspects of the initiative, including publication of the civil engineering body of knowledge, raising educational standards for licensure, collaboration with other engineering disciplines, and defining the role of paraprofessionals. The analysis demonstrates the following: (1) the models of professionalism by Abbott and Freidson are highly applicable to civil engineering; (2) most aspects of Policy Statement 465 implementation are consistent with these models; (3) the initiative is contributing to the strength of the profession as intended; and (4) some future additions and adjustments appear to be warranted. From this analysis, the author derives recommendations for th...
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present a case study of the use of cooperative learning, new technologies, and continuous assessment for training a civil engineer at the University of Politecnica de Madrid.
Abstract: The traditional teaching methods used for training civil engineers are currently being called into question as a result of the new knowledge and skills now required by the labor market. In addition, the European Higher Education Area is requesting that students be given a greater say in their learning. In the subject called Construction and Building Materials at the Civil Engineering School of the Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, a path was set three academic years ago to lead to an improvement in traditional teaching by introducing active methodologies. The innovations are based on cooperative learning, new technologies, and continuous assessment. The writers' proposal is to offer their experience as a contribution to the debate on how students can be encouraged to acquire the skills currently demanded from a civil engineer, though not overlooking solid, top-quality training. From the outcomes obtained, it can be concluded that using new teaching techniques to supplement a traditional approach provides more opportunities for students to learn while boosting their motivation. In our case, the introduction of these changes has resulted in an increased pass rate of 29% on average, when such a figure is considered in the light of the mean value of passes during the last decade.
TL;DR: In this paper, a survey was used to evaluate the long-term impact of the intensive sustainability course on subsequent workplace behavior of past student interns at the University of Nebraska Partners in Pollution Prevention (P3).
Abstract: The University of Nebraska Partners in Pollution Prevention (P3) program has provided a results-oriented intensive sustainability course since 1997. This course focuses on providing students with application tools to promote environmental sustainability, including a service learning internship component directly on site at businesses. A survey was used to evaluate the long-term impact of this intensive sustainability course on subsequent workplace behavior of past student interns. Comparison of former interns with a control group found that interns reported they were more likely to apply source reduction principles in their workplace and more able to quantify the impact of implementation. A strong personal environmental ethic was an important predictor of reporting success in applying source reduction. Those past students with the intensive sustainability course and a self-reported strong environmental ethic were significantly more likely to report successful implementation of source reduction, even thoug...
TL;DR: In this paper, a multidisciplinary course in "advanced building design" was developed at the Technical University of Denmark to train transprofessionalism and teamwork at the final stage of an engineering education.
Abstract: Collaboration within the building process is difficult This calls for employees who are experienced in collaborating in interdisciplinary teams To fulfill this demand, a multidisciplinary course in “advanced building design” was developed at the Technical University of Denmark The goal of the course is training of transprofessionalism and teamwork at the final stage of an engineering education The collaboration of the students and professors participating in the course was studied in the present work Questionnaires were answered by students and professors The study has the following finding The students and professors gained the experience that collaboration may be improved The traditional role distribution may be disbanded and generally a flat team structure, where decisions are taken in consensus, can be induced Transprofessionalism during the course was appreciated and, furthermore, it was experienced as a challenge It is worthwhile to offer a multidisciplinary course and give engineering stu
TL;DR: In this paper, a pedagogical framework for integrating nanotechnology education into a civil engineering curriculum and cultivating self-regulated learning and creativity skills for civil engineering students is presented, which includes the introduction of nanotechnology innovations and other relevant innovative technologies.
Abstract: Current civil engineering education should address the need to provide a broad vision, develop the higher-order skills of future civil engineers, enable them to adopt emerging technologies, and formulate innovative solutions to complex problems. This paper introduces relevant nanotechnology developments to convey the new vision and inspire creativity in civil engineering. It also presents a pedagogical framework for integrating nanotechnology education into a civil engineering curriculum and cultivating self-regulated learning and creativity skills for civil engineering students. The pedagogical framework includes the introduction of nanotechnology innovations and other relevant innovative technologies, and explicit instructions on cognitive strategies for facilitating and inspiring self-regulated learning and creativity. It is implemented with problem/project-based learning for a cocurricular project that requires self-regulated learning and creativity. This pedagogical framework provides a model for int...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors developed classroom units for high-school environmental science and college industrial ecology classes to introduce life cycle perspectives and systems analysis of transportation fuel/vehicle systems, which helped students to significantly raise their energy knowledge and change their attitudes.
