Many engineering and science related projects around the world require public approval, but how is the public engaged and what models exist for ensuring that engagement is truly fair or that the public is making informed decisions based on an understanding of the problem? This is a criteria for many World Bank projects in developing countries where “community participation” is required, but where less attention is paid to the level or quality of community participation which in many cases ends up being an information/infomercial session for local communities. How is this done locally, on campus or in surrounding communities? What does a truly informed community look like and what mechanisms exist for their views to be incorporated into decision making processes? To answer some of these questions requires us to understand the decision making and management processes that take place on local levels all the way up to national and sometimes global levels. This class takes a stormwater pond example in a local community, East Tampa, and looks at decisions that affect its functioning, where they are made and how that information is communicated locally. The class builds on, and works with an existing project called Water Awareness Research and Education in East Tampa aimed at raising environmental awareness in East Tampa. Phrased in terms of 5 pillars of sustainability (environmental, social, economic, cultural, political), the class will ask students to focus more on the pillars of cultural and political which are usually absent from engineering disciplines.

Objectives

Upon completion of this course the student should be able to:

1) Define stormwater ponds and various regulations that apply to their existence.

2) Discuss the role of stormwater ponds and their relation to local communities.

3) Identify the various agencies responsible for stormwater managemet and show how their decisions are integrated into activities of people within East Tampa.

4) Discuss ways in which activities of people within East Tampa influence stormwater management decisions.

5) Demonstrate how the five pillars of sustainability contribute to good engineering results.

6) Describe weekly activities done in the field and communicate that experience through online blogs and reflective essays.

7) Communicate through professional quality presentations, project reports and community reports.

8) Work in teams on various assignments including a final project report and presentation that reflects the work done by all members of the class.

Prerequisites

Introduction to environmental engineering and/or environmental engineering laboratory

Credits: 3

August 23rd to December 10. In-class discussion and Service learning activity.

Mandatory field based service learning activity in East Tampa requiring 15 hours of your time in addition to in class time. These 15 hours are accounted for in the design of other project deliverables.

Attendance / Participation: Mandatory and graded.

Reference Text

J. R. Mihelcic and J. B. Zimmerman (2010) “Environmental Engineering Fundamentals, Sustainability, Design.” John Wiley & Sons, NY.

Schedule

Week of August 24

• Overview of class
• Sustainability concepts
• Movie: Blue gold-worldwaterwars http://www.bluegold-worldwaterwars.com/
• Fill in approval forms for schools

Week of September 7

• Water chemistry and water resources
• Matching with classes/teachers

Week of September 14

• Florida: where does our water come from and where does it go?
• Movie: Water 101: An overview of water resource issues in west-central Florida.

Week of September 21

• Field assignment (week 1)
• Bus tour of East Tampa given by Ms. Evangeline Best

Week of September 28

• Field assignment (week 2)
• Florida: where does our water come from and where does it go? Tools of the trade.
• Movie: Bringing Back the Bay

Week of October 5

• Field assignment (week 3)
• Stormwater ponds: what are they and how do they work?

Week of October 12

• Field assignment (week 4)
• Stormwater ponds and water quality testing.

Week of October 19

• Field assignment (week 5)
• Florida: Water management from communities to the national level – the case of the stormwater pond. Introduction to the East Tampa story – community experience.
• Guest lecture Ms. Evangeline Best

Week of October 26

• Field assignment (week 6)
• Florida: Water management from communities to the national level – the case of the stormwater pond. The East Tampa story – City of Tampa involvement.
• Guest lecture: City of Tampa representative.

Week of November 2

• Field assignment (week 7)
• Florida: Water management from communities to the national level – the case of the stormwater pond: The East Tampa story – State involvement.
• Guest lecture: SWFWMD representative.

Week of November 9

• Field assignment (week 8)
• Florida: Water management from communities to the national level – the case of the stormwater pond: The East Tampa story – Federal laws & global context.

Week of November 16

• Field assignment (week 9)
• Stormwater ponds and low-impact design

Week of November 23

• Field assignment (week 10)
• Community report due

Week of December 3

• Final class presentation
• Final report due

Week of December 3

• Student portfolio due

Grading

Points, Activity, % of final grade

100, Class participation, 10

150, Service learning field hours, 10

100, Assignments, 10

150, Fieldwork journal blog, 15

150, Deliverable to community partner ,15

150, Project report, 15

50, In class project presentation, 5

200, Student portfolio, 20

1050, Total ,100

Class participation

All students are expected to regularly participate in the class discussions and to be present at every class session. A mandatory bus tour of East Tampa is included as a part of the class schedule in week 2 and everyone is expected to attend.

Service learning field hours

All students are expected to complete 15 hours of service learning field hours. This will include attendance at a minimum of 3 meetings of the East Tampa Community Revitalization Partnership (ETCRP) or one its subcommittees. Each hour spent in the field is worth 10 points. Although there are 15 weeks in the semester, you will not begin your field hours until week 4. You are expected to spend at least one hour per week in the field between weeks 4 and week 14. Under the WARE-EAST TAMPA (Water Awareness Research and Education in East Tampa) project, I have established relationships with various elementary to middle schools in East Tampa around stormwater ponds. Your additional field hours will include working in one of those classrooms over the semester. Matching with classrooms will be done during week 2 of the project. You will be required to have your fingerprints taken and will have to fill out a student volunteer form to be approved by the school.

Assignments

There will be 10 graded assignments over the course of the semester, each worth 10 points. You will work in groups of two on these assignments with one person being in charge of only 5. These assignments will be based on class lectures, readings and research that you do on your own.

Safe-Assignment and other plagiarism checking methods may be used to ensure academic honesty.

Fieldwork journal blog: You will be asked to use the blog tool in blackboard. Each week you will post your field notes and class experience, including any important information/contacts you discovered or used. These are due by Monday at 8 am to be considered for a grade. This is due for all 15 weeks of the class with each blog worth 10 points.

Deliverable to community partner: You will have to prepare a product to be given to the community partner (teacher/students) with whom you worked that summarizes your own findings as a part of the class. It is likely that we will present this at one of the community meetings and samples from your individual reports will be used for this presentation.

Project report: The class project will be an overall report summarizing results from the entire class. The goal of the class was to understand how rules get set for controlling pollutant levels in stormwater ponds and how that process involves people at various levels of the decision making process. Specific to this class are how that information is translated to various groups in a local community. Each student is expected to enthusiastically and professionally contribute to the team project through research, writing, and presentation. Rubrics for grading of this project report will be distributed during the semester.

In class presentation: At the end of the semester each student will make a class presentation on their in field experience and the material included in their project report. The presentation can also include your reflections on student learning throughout the class.

Student portfolio: This is a professional report capturing your work in this class and can be used for future job interviews to showcase your knowledge and organizational, creative and written skills. The portfolio must contain:

(1) A weekly log of your activities (your fieldwork journal blog)

(2) A written evaluation essay providing self-assessment of how effectively you met the learning objectives of the course

The portfolio can also include photographs of your activities, products developed by you (community handouts, community report, web postings made by you about topics related to the class, class assignments etc.). You can use your graded assignments (or improvements of them) and any other material submitted during the semester as a part of your portfolio. You can also link your portfolio to online websites that you develop as a part of this class if you wish.

Mission Statement:

To help protect the ecological integrity of the Oconee and Ocmulgee River Basins by working with stakeholders to reduce the impact of human activities on water quality and biodiversity.

The Upper Altamaha Initiative is a service learning course that provides a structured and supportive format for students to apply policy, design and ecological principles learned in the classroom to the real world of people and policy.

Initiative Philosophy and History

The Upper Altamaha Initiative matches graduate students from the University of Georgia with community stakeholders facing specific environmental challenges. Students from law, ecology, environmental design, wildlife ecology, scientific illustration and agricultural engineering may participate in the course. Water quality and the protection and restoration of aquatic species through the best available science, design and policy concepts are key goals for this hands-on program. The course presents a holistic approach to land use planning from the perspectives of our interdisciplinary faculty and guest lecturers.

