ASEE 2011 Annual Conference & Exposition Blog

Your daily recap and reminder of the must-see events and happenings at the 2011 ASEE Annual Conference

Don’t miss the ASEE Global Pavilion! Experience dynamic presentations by ASEE corporate and institutional partners highlighting globally focused programs and initiatives that address the critical issue of sustainability. There is no cost to attend pavilion sessions, but all sessions are ticketed. Visit the global pavilion promotional table located in the ASEE registration area to pick up your session tickets!

Make sure the ASEE Global Pavilion is on your agenda! Here are some photos of today’s presenters:

ASEE Global Pavilion schedule, Tuesday, June 28:

Autodesk ———————– 11:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.
Dassault Systèmes —— 1:00 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.
Digilent ————————– 2:00 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.
HP ——————————– 3:00 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.

Highlights from Monday:

Monday’s Main Plenary by Karl A. Smith, Cooperative Learning Professor of Engineering Education at Purdue University and Morse–Alumni Distinguished Teaching Professor & Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of Minnesota, focused on six highlighted topics (presented by six different educators) selected for their broad appeal across established, evolving, and emerging practices in engineering education.

An interactive panel discussion on the state of engineering education as a formal academic discipline was delivered at the tasty Breakfast of Champions.

The mid-morning Focus on Exhibits brunch provided the opportunity to socialize after the main plenary and before the packed day of sessions and panels. The NSF paper session was well-attended, as was the exciting robot competition later in the day.

What’s On Tomorrow:

Tuesday is Industry Day, with a number of important technical sessions devoted to industry–academic relations, including industry/research licensing best practices, industry collaborations in engineering technology, and preparing engineers for a global workplace.

The day’s highlights include four Distinguished Lectures.Technical sessions run from 7 a.m. through the morning, then resume after the Lectures. At 4:45 p.m., work shifts to pleasure with the ASEE Focus on Exhibits Happy Hour. Take the opportunity to speak with deans and ASEE leaders at the Meet the Board Forum at 4 p.m. in the Exhibit Hall and Global Pavilion.

For the titles, times, and locations of all workshops and events, visit the online session locator at: www.asee.org/osl. You can build an individual matrix or use a keyword search to find topics of interest.

ASEE Distinguished Lecture Series, 10:30 a.m. – Noon

Distinguished Lecture: DAVID WILLIAMSON SHAFFER. 10:30 a.m.–Noon. Vancouver International Conference Centre, 301. Moderator: Dr. Trevor Scott Harding. Sponsored by the Educational Research and Methods Division and the ASEE Board of Directors.

Topic: Measuring Innovation with Epistemic Games

David Williamson Shaffer, Educational Psychology Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, looks at creative engineering thinking: what makes it unique, and how we can measure it and teach it using computer games. The result is an epistemic perspective on learning and assessment: a theory of learning suited to the global economy of the 21st Century and the realities of professional practice.

Distinguished Lecture: LARRY F. HANNEMAN and PHIL D. GARDNER. 10:30 a.m.–Noon. Conference Centre, 211. Sponsored by the Educational Research and Methods Division and the ASEE Board of Directors.

Topic: Changing Employer Expectations: Under the Economic Turmoil a Skills Gap Simmers

Larry F. Hanneman, Adjunct Associate Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering at Iowa State University, and Philip D. Gardner, Director of Research for the Collegiate Employment Research Institute at Michigan State University, will discuss demand pressures building within the college-educated labor market in response to companies desperately seeking talent to replace their aging Boomer workforce.

Distinguished Lecture: LINDA ROSEN AND RICHARD STEPHENS. 10:30 a.m.–Noon. Conference Centre, 122. Moderators: Mr. Pete Janzow and Ms. C. Diane Matt. Sponsored by the Corporate Members Council and the ASEE Board of Directors.

Topic: The Sleeping Dragon is Waking

Linda P. Rosen, Chief Executive Officer of Change the Equation, and Richard “Rick” Stephens, Senior Vice President of Human Resources and Administration at the Boeing Company, talk about STEM K-12 education in the United States as a once-dormant force that now stirs in the public eye. Moreover, widespread national and global efforts are sparking a revolution in K-12 STEM education.

Distinguished Lecture: ANETTE KOLMOS, MASAHIRO TAKEI, AND MYONGSOOK OH. 10:30 a.m.–Noon. Conference Centre, 306. Sponsored by the ASEE Board of Directors.

