Cross border collaborative learning through capstone engineering projects

Abstract

Capstone engineering projects are essential to demonstrate engineering graduates' industryreadiness; however, in a bi-national region, international preparedness is becoming an essential requirement for engineering graduates. This paper describes the process of collaborative learning resultant of a cross-border capstone engineering project in an effort to create an undergraduate research network towards a cross-border learning environment in the Rio Grande Valley. Background: The Rio Grande Valley (RGV) in southeast Texas and the north east of Tamaulipas, Mexico is a region known as one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas of the world, holding a regional population of over 3.5 million people, amongst USA and Mexico, and hosts broadly diverse manufacturing industries. As a result, higher learning institutions are working towards incorporating higher education as a dynamic regional element. The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV), was created in 2013 by the Texas Legislature as an unprecedented and remarkable move to bring together the assets of the two most important regional higher education institutions: The University of Texas at Brownsville (UTB) and The University of Texas Pan American (UTPA)1. As a new institution, UTRGV is emerging as a regional research institution projecting to grow as a leader among minorityserving research institutions. As a young institution, with an innovative organization, and with two years since it started operations, UTRGV can be proud of a mission on-route: to provide a high quality, innovative, and affordable education to the students of South Texas, Texas, the United States and the world. The University will transform Texas and the nation through student success, research, healthcare, and commercialization of university discoveries1. A temporary vision that has become a statement broadly implemented throughout the different Colleges and Schools within UTRGV, engages faculty and staff into expanding the possibilities from the current multicultural and multidisciplinary programs to cross-border collaboration. Collaboration with universities across the border provides an opportunity to deliver a better service to the bi-national community in the 150 mile-wide RGV region. The legacy institutions had previous experiences in the development of bi-national programs and collaborations, but by promoting cross-border regional collaboration, the new university demonstrate its commitment to prepare the future engineering professionals. The College of Engineering and Computer Science (CECS) at UTRGV promotes cutting-edge research with international impact as a path to a better life, built on compassion, community, and technology, and foresee every performed activity as a promoter for economic prosperity and commitment to the global community1. With an extensive selection of undergraduate programs in the engineering field, the Department of Manufacturing and Industrial Engineering provide a setting for technology development and applied research in the Engineering Technology (ENGT) program. According to the program description, engineering technology education emphasizes primarily on the applied aspects of science and product improvement, industrial practices, and engineering operational functions2.