Previous Environmental Practicum courses have included the Etowah, Altamaha, and Satilla Initiatives. Students in earlier Environmental Practicum classes drafted a conservation subdivision ordinance adopted by the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners, promoted the use of transferable development rights to protect water quality resulting in enabling legislation adopted by the Georgia General Assembly, and developed a system of water withdrawal to protect endangered aquatic species which was adopted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For more information about these and other Environmental Practicum projects, see our website at http://www.rivercenter.uga.edu/education.htm.

Practicum Goals:

1. Provide an educational environment where students can apply skills learned in the traditional classroom to pressing community concerns and problems;
2. Provide an opportunity for students and faculty to work with other disciplines in integrated environmental decision-making and problem-solving thus improving their ability to understand, communicate with, and influence other disciplines;
3. Increase awareness of the importance of addressing environmental issues proactively within the university community and the broader community;
4. Respond to community concerns and problems in the Oconee and Ocmulgee River Basins;
5. Build capacity for service learning at the University of Georgia.

Class Format:

• Two or three class meetings in first two weeks of semester to select projects and develop work-plans;
• Approximately four to six lectures (Fridays from 12:30 ? 3:30 p.m.) on ecological, design and policy issues affecting the watershed;
• One paddling trip on the Oconee River;
• Periodic group meetings to develop particular projects;
• Project presentation (either to stakeholders or to the class and other interested parties at the University) with dress rehearsal;
• A journal logging each student?s activities and reflections on the meaning of the service learning experience and ecological design and policy implications;
• At least one meeting between faculty and each individual student to reflect on and evaluate course progress and issues and concerns.

Expectations (students):

Attend class lectures and field trip, read assignments prior to each lecture, work together to define class projects, attend group meetings and work cooperatively to develop a work plan and to complete the project, attend individual meetings with professors, and keep a journal of work completed and associated reflections. Students will be graded on class participation and project substance and presentation.

Expectations and grading policy are spelled out more specifically in the course rubric, which is available in the class notebooks (located at the Institute of Ecology and the Law Library) and on the class web site at http://www.rivercenter.uga.edu/education/upper_altamaha/main.htm.

Required readings are available in the class notebooks and on the web site.

Note: We strongly encourage Law students to take this course AFTER they have taken the environmental law survey course.

Expectations (faculty):

Coordinate informative lectures and field trip; facilitate interaction between students and stakeholders in the Upper Altamaha Basin; provide support to students in identifying and completing particular projects; facilitate dress rehearsals and project presentations; facilitate publication of projects and provide a forum for students to reflect on their experiences in the course.

Potential Projects:

• drafting model stormwater management and other land use/environmental ordinances;
• developing or supplementing Total Maximum Daily Load Implementation plans;
• identifying development/protection scenarios for a particular county;
• designing a park or parking lot or a right-of-way;
• identifying septic management strategies;
• developing a land protection plan;
• determining the costs and effectiveness of various best management practices;
• documenting the economic value of natural resources in a jurisdiction

Engineering design experience including completion of a design project under the supervision of a project director.
Prerequisites: ENGR 2920 and permission of department
Prerequisite or corequisite: SPCM 1100.

Grading
Required by all students enrolled in ENGR 4920
Mid-Term Status Report: Oral Presentation (Required of all students enrolled in ENGR 4920)
Final Report: Oral Presentation
Final Report: Poster Presentation
Final Report: Written Document

Other assessment tools for the International Section
Design Notebook (ideas, calculations, meeting notes, weekly reflections, future plans, etc)
Progress Reports
2-3 page reflection at the end of the course
Pre- and post-testing with respect to critical thinking, world mindedness, and intercultural communication apprehension

Breakdown of grades

GRADE DETERMINATION

The grades are based on the following scale.

1. A shows maximum effort and high level of design skills for a senior
2. B shows very high level of effort and above average design skills for a senior
3. shows a good effort and average design skills for a senior
4. D shows below average effort and average design skills for a senior
5. F unacceptable work

The students will work together on the assigned project. Each team member?s performance on project presentations and written reports should be assessed based on overall performance of the team (that is, each team member will be assigned the same grade for project presentations and project written reports). Therefore, it is the responsibility of EACH team member to review all documents used to represent the work of the team.

Individual team member performance will be assessed using the design notebook and progress reports (that is, the performance of an individual will be assessed using the grade assigned to that individual?s design notebook and the summary reports). The notebook must show the individual student?s contribution to a project. Individual contribution is considered to be independent work that has been shown through proper documentation. The progress report should indicate the individual?s contribution to the overall project and the relationship of this contribution to those provided by other team members.

ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALISM POLICY

:
Engineers make great contributions to society. Engineering is a very satisfying profession that provides many rewards but is demanding and requires hard work. The engineering profession is governed by a code of ethics. Engineering faculty at UGA expect students to act in a professional manner at all times and develop the work ethics required for a successful engineering career. Engineering students at UGA are responsible for maintaining the highest standards of professionalism and professional practice.

DEPARTMENTAL GRADING POLICY REGARDING COMMUNICATION SKILLS:

Thirty percent of the grade on all written assignments (lab reports and papers) and oral presentations will be based on quality of communication. Spelling, grammar, punctuation, and clarity of writing are evidence of written communication quality. Enunciation, voice projection, clarity and logical order of the presentation and effective use of visual aids are evidence of oral communication quality.

Team Member Assessments:

A team member assessment form is attached to this syllabus. Each student is required to complete this assessment form and turn it in to the instructor. Times for providing these assessments will be announced during the semester. These assessment forms should be used to indicate the performance of your team mates. The instructor will use this form to determine if problems exist within a particular team and the instructors fully expect each student enrolled in ENGR 4920 to utilize this assessment form to indicate difficulties that exist within a team. Lack of participation may result in an instructor initiated course withdrawal. This assessment form is the primary method to identify students who are not contributing to the term project.

Peer rating of team members

Write your name here:___________________________________
Date of this assessment: _______________________________
This form will be needed for more than one assessment. Therefore, you will need to use a photocopy. Requesting extra assessment forms is highly discouraged.

Using the table below, rate the degree to which each member fulfilled his or her responsibilities (as listed below). Be sure to rank your performance. You need to also circle your name so the instructors know what you believe your performance is compared to what your teammates believe your performance is. The rating system for this is

These assessments as marked above will be kept confidential.

Poster (at minimum)

Basically, you want to condense your oral presentation and written report into approximately 4? tall, and 7? wide. The fonts should be large enough to be able to read at least 3? away. Pay close attention to the flow of the poster, i.e. make sure the reader understands the order that you want them to read your poster, i.e. vertically or horizontally etc. Be sure to include:

Abstract
Problem definition
Background
Materials and methods
Results
Conclusions
References

Appendix A: Key course Elements for 4920 International

Real-life international problem from an international customer or community.>
For example, alternative energy possibilities for rural milk cooling plants from smallholder dairy farmer cooperative.

Taking the students there through sight and sound without leaving the classrooms.
Customer interview and current practices are video taped by the instructor in advance and are included in the course web resources as streaming video.

Multidisciplinary design team environment.
Other majors, e.g., economics are included on the student design team.

International design team environment.
Peer support is provided by a student in the problem-source country resulting in educational benefits in a ?two-way street? manner. E-mail feature of the course web site is used for communication.

Spring break trip to present solution concepts to the customer.
Students take one-week trip to gain first hand knowledge of the problem context and interact with the customer to determine the most desirable solution concept to pursue. Students use the trip to also gather any additional information that may be needed for final design and/or analysis.

Intercultural communication module.
To prepare the students for the spring break trip, the module explores factors that facilitate or impede effective communication between members of different cultural groups. Students cover the module on their own on-line from the course web site.

Globalization module.
Students examine and reflect on the premises underpinning the value of international dimensions as part of their undergraduate learning experiences. Students cover the module on their own on-line from the course web site authored by WebCT.

