Integrating community engagement, freshman chemical engineering, and an AIChE student chapter

Abstract

The focus of this paper is the development of a program integrating regular community engagement activities with a two-course freshman chemical engineering sequence and the regular activities of the student chapter of the American Institute for Chemical Engineers (AIChE). While the community engagement mission of our AICHE chapter spans a variety of organizations and activities (e.g. Habitat for Humanity, Salvation Army, and city Parks and Recreation projects) the LEGO® NXT robotics system has served as a key component in our K- 12 outreach program, our freshman chemical engineering classes and as a means for engaging our chemical engineering students in service learning activities. This integration of activities, all surrounding the LEGO™ Robotics system (coupled to Vernier® sensors and probes and "in house"-designed apparatus) has engaged students at all levels, from middle school through chemical engineering seniors in an exciting, "studio-based" environment. Anecdotal evidence suggests students readily "latching onto" key concepts and various aspects of engineering through this "multi-modal" learning approach. Objectives of this method of program integration include: 1) strengthened recruiting of students to engineering studies, 2) better "visualization" of engineering concepts among chemical engineering freshmen and 3) a stronger sense of the need for life-long learning and community service among our engineering undergraduates. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2014.