Curricular Innovation inSustainable Engineeringat RIT

Brian K. Thorn, Andres L. CarranoKate Gleason College of EngineeringRochester Institute of Technology

February, 2008

Outline

Background and motivation Curricular changes Discussion

Questions?Feedback

KGCOE Faculty with Interests in Sustainable Engineering (SE)

Margaret Bailey (ME) Andres Carrano (ISE) Marcos Esterman (ISE) Satish Kandlikar (ME) Ali Ogut (ME) Frank Sciremammano (ME) Robert Stevens (ME) James Taylor (ISE) Brian Thorn (ISE)

Ongoing Work in the Area

Proposals Multidisciplinary Senior Design Projects Masters Theses Dissemination

Journal publications Conferences Invited presentations Workshops

Student Organizations Curricular Development

Proposals Over 15 proposals submitted in the past two

years Sources: ASHRAE, DOE, EPA, NCIIA, NSF. Selected topics:

Fuel cells and hydrogen economy Wind-to-hydrogen conversion Ultraviolet water sterilization Solar cookers Solar water pasteurization Social micro-enterprises Carbon footprinting Curricular enhancements

Multidisciplinary Senior Design

Over 10 projects initiated by ME and ISE in the past three years

Involved students from EE, ME, ISE, CE, COB and Industrial Design

Topics: Hydrogen fuel cell testing station Energy and the environment traveling kit Design of solar ovens for impoverished populations with

minimal environmental impact (First prize EPA-P3 award by the National Academy of Engineering, 2005)

Solid oxide fuel cell stand Solar water pasteurizer with integral heat exchanger Wind-to-hydrogen conversion UV-tube redesign

Motivations

Increasing interest among students and faculty in the application of engineering principles with sustainability in mind New Sustainability Track offered in multidisciplinary senior design

• Six new projects offered for 2006-2007• 38 students immediately registered in Sustainability Track• Sustainability Track projects filled to capacity by ISE students on first day

For 2007/8 Sustainability Track was expanded to include sub-tracks: • Sustainable Technologies for RIT Campus, • Next Generation Thermoelectric Systems• Sustainable Technologies for the Global Marketplace• Sustainable Technologies for the Third World

Results from a student focus group in Mechanical Eng.

• Overwhelming interest in learning about alternative energies• Students perceive an emergence of job opportunities in this field• Students are motivated to make a positive contribution to a field that

would benefit the environment• Student concern about limited course selection in the area

Master’s Theses

Over 12 theses undertaken in the past six years Selected topics:

Using Product Architecture to Maximize Environmental Performance (Jeff Sciortino, 1999)

Large Scale Proactive Approach to Reducing Energy Consumption of city Buildings in Rochester (Brian Gillis, 2005)

Remanufacturing Alternatives to Reduce the Magnitude of Environmental Impacts Using TRACI (Marielk Mariano, 2005)

Exergetic Based Leak Detection and Diagnosis Methodology for Automotive Carbon Dioxide Air Conditioning Systems (Erin Canfield, 2005)

Making Sustainable and Environmental Improvements through focused Factories (Kyle Hurst, 2006)

Exergetic Analysis of Energy Intensive Systems within Buildings (Erin George, 2006)

Economic and Environmental Impacts of Waste Cooking Oil Collection for Use as Biodiesel (Christopher Wood, 2007)

Modeling Environmental Impact of Demand Variability upon Supply Chains in the beverage Industry (Jorge Daccarett, expected 2008)

Dissemination

Last three yearsconference papers in proceedingspeer reviewed journal papers invited talks workshops

• Organized GM Hydrogen Vehicle workshop (RIT, 2005)

• Attended NSF workshops, Education in Sustainable Engineering; 2006, 2007

• Hosted UV Tube workshop (RIT, 2006)

Student Organization Engineers for a Sustainable World (ESW)

Founded in Fall 2005 Co-advised by engineering faculty Student members from across campus Synergy with SEAL (Student Environmental Action

League)

Activities Weekly volunteering at St. Joseph Soup Kitchen Tours (Harbec Plastics, recycling centers, etc.) Attendance at annual conferences (UT-Austin,

University of Iowa) Fundraising for St. Joseph Soup Kitchen, one-room

school in rural Venezuela, Books-to-Africa Drive, etc.

Curricular Development Courses

Fuel Cell Technology (2001) Fundamentals of Sustainable Engineering (2002) Life Cycle Assessment (2004) Design for the Environment (2007) Renewable Energy Systems (2007) Sustainable Energy Management and the Built Environment (2007) Alternative Fuels and Energy Efficiency for Transportation (2008)

Mechanical Engineering Option in Energy and the Environment (refined in 2006)

Minor in Sustainable Product Development (approved 2006)

Minor in SPD

Sustainable Engineering (SE)

Our working definition engineering for human development that meets the needs

of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (Bruntland Commission, 1987; The Center for Sustainable Engineering, 2006).

Examples: Using methods that minimize environmental damage to

provide sufficient food, water, shelter, and mobility for a growing world population

Designing products and processes so that wastes from one are used as inputs to another

Incorporating environmental and social constraints as well as economic considerations into engineering decisions

Program Objectives

To develop student awareness of issues in areas of sustainability (e.g. global warming, ozone layer depletion, deforestation, pollution, ethical issues, fair trade, gender equity, etc.)