Schedule.
The design team elects a team manager during the first week. The team meets with the instructor every other week to review plans and progress. Final presentation is made the last week. The customer receives a report and final presentation tape.

Partnerships.
Partnerships are established with US Industry (e.g., Makita Corporation and John Deere) for financial support. Collaborative agreements are established with overseas academic institution (e.g., Makerere University of Uganda) through which partnerships with customers or communities are established.

Testing.
In addition to regular class performance evaluation, students are pre- and post-tested and are also required to write a reflective essay on their experience.

Course description: Effect of variability and constraints of biological systems on engineering problem solving and design; engineering units; engineering report writing; oral report presentation; laboratory demonstration of biological engineering analysis.

Objectives: After completing this course, you should be able to:

1. Define and discuss engineering and biological engineering.
2. Have a better appreciation of yourself and your learning process, including why you picked this major.
3. Understand in some depth the area of biological engineering in which you want to study
4. Communicate effectively with your community partner(s) and your peers, and apply rudimentary techniques for working together and resolving conflicts that result in the most success.
5. Conceptualize the process of engineering design, including the following: what is engineering design, how does one approach a problem using the engineering method, impact of social and technical factors on design, evaluation methods in design, effective communication in the design process, engineering and the democratic process.
6. Understand the significance of service-learning, and how it affects your strength as a person and an engineering student.
7. Understand the significance of communicating, and how it affects your strength as an engineering student

Course Texts:

Lima, M. and Oakes, W. 2006. Service-Learning: Engineering in Your Community. Great Lakes Press, Wildwood, MO., 323 pp., ISBN 1-881018-94-6.

Handbook for Public Playground Safety. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Publication #325, 43 pp. (downloadable from the Internet).

Reference Books:

Burghardt, M. 1995. Introduction to the Engineering Profession, (2nd Edition). HarperCollins College Publishers, New York, NY. 298 pp.

Donaldson, K. 2002. The Engineering Student Survival Guide (B.E.S.T. Series). McGraw-Hill, New York, NY. 216 pp.

Gelb, M. 1998. How to Think like Leonardo Da Vinci: Seven steps to genius every day. Delacorte Press, New York, NY. 322 pp.

Oakes, W., Leone, L. and C. Gunn. 2000. Engineering Your Future: An Introduction to Engineering (2nd Edition). Great Lakes Press, Okemos, MI, 650 pp.

Pfeiffer, W. 1997. Technical Writing: A Practical Approach (3rd Edition). Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ. 616 pp.

Wright, P. 1989. Introduction to Engineering. Wiley & Songs, New York, NY. 292 pp.

Course approach. This is a service-learning course.

Service-learning is defined as ?a credit-bearing, educational experience in which students participate in an organized service activity that meets identified community needs and reflect on the service activity in such a way as to gain further understanding of course content, a broader appreciation of the discipline, and an enhanced sense of civic responsibility.?

You will accomplish all of the learning objectives in this course by completing a service-learning project that concerns Biological Engineering and addresses a community need. This process is a mutual exchange of knowledge, information and service between the community (through community partners) and each of you.

This year, each section (Thursday and Friday lab sections) will be working in a group of 3-4 students to design a playground. Each of these playgrounds will be designed by end of the semester, and will be constructed at some point in the future. Students from this class have worked with community partners to design and construct five playgrounds. Although the construction takes place after the semester ends, a significant fraction of students who designed the playground volunteer to help construct the playground!

Today we will discuss our approach, and will consult information on each community partner.

Overall approach:

Weeks 1-4

• Learn about engineering design and the engineering design method
• Learn about designing playgrounds
• Learn about your group members and create policies for decision making and management issues
• Information gathering on community partner and addressing community needs (meet with contact and community members, site visit)

Weeks 5-8

• Continue information gathering with community partners (second site visit, further discussions with community partners) and professional playground designers
• Generate preliminary designs
• Initial check on designs by instructor

Weeks 9-13

• Create and refine final design with input from instructor, community partners, and experts

Weeks 14-15

• Presentation of final design to panel consisting of community partners and playground design experts
• Instructor and community partners take all designs and suggestions from panel, and streamline them into one consolidated design that best addresses community needs

Subsequent to semester:

• Instructor (and interested students) and community partners present design to the greater community for further input, and a final design is agreed upon
• Fundraising for playground project is completed
• Construction will take place with community and student volunteers

Community Partners.

Section 1. Your community partner is South Boulevard Elementary School. We will work with community members, including children, parents, and teachers at the school, to design a playground for K-5 students at the school.

Section 2. Your community partner is Park Forest Elementary School. We will work with community members, including children, parents, and teachers at the school, to design a playground for K-5 students at the school.

Grading policy:

Grades will be determined based on the following break down:

A number of criteria are used for grading because each of us has strengths in different areas. My objective is for each of you to shine in this course; the different criteria for grading are provided with this notion in mind. In past years, there has been no curve in this class (that is, 89.5% and above is an A, 80-89.4% is a B, 70-79.4% is a C, 60-69.4% is a D, and <60% is an F); I expect the same situation to prevail this year.

Student portfolio. Each of you will be developing a portfolio this semester. A portfolio is defined as ?a purposeful collection of student work that tells the story of the student?s efforts, progress or achievement in a given area.? Your purpose this semester is to learn about engineering, biological engineering, and yourself. Completing the assignments in this course will enable each of you to examine your motivations for choosing this major, and to learn more about biological engineering. This knowledge will help you to identify your personal and professional goals. Through portfolios, you will be documenting your path to a greater understanding of yourself and of this profession. You can use your portfolio for reference throughout your undergraduate career and beyond.

Investigators have established four levels of learning, which are as follows:

1. Information: student can define, repeat, list, name, label, memorize, recall and/or relate that information.
2. Knowledge: student shows an understanding and comprehension of the information gained in level (1), and can describe, explain, compare/contrast, identify, discuss and/or summarize it.
3. Application/Analysis: student can solve problems by applying knowledge in new situations, and can critically distinguish the logical components of other applications of that knowledge.
4. Wisdom: student can display professional judgment and the ability to synthesize, design, organize, plan, manage, teach and/or evaluate. Investigators have also determined that approximately 80-90% of one?s undergraduate education is spent in levels (1) and (2). My goal as an educator is to provide opportunities for students to participate in levels (3) and (4). Developing your portfolio is one way to accomplish this.

Your portfolio will consist of three parts:

1. a personal web page that you will develop as part of this class;
2. an engineering journal, which contains incidental or informal writing assignments that we will be doing throughout the semester, and
3. homework assignments.

Throughout the semester, you will have homework assignments, all of which will go into your portfolios. Obtain a notebook or binder immediately for your portfolio! In this way, you will be able to build the portfolio throughout the semester, instead of rushing to pull it together at the last minute. You will turn in your portfolios for comments from me at mid-semester.

Your final portfolio should contain the following:

1. A table of contents, including a description of the work done and the page on which it appears.
2. A short introduction describing the purpose of your portfolio and what is contained in it; although this goes at the beginning of the portfolio, I suggest you write it at the end of the course.
3. All the work you did in whatever order you?d like, as long as it makes sense and fits together
4. Reflection narratives: after certain exercises, you will be asked to write a statement describing what you thought and felt about that specific exercise. This is to help you to identify, understand, analyze, and evaluate the ways in which your service-learning experiences are connected to your learning objectives, your knowledge base, and your development as a person and citizen of a democratic society. You may also be asked to articulate whether you thought an exercise was useful (or not) to you, to help me identify if the exercise is one worth keeping and/or refining for next year?s students.

Your portfolio requires a concluding self-assessment narrative, in which you write about your overall experience in the course, and evaluate the use of service-learning in your quest to achieve the academic and civic objectives of this course.

Feel free to include anything that you find of help to your own learning process. This portfolio is for you, not for me.

