Description: This paper discusses a transformational paradigm for engineering and engineering technology education. The knowledge explosion in science, technology, engineering & mathematics (STEM) over the past decades is unquestionably overwhelming. It is important that those involved in STEM quickly adapt. Life-long learning has taken a do-or-die slant, as technological breakthroughs turn obsolete within only a few years of their inception. Medical and law degree curricula became more "professional" and require a "pre-degree" status to be considered for admission. However, the traditional engineering degree plan is essentially the same as that of the mid 20th Century. Legislation in some states places additional pressure on baccalaureate degrees by questioning the need for anything above 120 credit hours. The result is (i) fewer engineering-specific courses; (ii) courses that heavily emphasize theory; and (iii) a subsequent reduction in hands-on, laboratory oriented, experimental learning. Engineering Technology curricula are designed to have experiential learning as the educational backbone. This forces a reduction in mathematical and scientific depth that is compensated by a richness of laboratory courses in almost one-to-one proportion to lecture courses, and which emphasize the application of engineering. The main challenges to establish and maintain experiential learning include (i) availability of slots in the curricula ...

Description: This paper discusses enhancing the undergraduate research experience in a senior design context. Abstract: This paper presents an instructional framework developed by the authors that engages senior students in a 5-credit Research and Development course incorporating project development, implementation, entrepreneurship, innovation, creativity, teamwork, and communication. The paper discusses the development and accomplishments of the course over the past four years in the context of the Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) - an initiative at the University of Houston intended to encourage the development and enhancement of undergraduate research skills. The philosophy behind the course is to provide training and real world, small-scale project experience through the completion of a full-project lifecycle from conceptualization to prototype. Brief discussion of those projects that resulted in provisional patents, refereed journal publications, and conference presentations will be given. Some of the features of the course, such as University and industry guest speaker series and final project evaluation by the department's Industrial Advisory Board, leading professionals, faculty, technical staff and peers will be examined. The paper concludes by outlining a set of short term and long term goals for the future direction of the course.

Description: This paper discusses research on acoustic cancellation in architecture. Because of the propagation and interference of sound waves in a fluidic medium, acoustic cancellation due to architecture will often occur where it is least desired, such as in classrooms, churches, or presentation rooms. This dampening of sound may occur when evenly spaced structures are positioned at an interval roughly equivalent to half the wavelength of the sound being cancelled. Through the modeled and structural observance of this phenomenon, a theoretical model has been developed that can provide a means by which to determine the frequencies of sound that will be filtered out by a structure's inherent arrangement.

Description: Resonators are one of the most important parts of electronic products. They provide a stable reference frequency to ensure the operation of these products. Recently, the electronic products have the trend of miniaturization, which rendered the size reduction of the resonators as well [1]. Better design of the resonators relies on a better understanding of the crystals' nonlinear behavior [2]. The nonlinearities affect the quality factor and acoustic behavior of MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical-System) and nano-structured resonators and filters [3]. Among these nonlinear effects, Drivel Level Dependence (DLD), which describes the instability of the resonator frequency due to voltage level and/or power density, is an urgent problem for miniaturized resonators [2]. Langasite and GaPO4 are new promising piezoelectric material. Resonators made from these new materials have superior performance such as good frequency-temperature characteristics, and low acoustic loss [2]. In this thesis, experimental measurements of drive level dependence of langasite resonators with different configurations (plano-plano, single bevel, and double bevel) are reported. The drive level dependence of GaPO4 resonators are reported as well for the purpose of comparison. The results show that the resonator configuration affects the DLD of the langasite resonator. Experiments for DLD at elevated temperature are also performed, and it ...

Description: Minimum quantity lubrication replaces the traditional method of flood cooling with small amounts of high-efficient lubrication. Limited studies have been performed to determine the characteristics of mist produced during MQL. This study investigated the mist concentration levels produced while drilling 1018 steel using a vegetable based lubricant. ANOVA was performed to determine whether speed and feed rates or their interactions have a significant effect on mist concentration levels and particle diameter. It was observed that the concentration levels obtained under all four speed and feed rate combinations studied exceeded the current OSHA and NIOSH standards.