Weaving Threads of Sustainability into the Fabric of the Mechanical Engineering Curriculum: Impacting the Fundamental Manner in which Students Solve Problems

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This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5)This engineering education research award to Michigan Technological University will develop problem based learning modules that integrate sustainability and sustainable design into three mechanical engineering courses spanning the sophomore through senior years. The goal is to teach sustainability as an integral part of the day-to-day decision-making and analyses that are fundamental to mechanical engineering, rather than as a secondary concern. The mechanical engineering curriculum will be enriched by content that has a direct benefit to society, thus becoming more appealing to prospective students. The overall goal is to better prepare students for the practice of engineering through developing their understanding of environmental sustainability. These techniques are expected to increase students' interest in engineering and will enhance the number who complete engineering degrees and are ready to fill engineering jobs.