Zero-order systems provide an interesting opportunity for students to think about the underlying mechanism behind the physical phenomena being modeled. The work reported here is part of a larger study that seeks to characterize how students integrate chemistry and mathematics in the context of chemical kinetics. Thirty-six general chemistry…

In this article, the author reports results in their efforts to model sublimation of carbon dioxide and the associated kinetics order and parameter estimation issues in their model. They have offered the reader two sets of data and several approaches to determine the rate of sublimation of a piece of solid dry ice. They presented several models…

This article is devoted to practical aspects of teaching and learning of probability at university. It presents the difficulties and attitudes of first-year university science and engineering students towards using paradoxes and counterexamples as a pedagogical strategy in teaching and learning of probability. It also presents a student's point of…

Coupled oscillators are an example of resonant energy exchange that is an interesting topic for many students in various majors, such as physics, chemistry, and electrical and mechanical engineering. However, this subject matter is considered too advanced for freshmen and sophomores, usually because of the level of mathematics involved.…

This paper is addressed to the importance of maintaining rigor (a strict adherence to certain principles of reasoning) in the teaching of mechanics. The importance of a strict interpretation of mathematical formulae and the necessity of rigorous definitions of time, mass, and force are shown through a series of examples. Implications of this idea…

A novel approach to the Chemical Engineering curriculum sequence of courses at West Point enabled our students to experience a much more realistic design process, which more closely replicated a real world scenario. Students conduct the synthesis in the organic chemistry lab, then conduct computer modeling of the reaction with ChemCad and…

Presents "Undergraduate Faculty Development in Science: A Report to the Congress by the National Science Foundation," recommending low priority for this program. Although two years old, the issues in the report are of paramount concern to planners charged with improving undergraduate science education. (Author/JN)

Discusses reasons for including differential equations in the required course of study for engineering technology (ET) students. Briefly describes mathematics requirements of the ET Division of the School of Engineering at the University of Dayton. Provides an outline of their differential equations course for ET students. (CS)

Detailed statistical data on earned doctoral degrees for 1960-1981 are presented for science/engineering (S/E) fields, although non-S/E fields (such as the humanities) are represented. These data are reported in 10 charts and 15 tables. In addition to total S/E doctorates earned, data in charts address major field, sec, racial/ethnic identity for…

Summarizes findings of a 1980 National Science Foundation survey, indicating that the proportion of recent doctorates on the full-time faculties of science and engineering departments in PhD-granting institutions has continued to decline and that the proportion is below what department heads consider optimal. (SK)

Presents survey results from freshman engineering students at Colorado State University. Identifies the highest levels of math and computer courses taken. Notes although most students took high school calculus, 48 percent failed the college's analytical trigonometry examination. Develops practical ideas for the future. (MVL)

The number of science/engineering (S/E) doctorates awarded to women more than doubled between 1971 and 1981 to 4,020. S/E doctorate production by field (psychology, life sciences, physical sciences, social sciences, mathematics, and engineering) and by field/sex are highlighted. (JN)

This monograph presents 13 papers dealing with various aspects of elementary problem solving. They are: (1) "Training for Effective Problem Solving" (Gary A. Davis); (2) "Patterns of Problem Solving--A Campus-Wide Course at UCLA" (Moshe F. Rubinstein, L. Robin Keller, Edward A. Kazmarek); (3) "A Taxonomy of Problem-Solving Activities and Its…

This publication is a source book of detailed statistical information on science and engineering (S/E) degree production for the period 1950-1980. Data used in the report cover earned degrees in the aggregate United States, which includes the 50 states, District of Columbia, and its outlying areas (American Samoa, Canal Zone, Guam, Northern…

This book, second in a series dealing with scientific programing in the BASIC language, provides students, engineers, and scientists with a documented library of subroutines for scientific applications. Subjects of the eight chapters include: (1) least-squares approximation of functions and smoothing of data; (2) approximating functions by series…