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Description
Effective communication and engineering are not a natural pairing. The incongruence is because engineering students are focused on making, designing and analyzing. Since these are the core functions of the field there is not a direct focus on developing communication skills. This honors thesis explores the role and expectations for student engineers within the undergraduate engineering education experience to present and communicate ideas. The researchers interviewed faculty about their perspective on students' abilities with respect to their presentation skills to inform the design of a workshop series of interventions intended to make engineering students better communicators.
ContributorsAlbin, Joshua Alexander (Co-author) / Brancati, Sara (Co-author) / Lande, Micah (Thesis director) / Martin, Thomas (Committee member) / Industrial, Systems and Operations Engineering Program (Contributor) / Software Engineering (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
Solar panels need to be both cost effective and environmentally friendly to compete with traditional energy forms. Photovoltaic recycling has the potential to mitigate the harm of waste, which is often landfilled, while putting material back into the manufacturing process. Out of many, three methods show much promise: Full Recovery End-of-Life Photovoltaic (FRELP), mechanical, and sintering-based recycling. FRELP recycling has quickly gained prominence in Europe and promises to fully recover the components in a solar cell. The mechanical method has produced high yields of valuable materials using basic and inexpensive processes. The sintering method has the potential to tap into a large market for feldspar. Using a levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) analysis, the three methods could be compared on an economic basis. This showed that the mechanical method is least expensive, and the sintering method is the most expensive. Using this model, all recycling methods are less cost effective than the control analysis without recycling. Sensitivity analyses were then done on the effect of the discount rate, capacity factor, and lifespan on the LCOE. These results showed that the change in capacity factor had the most significant effect on the levelized cost of electricity. A final sensitivity analysis was done based on the decreased installation and balance of systems costs in 2025. With a 55% decrease in these costs, the LCOE decreased by close to $0.03/kWh for each method. Based on these results, the cost of each recycling method would be a more considerable proportion of the overall LCOE of the solar farm.
ContributorsMeister, William Frederick (Author) / Goodnick, Stephen (Thesis director) / Phelan, Patrick (Committee member) / Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Program (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
The “flipped classroom” approach entails the reversal of traditional teaching methods, such that students engage with instructional content independently before class, and in-class time is dedicated to active learning, problem-solving, and collaborative activities. This paper predominantly consists of literature review. This paper explores the impact of the flipped classroom model on student engagement, comprehension, and critical thinking skills. The findings aim to contribute valuable insights into the potential benefits and limitations of the flipped classroom model in the realm of engineering education, shedding light on its applicability as a transformative instructional strategy for enhancing student learning outcomes and preparing future engineers for the demands of their profession.
Keywords: Flipped, classroom, engineering
ContributorsJones, Shepherd (Author) / Hjelmstad, Keith (Thesis director) / Chatziefstratiou, Efthalia (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Civil, Environmental and Sustainable Eng Program (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
This report summarizes the development of a test stand used to measure the thrust or impulse of pulsed plasma thrusters (PPT). Currently, there is a lack of accessible, cost-efficient methods for measuring thrust in the market due to the difficulties associated with developing a test stand for extremely low thrust outputs. Despite the difficulties, there is an ever-growing need to develop new methods of measuring thrust as the increased demand for small satellites has prompted investors from the government and private sectors to conduct further research into the development of better propulsion systems for space applications. A part of the developmental process of making propulsion systems is being able to test the thrust of these propulsion systems under vacuum conditions that simulate a space environment. This report details the research conducted on existing test stands as well as the process of designing, manufacturing, and testing a thrust measurement device.
ContributorsYu, Finley (Author) / Goryll, Michael (Thesis director) / Sharp, Thomas (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Program (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
Creative thesis written in conjunction with my Media Arts and Sciences capstone project, Relatables. Relatables are a series of collectible cards and pins that feature four fictional characters representing a diverse range of backgrounds and personalities. These characters serve as catalysts for open and insightful discussions, encouraging children to explore and reflect upon the beginnings of complex aspects of human experiences in a comprehensible manner. A QR code on each of the cards direct users to an interactive website that acts as a hub for exploration and discussion where users can access more detailed profiles of each character and resources for parents.
ContributorsBustamante, McKenna (Author) / Kautz, Luke (Thesis director) / Kirtz, Jaime (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Comm (Contributor) / Arts, Media and Engineering Sch T (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
This project focuses on the redesigning process of a projectile launcher apparatus utilized in physics education environments. Affordability was one of the main factors accounted for throughout the project, and it was achieved by implementing 3D printing, and by simplifying pre-existing solutions. The outcomes of the project include: the design of a fully functional projectile launcher with less than 5% errors, and a detailed manual that indicates how to build your own, as well as, how to experiment with it in order to explore the physics behind projectile motion.
ContributorsCalvo Benito, Mario (Author) / Yekani Fard, Masoud (Thesis director) / Reeves, Hunter (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Program (Contributor)
Created2024-05