Integrating Sustainability into Lower Division Core Engineering Courses

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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 San Jose State University will integrate fundamental concepts of sustainability into two core lower division engineering courses (Introduction to Engineering and Introduction to Materials). This project is part of a major initiative of the college of engineering to promote, coordinate and facilitate research, curriculum and activities related to the development and implementation of green and sustainable engineering practices. The outcome of the project will be teaching modules covering the topics of renewable and non-renewable energy sources, energy conversion and efficiency, energy and water, and product life cycle analysis. The teaching modules, along with the accompanying equipment and software, will be disseminated widely and in particular to the community colleges from which San Jose State receives transfer 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 student's interest in engineering and will enhance the number who complete engineering degrees and are ready to fill engineering jobs.