Engineering journals will be graded on completeness only, and not on what you said, how you said it, or grammar. The purpose of the engineering journal is for you to record all your thoughts, feelings and actions during the course of this class; please keep it with you at all times. These notes can be invaluable for many reasons; they may tell the story of how you develop into an engineer! Also, you may have great ideas that you forget about later; this is one excellent way to keep track of them.

Homework assignments. Homework assignments are intended to help you understand material. I employ a resubmission process for homework because of this reason: if you ?mess it up? the first time, instead of just getting the grade and continuing, re-submissions allow you to concentrate on the mistakes you make and to fix them.

Re-submissions will not be accepted for any grade higher than 80%, except in special cases that I will designate. You may re-submit an assignment for any grade lower than this, and your final grade for that assignment will be the average of the original grade and the final grade. You are not required to re-submit any assignment, but if you choose to, you must re-submit within one week of the assignment being returned to you in class. If you happen to miss class the day the assignment is returned, you are still responsible for re-submitting it one week from the date in which it was returned in class. Your submission must include a written explanation of what (specifically) you didn?t understand, and why you understand it now.

Homework must be turned in on time to receive full credit. Assignments must be turned in by 4:30 p.m. the day they are due in order to be considered on time! Late assignments will receive 20% off for each day that they are late! No re-submissions will be accepted for assignments turned in late.

Course policies:

1. Turn off your cell phones before you come to class. If you have an emergency, place your cell phone on vibrate!
2. Although I expect each of you to attend all classes, arrive punctually and participate, your final grade for this course will not be based on these criteria (except for attendance at lab).
   I will be taking attendance in lab this semester! The percentage of labs that you attend will be one of your quiz grades
3. Cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated! I check work carefully, and will report any student I suspect of academic misconduct to the Dean of Students, Dr. Jim Welles. It is okay to work together on homework assignments but it is NOT okay to COPY someone?s work (or to allow someone to copy yours). Check with me or the Code of Student Conduct (http://appl003.lsu.edu/slas/judicialaffairs.nsf/$Content/Code+of+Student+Conduct?OpenDocument) if you have questions on this matter
4. 4Group work. A significant portion of what you learn in this course will be accomplished in a group setting. Your grade for the group design project is worth a significant portion of your grade for this course, and will be determined by me with input from you, your community partners, and other members in your group, each of whom will complete a confidential evaluation of all group members (the evaluation criteria will be determined by all of us at the beginning of the semester). If you do not participate and attend meetings, your grade may suffer as a result! A sample grading rubric created by last year?s class/instructor/community partner is included below:
   • Good citizen and group member (attitude, respectfulness, listening, group and communication skills): 25%
   • Attendance at meetings (in and out of class, with community partners, etc.): 25%
   • Dependability (did what needed to be done in a timely manner): 25%
   • Contribution to design project (quality of work, quantity of work): 25%

Special Issue:

Communication Across the Curriculum. Studies have shown that through more frequent writing experiences and instructor feedback, students become more proficient and confident in their oral and written communication skills. LSU has implemented a Writing Across the Curriculum Program (and is in the process of switching to a communication across the curriculum model) to improve the writing skills of students at this university. One program requirement is ensuring that students take at least one course designated writing intensive during each year of their college career. BE 1252 has been designated the writing intensive course for the freshman year! This course is also communication intensive, that is, you will be required to make several oral presentations to your community partner and to your peers throughout the semester.

For those of you who do not enjoy writing and speaking, keep in mind that one of the main complaints of employers regarding entry level engineers is lack of oral, written and group communication skills. You will spend a significant amount of your time writing on the job as a practicing engineer. I will try to make this experience as fun and painless as possible, but keep in mind that strong writing and communication skills will help you a great deal in your education, and in your future career.

BE 1252 Biology in Engineering: day-to-day syllabus plan
Note: this plan is subject to change

GEEN 1400
ENGINEERING PROJECTS

Instructor: Bernard Amadei Civil, Environmental and Architectural Eng.
ECOT 546
303-492-7734
Bernard.Amadei {at} colorado(.)edu
Office Hours: Monday, Wednesday and Friday 9-11 a.m.

Course web site: http://www.colorado.edu/geen1400/

TA: Ellen Hardy – ellen.hardy {at} colorado(.)edu
OHs: Mon. and Wed. 9-10 a.m.

TA: Steven Pfau – PPfau85191 {at} aol(.)com
OHs: Mon. 11-12 pm.; Wed. 4-5 p.m.

Course Description (3 credit hours): The purpose of this course is to provide you an introduction to engineering through a series of small projects done in interdisciplinary teams. You will learn in a hands on way valuable engineering skills including communication skills, how to function in teams, the basic steps in engineering design process, and a variety of computer tools as appropriate to your projects, such as spreadsheets, dynamic modeling software, or computer aided design (CAD). The theme of section 020 is appropriate technology and its use in solving water, sanitation, energy and health problems in developing countries.

Grading: The course grade will be based on a combination of group work and individual accomplishment:

Group work:
Introductory project, report
Design project presentations, report

Individual accomplishments:
Oral presentation participation
Design journals
Individual writing assignments
Peer evaluations

The final grade will be calculated as follows: 50% (Design project), 20% (Intro project), 30% (homework assignments).

COURSE ELEMENTS

• Introductory Project: Design, Construction and Testing of a Solar Cooking Oven

• Team Dynamics Exercises: fun, moderately physical activities and problem solving games in which we work together to solve a variety of interesting challenges.
• Design Projects: The main emphasis of the various design projects will be on appropriate technology and its use in solving water, sanitation, energy and health problems in developing countries. Appropriate technology is characterized as being small scale, energy efficient, environmentally sound, labor-intensive and controlled by the local community. It must be simple enough to be maintained by the people using it. It must match the user and the need in complexity and scale. It is designed to foster self reliance, cooperation and responsibility, must benefit most people, and provide goods, services and jobs.

  The course will give you an understanding of some of the most common and important technologies being introduced in small scale community developments. You will be asked to create, design and construct small appropriate technological systems, processes and devices for a variety of settings associated with the developing world. Of equal importance, special emphasis will be placed on the societal impact and implications of appropriate technological systems.

• A Design Expo will be held on Saturday, December 7th, allowing you an opportunity to showcase your functioning prototype to the public. External judges will evaluate each project and provide written feedback.
• Guest Lectures throughout the course will be presented by faculty members and outside guest speakers from a sampling of engineering departments and industry. They will describe to you a research and/or design project they are working on to give you a flavor of the various engineering disciplines.
• Several workshops throughout the semester will introduce you to some of the hands on skills you will need to work on your projects, such as CAD, basic electrical circuits and safety and use of tools.

INTRODUCTORY PROJECT

Objective: to discover the different phases in the iterative process of engineering design:
(1) design objectives and constraints; (2) development; (3) documentation and analysis of design ideas; (4) building; and (5) testing. This is a team project.

Problem Statement:
Design a Solar Cooking Oven to be used to cook food during the summer months (June September) in Boulder, CO. The oven must be able to reach temperatures exceeding 300' F (150' C).

Remark:
To help you, I strongly recommend that you consider the system described in http://www.exoticbiades.com/tamara/soI cook/. However, you are not limited to that system; this is just for you to get started.

Deadline: The project must be completed, tested, and reported by September 19, 2002.

Requirements:

1. Your final report must document the different phases of the design process your team went through. You may want to read Chapter 3 in Introductory Engineering Design: A Projects Based Approach. The book is available for purchase for $20 in ITLL I B40 and available on line: http://www.colorado.edu/geen 1400/index.section =Textbook

2. Your final report must address the science of solar cooking. What physics principles are behind this? Why does it work?

3. Your report must provide a brief review of existing solar cooking ovens available on the market today (cost, limitations, advantages, disadvantages), Are any of them patented?

