Introduction to Engineering: A Project-Based Experience in Engineering Methods

Introduction to Engineering is a project-based learning experience for engineering students, who are tasked with designing a hypersonic trans-atmospheric vehicle. This experience guides students through the same process that a team of engineers would follow by breaking a large design problem into smaller, more tractable subproblems. To help students understand the challenge they confront, a statement of work (SOW) specifies the requirements of a test vehicle they must design, build, demonstrate, and deliver, including vehicle performance capabilities and physical characteristics. After flying to the edge of space, the hypersonic trans-atmospheric vehicle slows down and glides back for a horizontal landing on the earth. Students study this second phase of the mission, learning about glider aerodynamics and performance, as well as the shaping required for hypersonic vehicles. Once more, they design, build, and launch a test vehicle. Test vehicles and the final concept demonstrator are subscale, model-rocket-sized vehicles, but they demonstrate the basic physics, techniques, and technologies required to design fullscale vehicles. Electronic course materials accompany the text and include narrated slideshows, handouts, spreadsheets, and videos that allow students to deepen their understanding of engineering concepts and provide them with the examples and tools needed to build their test vehicles. Students will develop knowledge of aerospace, mechanical, environmental, and electrical engineering as they work to ensure that test vehicles are strong, functional, safe, and environmentally friendly. By the end of this project-based learning experience, students will grasp the fundamental tenets of creative problem solving and discover the fascinating, challenging, and motivating world of engineering.