Techno-economic Modeling as an Inquiry-based Design Activity in a Core Chemical Engineering Course

Abstract

Mexico. She is a co-principal investigator for the following National Science Foundation (NSF) funded projects: Professional Formation of Engineers: Research Initiation in Engineering Formation (PFE: RIEF)-Using Digital Badging and Design Challenge Modules to Develop Professional Identity; Professional Formation of Engineers: REvolutionizing engineering and computer science Departments (IUSE PFE\RED)-Formation of Accomplished Chemical Engineers for Transforming Society. She is a member of the CBE department's ABET and Undergraduate Curriculum Committee, as well as faculty advisor for several student societies. She is the instructor of several courses in the CBE curriculum including the Material and Energy Balances, junior laboratories and Capstone Design courses. She is associated with several professional organizations including the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) and American Society of Chemical Engineering Education (ASEE) where she adopts and contributes to innovative pedagogical methods aimed at improving student learning and retention.

Leveraging Students’ Funds of Knowledge in Chemical Engineering Design Challenges Supports Persistence Intentions

“…For instance, in the Acid Mine Drainage challenge, we told students that we expected those from rural communities to share their experiences to ensure their solutions actually met the needs feasibly. Our purpose is not to report on the impact of the design challenges in much depth, as this is reported elsewhere, , but rather to illustrate the diversity and value that sociotechnical context has in showing students their funds of knowledge are salient in chemical engineering, thereby also validating their presence in the field.…”

The Educative Design Problem Framework: Relevance, Sociotechnical Complexity, Accessibility, and Nondeterministic High Ceilings

“…One of the ways that we can mitigate the amount of wastewater is to use it to support a large scale algal biofuel production facility, with added benefit of increased economic stability. This problem is relevant to students because it encourages them to consider local and regional resources (e.g., local dairy farmers) and because many students are interested in sustainable fuel sources (based on surveys, video recordings, and field notes) [43][44][45]. The instructors reportand video data confirms-some students find the problem compelling because of the innovation potential in other commercial applications of algae.…”

Insights and Outcomes from a Revolution in a Chemical Engineering Department

“…Ultimately, as a result of the changes, our students developed more expert-like skills related to designing [43][44][45][46], more sophisticated ethical reasoning [47,48], improved collaboration skills [44,49], and all without having a negative impact on conceptual learning. Our longitudinal analysis suggests that our approach has fostered persistence, especially among first-generation Latinx students, in part because of a focus on students' assets [50,51].…”