Techniques for applying mathematical concepts in the real world: six rarely taught but crucial tools for analysis, research, and problem-solving. Many young graduates leave school with a solid knowledge of mathematical concepts but struggle to apply these concepts in practice. Real scientific and engineering problems are different from those found…

The undergraduate years are a turning point in producing scientifically literate citizens and future scientists and engineers. Evidence from research about how students learn science and engineering shows that teaching strategies that motivate and engage students will improve their learning. So how do students best learn science and engineering?…

"Latinas Pathways to STEM: Exploring Contextual Mitigating Factors" presents transnational case studies of Latinas and Mexicanas pursuing a STEM degree/career from the United States (Georgia, New York, Texas) and México. The authors underscore that the experiences of the participants highlighted in this book provide insights into how to…

Incorporating new methods and approaches in learning environments is imperative to the development of education systems. By enhancing learning processes, education becomes more attainable at all levels. "The Handbook of Research on Instructional Systems and Educational Technology" is an essential reference source for the latest scholarly…

When you think of someone who is an engineer, do you imagine a man or a woman wearing a hardhat? How about when you imagine a teacher standing in front of a class of schoolchildren? If you answer "a man" to the first question, and "a woman" to the second, there's probably a reason. And the reason is simply that more men than…

Over the past few decades, community colleges have helped increase the representation of female and minority students in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Flexible schedules, low tuition, proximity to jobs, and open access admissions make community colleges attractive to a diverse student body, especially…

It is often assumed that graduating engineering students readily envision what it means to be an engineer and what type of work they will be doing as engineers in the future. How can one know if this is true? This research begins to answer these questions by aiming to understand undergraduate engineering students' perceptions of themselves as…

Government programs and renewed industrial activity have combined with stable enrollments to create bright job prospects for civil engineers. Areas with good opportunities include highway reconstruction and rehabilitation, water-resource management, and new factory construction. The subspecialty of structural engineering has a growing need in…

Discusses the human, plant and animal, and industrial dimensions of biotechnology, focusing on current uses in such fields as: (1) genetics; (2) electronics; (3) prosthetics; (4) drugs; (5) agriculture; and (6) the environment. (JN)

Shows how a problem from engineering thermodynamics is used to teach process design. Advantages of using this method are noted. (JN)

Discussed is a method to teach undergraduate students how to complete a conceptual design. Presents three tools to use: (1) how to use order-of-magnitude arguments to simplify problems, (2) how to derive design heuristics, and (3) how to decompose large problems into a set of small, simple problems. (Author/MVL)

Analyzes Heathkit's multi-sensor educational robot (Hero-l), which, unlike most industrial manipulators, is capable of moving using a set of wheels. Includes discussions of its mobility, arm manipulation, applications for controlling specific robot tasks, future research directions, and Hero-l limitations. (JN)

Presents findings of the Engineering Manpower Commission's 1983 survey of engineering technology enrollments. Includes data on enrollments for all students by curriculum and academic year; women and minorities; all associate degree programs by institutions; all bachelor degree programs; and for Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology…

Describes stochastic models. Discusses the rationale for stochastic analysis and modeling, and provides a master equation for the models with respect to chemical processes. Lists 29 references. (YP)

Summarizes the results of the 1987 National Engineering Student Employer Preference Survey and compares them with those reported by three previous biennial surveys. Lists the top 25 employer choices in electrical, mechanical, computer science, industrial, chemical, civil and astro/aeronautical engineering. (TW)