Multidisciplinary Research Using Nondestructive Evaluation

A major objective of the Junior/Senior Engineering Clinics at Rowan University is to introduce students to open-ended engineering projects. All engineering students from the four engineering disciplines, namely Civil, Chemical, Electrical and Mechanical share a common engineering clinic class. The Junior/Senior Engineering Clinics, part of the innovative 8-semester Engineering Clinic sequence, provides the venue for multidisciplinary student teams to engage in semester-long design and development projects. These projects are typically funded by local industry, faculty research grants or departmental budgets. The clinic projects are crucial in developing the design, problem solving and project management skills that are often absent in the traditional engineering coursework. They further reinforce communication skills both oral and written. This paper focuses on the details of successful multidisciplinary research on nondestructive evaluation using engineering undergraduates.