(574c) Introduction of a Small Business Client Project in Upper Level Materials Science and Engineering Elective

An introductory, survey course in materials science and engineering is a popular offering as a requirement or a technical elective at many chemical engineering institutions.  The course content and learning objectives of such lower level materials courses are common and well-established [1-3].  On the other hand, developing and teaching an upper level, comprehensive elective course in materials science and engineering can be challenging, partially because of varying expectations from chemical engineering students with basic materials science knowledge. Depth vs. breadth, science vs. engineering, application to the real world, and student engagement are some of the key components that are addressed in the author’s version of such a course.  

The present paper shares a new component in Bucknell University’s Advanced Materials Science and Engineering elective, in which a local entrepreneur in need of an engineering consulting service at Bucknell Small Business Development Center (SBDC) was identified as the client for the class, and the class conducted a 14 week-long product redesigning project with him.  The technical content followed the systematic materials selection methodology of Ashby [4], while the project flow and logistics were modeled after a typical client-based engineering capstone design course [5].  Major observations from this new course activity include enhanced communication, critical thinking, and time and project management skills.  The project structure, results, and feedback from the students and client are presented.

[1]    W. D. Callister and D.G. Rethwisch, Fundamentals of Materials Science and Engineering: An Integrated Approach, 3^rded., John Wiley and Sons, 2008.
[2]    J. F. Shackelford, Introduction to Materials Science for Engineers, 7^thed., Pearson Prentice Hall, 2009.
[3]    D. R. Askeland, P. P. Fulay, and W. J. Wright, the Science and Engineering of Materials, 6^thed., Cengage Learning, 2011.
[4]    M. F. Ashby and K. Johnson, Materials and Design: The Art and Science of Material Selection in Product Design, 2^nded., Butterworth-Heinemann, 2009.
[5]    A. J. Dutson, R. H. Todd, S. P. Magleby, and C. D. Sorenten, Journal of Engineering Education 86, 17 (1997).