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Introduction to Engineering

Introduction to Engineering

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Section 300: Tuesday/Thursday 10:30AM-12:00PM 1109 FXB (Subject to change)

ENGINEERING DESIGN AND THE REAL WORLD
Jason Daida/Erik Hildinger

In this course, we learn and experience how engineers view the world and create things that can profoundly alter people's lives. In doing so, we find out that engineers bring much of their life and learning to bear on problem solving. It's not just math. It's not just science. The best of engineering often embraces one's life and passion to share with others, to help those in need, to improve our quality of life, and to encourage our exploration into the unknown.

This section is challenging and broad-based, mostly because we emphasize and apply problem-solving strategies in the real world. In particular, we examine a variety of case studies across a number of engineering disciplines. We explore how even the simplest of engineering designs can have outrageous consequences. We consider why technical expertise by itself does not guarantee success. We scrutinize how peer interactions can greatly influence the effectiveness of engineering solutions, in spite of superior technical proficiency. We examine how adversity drives advancements in engineering in the real world. We analyze current case studies of (spectacular) engineering failure, which are largely the results of human shortcomings. We study how to deliberately incorporate adversity as a matter of sound engineering practice. We engage engineering as an incredible helping profession that allows individuals and societies to address adversities in way that no other profession can.

Much of this course features real-world engineering projects that aim to improve the quality of life for our peers. In any one term, the projects can span a variety of disciplines and interest. For example, in one term we had the following mix of projects:

  • A GPS tracking system for the U-M buses (in conjunction with AOSS 499, a senior design class). (This is now operational: you can now track buses at [http://mbus.pts.umich.edu/arrivals/routeView.php)
  • A new coffee shop for the Shapiro Undergraduate Library. The coffee shop is now open!
  • A classroom that allows real-time collaborative engineering designs between the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and U-M students. Donors are being solicited for this renovation.
This section has an entrepreneurial and managerial focus that examines engineering leadership in a global context. Not only have members of this class gone on to make a difference at the university and in their jobs, but this section has also gone on the road to Shanghai, China, too. As an added benefit, students in this class have an option to continue their projects as part of a start-up business in MPowered Entrepreneurship or as part of a humanitarian outreach in BLUElab.

There are approximately ten assignments in this course. The course grade is split between individual assignments and exams (about 55%, including a midterm and a final) and team labs and projects (about 45%, including an oral presentation and a final report).

This section is particularly well suited to those who would like a big-picture, systems understanding and who wants to know the why's behind our profession. For that reason, students from many of the engineering disciplines at U-M-like industrial and operations engineering, civil and environmental engineering, electrical engineering and computer science, mechanical engineering, and chemical engineering-have benefited from the course.

For more information on this section, please go to our section's website at http://lattice.engin.umich.edu/wiki100/index.php/Welcome