Topics and Notes Summary (last update 12/16/2010):

DATE COMMENT
Dec. 16 (Thu) The group reports have been graded and the final course grades are posted.

I will be keeping the group reports for the course file.

I very much enjoyed the opportunity to teach this class.  Thank you for your effort and attention throughout the course, and best wishes for continued success in your studies!

R.C. Maher


 
Dec. 10 (Fri) Last day of class:  Congratulations!

Group Oral Presentations by Groups G, H, I. (15 minutes per group; time limit strictly enforced) All other students provide presentation review ratings.

Project Self/Peer review sheets are due by the end of class this day.

The final group papers are due by the end of the day on MONDAY, December 13.
 
Dec. 8 (Wed) Group Oral Presentations by Groups D, E, F. (15 minutes per group; time limit strictly enforced)  All other students provide presentation review ratings.
 
Dec. 6 (Mon) Group Oral Presentations by Groups A, B, C. (15 minutes per group; time limit strictly enforced).  All other students provide presentation review ratings.
 
Dec. 3 (Fri) Course wrap-up session.

Course overview, review, and evaluation process.
 
Dec. 1 (Wed) Group report PEER REVIEW SESSION in class. Attendance is mandatory.

Each group must bring FOUR COPIES of your group's draft report.

NOTE: The oral group presentation schedule for next week is as follows: Groups {A, B, and C} will present on Monday 12/6; Groups {D, E, and F} will present on Wednesday 12/8, and Groups {G, H, and I} will present on Friday 12/10.  The final project written reports (one per group) are due on or before Monday 12/13.
Nov. 29 (Mon) Lecture/activity:  Discussion of security checkpoint scanners using millimeter wave and x-ray backscatter. Technology, public policy, and society issues.

Reminder:  mandatory group project written report peer review during class time on Wednesday:  all groups need to bring four hardcopy printouts of your draft report.

 
Nov. 29 (Mon) Lecture/activity:  Discussion of security checkpoint scanners using millimeter wave and x-ray backscatter. Technology, public policy, and society issues.

Reminder:  mandatory group project written report peer review during class time on Wednesday:  all groups need to bring four hardcopy printouts of your draft report.

 
Nov. 26 (Fri) No MSU classes:  Thanksgiving Holiday
 
Nov. 24 (Wed) No MSU classes:  Thanksgiving Holiday

Thanksgiving holiday
The Thanksgiving Day holiday in the United States comes from the harvest festival tradition of 16th century agrarian Europe.

The traditional "first Thanksgiving" was held in 17th century America by the Pilgrims (1621).

George Washington instituted a national day of Thanksgiving in 1789, but the event did not gain widespread official acceptance until Abraham Lincoln issued aproclamation on October 3, 1863, setting aside the last Thursday of November as a day of thanksgiving.  Incidentally, this proclamation was issued just a few weeks before Lincoln gave his famous address at Gettysburg (November 19, 1863). 

Every president after Lincoln continued the Thanksgiving Day tradition, and in 1941 Congress adopted the fourth Thursday of November as a national holiday.

The fourth Thursday can be as early as Nov. 22 (like 2007), and as late as Nov. 28 (like 2002).

Here's a look-ahead formula for the calendar.  To determine the date of Thanksgiving next year: subtract one from the day of the month this year; then if next year is a leap year, subtract 1 more. If that result is less than 22, add 7.  Example:  in 2009 the date was 26, so in 2010 (not a leap year) Thanksgiving is on the 25th.  Next year (2011, also not a leap year) it will be on the 24th, and in 2012 (a leap year) it will be on the 22nd.

Best wishes for a safe, enjoyable, and memorable holiday.

 
Nov. 22 (Mon) Lecture/activity:  Part 2 of Nova NASA/Moon video presentation.

 
Nov. 19 (Fri)

Follow-up on several ENGR 125 class topics:  World Trade Center, Three Gorges Dam, etc.

In-class meeting time for project groups.

 
Nov. 17 (Wed) Lecture/activity:  Engineers Without Borders and other examples of outreach groups.

In-class meeting time for project groups.
 
Nov. 15 (Mon) Lecture:  Thinking about starting your own business?

Due date reminders for group projects.
 
Nov. 12 (Fri) Comments and suggestions on oral presentations:  oral presentation hints.

In-class meeting time for project groups.


 
Nov. 10 (Wed) Lecture/activity:  Mission to Mars video and in-class worksheet. 

DUE:  list of at least 6 authoritative references, one list per group, turned in via hardcopy at the start of class.
 
Nov. 8 (Mon) Engineering ethics and ethical considerations (cont.)
Group project team meetings in class.
 
Nov. 5 (Fri) No ENGR 125 class this day (instructor out of town), BUT the project teams are encouraged to use this time to meet!
 