Topic: ASEE International Partners

Anette Kolmos, Professor in Engineering Education and Problem-Based Learning at Aalborg University and representing the European Society for Engineering Education (SEFI), Masahiro Takei, Professor at Chiba University’s Graduate School of Engineering and representing the Japanese Society of Engineering Education (JSEE), and Myongsook Oh, Professor of Chemical Engineering at Hongik University and representing the Korean Society of Engineering Education (KSEE), discuss the current state, development, and impact of engineering education in their respective regions/countries and constituencies.

Notable panels:

Gender and Engineering Education: A Panel Discussion and Workshop. 8:45 a.m.–10:15 a.m. Conference Centre, East Building – Room 10. Moderators: Jean-Celeste M. Kampe, Michigan Technological University, and Yevgeniya V. Zastavker, Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering. The goal of this session is to help educators become more aware of how they relate to gender and how their behavior and discourse may affect their students.

Opportunities for Engineering Research from Federal Agencies and Beyond. 12:30 p.m.–2:00 p.m. Conference Centre, 206. Moderators: Ralph H. Zee, Auburn University, and Michael R. Kessler, Iowa State University. The overall goal of this panel presentation is to better prepare faculty members, especially new members, to be more effective and efficient in identifying the best funding sources and developing their research proposals.

Best Practices in K-12 and University Partnerships. 12:30 p.m.–2:00 p.m. Conference Centre, East Building – Room 13. Moderator: Mercedes M McKay, Stevens Institute of Technology. This panel will offer attendees tips and strategies for forming and maintaining an effect partnership between university engineering educators and K-12 school personnel. Presentations by invited panelists will be followed by discussion with the audience.

Engineering Educators in Government. 2:15 p.m.–3:45 p.m. Conference Centre, 213. Moderator: John R. Reisel, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Several former government fellows will share their experiences. Topics to be discussed include how engineers can shape government policy and how all engineering educators can bring a discussion of the public policy process into their classrooms.

Simulation Meets Low-Cost Hardware for Hands-On Mechatronics, Robotics, and Controls Curriculum. 2:15 p.m.–3:45 p.m. Conference Centre, East Building – Room 15. Moderator: Rohit Shenoy, MathWorks. This presentation-style panel will discuss two core elements: Modeling & Simulation and Low-Cost Rapid Prototyping.

And don’t miss:

Innovations in Power Engineering Education. 7:00 a.m.–8:30 a.m. Conference Centre, 114; Developing Young MINDS in Engineering: Part I. 8:45 a.m.–10:15 a.m. Conference Centre, 216; Structural Education Applications in Architectural Engineering. 8:45 a.m.–10:15 a.m. Conference Centre, 305; Ethical Perspectives on the Grand Challenges of Engineering. 12:15 p.m.-3:45 p.m. Conference Centre, 121; Innovative College-Industry Partnerships for the Future. 12:30 p.m.-2:00 p.m. Conference Centre, 215; Aerospace Teaching and Learning I. 12:30 p.m.-2:00 p.m. Conference Centre, 105/106.

Spotlight on International Trends:

Global Engineering Education: Cross-cultural Awareness and Social Impacts. 7:00 a.m.–8:30 a.m. Conference Centre, 111. Moderators: Henry A. Zwick, College of Eastern Utah, and Siben Dasgupta, Wentworth Institute of Technology.

Qualitative Research Programs & International Research Experience from Around the World. 8:45 a.m.–10:15 a.m. Conference Centre, 213. Moderators: Mysore Narayanan, Miami University, Aurenice Menezes Oliveira, Michigan Technological University, and Zsuzsa Balogh, Metropolitan State College of Denver.

Making Students Aware of Their World: Five Perspectives. 12:30 p.m.–2:00 p.m. Conference Centre, East Building – Room 2.

How Can Today’s Global Engineers Successfully Compete? 2:30 p.m.–4:00 p.m. Conference Centre, 113.

Global Engineering Models: Developments and Implementations. 7:30 p.m.–9:00 p.m. Conference Centre, 103/104. Moderators: Surinder M. Jain, Sinclair Community College, Patricia Fox, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis, and Jorge Rodriguez, Western Michigan University.

Poster Sessions, 4:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m.

Poster Sessions will be held from 4:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m. in the Conference Centre, Exhibit Hall C, with moderators Karen A. Vagts, Tufts University; Leonard J. Bohmann, Michigan Technological University; Melany M. Ciampi, Safety, Health and Environment Research Organization; Claudio da Rocha Brito, Science and Education Research Council; Gholam Ali Shaykhian, Florida Institute of Technology, Ahmed Rubaai, Howard University; James E. Lewis, University of Louisville, and Richard J. Freuler, Ohio State University.

