Conference proceeding
Development and Implementation of a Power and Energy Engineering Minor with Limited Resources: First Results and Lessons Learned
Association for Engineering Education - Engineering Library Division Papers
23 Jun 2018
Abstract
The last two decades has witnessed significant advances in the power system technology, such as the smart grid advent or the increased renewable energy generation. This technological boom has increased the proper-trained engineering graduate demands, requiring the revitalization of the power and energy courses, offering courses in power engineering, power electronics and renewable energy, or innovative curricula developments to educate students or professionals working in these rapidly evolving industries. At the end of 2016, I accepted a new faculty position, being charged with revitalizing the power engineering program. Major challenges of this project included: appropriate course materials, content, textbooks, developing new learning materials and laboratory experiments, inclusion or not of projects, limited financial resources, and finally inadequate laboratory equipment and space. Facing these challenges, a three-step development and implementation approach was decided upon, consisting of: 1) upgrading and updating existing power engineering courses, through new course materials that still meet the objectives of the original courses; 2) developing upper division elective courses that address specific topics, such as: Power Electronics, Power Distribution, Smart Grids, Industrial Energy Systems, Energy Management and Renewable Energy Systems; and 3) restructuring, upgrading and expanding the electric machines laboratory, as an integrated modular laboratory facility for energy conversion, electric machines, power electronics, power systems and renewable energy. The proposed new courses was approved and strongly supported at department and college levels. To overcome the lack of proper equipment and foster student enthusiasm, a project-based approach, together with the extensive use of available or free open-source power system software packages was also adopted. The next phase of the project consists of submitting proposals to the state and federal funding agencies, and trying to get financial support from the local and regional energy industry. In this paper, we are discussing lessons learned during the first project phases along with challenges and unique approaches that were taken, as well as the future activities.
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Details
- Title
- Development and Implementation of a Power and Energy Engineering Minor with Limited Resources: First Results and Lessons Learned
- Creators
- Radian BeluLucian Ionel CiocaRichard Chiou
- Publication Details
- Association for Engineering Education - Engineering Library Division Papers
- Publisher
- American Society for Engineering Education-ASEE
- Resource Type
- Conference proceeding
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Engineering Leadership and Society/Engineering Technology
- Identifiers
- 991019173964304721