(538f) Industrial Collaboration in the Capstone Design Courses: Experiences at Oklahoma State University

The undergraduate curriculum at Oklahoma State University (OSU) includes two required senior design courses: CHE 4124 (Chemical Engineering Design I) and CHE 4224 (Chemical Engineering Design II). These courses are offered once a year in the fall and spring semesters. There are two co-instructors in both classes. Starting in 1993, the authors have made significant modifications to the two design courses to increase student exposure to industrial work practices. These changes include use of industry sponsored design projects, equipment vendor seminars and shop tours, guest lectures, use of commercial design tools and references, and formal presentations by students to industry representatives. This paper describes our two most successful methods of integrating industry into the curriculum: 1) industrially sponsored design projects, and 2) a vendor design symposium series.