They are sponsored by the divisions of Engineering Libraries, Physics, Women in Engineering, Liberal Education, Design in Engineering Education, Electrical & Computer, International, Multidisciplinary Engineering, Biological & Agricultural, Energy Conversion and Conservation, Experimentation & Lab-Oriented Studies, Civil Engineering, Graduate Studies, Manufacturing, Computers in Education, First-Year Programs, K-12 & Pre-College Engineering, Corporate Member Council, Chemical Engineering, and more, which offer a view of varied classroom, lab, outreach, and overseas experiences.

Be sure to stop by and learn about enriching K-12 Math Education with LEGOs; using Social Media to Build and Grow an Engineering Community on a small campus; laying the groundwork for creating an Artificial Bullfrog; dissecting the Leadership Opportunities for Female Engineering Students in Korea; and transitioning a Lab-Based Course to an Online Format.

Events highlights: TUESDAY

ASEE BISTRO. 9:00 a.m.–6:30 p.m. Conference Centre, Exhibit Hall C. Operating during the Exhibit Hall’s hours of operation, the Bistro features breakfast, lunch, snack foods, and beverages, available for purchase.

Manufacturing Division Competition. 12:30 p.m.–2:00 p.m. Conference Centre, Exhibit Hall C. High school, college, and university students compete to design and fabricate a wearable hand-assisting device to assist patients with limited hand function.

ASEE Meet the Board Forum. 4:00 p.m.–5:30 p.m. Conference Centre, ASEE Global Pavilion – Exhibit Hall C. Meet the ASEE Board at this complimentary session in the Global Pavilion.

Focus on Exhibits Happy Hour, 4:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m. Conference Centre, Exhibit Hall C.

Field Trip to Ballard and Heliocentris Corporate Headquarters and Fuel-Cell Manufacturing Facility in Burnaby, Vancouver, BC. 7:00 p.m.–11:00 p.m. This ticketed event is $10 advance registration and $20 on-site registration. Transportation from hotel to the facility and back will be provided. Limit 30 registered attendants.

Keep in Mind:

Registration continues Tuesday for attendees, exhibitors and presenters, 7:00 a.m.–Noon in the Conference Centre Exhibit Hall. Please give yourself ample time before sessions begin.

The Projects staff at the ASEE booth in the Exhibit Hall can provide the latest information on fellowships and scholarships administered by the Society. Learn about millions of dollars’ worth of programs for faculty, post-doctoral researchers, graduates, and interns sponsored by the U.S. Navy, National Science Foundation, and Department of Defense.

The Speaker Ready Room provides a dedicated quiet space for presenters to prepare their materials. Monday – Wednesday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Conference Centre, 102. Internet service is not provided.

Your daily recap and reminder of the must-see events and happenings at the 2011 ASEE Annual Conference

Sunday, June 26

Don’t miss the ASEE Global Pavilion! Experience dynamic presentations by ASEE corporate and institutional partners highlighting globally focused programs and initiatives that address the critical issue of sustainability. There is no cost to attend pavilion sessions, but all sessions are ticketed. Visit the global pavilion promotional table located in the ASEE registration area to pick up your session tickets!

Make sure the ASEE Global Pavilion is on your agenda!

ASEE Global Pavilion schedule, Monday, June 27:

Autodesk ————————– 11:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.
Mathworks ———————– 1:00 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.
National Instruments ——— 2:00 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.
ASEE International Dept. —- 3:00 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.

Highlights from Sunday:

Greet the Stars, an orientation session at the Pan Pacific Vancouver Hotel, Coal Harbor Suite for new ASEE members and first-time conference attendees, had ASEE President Renata Engel and other leaders on hand to explain the work of the Society and their goals for the conference.

Afterward, everyone gathered in the West Ballroom for ASEE’s Annual Picnic presented by Autodesk. Attendees were presented with First Nations entertainment, local cuisine, and a view of the Vancouver harbor.

What’s On Tomorrow:

Monday will be a full day, with early-morning technical sessions and breakfasts followed by the Main Plenary and a series of panel discussions and sessions through the afternoon. Be sure to take a mid-morning break to join the complimentary “Focus on Exhibits” Brunch in the Exhibit Hall.

For the titles, times and locations of all workshops, visit the online session locator. You can build an individual matrix or use a keyword search to find topics of interest.

ASEE Main Plenary, 8:45 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.

Vancouver International Conference Centre, West Ballroom CD

Expected to draw over 2,000 attendees, this year’s plenary features Karl A. Smith, Cooperative Learning Professor of Engineering Education at Purdue University and Morse–Alumni Distinguished Teaching Professor & Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of Minnesota.