4. Your report must include a detailed description of

• supplies and equipment used (cost included)
• data collected and analyzed
• instructions and steps for construction
• tips for using the oven
• recommendations for improvement

5. Each student should not spend more than $25 towards supplies and expenses for this introductory project.

Your grade will be based on several criteria:

1. How closely you followed the design loop discussed in Chapter 3

2. The reporting of the different phases of the design process

3. How closely you met the aforementioned requirements

4. The performance of your system (higher temperature, lower cost)

5. The quality and taste of the food cooked with your oven

Recommended web sites on solar cooking:

www.sunoven.com (Sun Ovens International)
www.tufts.edu/as/tampl/en43 (Gourmet engineering course at Tufts)

DESIGN PROJECT

Background:
The objective of this design project is for you to explore further the different phases in the iterative process of engineering design. This is your major semester project that will count for 50% of your final grade.

Before proceeding with this project, you are asked to read first, by Monday September 30, Chapter 7: Design Process in Introductory Engineering Design: A Projects Based Approach. The chapter is available on-line at http://www.colorado.edu/geen_1400/index.cfm?fuseaction=Textbook.
Explore this chapter carefully as the different stages of the design process outlined in the chapter will have to be documented in your final report.

The main emphasis of the design projects in GEEN 1400 020 is on appropriate and sustainable technology and its use in solving water, sanitation, energy, and health problems in developing communities. Appropriate technology is characterized as being small scale, energy efficient, environmentally sound, labor intensive and controlled by the local community. It must be simple enough to be maintained by the people using it. It must match the user and the need in complexity and scale. It is designed to foster self reliance, cooperation and responsibility.

Problem Statement:
You are asked to create, design, construct, and test a product or technology that could be used by a developing community to fulfill some of its year around needs with clean water, sanitation, energy, or shelter. The product or technology must be functional, efficient, durable (sustainable), appropriate, reliable, affordable, attractive (somewhat), and most importantly, must satisfy the needs of the community it serves. It must also show potential for creating jobs in the community through micro enterprises.

Schedule:
Design Selection Presentation: Thursday, October 3
Preliminary Design Review: Tuesday, October 15
Critical Design Review: Tuesday, November 5
Project Demonstrations: Tuesday, December 3
Design Expo: Saturday, December 7

Requirements:

1. Your final report must document in depth the different phases of the design process your team went through. The nines steps described in Chapter 7 must be clearly identified and documented. The seven principles of universal design described in Chapter 7 (pp. 76) must be adopted. All steps must be documented in your group design journal which will have to be turned in upon completion of this project

2. Your final report must address the science behind your product or technology. What physics principles are behind this? Why does it work?

3. Your final report should describe how appropriate and sustainable your product/ technology is.

4. Your final report must describe how your product/technology will improve the life of those in needs in the developing world and what potential the technology has in creating community jobs through micro enterprises.

5. Your report must include a detailed description of

o supplies and equipment used (cost included)
o data collected and analyzed
o instructions and steps for construction
o tips for using your product or technology (user's manual)
o recommendations for improvement

6. Each group should not spend more than $250 on materials and supplies (does not include donated equipment).

Your design project grade will be based on several key criteria:

1. How closely you followed the design loop and nine steps discussed in Chapter 7
2. The reporting of the different phases of the design process
3. How closely you met the aforementioned requirements
4. The performance of your system
5. How your system addresses more specifically the needs of the developing world.

GUIDELINES FOR PRELIMINARY DESIGN REVIEW

The Preliminary Design Review session is scheduled for Tuesday October 15, 2002.
Each group will be given 15 min. for presentation (12 min. for presentation, 3 min. for feedback, questions and answers).

Your presentation must include the following components on separate slides:

1. Concise Problem Statement describe in one sentence the customer problem your product/technology will solve.

2. Functional Requirements describe what your product must do

3. Quantitative Requirements (size, weight, cost, etc.)

4. Qualitative Requirements (safety, color, portability, etc.)

5. Your Customers

a. Who are they?

b. Forecast their demographics (age, gender, socio economics, where they live, etc.)

c. Why would they buy your product/technology?

d. How would they adopt your product/technology in their way of life?

e. How would their lives be any better with your product/technology now, five years from now, ten years from now?

f. Is there a potential for developing micro enterprises?

6. Establish Product Benchmarks

a. Present photos/graphics of potentially competing products/technology

b. Explain other ways your objectives could be accomplished

7. Alternative Design Concepts Explored

a. Provide simple sketches of markedly different approaches your team has explored

b. Share the results of your team brainstorming sessions on alternative designs

8. Reflections on your Team Strengths and Challenges

CRITICAL DESIGN REVIEW

The Critical Design Review session is scheduled for Tuesday November 5, 2002. Each group will be given 15 min. for presentation (12 min. for presentation, 3 min. for feedback, questions and answers). All presentations must be done in PowerPoint.

Your presentation should build on what you presented on October 15, 2002. At this stage of the project I expect you to know: (1) what problem you are solving, (2) what your product will do, (3) the product qualitative and quantitative requirements, and (4) who your customers are. Furthermore, several alternative design concepts must have been explored and documented. You should also know what are your team strengths and challenges. All team members must participate in the presentations. The presentations will be graded for content and quality.

Your final presentation should discuss:

1. The most promising concept that you have selected (functionality, qualitative and quantitative requirements) and how you arrived at that concept
(including cost)

2. How you are communicating the design (drawings, parts, assembly of parts)

3. What your final product will look like

4. What is being done to reach that objective and implementing the design

5. What steps you are planning to take over the next few weeks to meet the objective (planning, scheduling, and management)

6. What testing program you have outlined for the next four weeks.

Project demonstrations and final reports are due in class on Tuesday December 3, 2002.

Institution: University of Colorado
Discipline: Engineering
Title: Sustainability and the Built Environment
Model: "Pure" – gain a better understanding of the importance of engineering in society, take into account the natural and non-natural environmental factors when creating engineering structures
Rating: 5 out of 5

Sustainability and the Built Environment CVEN 4838/5838

INSTRUCTOR: Bernard Amadei, Professor of Civil Engineering
Email: amadeigspot {at} colorado(.)edu
Tel: 303 492 7734
Fax: 303 492 7317
Office: Engineering Center, ECOT 546
Office hours: M, W and F from 9 11 a.m.

GUEST INSTRUCTOR: Jon Schulz, Consultant
Tel: 303 841 5490
Email: jonrschulz {at} aol(.)com

WEB SITE: http://ceae.colorado.edu/~amadei/CVEN4838

LECTURES: Tu & Th 5:00-6:15 p.m., ECCR 150

REQUIRED READINGS:

• Quinn, D. 1993. Ishmael. New York: Bantam Books.
• Hawken, P. 1994. The Ecology of Commerce: A Declaration of Sustainability. Harper.
• Various articles distributed in class and available on the course web site

SUGGESTED READINGS (BOOKS):

• Benyus, J. M. 1997. Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature, New York: Quill, William Morrow,
• Berry, T. 1988. The Dream of the Earth, San Francisco: Sierra Club Books.
• DeGraaf, J. et al. 2002. Affluenza, San Francisco: Berrett Koehler Publishers
• Hawken, P., Lovins A. and Lovins L. H. 1999. Natural Capitalism, Boston: Little, Brown and Company.
• McDonough, W. and Braungart, M. 2002. Cradle to Cradle, New York: North Point Press
• Pauli, G. 1998. Upsizing, Sheffield, UK: Greenleaf Publishing.

"We have lived by the assumption that what was good for us would be good for the world. We have been wrong. We must change our lives, so that it will be possible to live by the contrary assumption that what is good for the world will be good for us. And that requires that we make the effort to know the world and to learn what is good for it. We must learn to cooperate in its processes, and to yield to its limits. But even more important, we must learn to acknowledge that the creation is full of mystery " Wendell Berry, Recollected Essays

"The 'silver bullets' to success are to know what questions to ask in what circumstances to ask them and under which context to find answers to them. " Marshall Constantino, President, Analysis, Research and Design, Inc.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course introduces undergraduate and graduate students to the fundamental concepts of sustainability and sustainable development. Emphasis is placed first on understanding natural systems, the interaction of the built environment (infrastructure) with natural systems, and the role of technical and non technical (economic, social, ecological, ethical, philosophical, political, psychological, cultural) issues in shaping engineering decisions. Another emphasis of the course is to introduce students to a range of methods: methods to identify and select sustainable solutions to design problems; methods of improving existing solutions; and methods of reasoning.

