Day 2

ME and MET Curricula of the Future
ME and MET programs are amongst the broadest when compared to other majors.  They are also amongst the slowest to change. With rapidly advancing technologies, ME and MET programs need to change to stay impactful and relevant. This session will give a brief overview of the historical evolution of ME and MET curriculum and then introduce the need for future topics.  Breakout groups will discuss major areas of ME like Mechanics, Design, Thermal Fluid Systems, and Dynamic Systems, considering potential future directions.  The goal of the session will be to develop a white paper that colleges and universities can use as a guide for developing their curriculum for the next decade.

Speakers:
• Kaitlin Tyler, Ph.D., Academic Content Development Program Manager, Ansys
• Barry Powell, Head, Siemens Electrical Products Business
• Devesh Ranjan, Ph.D., Eugene C. Gwaltney, Jr. School Chair and Professor, George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology

Moderator:
• Rungun Nathan, Ph.D.

Community College Workshop: The State of Credentials in Higher Education and Workforce Development
One of the hottest topics in post-secondary education and workforce development is the explosion of credentials, micro-credentials, stackable credentials, short-term credentials, non-degree credentials and the value employers place on them. During this session you’ll hear from leading experts on the state of credentials, their use in higher education, and hear from industry on their use and value in the workforce.

Speakers:
• Isabel Cardenas-Navia, Ph.D., Senior Director of Research, WorkCred
• Kristofor Anderson, Director of Energy Resources, Georgia Environmental Finance Authority
• Darwin Newton, MBA, P.E., Head of Operations, Electrical & eMobility Services, Siemens

Current Challenges for MEEd Leaders
ME and MET department leaders face a multitude of challenges that might include declining enrollments, recruiting of faculty and students, increasing start-up packages, service demands, mentoring junior faculty, and equipping labs of the future. After session participants identify their top challenges, affinity groups will be formed to share ideas and identify strategies to mitigate the most frequently cited challenges. After the session concludes, a summary document will be prepared and shared with all MEEd 2024 attendees.

Moderators:
• Pierre Larochelle, Ph.D. and Orlando M. Ayala, Ph.D. 

Community College Workshop: Enhancing Human Potential Through Extended Reality and Generative Artificial Intelligence (XR + Gen-AI)
As the manufacturing landscape transforms, so must the skills of our workforce. Traditional methods of training are costly and time-consuming, but the fusion of Extended Reality (XR), including VR and AR, with Artificial Intelligence (AI) presents an opportunity for swifter, more cost-effective skill development. Nonetheless, the transition to these technologies is not immediate. The talk will address how XR and AI can be used to enhance worker skills and provide hands-on education. These technologies hold promise for equipping workers for new and intricate jobs and for transforming future classroom learning. While AI is poised to become common in engineering, especially for tasks on computers, applying physical AI (P-AI) to manual jobs and diverse workflows is more complex. Contrary to some predictions of quick tech adoption, significant practical challenges and high costs of integration remain. Automating varied daily tasks that involve computer vision, robotics, and IoT automation is complex, with high integration costs and considerable investment risks. A task-based analysis offers insights into the potential impacts of AI on different job roles. Recent studies indicate that AI is more likely to impact high-paying computer science jobs than those in the physical sciences and engineering sectors. Despite what demos and videos might suggest, the growth of manufacturing automation and robotics is progressing more slowly than some might expect. In summary, while AI and XR have the potential to transform skill training, there is substantial work ahead to integrate these technologies into our work ecosystems in a human-centered way.

Speaker:
• Karthik Ramani, Ph.D., Donald W. Feddersen Distinguished Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Purdue University

Awards Luncheon
A formal presentation will be held during the luncheon to honor the Ben C. Sparks Medal and the Donald N. Zwiep Innovation in Education Award. Brief presentations and other notable acknowledgements will be made.

Welcome Remarks:
• Thomas Costabile, P.E., Executive Director/CEO

Speakers:
Donald N. Zwiep Innovation in Education Awardee:
• Prashanta Dutta, Ph.D., FASME, Director of NSF NRT-LEAD Program, Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Washington State University

Presentation: Desktop Learning Modules for Hands-on and Collaborative Learning

Ben C. Sparks Medal Awardee:
• Mary Lynn Realff, Ph.D., Associate Chair for Undergraduate Programs in the School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology

ASME MEDHEC Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Awardee:
• Caroline Hayes, Professor, and John and Nancy Hayes Department Chair in Mechanical Engineering, Iowa University

Moderator:
• Michele Miller, Ph.D.

Creating a Successful Transfer Pathway to Ensure Equitable Education for All
Students who begin their postsecondary education in Community Colleges reap many benefits, including lower tuition, convenient location, and smaller class sizes. However, when transitioning to a four-year institution, the transfer student experience is often fraught with challenges and inequitable outcomes for students coming from Community Colleges. During this session Doris Espiritu from Wilbur Wright College will discuss how she developed a clear and guided pathway to a high-quality, equitable education in mechanical engineering, including the alignment of curriculum to ensure that the transfer of credits minimizes disruption to transfer student learning and to maximizes students’ academic success. 

Speakers:
• Doris Espiritu, Ph.D., Dean of the Center of Excellence for Engineering and Computer Science, Wilbur Wright College

Mental Health of Undergraduate Students, Graduate Students, and Faculty
The COVID-19 pandemic has raised awareness about the mental health challenges of students. Many universities have responded to this health crisis by offering more mental health services and even training for departmental faculty and staff. Though the pandemic no longer upends our lives, its impact on student learning and health continues to be felt and addressed on our campuses. One may consider this heightened awareness of mental health as one of the few positive and hopefully lasting outcomes of COVID-19. Unfortunately, campus rhetoric around mental health has been mostly confined to students, particularly undergraduate students. However, it is imperative that these conversations around mental wellness also include graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, staff, and faculty. Aiming to centralize and normalize discussions about mental health in higher education, this session will explore innovative approaches to improving mental health and wellness in our home departments, institutions, and organizations.

Speakers:
• James Huff, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Engineering Education, Harding University
• Boni Yraguen, Ph.D., Instructional Consultant, Center for Teaching Mechanical Engineering
• Sarah Wilson, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Kentucky

Moderators:
• Michele Miller, Ph.D. and Harish Cherukuri, Ph.D.

Five @ 5 – ME Presentations & Updates

Moderators:
• Harish Cherukuri, Ph.D.

Industry 4.0 Curriculum
This presentation will provide a comprehensive overview of six learning modules designed to teach industry 4.0 concepts. Developed through a collaborative effort between ASME and Autodesk, the workshop aims to provide participants with a sneak peek into the topics and content covered in the modules. Additionally, it will explore strategies to keep engineering students engaged in the classroom and offer insights on how to effectively utilize the modules and resources provided by ASME and Autodesk to transform engineering education. The main objectives are to present strategies to facilitate curriculum change and to integrate concepts from the modules in existing lesson plans as well as enhance the teaching of industry 4.0 concepts.

Speakers:
• Debra Pothier, Senior Manager and Strategist, Autodesk
• Pooja Thakkar Singh, Program Manager, Strategic Initiatives, ASME