To explore and demonstrate the role and impacts of various aspects of engineering (design, technology, etc) and engineering decisions on environmental and societal problems. Particular emphasis is placed on the potential trade-offs between environmental, social and economic objectives.

To equip students with engineering and decision-making tools and methodologies and provide them with opportunities to apply them on sustainability-related problems.

To demonstrate capacity to distinguish professional and ethical responsibilities associated with the practice of engineering.

M.Eng. in SE

Incoming Graduate Student(BS Degree in Engineering or other appropriate background)

Core Courses in SE(20 Cr. Hrs)

(1) Fundamentals of Sustainable Engineering

(2) Life Cycle Assessment and Costing

(3) Design for the Environment

(4) Renewable Energy Systems

(5) Product and Process Design and Development

Engineering Electives(16 Cr. Hrs)

Four graduate courses from KGCOE in an area of interest. Examples: Energy, Modeling Manufacturing and materials, Transportation and Logistics, Product Design and Dev.

Contextual Electives(8 Cr. Hrs)

Choose one from each group

Social Context Group

· Energy Policy· Tech Innovation and Public

Policy· Managing for Environmental

Sustainability

Environmental Tech Group

· Resource Reduction· Product Stewardship· Industrial Waste Water Mgmt· Air Emissions· Solid and Hazard Waste Mgmt

SE Graduate Seminar(0 Cr. Hrs)

Three quarters of graduate seminars in Sustainability Engineering

Applications in Sustainable Engineering(Capstone Project, 4 Cr. Hrs)

M.S. in SE

Incoming Graduate Student(BS Degree in Engineering or other appropriate background)

Core Courses in SE(20 Cr. Hrs)

(1) Fundamentals of Sustainable Engineering

(2) Life Cycle Assessment and Costing

(3) Design for the Environment

(4) Renewable Energy Systems

(5) Product and Process Design and Development

Engineering Electives(8 Cr. Hrs)

Two graduate courses from KGCOE.in an area of interest. Examples: Energy, Modeling Manufacturing and materials, Transportation and Logistics, Product Design and Dev.

Contextual Electives(8 Cr. Hrs)

Choose one from each group

Social Context Group

· Energy Policy· Tech Innovation and Public

Policy· Managing for Environmental

Sustainability

Environmental Tech Group

· Resource Reduction· Product Stewardship· Industrial Waste Water Mgmt· Air Emissions· Solid and Hazard Waste Mgmt

SE Graduate Seminar(0 Cr. Hrs)

Three quarters of graduate seminars in Sustainability Engineering

Thesis (9 Cr. Hrs)

Engineering Electives Potential Focus Areas

Energy Modeling Manufacturing and Materials Transportation and Logistics Product Design and Development

M.Eng. Program Schedule

Master of Engineering in Sustainable EngineeringCourse Sequence

Fall Quarter (Y1)

Product and Process Design and Development (0303-760)

SE Graduate Seminar (0303-800/0304-889)

Fundamentals of Sustainable Engineering (0303-790)

Winter Quarter (Y1)

SE Graduate Seminar (0303-800/0304-889)

Life Cycle Assessment and Costing (0303-791)

Spring Quarter (Y1)

Engineering Elective III(0303/0304-7XX)

SE Graduate Seminar (0303-800/0304-889)

Design for Environment (0303-792)

Engineering Elective I(0303/0304-7XX)

Engineering Elective II(0303/0304-7XX)

Applications in SE(0303/0304-793)

Social Context or Environmental Tech Elective

Renewable Energy Systems(0304-729)

4

4

4

4

4

4

0

4

4

0

4

4

0

Engineering Elective IV(0303/0304-7XX)

Social Context or Environmental Tech Elective 4

4

M.S. Program Schedule

Master of Science in Sustainable EngineeringCourse Sequence

Fall Quarter (Y1)

Product and Process Design and Development (0303-760)

SE Graduate Seminar (0303-800/0304-889)

Fundamentals of Sustainable Engineering (0303-790)

Winter Quarter (Y1)

SE Graduate Seminar (0303-800/0304-889)

Life Cycle Assessment and Costing (0303-791)

Spring Quarter (Y1)

Engineering Elective I(0303/0304-7XX)

SE Graduate Seminar (0303-800/0304-889)

Design for Environment (0303-792)

Fall Quarter (Y2)

Engineering Elective II(0303/0304-7XX)

Social Context or Environmental Tech Elective

Winter Quarter (Y2)

Social Context or Environmental Tech Elective

Spring Quarter (Y2)

Thesis(0303/0304-890)

Renewable Energy Systems(0304-729)

4

4

4

4

4

0

4

4

0

4

4

0

5

Thesis(0303/0304-890) 4

Links:

SE Activities at KGCOE: http://www.rit.edu/~633www/sustain/sustain.htm

Program minor: http://www.rit.edu/~633www/minors/SPD/index.html

Multidisciplinary Engineering Design Program: http://edge.rit.edu/content/EDGE/public/Home