Traces the development of electrical engineering (EE) from its roots of academic physics in the 1890s to a discipline with its own priorities and departmental structure. Includes a description of the first EE course offered at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). (JN)

Describes a college course which introduces engineering and business students to abstract art. Students study the relationships between abstract styles in painting and abstract styles in twentieth-century architecture and industrial design. The relevance of abstract design principles is shown by referring students to "Car and Driver"…

Congressman Doug Walgren (D-PA) comments on various issues related to science and engineering education, suggesting that there is a major deterioration for the entire educational enterprise, particularly in the technical areas. Focuses on National Science Foundation (NSF) programs, funding, and current legislative recommendations. (Author/JN)

Draws comparisons between the development of physics courses and the approach required to solve an engineering problem. Some major strands in the development of A-level physics and related subjects are discussed to illustrate/illuminate compromises necessary to resolve tensions that exist (such as between pure/applied approaches to physics…

Describes an industrial and engineering chemistry course organized on a case-study approach. The course theme is process conceptualization (creation of chemical processing routes). Flowcharts/flowcharting, quantitative aspects of industrial chemistry, teaching the course, use of patents, student evaluation, and useful references are discussed. A…

Describes an experiment to give students exposure to digital control widely used in industry but not given much attention in most undergraduate process control curricula. Students write their own control programs and experimentally determine the transfer functions for all system components. Also describes experimental apparatus used in the…

Hardware, software, and operation of a computer package for tutoring chemical engineers is discussed. TUTCHE controls/records use of various student programs, organizing data/results in files on exit so they may be reliably retrieved on re-entry. TUTOR is a separate program allowing a tutor to examine/modify student records held in TUTCHE.…

Discusses analytical design and experimental verification of a PID control value for a temperature controlled liquid delivery system, demonstrating that the analytical design techniques can be experimentally verified by using digital controls as a tool. Digital control instrumentation and implementation are also demonstrated and documented for…

Engineering graduates are choosing to enter immediate employment rather than going on for further training and a master of science. Issues and trends related to the decline in advanced engineering training, a threat to United States technical vitality, are addressed. (JN)

Highlights a National Science Foundation (NSF) assessment which determined whether there will be an adequate supply of science, engineering, and technician personnel for meeting defense/nondefense needs between 1982 and 1987. Indicates that personnel shortages may occur in a few science/engineering employment categories, but chemists/chemical…

Unfilled engineering faculty positions and obsolete laboratory equipment continue to threaten the quality of U.S. engineering education, but improvements are being made, according to a progress report issued as a followup to the National Engineering Action Conference held in April (1982). Highlights on the report are provided. (Author/JN)

Highlights National Research Council report ("Climbing the Ladder II: An Update on the Status of Doctoral Women Scientists and Engineers"). Indicates that, although supply of women with doctorates in science is up 50 percent in the past four years, salary and tenure problems are continuing. (JN)

Examined educational goals and personal characteristics (values and attitudes) of academically successful and unsuccessful men and women engineering students. Confirmed the college-fit theory: If the values, goals, and attitudes of a student correspond to those of an institution, the student is likely to remain at the institution. (PAS)

An analysis of trends in biomedical education within chemical education is presented. Data used for the analysis included: type/level of course, subjects taught, and textbook preferences. Results among others of the 1980 survey indicate that 28 out of 79 schools responding offer at least one course in biomedical engineering. (JN)

Describes the introduction of microprocessors into the Weapons and Systems Engineering Department at the U.S. Naval Academy, including planning decisions, implementation, procedures, uses of microprocessors in the department, and impact on the Systems Engineering major and curriculum. (SK)