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Serah is an undergraduate student at Washington State University in the school of Chemical Engineering. She is involved in research regarding the design of low-cost DLM to enable the cleanup of syngas from a gasification reactor. Prof. Bernard J. Van Wie, Washington State UniversityProf. Bernard J. Van Wie did his B.S., M.S. and Ph.D., and postdoctoral work at the University of Oklahoma where he also taught as a visiting lecturer. He has been on the Washington State University faculty for 32 years and for the past 18 years has focused on innovative pedagogy research and technical research in biotechnology. His 2007His -2008 Fulbright exchange to Nigeria set the stage for him to receive the Marian Smith Award given annually to the most innovative teacher at Washington State University. Jacqueline K Burgher, Washington State UniversityJacqueline Burgher is a graduate student at Washington State University in the Chemical Engineering Department. She received her bachelor's degree from Anderson University, worked in industry, received an MBA from Anderson University and is currently working with Prof. Bernard J. Van Wie on fabricating, optimizing, and implementing a miniaturized gasification system for use in the engineering classroom. To transform the STEM learning environment and make it more effective, exciting and experiential, hands-on learning needs to be implemented in the classroom. This is the long term goal in a set of NSF projects, one a new IUSE project and a continuing TUES/CCLI project enhanced through a USAID/NSF PEER and TUES supplement. The objectives are to build and disseminate light weight, low-cost Desktop Learning Modules (DLMs), with interchangeable Fluid Mechanics, Heat Transfer and Biomass Conversion cartridges. The TUES laid a foundation resulting in a marketed technology being used in classrooms around the world in universities, community colleges and high schools, while the IUSE seeks to extend the technology to an ultra-lowcost format through design-for-manufacture with 3D printing and vacuforming.Studying the impact of these DLMs is crucial to the success of this research to determine educational effectiveness. Assessment strategies are being refined, and we have now added a pre-/post motivation survey to add to our technical assessment centered on pre-/posttest written explanations to provide a more subjective grading rubric. DLM cartridge options are also being expanded to include biofuels options. However, gasification is highly exothermic resulting in high temperatures that can create high pressure if gases are confined in small spaces. Therefore, the biogasifier DLM design requires special safety specifications so class demonstrations do not pose risks for students and instructors. Considerations include gasifier placement into a polycarbonate shielded container for easy visualization, reducing reactor size to mm-diameter quartz tubes to create a classroom safe system that limits total thermal energy, directed thermal heating through electrical resistance wires, and providing uniq...

Negar Beheshtipour received her B.S. in chemical Engineering at Tehran University where she also taught as a teacher assistant. She is currently working towards a PhD in Chemical Engineering at Washington State University under supervision of Dr. Van Wie and Dr. Thiessen. In addition to her chemical engineering research into phase separation in microgravity, Negar is interested in engineering education and new pedagogies. Now she is working on low-cost version of desktop learning modules. Kitana Manivone Kaiphanliam, Washington State UniversityKitana Kaiphanliam is a Senior Undergraduate student in the Chemical Engineering program at Washington State University (WSU), where she will also be continuing her education. She currently works with the Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE) group on a hands-on learning project funded by the National Science Foundation's Division of Undergraduate Education. Kitana is an active member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) at WSU, and will serve as their Graduate Student Advisor for the 2018 academic year.