Abstract: Classroom units were developed for high-school environmental science and college industrial ecology classes to introduce life- cycle perspectives and systems analysis of transportation fuel/vehicle systems. The units at both levels emphasize the need to consider energy and environmental issues related to the nation's transportation sector that extend well beyond the gasoline pump and vehicle emissions. The units include several lessons to introduce environmental issues, understand the fuel and vehicle technologies (high-school level only), and conceptually and quantitatively evaluate differences among the expected future fuels through a life-cycle assessment. The quantitative assess- ment of the high-school students shows that the units helped students to significantly raise their energy knowledge and change their attitudes. Anecdotal information from the students indicates that the increased awareness about the seriousness of energy issues has caused them to be more conservative and conscientious about their energy consumption behaviors. The evaluation of the class in the 2009-2010 academic year (AY09) was excellent, suggesting that the addition of the life-cycle assessment activities described in this paper were well received by the students. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)EI.1943-5541.0000059. © 2011 American Society of Civil Engineers. CE Database subject headings: Engineering education; Energy consumption; Energy efficiency; Energy sources; Transportation management; Life cycles; Sustainable development; Students; Undergraduate study.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors illustrate the implementation of problem-based learning, project based learning, team based learning and interdisciplinary learning in a graduate-level sustainability engineering education class and demonstrate how to use these pedagogical approaches in engineering education.
Abstract: Previous sustainability engineering education studies have suggested the importance of problem-based learning, project-based learning, team-based learning, and interdisciplinary learning. Place-based learning, interacting with outdoors, and building sustainable communities are also important aspects of sustainability education, yet relatively little has been published on how to use these pedagogical approaches in engineering education. The goal of this paper was to illustrate the implementation of all these pedagogical approaches in a graduate-level sustainability engineering education class. Fink’s taxonomy of significant learning and the University of Toledo’s Outdoor Classroom Garden provided the framework for this implementation. Throughout the semester, sustainability engineering students worked toward an engineering solution for how to water the University of Toledo’s outdoor classroom garden. They also estimated the life-cycle cost and environmental impacts of their proposed solutions. The garden p...
TL;DR: There are various teaching approaches that instructors may adopt in their quest to teach effectively as discussed by the authors, and students can choose from a range of learning approaches to help them achieve good grades. T...
Abstract: There are various teaching approaches that instructors may adopt in their quest to teach effectively, and students can choose from a range of learning approaches to help them achieve good grades. T...
TL;DR: The course aims to motivate students through exploring topics that are meaningful to them and using communication formats that they will see in the workplace as mentioned in this paper, and combines technical communication with study of the environment to meet multiple Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology outcomes.
Abstract: Today’s engineers must be more than just technically competent. To be successful in our increasingly global economy in which teamwork and interdisciplinary interaction are the norm, engineers must have excellent communication skills. In recognition of industry needs, the San Jose State University College of Engineering redesigned its technical communication course to ensure that students graduate with writing and speaking skills that will transfer readily to their career needs and the global arena. The course aims to motivate students through exploring topics that are meaningful to them and using communication formats that they will see in the workplace. Combining technical communication with study of the environment broadens the course to meet multiple Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology outcomes. This paper describes the course goals, organization, management, selected assignments, and assessment. Assessment data indicate that at the end of the semester students, on average, have gained be...
TL;DR: For engineering educators who incorporate real-world problems into their teaching, it is essential to understand realworld problem solving and the nature of problems for better design of the instr....
Abstract: For engineering educators who incorporate real-world problems into their teaching, it is essential to understand real-world problem solving and the nature of problems for better design of the instr...
TL;DR: Hausmann et al. as mentioned in this paper found that women are underrepresented in the top echelons of business leadership, and that only 6% of the group of people who carry titles such as chairman, president, chief executive officer, and chief operating officer are women.
