Integration Of Research And Industrial Practice In An Undergraduate Materials Processing Course

In light of the existing educational climate in materials, and with support from a new NSF initiative, the authors have developed a two-course sequence on ‘Advanced Materials Processing’. The thrust of the NSF initiative is to combine completed or mature research””iith curriculum development in technological areas of national importance, with the objective of stimulating heightened educational involvement of faculty researchers. The research performed by the authors has been primarily in the generic area of processing with emphasis on clean metals technology, gas injection processes, melt atomization, spray casting, and powder processing. The two-term course sequence under development utilizes the results of this research as a foundation.The overall scope of this NSF-funded Combined Research and Curriculum Development program is to transfer the results of rcccnt and ongoing research into the undergraduate curriculum. Research carried out by the authors in the areas of clean metal technology. gasinjection processes, melt atomization, spray forming, and powder processing has been combined with a relevant introduction to rate processes in two upper class electives. The concurrent exposure to research results and industrial practice in the five areas cited is expected to spawn increased student interest in this important area of materials technology. Unique characteristics of our approach am the integration of engineering science , design and operation of these processes, together with process economics and engineering practice, About one-fifth of the course, consisting of engineering practice and economics, was taught by industrial practitioners and personnel from national laboratories. Evaluation consisted of questionnaires distributed at the end of the course and informal discussions conducted by the (caching Iaculty on a regular basis. Almost all students said that they enjoyed the multiple instructors and especially the industrial lecturers. The students expressed the view that the lecturers brought to the class room the practical aspect of the technology and a beneficial non-academic point of view.