A study of 236 undecided students and 263 pre-engineering majors examined differences in ego-identity development, the relationship between ego-identity status and career and major decidedness, and the relationship between advising needs and ego-identity status. Results show status and advising needs vary with individuals, not always directly…

Provides an overview of a graduate course on particulate processes, especially on crystal size distribution (CSD). Describes the course and includes a list of course topics. Discusses the CSD simulation and manipulation. (YP)

Cites results of an engineering and engineering technology faculty survey. Provides charts and tables which can be used to establish baseline information and identify trends that are useful in diagnostics and planning. Includes survey response rates. (RT)

Describes composite materials and related industries. Discusses the few courses at the undergraduate level, the few schools offering the courses, alternatives to these courses, job opportunities, and future trends. (YP)

This paper discusses the mechanization of mathematical functions by means of analog electronics. Five different approaches are described which demonstrate the versatility of the analog technique by using parabolic function, exponential decay technique, projectile trajectory, trigonometry, and piecewise linear approximation techniques. (YP)

Describes an introductory course on data, statistics, and probability given to first-year electronic engineering students at the University of Hull (United Kingdom); it is taught via workshops using spreadsheets. The four components are data and graphs, random data and statistics, probability distributions, and probability and events. (AEF)

To meet increased technical demands, alternative engineering and technical degree programs are needed, such as four-year programs in engineering technology. A technical college and university in Florence, SC, are collaborating on such a 1+2+1 alternative degree program. (SK)

In response to declining enrollment and industry concerns about entry workers' skills and competencies, Drexel University (PA) has revamped its engineering curriculum to create a "technical liberal arts degree" that incorporates elements of other disciplines. Other institutions are experimenting with this and other approaches to…

Examines production and cost structures of 28 Turkish universities to estimate their economies of scale and scope. Estimates multiproduct cost functions for teaching and research, examining social, health, and engineering sciences departments across 186 college faculties. Average incremental and marginal costs are highest for graduate instruction…

A study at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (Massachusetts) found a positive relationship between freshman (n=262) decidedness regarding academic major and both anticipated adjustment (prematriculation) and actual adjustment (postmatriculation), more academically than socially. Comparison with another study suggests the relationship is stronger in…

Reports on 15 tasks, as outlined by the Pipeline Implementation Committee of the American Society for Engineering Education, that are within the sphere of influence and the responsibility of university engineering deans for sustaining a vital corps of engineering practitioners and professors in an era of increasing technological change. (JJK)

Reviews the mathematics utilized in the design and construction of suspension bridges, in general, then illustrates these mathematical concepts by examining data associated with the Mackinac Bridge, which connects the two peninsulas of Michigan. Emphasizes the strong interest factor these gigantic structures have for students by attaching a sense…

Discussed is the idea that fundamental engineering research must be funded in both universities and industry to maintain U.S. competitiveness in the global market. The importance of an adequate level of fundamental engineering research in universities, industry, and government to which the education of undergraduate students, graduate students,…

Described is a senior project course that is intended to prepare graduates for solving problems in a real engineering environment. Students in electronics engineering technology may choose between an independent study option and a structured course in which they design and implement a project in a specified field. The scheduling, evaluation, and…

The drawn ideas of inventors Edison and Bell are analyzed in a systematic way to help understand the inventive process and how inventors think. By storing sketches on a computer the researchers have been able to recreate the probable lines of reasoning used by the inventors. (KR)