This course is designed to encourage students to think, and think from many different perspectives. Students are asked to consider many aspects of a single "project," such as the economic, physical/scientific, social, psychological, historical, ethical, political, cultural and ecological aspects, and how each of these influences the others.

"Not only is there only one way of doing things rightly, but there is only one way of seeing them, and that is, seeing the whole of them ", John Ruskin.

"Progress is not an illusion, it does happen, but it is slow and invariably disappointing", George Orwell.

COURSE GOALS

Through a combination of formal lectures, discussion periods, projects, and presentations by experts from practice, the students at the end of the course will have gained a better understanding of the importance of engineering in society. They will also be able to take into account the relationships between natural and non natural systems when creating engineering structures needed to sustain the quality of life for current and future generations while at the same time preserving and improving biotic systems.

After completing the course, the students will be expected to have: (1) a greater awareness of their role as human beings and engineers on Earth, (2) a better understanding of natural systems and how engineering structures adapt and adjust to natural systems and vice versa, and (3) new skills and tools for finding common themes, developing connections, asking critical questions, providing more holistic answers to those questions, and for integrating economic, social, and environmental aspects into decision making.

"Any time we talk about interconnectedness we are implying that boundaries exist between whatever is being connected. To more accurately view the world, one has to accept that in reality there are no boundaries, only wholes within wholes in a variety of patterns. And to understand the world, according to [Jan Christian] Smuts, we must first seek to understand the greater whole, which has qualities and characteristics not present in any of the lesser wholes that form it. " Allan Savory, Holistic Management

"Glance at the sun. See the moon and the stars. Gaze at the beauty of Earth's greenings. Now think. " Hildegard von Bingen

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1) Increase awareness of the roles of humans and engineers on Earth, the professional and personal responsibilities in engineering practice, the interconnections between the natural and man made "worlds", and the roles played by engineers in designing, constructing, and operating the built environment.

2) Increase understanding of Nature's cycles and functions and the roles of individual living and non living (minerals, air, water, energy) entities in those cycles. Examine the application of natural principles to human activities and society. Discuss how Nature can serve as a guide towards making engineering decisions that are more holistic and more in harmony with natural systems.

3) Understand that the built environment (buildings, roads, bridges, water, sewer, and energy systems) is comprised of whole systems with both natural and human components. Identify the components of whole engineering systems. Realize that the whole is more than the sum of its parts.

4) Understand the multidisciplinary nature of engineering projects and the interaction between technical and non technical disciplines.

5) Acquire an understanding of what makes a technology or structure sustainable, appropriate, or green that works in harmony with nature rather than in competition with nature. Realize the importance of scale (time and space).

6) Identify how earth global climatic changes and natural hazards need to be accounted for in engineering design and risk based analysis.

7) Acquire an understanding of the tools that we presently have to assess qualitatively and quantitatively the interaction of infrastructures and natural systems, and consider new tools. Become familiar with two established tools Natural Capitalism and The Natural Step.

8) Hone analytical and critical thinking skills. Become more adept at asking the right questions in the midst of the "system" in which we find ourselves.

9) Be exposed to recent business and industry leaders' descriptions of skills and characteristics vital for current and future engineers.

If time permits:

10) Discuss existing academic, industrial, and federal programs and policies in the U.S, and abroad that emphasize the interaction of natural and non natural systems.

11) Develop recommendations on how to integrate systems approaches and concepts such as sustainability, green design, appropriate technologies and renewable energies in engineering education, practice, and research.

"The painful truth is that the present is a relatively comfortable place for those who have reached positions of mainstream political or business leadership. This is the crux of the problem of sustainable development, and perhaps the main reason why there has been great acceptance of it in principle, but less concrete actions to Put it into practice: many of those with the power to effect the necessary changes have the least motivation to alter the status quo that gave them the power "
-Schmidheiny, Changing Course

COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING

To successfully complete this course, you will read assigned material, attend and participate in each class and complete all written and oral assignments as follows:

Reading:
You are expected to read the texts and articles as assigned in class. It is recommended that you set aside enough time each week to read the required material.

Attendance:
Attendance is critical to a sufficient understanding and working knowledge of course material. The instructors recognize that circumstances beyond one's control do occur occasionally. In the event that you need to be absent for class, contact the instructors in advance so that we can arrange an alternative means for you to receive the benefits of the missed class. Chronic absences will put you at a disadvantage, not only in terms of substantive material missed but in terms of your final course grade.

Class Participation:
Class participation in plenary and group discussions, presentations and exercises is essential. Thirty percent (30%) of your grade will be based on effective class participation. Class participation is defined as intelligent, thoughtful articulation of ideas in discussion; respectful listening to others point of view; asking relevant questions; neither being too dominant nor too passive in the discussions; and wholehearted participation in presentations and exercises.

Grade:
Your final grade will be determined as follows: 30% class participation, 40% homework assignments, 30% term project (15% written paper + 15% oral presentation). In addition, one team of two graduate students will be asked to prepare a concise but thorough summary for four classes during the semester. The summaries will include class discussion and material presented in class. All class summaries will be posted on the course web site.

Term Project:
Your project will consist of a written paper and an oral presentation. The project should address a topic of your choice that involves natural systems and the interaction of the built environment (infrastructure) with natural systems. The project must emphasize the role of technical and non technical (economic, social, ecological, ethical, philosophical, political, psychological, cultural) issues in shaping decisions. It should also address the course goals listed above. Your project should provide an in depth analysis indicating an application of many of the class principles to the topic that you have selected. Case studies are strongly encouraged. Group projects will be allowed (no more than two persons per group). All projects must be approved by the class instructor upon submission of a one page summary no later than February 13, 2002. Each paper should not exceed 20 pages (single spaced including figures, references and bibliography). Appendices of reasonable length can be added to substantiate the text. Papers are due by 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday April 15, 2003.

The papers will be graded on the basis of timeliness, completeness and quality of analysis, integration of concepts developed in class, how well you have addressed the course goals, how well you have demonstrated an understanding of the topic addressed, clarity, conciseness, grammar and spelling. When you refer to or quote from published works, you must use APA (American Psychological Association) or MLA (Modern Language Association) style (see http://webster.comnet.edu/mIa.htm). The written paper represents 15% of your final grade. You will be asked to present your project to the rest of the class starting on April 22, 2003. The oral presentation represents 15% of your final grade.

"Sustainable development implies a new and healthier balance in how we conduct our human affairs, one that celebrates depth along with surfaces, community along with individuality, spirituality along with materialism, art along with linear technique ", K. Frankel, In Earth's Company

"The times call for a new humanism…. We need to integrate the objective and subjective, the interior and exterior, the ethical and empirical and the qualitative and quantitative dimensions of experience. We need in other words, anew sort of integral thinking", K, Frankel, In Earth's Company

CLASS FORMAT

The classes will consist of a combination of formal lectures and facilitated discussion periods (plenary and group work). You will be exposed to various topics and will be asked to explore those topics with the help of the instructors. Sustainability can be approached in many different ways. There are no definite answers to the issues that will be discussed in class. Guest speakers from industry and the CU Boulder campus will provide additional expertise that will be beneficial to all.

