Pillars of Chemical Engineering: A Block Scheduled Curriculum

该项目将对匹兹堡大学化学工程专业进行系级改革。新课程的目标是：(A)专注于某一学科的科学和工程基础，为学生奠定坚实的基础；(B)通过帮助学生整合不同学科和学科的知识，加强系统思维，使他们能够更好地准备解决开放式问题；以及(C)为持续教育和终身学习做好准备。具体地说，该项目将：1。将化学工程的关键“核心”(包括质量平衡、热力学、动力学、分离、传输现象、过程系统、控制、实验室和设计)模块化并整合为六门主干课程。重新评估和调整支持性课程(数学、化学、物理和生物)和选修课，使之成为以应用为重点的课程。重新调整每门单独的课程，这样，除了传统的宏观和连续层次的描述之外，我们还包括“亚连续统”、分子或“基本单位”分析。这项建议的智力价值在于将K-12教育--模块编排--的成功教学技术整合到大学环境中，以及我们对这些努力的最新评估。总体而言，该提案将介绍新兴的化学工程知识/实践(分子和多尺度重点以及基于轨迹的案例研究/选修课)，消除遗留材料，让学生接触实用的计算方法(包括将以CAD为基础的宏观重点软件--例如Aspen--以及以分子为重点的软件--例如Accelrys--集成到大多数课程中)，并让学生有时间有效地纳入现代教学方法(基于团队和经验的学习，计算机模拟等)。这项工作的更广泛影响在于研究和教学的一体化，加强多样性，基础设施的发展，以及促进伙伴关系。在该项目的过程中，许多本科生将与教师和教学设计师密切合作。为支持6个支柱课程而开发的课件将在我们的部门网站上随时提供，以便其他机构--促进伙伴关系--使用(和修改)。拟议的工作将通过编写便于许多机构使用的课程材料来加强基础设施。研究结果将在国家社会会议(AIChE、ASEE)以及我们部门的网页(http://www.che.pitt.edu).)上传播此外，研究结果还将发表在传统的工程教育期刊(JEE、CEE等)上。

This project will undertake department level reform of the Chemical Engineering program at the University of Pittsburgh. The goals of the new curriculum are to (a) Give the students a strong fundamental foundation by concentrating on the essential core of scientific and engineering basics in a given discipline.(b) Enhance systems thinking by helping students to integrate their knowledge across courses and disciplines so that they are better prepared to address open-ended problems; and (c) Prepare and provide for continuing education and life-long learning. Specifically, the project will:1. Modularize and integrate the critical "core" of Chemical Engineering (including massbalances, thermodynamics, kinetics, separations, transport phenomena, process systems,control, laboratory, and design) into six Pillar courses.2. Re-evaluate and re-align supporting courses (mathematics, chemistry, physics, andbiology) and elective courses into application-focused tracks.3. Re-align each individual course so that, in addition to the traditional macroscopic andcontinuum-level descriptions, we also include "sub-continuum", molecular or "fundamental unit" analysis.The intellectual merit in the proposal lies both in the integration of successfulpedagogical techniques from K-12 education -- Block Scheduling -- into the Universityenvironment, as well as in our state-of-the-art assessment of these efforts. Overall theproposal will introduce emerging Chemical Engineering knowledge/practice (molecular andmulti-scale focus as well as track-based case studies/electives), eliminate legacymaterial, expose students to practical computational methods (including integration ofCAD-based macroscopically focused software -- e.g., ASPEN -- as well as molecularlyfocused software -- e.g., Accelrys -- into most courses), and allow the time toeffectively incorporate modern teaching methods (team-based and experience-based learning, computer simulation, etc.).The broader impact of the work lies in integration of research and teaching, enhancementof diversity, infrastructure development, and the fostering of partnerships. During thecourse of the project numerous undergraduate students will work closely with faculty andinstructional designers. The courseware developed to support the 6 Pillar courses will be made readily available on our departmental web site, so that it may be utilized (and modified) by other institutions -- fostering partnerships. The proposed work will enhance infrastructure through the generation of course materials that are easily portable to many institutions. Findings of the research will be disseminated at national societal conferences (AIChE, ASEE) as well as on our departmental web page (http://www.che.pitt.edu). Additionally, results will be published in traditional engineering education journals (JEE, CEE, etc.).