Abstract: Historically, leadership has been construed as a primarily masculine enterprise, and many theories of leadership have focused on the desirability of stereotypically masculine qualities in leaders. Statistical evidence suggests that females occupy a disproportionately small number of leadership positions as compared to their male counterparts Wirth 2001 . In all fields, including politics and business, it is more difficult for a woman to be a leader than it is for a man. Smith 2002 argues that despite more and more participation by women in business organizations, sharing leadership positions and leading organizations is still not common among women. Men, far more often than women, continue to occupy positions that empower them with decision-making and authority Smith 2002; Eagly and Carli 2003 . Various studies show that women are underrepresented in the top echelons of business leadership. Only 17 companies among the Fortune 1000 companies were led by women in 2002 Catalyst 2002 . In 2008 the number of women running Fortune 500 companies rose to 12 and the number of women running Fortune 1000 companies increased to 25. Another recent survey has found that only 6% of the group of people who carry titles such as chairman, president, chief executive officer, and chief operating officer in Fortune 500 companies are women Eagly and Carli 2007 . The same study noted that in the 50 largest publicly traded corporations in each nation of the European Union, 11% of the top executives and 4% of the CEOs and heads of boards are women. A survey in the banking sector of Australia showed that women made up less than 6% of the senior management pool in 1999 and 15% of the executive managers pool in 2002 Metz 2004 . Some examples of prominent woman leaders in Fortune 500 companies include Angela Braly president and CEO of WellPoint , Patricia Woertz president and CEO of Archer Daniels Midland , Indra Nooyi chairman and CEO of PepsiCo , Irene Rosenfeld chairman and CEO of Kraft Foods . These four women lead companies ranked among the top 100 firms of the Fortune 500. Clearly women are underrepresented in the higher echelons of organizational leadership. As noted by Hausmann et al. 2008 , reducing the gender gap has far-reaching positive outcomes for
TL;DR: The National Bureau of Economic Research NBER has monitored U.S. business cycles since 1929 by mapping changes in national economic activity using a complex set of macroeconomic variables.
Abstract: Professional engineering firms are exposed to unpredictable business cycles owing to fluctuations in the macroeconomic environment. The National Bureau of Economic Research NBER has monitored U.S. business cycles since 1929 by mapping changes in national economic activity using a complex set of macroeconomic variables. It has been observed that after every long expansion, there is an economic recession, usually lasting 11 to 12 months on average. Thus, every professional engineering practice firm operating in our market economy can expect recessionary conditions sometime during its existence. The Business Cycle Dating Committee of the NBER confirmed that the United States has indeed been in a recession since December 2007. There are clear indications that it will last much longer than the typical recessions of the past half century owing to structural shifts in the economy resulting from the increasing globalization of economic activities. As a consequence, professional engineering firms are likely to see adverse movement in output, employment, and company profits and, eventually, depressed stock prices for the listed companies. As most engineering firms are small businesses, even minor changes in their market niche and economic environment tend to have farreaching impact. A firm cannot meet the challenges of recession using yesterday’s strategy if it expects to be in business tomorrow, and its very survival may depend on the ability to adapt to changes in the external environment. Therefore, engineering practitioners and firm managers need to develop specific tailored strategies to succeed in the marketplace during the recessionary phase of the economic cycle. An economic recession is broadly defined as an overall slowing down of economic activity measured by peak-to-trough declines. One common and often-cited definition characterizes recession as “two consecutive quarters of declining gross national output.” An economic recession affects various stakeholders of a firm, including employees, managers, partners, customers, suppliers, company shareholders, and the community at large. However, a recessionary economy is similar in one way to a booming one: business still needs to create value for its customers and shareholders. The businesses that use economic recession as an opportunity to focus on strategic leadership and to establish competitive advantage usually create higher shareholder value. Building lasting value is both the greatest challenge and opportunity, requiring the leadership to focus on long-term plans, stick to core competency, become cost competitive and more rel-
TL;DR: In this article, the authors focus on the potential impact of student-centered feedback for enhancing the learning experience of civil engineering students that used a geographic information system (GIS) based tutorial in a transportation engineering course.
Abstract: This paper focuses on the potential impact of student-centered feedback for enhancing the learning experience of civil engineering students that used a geographic information system (GIS) based tutorial in a transportation engineering course. The tutorial was implemented in a laboratory environment developed as a self-guided activity supported by a web-based learning system. The formative research proposed in this study includes a series of four successive implementations of this laboratory. Students’ performance, beliefs, and perceptions were monitored by using a mixed-methods design approach and weaknesses identified from early implementations were addressed before the next implementation of the laboratory activity. The students’ performance was found to improve when the GIS web-based tutorial was complemented with an instructor-driven short introduction that anchored the laboratory activity in traffic safety. In addition, students’ feedback in both quantitative and qualitative format indicated weakness...
TL;DR: The Future Engineers' Summer Camp, an engineering day camp for middle-school girls, is a week-long day camp containing hands-on, minds-on activities spanning a range of engineering disciplines as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: Many engineering outreach activities are conducted for young people on university campuses. Many of these programs have some assessment in place, but few have reported results of multiple evaluation and assessment tools. The Future Engineers’ Summer Camp, an engineering day camp for middle-school girls, is a week-long day camp containing hands-on, minds-on activities spanning a range of engineering disciplines. Evaluation and assessment tools including a retrospective survey, evaluation cards, and focus groups are used to evaluate the camp’s activities and determine effectiveness in increasing girls’ knowledge of and attitudes and aspirations toward engineering. Analysis of retrospective surveys demonstrates that the girls learn about engineering while participating in the camp. Evaluation cards, used to evaluate individual activities, indicate that fun is positively correlated with the overall rating of an activity. Additionally, while the girls in the camp already have positive attitudes and high aspira...