"When there is no vision, the people perish", Proverbs 29:18

"The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when they were created" Albert Einstein

"We have become so successful at controlling nature that we have lost our connection to it", AI Gore, Earth in the Balance

COURSE ROAD MAP

1) Creating Awareness (Weeks 1-5)
2) Creating a New Mindset to Solve Old Problems (Week 6)
3) Sustainability and Sustainable Development: The Concept (Weeks 7-8)
4) Tools for Moving Toward Sustainable Processes in Engineering (Weeks 9-12)
5) Strategies and Implementation (Weeks 13 & 14)
6) Term Projects (Weeks 15-16 and Final Exam Period)

"We have the capacity and ability to create a remarkably different economy, one that can restore ecosystems and protect the environment while bringing forth innovation, prosperity, meaningful work, and true security. The restorative economy unites ecology and commerce into one sustainable act of production and distribution that mimics and enhances natural systems ", Paul Hawken, The Ecology of Commerce

"We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect. There is no other way for land to survive the impact of mechanized man, nor for us to reap from it the esthetic harvest it is capable, under science, of contributing to culture ", Aldo Leopold, A Sand County Almanac

COURSE OUTLINE

Week 1 – January 14 & 16

• Welcome, Introduction, What to Expect, Course Outline
• Ecological Footprint and Population Growth

Week 2 – January 21 & 23

• Techno Optimists versus Apocalyptics. Do we really have a problem?
• Natural Systems Functions/Ecosystem Services Earth as a Living Integrated System

Week 3 – January 28 & 30

• Natural Systems Functions/Eco system Services Earth as a Living Integrated System (continued)
• State of the World 2002

Week 4 – February 4 & 6

• Anthropogenic Effects on Nature

Week 5 – February 11 & 13

• Cosmology and discussion on Ishmael
• Understanding and Learning from Indigenous Cultures

Week 6 – February 18 & 20

• Cartesian Thinking and the Need for a Changed Mindset
• Whole System Thinking versus Linear Cartesian Thinking

Week 7 – February 25 & 27

• Definitions of Sustainability
• Questions about sustainability
• Timeline of Events since 1960
• Groups Interested in Sustainable Development and Policies
• Sustainable Development Indicators, Tools and Strategies
• Industrial Revolution and Industrial Capitalism

Week 8 – March 4 and 6

• Videotape Paul Hawken
• Discussion on The Ecology of Commerce

Week 9 – March 11 and 13

• Natural Capitalism
• The Natural Step Framework

Week 10 – March 18 and 20

• The Next Industrial Revolution from Eco-efficiency to Eco-effectiveness (Video)
• The ZERI approach

Week 11 – Spring Break

Week 12 – April 1 and 3

• Biomimicry Learning from Nature
• Factor 4 and Factor 10 and ISO Standards

Week 13 – April 8 and 10

• The Built Environment
• Green Design and Development

Week 14 – April 15 and 17

• Pioneering Approaches to Sustainability in Industry
• Implementing Sustainable Solutions through Case Studies

Week 15 – April 22 and 24

• Presentation of Term Projects

Week 16 – April 29 and MU 1

• Presentation of Term Projects (continued)

Final Exam Period: Tuesday MU 6, 7:30-10:00 p.m.

• Presentation of Term Projects (continued)

Instructor:
Dr. Marybeth Lima, Associate Professor
Room 159 E.B. Doran Building
Phone: 578 1061
E-mail: mlima1 {at} lsu(.)edu

Office hours: Thursday mornings, 8:30 11:30 a.m. or by appointment

Credit hours: 2 (1 hour lecture, 3 hours lab per week)

Meeting Schedule:
Tuesday 12:40 – 1:30, 104 Tureaud
Lab section 1: Friday, 1:40 4:30, Rm. 115 E.B. Doran
Lab section 2: Thursday, 1:40 4:30, Rm. 115 E.B. Doran

Final exam: Friday, May 16, 7:30 9:30 a.m., 104 Tureaud

Prerequisites: none

Course designations: This is a service-learning course, and a communication intensive course

Course description: Effect of variability and constraints of biological systems on engineering problem solving and design; engineering units; engineering report writing; oral report presentation; laboratory demonstration of biological engineering analysis.

Objectives: After completing this course, you should be able to:

1. Define and discuss engineering and biological engineering.

2. Have a better appreciation of yourself and your learning process, including why you picked this major.

3. Understand in some depth the area of biological engineering in which you want to study in which you are interested.

4. Communicate effectively with your community partner(s) and your peers, and apply rudimentary techniques for working together and resolving conflicts that result in the most success.

5. Conceptualize the process of engineering design, including the following: what is engineering design, how does one approach a problem using the engineering method, impact of social and technical factors on design, evaluation methods in design, and effective communication in the design process.

6. Understand the significance of service-learning, and how it affects your strength as a person and an engineering student.

7. Understand the significance of communicating, and how it affects your strength as an engineer.

Course Texts:

Donaldson, K. 2002. The Engineering Student Survival Guide (B.E.S.T. Series). McGraw-Hill, New York, NY. 216 pp.

Gelb, M. 1998. How to Think like Leonardo Da Vinci: Seven steps to genius every day. Delacorte Press, New York, NY. 322 pp.

Handbook for Public Playground Safety. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Publication #325, 43 pp. (provided free of charge)

Reference Books:

Burghardt, M. 1995. Introduction to the Engineering Profession, (2nd Edition). HarperCollins College Publishers, New York, NY. 298 pp.

Oakes, W., Leone, L. and C. Gunn. 2000. Engineering Your Future: An Introduction to Engineering (2nd Edition). Great Lakes Press, Okemos, MI, 650 pp.

Pfeiffer, W. 1997. Technical Writing: A Practical Approach (3rd Edition). Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ. 616 pp.

Wright, P. 1989. Introduction to Engineering. Wiley & Songs, New York, NY. 292 pp.

Course approach. This is a service-learning course. Service-learning is defined as a credit-bearing, educational experience in which students participate in an organized service activity that meets identified community needs and reflect on the service activity in such a way as to gain further understanding of course content, a broader appreciation of the discipline, and an enhanced sense of civic responsibility.

You will accomplish all of the learning objectives in this course by completing a service-learning project that concerns Biological Engineering and addresses a community need. This process is a mutual exchange of knowledge, information and service between the community (through community partners) and each of you.

This year, each section (Thursday and Friday lab sections) will be working in a groups of 3-4 students to design a playground. Each of these playgrounds will be designed by end of the semester, and will hopefully be constructed at some point in the future. Today we will discuss our approach, and will consult information on each community partner.

Overall approach:

Weeks 1-4< > Learn about engineering design and the engineering design method< > Learn about designing playgrounds< > Learn about your group members and create policies for decision making and management issues< > Information gathering on community partner and addressing community needs (meet with contact and community members, site visit)

Weeks 5-8< > Continue information gathering with community partners (second site visit, further discussions with community partners) and professional playground designers< > Generate preliminary designs < > Initial check on designs by instructor

Weeks 9-13< > Create and refine final design with input from instructor, community partners, and experts

Weeks 14-15< > Presentation of final design to panel consisting of community partners and playground design experts < > Instructor and community partners take all designs and suggestions from panel, and streamline them into one consolidated design that best addresses community needs

Subsequent to semester:< > Instructor (and interested students) presents streamlined design to community partners for further input, and a final design is agreed upon< > Fundraising for playground project is completed< > Construction will take place with community and student volunteers

Community Partners.

Section 1. Your community partners are the Old South Baton Rouge Community (centered at the Leo S. Butler Community Center) and Baton Rouge Green. You will be working with these groups to design a community park and playground using the SPARK model (www.sparkpark.com), in which school grounds are transformed into community parks. We will work with the community partners and the community to choose a location, and will then work with community members, including children, parents, and teachers at the school, to design the playground and park.

Section 2. Your community partner is the Louisiana School for the Deaf. The School for the Deaf has four playgrounds, an elementary school playground, a middle school playground, a high school playground, and a special needs playground. You will be involved with re-designing the special needs playground. Administrators at the School for the Deaf have chosen to tear down all existing equipment on the special needs playground and are in the process of starting over. You will be working with the children, parents, teachers, therapists, and administrators at the School to design a playground for children with special needs.

