Development of a Process Control Breadboard System to Attract and Retain Engineering Students

该项目将为工程专业本科生提供设计、建造和测试代表工程实践中遇到的过程的小规模控制系统的机会。 建议的教学系统遵循电气或机械试验板系统的模型，并以新颖的方式将两者结合起来。 该方法将被整合到课程的每一个层次，使用动手，基于团队的设计活动;提高新生的设计教育经验，并将继续通过高级顶点的经验。 学生们将与工业导师一起研究真实的世界问题。该系统还有望通过减少系统组装所需的时间和精力，显著提高高水平学生设计、构建和测试全功能过程控制系统的能力。在初步系统开发和测试之后，将为八年级和九年级学生举办为期一周的夏令营。本科生导师，在教师的监督下，将协助与会者动手设计过程控制系统。将大力鼓励妇女和历来代表性不足的少数民族学生参加营地。 所有与会者将被鼓励追求工程事业。将在WEB上提供资源指南，包括供应商列表、示例设计活动和经验教训总结。此外，随着项目的完成，该指南将广泛分发给大约150个中小型农业、化学和机械工程项目的光盘。

The project will provide undergraduate engineering students the opportunity to design build and test small-scale control systems that represent processes encountered in engineering practice. The proposed instructional system follows the model of electrical or mechanical breadboard systems, and integrates the two in novel ways. The approach will be integrated into every level of the curriculum using hands-on, team based design activities; enhancing the design education experience for freshmen, and will continue through to the senior capstone experience. The students will work on real world problems with industrial mentors. This system is also expected to significantly enhance the ability of upper level students to design, build and test fully functional process control systems by reducing the time and effort required for system assembly. Following initial system development and testing, weeklong summer camps for Eight and ninth grade students will be conducted. Undergraduate student mentors, under faculty supervision, will assist attendees in hands-on design of process control systems. Women and historically underrepresented minority students will be strongly encouraged to attend the camps. All attendees will be encouraged to pursue engineering careers. A resource guide, including vendor lists, sample design activities and a lessons learned summary will be provided on the WEB. In addition, as the project reaches completion, the guide will be widely distributed to approximately 150, small, to medium sized, agricultural, chemical, and mechanical engineering programs on CD-ROM.