At the University of Colorado at Boulder, the First-Year Engineering Projects course is offered as a hands-on introduction to engineering. The main goal of the course is an integrative one – to make connections between the theoretical, academic aspects of engineering and the professional practice of engineering, helping budding engineers understand that engineering is a helping, people oriented profession that underpins both our economy and our quality of life. The course objectives are accomplished by introducing students to the design/build process in a team-based setting, supported by experimental testing. This presentation will provide an overview of the infrastructure, course objectives and course structure that are essential to the success of the First-Year Engineering Projects courses at the University of Colorado. Assessment data from eight years of First-Year Engineering Projects will be presented. Lastly, this seminar will encourage dialogue regarding the benefits and challenges that are encountered in this innovative design course.

Dr. Daria Kotys-Schwartz is the Faculty Director for the University of Colorado-Mesa State College Mechanical Engineering Program and an instructor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. She received BS and MS degrees in mechanical engineering from The Ohio State University and a PhD in mechanical engineering from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Dr. Kotys-Schwartz has focused her research in engineering student learning, retention and diversity. She is currently investigating teenage girls’ participation in engineering and technology activities from multiple disciplinary frames, the impact of four-year hands-on design curriculum, and the effects of service learning in engineering education.