Nov. 3 (Wed) It is IMPERATIVE that all students be in class this day for the group project kick-off!

In class quiz on reading assignment.

Set up group project teams and select project topics.

Engineering ethics and ethical considerations.
 
Nov. 1 (Mon) Engineering problem solving (cont.)

Group Project Assignment information:  teams will be assigned Wednesday!
 
Oct. 29 (Fri) Engineering disciplines homework due at the start of class.

In class Activity: Engineering problem solving.

NOTE:  the final project team assignments will be made next week.  IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT ALL STUDENTS ATTEND CLASS on WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, FOR THE TEAM ASSIGNMENTS.

Assignment: For Monday 11/1/10, read Chapter 6 (Rachel Carson) in Cullen.

Reading:  Cullen, Chapter 6, Rachel Carson, pp. 85-100 (Environmental awareness; pesticide overuse).


 
Oct. 27 (Wed) Discussion of the social impact of compensation for victims of civil infrastructure failures, industrial contamination, and natural and man-made disasters.

Lecture/activity:  Engineering now and in the future--the engineer of 2020.


 
Oct. 25 (Mon)

Results of Course/Instructor mid-term evaluation.

Organizations and organizational breakdowns (cont.)

CAIB recommendations:  connections to "organizational breakdowns" cited by the Board (in-class worksheet).

Brief introduction to engineering disciplines and history.

Assignment: Handout sheet. Look up information regarding one of the major engineering disciplines (electrical, mechanical, civil, or chemical). Due at the start of class on Friday (10/29/10).
 
Oct. 22 (Fri) In-class quiz on reading assignments.

Course/instructor mid-term evaluation.

Discussion of the social impact of compensation for victims of civil infrastructure failures, industrial contamination, and natural and man-made disasters.

In class writing assignment on liability and compensation. 
Oct. 20 (Wed)

Lecture: in-class presentation of Nova NASA/Moon video.
 

Excerpts from the Columbia Accident Investigation:

- Synopsis
- History as a Cause
- Implications for future space flight
- Recommendations

 
Oct. 18 (Mon) Midterm Essay is due via D2L by class time this day.

Organizations and organizational breakdowns.

Discussion of the Challenger accident and the Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB) report. What do these accidents and the subsequent investigations teach us about technology and society? What are the categories of organizational breakdowns?


Assignment: Read Chapters 4 and 5 of the Cullen book, and the CAIB documents.

Reading: Cullen, Chapter 4, 'sir Fredrick G. Banting,, pp. 49-66 (Discoverer of insulin).

Reading: Cullen, Chapter 5, J. Robert Oppenheimer, pp. 67-84 (Construction of the first nuclear weapon). Was Oppenheimer using the methods of a scientist, an engineer, or both? What motivated the Manhattan Project staff?.
 
Oct. 15 (Fri) Midterm essay MANDATORY peer review session in class.

The midterm essay mandatory peer review process will be held during class time on Friday, October 15. Your essay grade will depend upon your active participation in the peer review.

Bring TWO PRINTED COPIES of your draft midterm essay.

Reminder: the final copy of the midterm essay is due electronically via D2L at the START of class on Monday, October 18.
 
Oct. 13 (Wed) Lecture: video presentation of "Skyscraper" part 4 (conclusion), with in-class worksheet.
 
Oct. 11 (Mon) In-class activity:  Three Gorges Dam in China.  Considerations from the point of view of an environmentalist, an economist, a sociologist, and an anthropologist.
 
Oct. 8 (Fri) Lecture/discussion topic 1:  The concept of "utilitarianism"

Lecture/discussion topic 2:  Review and discussion of the "Skyscraper" series
 
Oct. 6 (Wed) Lecture: video presentation of "Skyscraper" part 3, with in-class worksheet.
 
Oct. 4 (Mon) MID TERM ESSAY ASSIGNED IN CLASS.  Discussion of topic, format, grading, peer review plan, etc.  The peer review session will be in class on Friday, October 15, 2010.  The final copy of the essay is due electronically via D2L dropbox by class time on Monday, October 18, 2010.  Midterm essay assignment handout.

Lecture:  Powerpoint presentation on Technological Systems.

 
Oct. 1 (Fri) Discuss video and HW essay #1 results.  Quiz on Cowan essay from assigned readings.

Technological thinking and writing exercise:  write in words only the rules for tic tac toe and the procedure for tying a shoe lace.  It is hard without diagrams or a demonstration!

Assignment: For next week, read essay 1.3.1 of the Winston and Edelbach book.

Reading:  Winston & Edelbach, Chapter 1.3.1, "Philosophy and Human Values," by Ian Barbour, pp. 113-120.  Note how Barbour describes the role of obligations in ethics, and the connection to the obligations described in your midterm essay assignment.
 