Grading policy:
Grades will be determined based on the following break down:

Midterm exam — 20%
Quizzes (2, plus lab attendance, 6.67% each) — 20%
Student Portfolio (web page, journal and selected HW) — 20%
Group design project — 20%
(10% individual contribution, 10% group grade, grades determined in consultation with community partner)
Final exam — 20%

A number of criteria are used for grading because each of us has strengths in different areas. My objective is for each of you to shine in this course; the different criteria for grading are provided with this notion in mind. In past years, there has been no curve in this class (that is, 89.5% and above is an A, 80-89.4% is a B, 70-79.4% is a C, 60-69.4% is a D, and <60% is an F); I expect the same situation to prevail this year.

Student portfolio. Each of you will be developing a portfolio this semester. A portfolio is defined as a purposeful collection of student work that tells the story of the student s efforts, progress or achievement in a given area. Your purpose this semester is to learn about engineering, biological engineering, and yourself. Completing the assignments in this course will enable each of you to examine your motivations for choosing this major, and to learn more about biological engineering. This knowledge will help you to identify your personal and professional goals. Through portfolios, you will be documenting your path to a greater understanding of yourself and of this profession. You can use your portfolio for reference throughout your undergraduate career and beyond.

Investigators have established four levels of learning, which are as follows: (1) Information: student can define, repeat, list, name, label, memorize, recall and/or relate that information. (2) Knowledge: student shows an understanding and comprehension of the information gained in level (1), and can describe, explain, compare/contrast, identify, discuss and/or summarize it. (3) Application/Analysis: student can solve problems by applying knowledge in new situations, and can critically distinguish the logical components of other applications of that knowledge. (4) Wisdom: student can display professional judgment and the ability to synthesize, design, organize, plan, manage, teach and/or evaluate. Investigators have also determined that approximately 85-90% of one s undergraduate education is spent in levels (1) and (2). My goal as an educator is to provide opportunities for students to participate in levels (3) and (4). Developing your portfolio is one way to accomplish this. <,p>Your portfolio will consist of three parts: (1) a personal web page that you will develop as part of this class; (2) an engineering journal, which contains incidental or informal writing assignments that we will be doing throughout the semester, and (3) homework assignments.

Throughout the semester, you will have homework assignments, all of which will go into your portfolios. Obtain a notebook or binder immediately for your portfolio! In this way, you will be able to build the portfolio throughout the semester, instead of rushing to pull it together at the last minute. You will turn in your portfolios for comments from me at mid-semester.

Your final portfolio should contain the following:

1. A table of contents, including a description of the work done and the page on which it appears. An example is as follows:

Description ———- Page

Introduction: my portfolio ———- 1
My definition of engineering, 1/22/02 ——— 2
My group s definition of engineering, 1/22/02 ———- 3
The class definition of engineering, 1/22/02 ———- 4
Autobiographical sketch ———- 5

Personal web page address at www.bae.lsu.edu/people/Faculty/mlima/WEB_FOLDER/index%202.htm

2. A short introduction describing the purpose of your portfolio and what is contained in it; although this goes at the beginning of the portfolio, I suggest you write it at the end of the course.

3. All the work you did in whatever order you d like, as long as it makes sense and fits together

4. Reflection narratives: after certain exercises, you will be asked to write a short statement describing what you thought and felt about that specific exercise. This is to help you to identify how and why you thought the exercise was useful (or not) to you, to help me identify if the exercise is one worth keeping and/or refining for next year s students.

Your portfolio requires a concluding self-assessment narrative, in which you write about your overall experience in the course, and evaluate the use of service-learning in your quest to achieve the objectives of this course.

Feel free to include anything that you find of help to your own learning process. This portfolio is for you, not for me.Engineering journals will be graded on completeness only, and not on what you said, how you said it, or grammar. The purpose of the engineering journal is for you to record all your thoughts, feelings and actions during the course of this class; please keep it with you at all times. These notes can be invaluable for many reasons; they may tell the story of how you develop into an engineer! Also, you may have great ideas that you forget about later; this is one excellent way to keep track of them.

Homework assignments. Homework assignments are intended to help you understand material. I employ a resubmission process for homework because of this reason: if you mess it up the first time, instead of just getting the grade and continuing, re-submissions allow you to concentrate on the mistakes you make and to fix them.

Re-submissions will not be accepted for any grade higher than 80%, except in special cases that I will designate. You may re-submit an assignment for any grade lower than this, and your final grade for that assignment will be the average of the original grade and the final grade. You are not required to re-submit any assignment, but if you choose to, you must re-submit within one week of the assignment being returned to you in class. If you happen to miss class the day the assignment is returned, you are still responsible for re-submitting it one week from the date in which it was returned in class. Your submission must include a written explanation of what (specifically) you didn t understand, and why you understand it now.

Homework must be turned in on time to receive full credit. Assignments must be turned in by 4:30 p.m. the day they are due in order to be considered on time! Late assignments will receive 20% off for each day that they are late! No re-submissions will be accepted for assignments turned in late.

Course policies:

1. Turn off your cell phones before you come to class. If you have an emergency, place your cell phone on vibrate!

2. Although I expect each of you to attend all classes, arrive punctually and participate, your final grade for this course will not be based on these criteria (except for attendance at lab). However, if you attend class regularly and on time, and if you participate in class discussion, it could make the difference in getting the higher letter grade if you are on the borderline between two. If you miss class, you are responsible for finding out what you missed from your classmates!

I will be taking attendance in lab this semester! The percentage of labs that you attend will be one of your quiz grades! For example, if you attend 13 of 15 lab sessions, then your attendance grade is 13/15*100 = 87%. This grade represents one quiz grade (of four total). If you miss labs, it is your responsibility to MAKE UP THE LAB. Do not copy data from your classmates.

If you know you re going to miss class in advance, let me know and I ll make arrangements to let you know what you re going to miss.

3. Cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated! I check work carefully, and will report any student I suspect of academic misconduct to the Dean of Students, Dr. Jim Welles. It is okay to work together on homework assignments but it is NOT okay to COPY someone s work (or to allow someone to copy yours). Check with me or the Code of Student Conduct Code of Student Conduct if you have questions on this matter; it is better to find out all the information you need up front, vs. asking for forgiveness later! The reporting process would be agonizing for all of us, but I will do it if I have to. As a faculty member of LSU, it is my responsibility to uphold academic integrity, and the reputation of this university. I take this responsibility very seriously.

4. Group work. A significant portion of what you learn in this course will be accomplished in a group setting. Your grade for the group design project is worth a significant portion of your grade for this course, and will be determined by me with input from you, your community partners, and other members in your group, each of whom will complete a confidential evaluation of all group members (this evaluation will be determined by all of us at the beginning of the semester). If you do not participate and attend meetings, your grade may suffer as a result! A sample grading rubric created by last year s class is included below:

Good citizen and group member (attitude, respectfulness, listening, group and communication skills): 25%< > Attendance at meetings (in and out of class, with community partners, etc.): 25%< > Dependability (did what needed to be done in a timely manner): 25%< > Contribution to design project (quality of work, quantity of work): 25%

Special Issue: Communication Across the Curriculum. Studies have shown that through more frequent writing experiences and instructor feedback, students become more proficient and confident in their oral and written communication skills. LSU has implemented a Writing Across the Curriculum Program (and is in the process of switching to a communication across the curriculum model) to improve the writing skills of students at this university. One program requirement is ensuring that students take at least one course designated writing intensive during each year of their college career. BE 1252 has been designated the writing intensive course for the freshman year! This course is also communication intensive, that is, you will be required to make several oral presentations to your community partner and to your peers throughout the semester.

For those of you who do not enjoy writing and speaking, keep in mind that one of the main complaints of employers regarding entry level engineers is lack of oral, written and group communication skills. You will spend a significant amount of your time writing on the job as a practicing engineer. I will try to make this experience as fun and painless as possible, but keep in mind that strong writing and communication skills will help you a great deal in your education, and in your future career.

BE 1252 Biology in Engineering: day-to-day syllabus plan
Note: this plan is subject to change

Thurs., 1/23 Former BE 1252 design projects