In Spring 2024 we are doing a SECOND PILOT of offering sections of the “EN1: Applications in Engineering” course during the Spring semester. The “EN1” course (an Introduction to Engineering experience) is typically taken in the first-semester of your first year; but for a variety of reasons some students can not/do not take it then, so here is an experiment in offering sections of EN1 in the Spring semester.
Course Description:
Introduction of various concepts in engineering. Emphasis on project work, engineering ethics, and engineering design process. Discipline topic areas vary each term. Note: Spring EN1 sections are NOT limited to first-year students.
EN1 Sections (Fall 2023):
Section 01: Equitable and Inclusive Civil Infrastructure (Chris Swan, Civil Engineering)
Section 02: Intro to Renewable Energy (Thomas Vandervelde, ECE)
Section 01: Equitable and Inclusive Civil Infrastructure
This course introduces civil infrastructure; with a focus on transportation, water, energy, and waste management components. Both the technical and professional aspects of these components will be explored. In addition, the course focuses on concepts of equitable and inclusive development of infrastructure, whether in the creation of new or in the renovation of existing elements. (Chris Swan, Civil and Environmental Engineering)
Section 02: Intro to Renewable Energy
We will examine renewable energy generation technologies with a critical eye; including, the examination of the way the media portrays energy technologies. We will explore the renewable energy technology of today as well as future prospects. We will look at the natural resource requirements of energy systems as well as their environmental and economic impacts. While going off the grid sounds like a great idea, it is a complex problem to be solved. Solar and wind energy sources require a lot of land; additionally, they are not constant with time, and efficient energy storage technology does not exist. Labs will give the student a hands-on sense for the energy generation process and its complexity. (Thomas Vandervelde, Electrical and Computer Engineering)
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