Sept. 29 (Wed) Lecture: video presentation of "Skyscraper" part 2, with in-class worksheet.
 

 
Sept. 27 (Mon) In class discussion of reading assignment (likely will be a quiz on Friday).

In-class activity:  engineering analysis using climate data.

 

Sept. 24 (Fri)

 HW Essay #1 is due at the start of class (electronic submission to the D2L dropbox, and bring two printed copies to class).

In class peer-review of essays.

Discussion of Skyscraper video.

Assignment:  For next Monday, find a patent with an inventor who shares your last name (or first name), and print a copy of the cover page.

Assignment: For next week, read essay 1.1.2 of the Winston and Edelbach book.  Note what Cowan means by the technological system concept. There will be a discussion and reading quiz next week.

Reading: Winston and Edelbach, Chapter 1.1.2, Industrial Society and Technological Systems, pp. 38-54.

Sept. 22 (Wed)

 Lecture: video presentation of "Skyscraper" part 1, with in-class worksheet.
 

Reminder: essay #1 is due at the start of class on Friday.

Sept. 20 (Mon)

 Presentation by Bethany Swanson, Wild Rockies Field Institute.

Patents and intellectual property. Link to the US Patent and Trademark Office and to the Google patent search site.

U.S. Constitution, Article 1, Section 8.

Sept. 17 (Fri)

Working within constraints: finding the optimum solution to a need while balancing cost, safety, efficiency, availability, etc.  Use hypothetical Mars mission as an example.  Students write ideas in their notebooks.

 

Assign first essay:  If an invention intended to solve one of society's problems also has unintended negative consequences, what should society do about it?

 

Assignment:HW Essay #1, due at class time on Friday, September 24, 2010 (D2L dropbox).

 

Approach to writing and how essays will be graded.

Sept. 15 (Wed)

 Finish disaster discussion. World Trade Center:  investigation of the collapse circumstances, and the implications for technology and society.

Information from NIST WTC website :  FAQ documents (1, 2, 3) and videos

WTC 7 collapse.

Paper clip experiment and considerations for engineering uncertainty.

(note:  there will be an essay assignment distributed on Friday)

Sept. 13 (Mon)

Disasters and safety responses: the role of engineering.

(In-class assignment)

Sept. 10 (Fri)

Discuss WTC video: what did the World Trade Center represent as an artifact of technology? What did it represent as a social/political artifact?
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Continue on the "scientific method" and the "engineering method"

Discuss essay 1.1.3 of the Winston and Edelbach book.

Sept. 8 (Wed)

View in-class video presentation: "World Trade Center Requiem"

(Video worksheet filled out and handed in during class)

Assignment: For this week, read essay 1.1.3 of the Winston and Edelbach book.  Consider how the global trends follow an engineering process (note:no quiz on Friday this week).

 Reading: Winston and Edelbach, Chapter 1.1.3, The Shock of the Old:  Production, pp. 55-66 (Technological life cycles; examples of technology in use, and the resulting influences).

Sept. 6 (Mon)

Labor Day:  No class this day (University Holiday)

Sept. 3 (Fri)

Discuss questionnaire results.

In-class quiz on reading assignments from Cullen.

Discuss newspaper headlines.

Continue on the "scientific method" and the "engineering method"

Portrayal of engineers in popular media.

Sept. 1 (Wed)

Work on kick-off questionnaire

What is the difference between science and engineering? Is this distinction important to society?

The "scientific method" and the "engineering method"

Assignment:  Look for headlines in the newspaper or on the web that have a connection to the engineering field, and bring to class on Friday.  Examples: "Hurricane looms in Atlantic at Category 4"; "S. Korea aborts rocket launch minutes before liftoff"; "Indictment of card hacker unlikely to end thefts."

Aug. 30 (Mon)

First class meeting at 2:10PM in Wilson Hall 1-132.

Course introduction and overview.

Consideration of how the engineering field (and engineers) are viewed in popular culture.

First day "speed dating" exercise

Assignment: Between now and the start of class on Friday, Sept. 3, Read Chapters 1-3 of the Cullen book.  Think about whether you would consider Pasteur, Curie, and Marconi to be scientists or engineers.  Why do you think so?

Reading:  Cullen, Chapter 1, Louis Pasteur,, pp. 1-18 (Co-credited for the germ theory of disease and developed first vaccines).

Reading:  Cullen, Chapter 2, Marie Curie,, pp. 19-32 (Discovery of the elements Radium and Polonium).

Reading:  Cullen, Chapter 3, Guglielmo Marconi, pp. 33-48 (First transatlantic radio transmission).