Teaching Undergraduate and Graduate Students Results From Recent Research As Part of a Class
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Teaching Undergraduate and Graduate Students Results From Recent Research As Part of a Class
L. J. Martínez-Miranda, J. Kidder, I. Lloyd, R. J. Briber, O. Wilson, M. Al-Sheikly and L. G. Salamanca-Riba University of Maryland, Dept. of Materials and Nuclear Eng., College Park, MD., 207422115 ABSTRACT We have integrated recent research results in the curriculum of the University of Maryland, while leaving the basics intact. This allows us to teach the fundamental laws and to show the students how these help us to answer questions that are of importance today. This can be done as part of a laboratory and as part of a class. In the laboratory classes, we emphasize what is measured (the main topic), then measure samples recently done in the literature. If available, we measure two samples and have a discussion on what are the differences. These are then related to the manner the samples have been grown. In the classes, we show the basic equation or relation, and introduce how it can answer a question that is pertinent to today’s research.
INTRODUCTION
The University of Maryland’s undergraduate program in Materials Science and Engineering was approved in 1996. The graduate program has been in existence for over thirty years. The youth of the undergraduate program makes it ideal to insert ideas of research in the laboratories and the classes. These can be transferred to the graduate courses in the introductory classes, which are taken by undergraduates and graduate students whose undergraduate degree is not in materials or physics. In order to be successful, the courses need to cover the material the students need to advance to the next level, and satisfy ABET’s requirements in order to ensure the department’s continued accreditation. As a result of the development of the undergraduate program, several courses were established, among them ENMA 310 – 311, the laboratory of materials characterization, designed to complement both ENMA 362, the class-laboratory of mechanical properties and ENMA 460, a class on solid state physics of materials, ENMA 481, a class in electronic properties of materials, and ENMA 363, a class on microprocessing of materials. ENMA 460 and 481 can be taken by entering graduate students. The courses in the upper undergraduate curriculum are shown in Table I. All materials classes aim at looking at the structure – property – processing relationship. Using recent research results is the most ideal method of illustrating this idea to the students and of showing how relevant is the idea in research, be it industrial or GG1.5.1
basic. In the next paragraphs, we illustrate how this can be achieved by illustrating several exercises done in class and the laboratory. These are by no means exhausting. Table I. Table illustrating the upper level classes taken in the undergraduate degree of Materials. Major Requirements ENMA 310 – Structures Laboratory ENMA 311 – Electrical and Magnetics Lab ENMA 362 – Mechanical Properties ENMA 363 – Micro-processing ENMA 460 – Physics of Materials ENMA 461 – Thermodynamics
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