Smith has been at the University of Minnesota since 1972 and has been active in ASEE since he became a member in 1973. For the past five years, he has been helping start the engineering education Ph.D. program at Purdue University. He is a Fellow of the American Society for Engineering Education and past Chair of the Educational Research and Methods Division. He has worked with thousands of faculty all over the world on pedagogies of engagement, especially cooperative learning, problem-based learning, and constructive controversy.

On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Journal of Engineering Education and the release of ASEE’s Phase II report Creating a Culture for Scholarly and Systematic Innovation in Engineering Education (Jamieson/Lohmann report), the plenary will celebrate these milestones and demonstrate rich, mutual interdependences between practice and inquiry into teaching and learning in engineering education. Depth and range of the plenary will energize the audience and reflects expertise and interests of conference participants. One of ASEE’s premier educators and researchers, Smith will draw upon our roots in scholarship to set the stage and weave the transitions for six highlighted topics selected for their broad appeal across established, evolving, and emerging practices in engineering education.

Globalizing Engineering Education I: Mini Plenary and Keynote. 4:00 p.m.–5:30 p.m. Conference Centre, 204.

Speaker: Dr. Lester A. Gerhardt: Professor, Electrical, Computer and Systems Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and Chair of Global Engineering Education Exchange (Global EEE). “Globalizing Engineering Education: A Status Report: Needs Met and Unmet, and a Vision for the Future.” Respondent: Peggy Blumenthal: Senior Counselor to the President, Institute of International Education.

Notable panels:

Socialization of Engineering Students: A Workplace Approach. 12:30p.m.–2:00 p.m. Conference Centre, 305. Moderator: Susan M. Matney, North Carolina State University. This is a panel discussion comprised of faculty, employers, and co-op professionals.

Innovative Graduate Education Concepts: Organized by the National Institute of Aerospace. 4:00 p.m.–5:30 p.m. Conference Centre, 207. Moderators: Bernard M. Grossman, Virginia Tech, and Mohammad Noori, California Polytechnic. Presenters address the need for creativity and innovation in engineering design.

And don’t miss:

What Works to Retain Students in Chemical Engineering Programs. 7:00 a.m.–8:30 a.m. Conference Centre, 107/108; Engineering as the STEM Glue. 7:00 a.m.–8:30 a.m. Conference Centre, 117; Two-Year College Model Design Competition. 10:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. Conference Centre, Exhibit Hall C; Tricks of the Trade in Teaching I. 12:30 p.m.–2:00 p.m. Conference Centre, East Building – Room 2; Preparing Your Students to be the Leaders of Tomorrow: The NAE Grand Challenge Scholars Program. 2:15 p.m.–3:45 p.m. Conference Centre, 122; Myths About Gender and Race. 2:15 p.m.–3:45 p.m. Conference Centre, East Building – Room 16; Architectural Engineering Education: Emergent Topics. 4:00 p.m.–5:30 p.m. Conference Centre, 220. Innovative Methods to Teach Engineering to URMs. 4:00 p.m.–5:30 p.m. Conference Centre, 107/108. Enhancing the Quality of Life throughout the World: Sustainable and Appropriate Technology Projects for the World’s Women. 4:00 p.m.–5:30 p.m. Conference Centre, East Building – Room 1. Thinking Outside the Box! Innovative Curriculum Exchange for K12 Engineering. 4:00 p.m.–5:30 p.m. Conference Centre, 110.

Spotlight on cross-disciplinary sessions:

Active and Project-Based Learning. 7:00 a.m.–8:30 a.m. Conference Centre, East Building – Room 20. Moderators: Eric Constans, Rowan University, and Laura L. Pauley, Penn State. Project- and Problem-Based Learning research and implementation across multiple divisions.

Multidisciplinary Technical Sessions. 7:00 a.m.–8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.–5:30 p.m. Conference Centre, 213. Sessions present multidisciplinary capstone and project experiences.

SPECIAL SESSION: Educational Methods and Tools to Encourage Conceptual Learning I. 12:30 p.m.–2:00 p.m. Conference Centre, 110. Committee on Interdivisional Cooperation discusses exploring opportunities for enhancing interdivisional exchange and coordination within ASEE.

Town Hall Meeting: Open Forum on Fostering Interdivisional Exchange and Cooperation. 4:00 p.m.–5:30 p.m. Conference Centre, 203. Committee on Interdivisional Cooperation discusses exploring opportunities for enhancing interdivisional exchange and coordination within ASEE.

Tablet PC use in Education. 4:00 p.m.–5:30 p.m. Conference Centre, 304. Moderators: Brianno Coller, Northern Illinois University, and James E. Lewis, University of Louisville. This session presents a variety of uses for, and studies of, the Tablet PC and pen-based devices in education.

