Curricular Innovations and Continuous Improvement of Academic Programs (and Satisfying ABET along the Way): The Elizabeth Judson Memorial Symposium: Curricular Advances and Accreditation
Sponsored by: TMS Accreditation Committee, TMS Education Committee
Program Organizers: Alison Polasik, Campbell University; Jeffrey Fergus, Auburn University; Assel Aitkaliyeva, University of Florida; Kester Clarke, Los Alamos National Laboratory

Monday 8:00 AM
October 10, 2022
Room: 312
Location: David L. Lawrence Convention Center

Session Chair: Robert Heard, Carnegie Mellon University; Kester Clarke, Colorado School of Mines


8:00 AM  
ABET and Continuous Improvement: What's New, and Q&A: Janet Callahan1; 1Michigan Technological University
    Engineering programs that are ABET accredited comply with the Engineering Accreditation Commission's Criteria for Accrediting Engineering Programs. Because ABET itself is an ISO certified organization (www.abet.org), continuous improvement takes place concerning the eight different general criteria as well as to the program criteria. Join us to learn what's changed in the criteria over the past several years, and for a discussion forum where you can ask questions and learn more about assessment, continuous improvement, and the definitions that ABET uses to describe, for example, basic science, college-level mathematics, and engineering design.

8:20 AM  
Inclusive Pedagogy in Introductory Materials Science Courses: Vincent Sokalski1; 1Carnegie Mellon University
    This presentation will highlight strategies implemented in the introductory course 27-100 – “Engineering the materials of the future” at Carnegie Mellon University during Spring 2020-21-22 semesters. Universal strategies discussed will include mitigating stereotype threat, normalizing adversity, promoting a growth mindset, and highlighting diverse figures with specific examples provided. These strategies are broadly responsive to pending changes to ABET evaluation criteria including that faculty must “demonstrate awareness and abilities appropriate to providing an equitable and inclusive environment for its students.” Interactive strategies specific to the technical content will be presented including the use of demonstrations and digital polling during lecture. Pre and post survey responses from students will be discussed with examples of how student feedback was introduced into the lecture content with an eye towards creating a more culturally responsive curriculum.

8:40 AM  
Preparing Engineering Students to Work in and Design Solutions for Diverse Populations: Jeffrey Fergus1; 1Auburn University
    At the time of submission of this abstract, a proposal to add diversity, equity and inclusion language in two criteria in the ABET Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) General Criteria is out for public comment. At the time of this presentation, the EAC will have received, considered and responded to public comments on these proposed changes. The proposed revisions are intended to require that engineering programs prepare their students to work effectively on diverse teams and prepare engineering solutions for a diverse population – particularly those with backgrounds and needs that are different from their own. In this presentation, some approaches to accomplishing this objective will be discussed.

9:00 AM Panel Discussion: Best Practices as You Prepare for an ABET Visit; Panelists include Janet Callahan, Michigan Technological University; Gregg Janowski, University of Alabama at Birmingham

9:40 AM  
Helping to Prepare Students for Communicating in the Professional World: Gregg Janowski1; 1University of Alabama at Birmingham
    One of our educational responsibilities is to ensure that our graduates can write professionally, which is part of EAC/ABET Criteria 3(3), “an ability to communicate effectively to a range of audiences.” Two aspects of written communications that should be emphasized are email and laboratory reports with an eye to the post-university world. This presentation will address a few of the tricks that have been successful in getting students to use email as a professional communications tool. It will also cover the "memorandum report" which is used to communicate laboratory results, as opposed to the academic paper format many of us use in our own publications. The format will be discussed, with tricks for grading and using the writing center.

10:00 AM Break

10:20 AM  
Technical Communication: Graduate Student Training via Regular Reporting within I/UCRCs: Kester Clarke1; 1Colorado School of Mines
    Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers (I/UCRCs) are NSF research centers with the goals of workforce training, industrially relevant research, and creating connections between universities, industry, and government organizations. Thus, I/ICRCs provide opportunities for students to be mentored by industry or national laboratory professionals and strengthen technical capabilities by relating basic research and industrial relevance. In addition to technical skill development, these centers provide many opportunities to strengthen student communication skills. For example, at Mines, the Advanced Steel Processing and Products Research Center and the Center for Advanced Non-Ferrous Structural Alloys hold bi-annual center conferences and videoconferences in-between where students write update reports, executive summaries, and communicate their work through in-person and virtual technical talks or posters. These are golden opportunities for students to learn to communicate complex research to experts in industry. It also challenges them to tailor communication to various audiences and develops their soft skills via professional networking opportunities.

10:40 AM Panel Discussion: Teaching Technical Communication and "Soft Skills"; Panelist include Blas Uberuaga, Los Alamos National Laboratory; Gregg Janowski, University of Alabama at Birmingham; Emily Kinser, 3M Electronic Materials Solutions Divisions; Adira Balzac, Colorado School of Mines