TL;DR: In a recent survey of clients and buyers of construction, the Construction Management Association of America (CMAA) found that over 50% of design efforts finish behind or significantly behind schedule as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: In a recent survey of clients and buyers of construction, the Construction Management Association of America (CMAA) found that over 50% of design efforts finish behind or significantly behind schedule. Furthermore, it found that 70% of clients have seen the quality of design documents decrease over the past 10 years with 97% of clients agreeing that designers should be held more accountable for the quality of the designs that are delivered. This paper presents the research results of applying a new approach to contracting design professionals that enforces accountability and minimizes risk. The new approach theorizes that the inefficiencies in the design industry are because of the selection and contract management system used by most clients. The first 39 design project test results are presented, along with the evolution of the design delivery model. Key findings include the threat of political risk to change, the inability of most design professionals to address specific project risk, and the lack of p...
TL;DR: This paper represents an approach to summarize the information related to the construction and infrastructure domains by using a category of visual tools referred to as mind maps to visually show numerical scores of various publications associated with the concepts in the mind map.
Abstract: Literature analysis is important for the identification of the state of existing knowledge and prevailing research gaps. Effective literature analysis, however, is a lengthy process and requires a large effort to consider the information from different viewpoints and to identify areas of cross benefits. This paper represents an approach to summarize the information related to the construction and infrastructure domains by using a category of visual tools referred to as mind maps. First, the capabilities of various knowledge mapping tools for graphically representing the hierarchical concepts (keywords) of a given domain of knowledge are discussed, and example mind maps are developed for the infrastructure asset management domain. Enhancements to mind maps are then proposed on the basis of an extensive literature analysis to visually show numerical scores of various publications associated with the concepts in the mind map. This facilitates the identification of the highly relevant and the most useful know...
TL;DR: Stadel et al. as discussed by the authors presented a special issue on Sustainability in Civil and Environmental Engineering Education, compiling many of these initiatives into a single issue so that other educators may incorporate the techniques and lessons learned in their classrooms and so that research into the efficacy of many of the educational practices can be accelerated.
Abstract: Just 10 years ago, very few engineering programs in the United States offered courses in sustainability or even mentioned sustainability in the curriculum. At that time, I was interested in entering academia and wanted to combine my construction and development experience with my environmental engineering education in a more formal way. First, an opportunity arose for me as a lecturer at Yale with the development of a course in air pollution that would be meaningful to a diverse student base, including graduate students in the School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and chemical engineering majors. This course gave a solid background on the policies and science of air pollution, but also focused on a sustainability issue: the various contributions of motor vehicle use to air pollution problems and alternatives for mitigation or prevention. I was then fortunate to find a position in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at the University of South Carolina. There I was given the opportunity to develop a course in sustainable construction, with lectures on both the concept of low-impact development (LID), a method for development that strives to mimic natural hydrologic cycles, and also green building, through the use of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system, which provides a template of issues for civil engineers to become familiar with and incorporate into designs. By that time, there were still few programs and courses available in the nation on sustainability engineering, although the interest was growing. In fact, the National Science Foundation sponsored a workshop we titled “Construction and the Environment,” focusing on many of the aspects of sustainability and green construction, that attracted a diverse group of educators and professionals from around the country. This workshop and many other nationwide initiatives have prompted groups of interdisciplinary engineers and practitioners to explore ways to incorporate sustainability into the engineering education at many universities and colleges in the United States. The goal of this special issue on Sustainability in Civil and Environmental Engineering Education is to compile many of these initiatives into a single issue so that other educators may incorporate the techniques and lessons learned in their classrooms and so that research into the efficacy of many of the educational practices can be accelerated. The response to this special issue was great—in fact, not all of the submissions could be included in just one issue—so look forward to additional articles that will appear in the next issues of the Journal. Finally, please consider continuing to submit sustainability engineering education case studies and research results for publication. The special issue starts with a forum titled “Intelligent Sustainable Design: Integration of Carbon Accounting and Building Information Modeling,” by Alexander Stadel, Jonathan Eboli, Alex Ryberg, James Mitchell, and Sabrina Spatari. It focuses on integrating life-cycle assessments and building information modeling through the example of a very difficult and important sustainability issue, carbon accounting. The issue then expands to a series of technical papers, each addressing the incorporation of specific sustainability topics into courses or evaluating sustainability learning techniques.