Selected NSF grantees poster session presentations:

Establishment of an Integrated Learning Environment for Advanced Energy Storage Systems: Supporting the Sustainable Energy Development, Wayne State University; Bridging the Valley of Death: A 360° Approach to Understanding Adoption of Innovations in Engineering Education, Boise State University; A Case Study on Pill-Sized Robot in Gastro-Intestinal Tract to Teach Robot Programming and Navigation, Stevens Institute of Technology; Writing Effective Evaluation and Dissemination/Diffusion Plans, Penn State, Virginia Tech, Texas A&M, and Wayne State; Lab-in-a-Box: Online Instruction and Multimedia Materials to Support Independent Experimentation on Concepts from Circuits, Virginia Tech.

Grantees Poster Session. 10:30 a.m. –12:00 p.m. Conference Centre, Exhibit Hall C. Grantees from various NSF programs share their project findings in a series of panel presentations. Topics include: Tele-healthcare Engineering Undergraduate Education; Online Endless Quizzes as Graded Homework; Initiating Accredited Distance-education Engineering Degree Programs; Problem-Based Learning and Case Studies in Lab Courses; Nanotechnology in Undergraduate Education; Interactive Virtual Reality Games; and Drug Delivery Education Using Microsphere Technology.

Events highlights: MONDAY

Breakfast of Champions. 7:00 a.m.–8:30 a.m., Conference Centre, East Building – Room 3. Moderators: Matt Ohland, Purdue University, and Matthew Verleger, Utah State University. An interactive panel discussion on the state of engineering education as a formal academic discipline and projections for this field over the next five years. Tickets $30 on-site, $20 in advance, if eating (free without meal).

ASEE BISTRO. 9:00 a.m.–6:30 p.m. Conference Centre, Exhibit Hall C. Operating during the Exhibit Hall’s hours of operation, the Bistro features breakfast, lunch, snack foods, and beverages, available for purchase.

“Focus on Exhibits” Brunch, sponsored by MSC Software. 10:30 a.m.–Noon. Conference Centre, Exhibit Hall C. Demonstrating the industry’s most innovative products and services. Complimentary brunch.

Product Demo by Dassault Systèmes – SolidWorks Sustainibility. 3:00 p.m.–3:50 p.m. Conference Centre, Mobile Classroom – Exhibit Hall C. Hands-on demonstration on SolidWorks.

Networking Social: Student Constituent Committee and New Engineering Educators. 4:00 p.m.–5:30 p.m. Conference Centre, East Building – Room 19. Second annual SCC & New Engineering Educators (NEE) Networking Social.

Best Zone Paper Competition. 4:00 p.m.–5:30 p.m. Conference Centre, 117. Presentations by four winners of the “Best Zone Paper” competitions from the 2010 ASEE section meetings and judging. The winner is designated the “ASEE National Best Zone Paper” and receives a certificate and a $1,000 cash award.

A Celebration of the Engineering Education Research Community. 6:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m. Conference Centre, East Building – Room 14. This session, co-sponsored by the Journal of Engineering Education, will be a networking opportunity for people involved in or interested in engineering education research.

Campus Representatives Reception. 6:30 p.m.–8:00 p.m. Pan Pacific Vancouver Hotel, Oceanview Suite 1. Hosted by ASEE headquarters and the Board of Directors to honor ASEE campus reps and award participants in this year’s Campus Representative Member Promotion Program. All campus reps invited to attend this complimentary reception.

International Division Cocktail Reception 6:30 p.m.–8:00 p.m., Pan Pacific Vancouver Hotel, Oceanview Suite 2. Session Chairs: Gerry Johnson, Colorado State, Jean Pytel, Penn State, and Nick Safai, Salt Lake Community College. This complimentary event is sponsored provides an opportunity to meet and welcome international speaks and visitors, as well as informally mingle with colleagues. Registration is requested.

Awards banquets, receptions, dinners, and meetings will be held by several ASEE divisions. Check for locations, times, and ticket prices at: www.asee.org/osl.

Keep in Mind:

Registration continues Monday for attendees, exhibitors and presenters, 7:00 a.m.–Noon in the Conference Centre Exhibit Hall. Please give yourself ample time before sessions begin.

The Projects staff at the ASEE booth in the Exhibit Hall can provide the latest information on fellowships and scholarships administered by the Society. Learn about millions of dollars’ worth of programs for faculty, post-doctoral researchers, graduates, and interns sponsored by the U.S. Navy, National Science Foundation, and Department of Defense.

The Speaker Ready Room provides a dedicated quiet space for presenters to prepare their materials. Monday – Wednesday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Conference Centre, 102. Internet service is not provided.