Multiple-choice mathematics tests and other measures of achievement in a mathematics course for engineering students were compared. Although the results were highly correlated, there were some discrepancies. (SD)

Explains the role of a building scientist as being someone who is concerned with the environment in buildings and in their immediate surroundings; describes the training necessary for the vocation and assesses career prospects in the field. (CP)

Describes an undergraduate/graduate course in polymer science engineering which stresses industrial implications. (SL)

Describes current attempts to implement policy change within the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE). (SL)

Constructs industry-related writing assignments for students of chemical engineering to simulate communication tasks they will face as professionals. (MS)

Reports on a survey of the undergraduate programs of 50 engineering schools which was designed to investigate the engineering curriculum with regard to core courses in statics and dynamics. Indicates that only about one-third of the schools require these courses. Argues for their return to the programs. (TW)

Coming from a variety of disciplines, manufacturing engineers are keys to industry's efforts to modernize, with demand exceeding supply. The newest and fastest-growing areas include machine vision, composite materials, and manufacturing automation protocols, each of which is briefly discussed. (JN)

As the debate over nuclear safety continues, the job market remains healthy for nuclear engineers. The average salary offered to new nuclear engineers with bachelor's degrees is $27,400. Salary averages and increases compare favorably with other engineering disciplines. Various job sources in the field are noted. (JN)

A study revealing wide variation in the grading of electronics engineering test items by different evaluators has implications for evaluator and test item selection, analysis and manipulation of grades, and the use of numerical methods of assessment. (MSE)

A British polytechnic's civil engineering course emphasizing creative problem solving, begun in the late 1960s, has shown that it is possible to increase students' creative ability in the course of a degree program. Research into the identification of students who will benefit from the approach is continuing. (MSE)

Describes an interactive computer software package that uses graphics to teach staged operations (particularly the McCabe-Thiele method). Criteria used in developing the package and advantages for instructors and students are considered. (JN)

Examines the extent to which a process control computer system is assisting departmental research (by providing a comprehensive and flexible data logging and plant control system) and providing a teaching facility for the department by live demonstrations of plant monitoring and control applications, simulation, and student implementation of…

The philosophy, structure, and organization of a chemical engineering (ChE) process laboratory are discussed. The laboratory emphasizes the oral and communication skills of students who are part of groups that resemble an industrial process research and development group. An annotated list of students' experimental projects is included. (JN)

Presents a critique of existing methodology used in curriculum updates in academic institutions, suggesting that an integrated approach is more realistic and meaningful to study and to bridging the gap between academic curriculum and industry's needs. Specifically recommends that curriculum-related and job-related data be analyzed simultaneously.…

A faculty committee at Michigan Technological University (MTU) developed a university-wide policy and procedure to encourage improvement of instruction and ensure that teaching effectiveness plays a significant role in personnel decisions. The experiences at MTU are described to help others seeking to establish similar policy on this sensitive…