Explores reasons for the continuing underrepresentation of women in science and engineering using interviews with 46 women and 30 men. A poststructuralist approach, with aspects of discourse theory, is used to examine subject choices and occupational decision-making processes of female students of software engineering. (SLD)

Presents an open-ended project tailored for a senior kinetics and reactor design course in which basic reactor design equations are used to model the digestive systems of several animals. Describes the assignment as well as the results. (DDR)

Describes how interaction with several polymer manufacturing companies through industrial short courses and research projects has led to the development of dynamic and up-to-date undergraduate and graduate curriculums in polymer science and engineering technology. (DDR)

Business students (n=254) were assessed on their knowledge of computers, health and safety, radiation, workstations, and ergonomic techniques. Overall knowledge was low in all categories. In particular, they had not learned computer-use techniques. (SK)

Describes Project Lead the Way (PLTW), a national program that has formed partnerships among public schools, institutions of higher education, and industry to increase the quality and quantity of students graduating from engineering and engineering technology institutions. (Author)

Offers a case study examining what happened when a production worker tried to improve manufacturing documentation, and how her success depended upon both her craft knowledge and the rhetorical skills she attributes to a Writing Across the Curriculum program she experienced in college. (SR)

The merger of science and commerce has become the dominant global force, giving rise to concerns about the use of genetic knowledge; ethical issues concerning justice, destiny, and perfectability; and the consequences for families and communities. Family and consumer science professionals should work to combat misunderstanding and misuse of…

Examined the gaps related to gender and race/ethnicity in entry, persistence, and attainment of post-secondary science and engineering (S&E) education. Data suggest that much of the racial/ethnic and gender differences in entry into S&E can be explained by examining certain student, family, and school characteristics. (Author/SLD)

Uses engineering projects to make students create design prototypes of paper airplanes in order to teach the scientific principle of flight. (ASK)

Describes the nature of particle technology and outlines the expectations that industry has regarding particle technology, the services and resources that support the field, and the preparation in particle technology for technical graduates. Contains 17 references. (DDR)

Discusses the foundations of engineering design and highlights the problems confronting students who are required to make creative input into a design problem. Describes a way to implement creativity in teaching engineering design. Contains 38 references. (DDR)

First-year engineering students at Robert Gordon University (Scotland) were presented with a task-oriented induction program. Students were divided into groups and assigned a facilitator, later personal tutor, to whom they could refer. Student reaction to the experience was very favorable. Effect on progression rates is yet to be determined. (AEF)

Describes the integration of these topics through a major team-based design and computer aided design (CAD) modeling project in freshman engineering graphics at the University of Western Ontario. Involves n=250 students working in teams of four to design and document an original Lego toy. Includes 12 references. (Author/YDS)

Dissemination of quality content and best practices in education increasingly includes the use of electronic media in lieu of textbooks or direct student-teacher interaction. Several National Science Foundation (NSF)-supported projects are using enhanced and supplemented video to attract a broader student audience to science and enhance the…

Reports on a course at Rowan University, based on the economic design of a baseball stadium, that offers an introduction to multidisciplinary engineering design linked with formal training in technical communication. Addresses four pedagogical goals: (1) developing public speaking skills in a realistic, business setting; (2) giving students…