Ashok Shettar

Studies on the effect of multi-walled carbon nanotube-reinforced polymer-based nano-composites using finite element analysis software tool

This article confirms experimental results by finite element analysis. The study includes meshing the specimen of size 40 × 12 × 6 mm3. The model is constructed in DesignModeler (ANSYS Workbench). Multi-walled carbon nanotubes are aligned in different angles to correlate the experimental results. The modelling method employed for analysis is based on weight ratio. The proportion of multi-walled carbon nanotubes is 0.25%, 0.5%, 0.75% and 1% by weight of polymer matrix (epoxy resin) for different specimens. Multi-walled carbon nanotubes are dispersed in epoxy matrix using ultrasonic energy. Composite beams were tested under flexure in order to evaluate their mechanical property such as load–deflection criteria by three-point bending test. Finite element method results were in close agreement with the experimental outcomes with different orientation of multi-walled carbon nanotubes into the matrix considered.

Multidisciplinary Approach to Product Design and Realization

This paper discusses development of project-based ‘product design and realization’ course for undergraduate students. The course offered at an early stage of the curriculum is aimed at providing engineering design and product realization skills to the students. Creating an appropriate learning experience in product design is challenging owing to its multidisciplinary nature. An innovative multidisciplinary design-to-realization approach is adopted in this course and student teams are required to design and build working prototypes for predefined products. This course brings a new perspective to the multidisciplinary approach to teaching product design. Introduction of project-based design experience at an early level provides students with an opportunity to develop capabilities to design complex systems in the future. Further, this approach facilitates meeting challenging requirements of several ABET-based educational outcomes: technical as well as professional.

Creating an Integrated Learning Experience Within Curriculum Threads Through Mini-projects

This paper discusses details of the curricular reform effort to design an integrated learning experience in curriculum threads through mini-project in Electronics and Communication undergraduate. Traditionally, capstone projects because of their integrative nature are expected to provide an opportunity for the student to synthesize and demonstrate the learning that has happened across the program. Often it becomes difficult to choose problems for capstone projects that call for the application of the knowledge and skills acquired in all the curriculum threads. Mini-projects vertically integrated with each of the curriculum threads of the program are carried out by the students in the prefinal year and provide an opportunity to integrate knowledge and skills acquired in a set of courses belonging to the curriculum thread to solve complex engineering problems. Introduction of mini-projects also provides sufficient resolution to directly assess student learning outcomes in each of the curriculum thread. As these projects are carried out in teams, students are able to develop and demonstrate several professional competencies that are critical for engineering practice. The paper demonstrates that the theme-based mini-projects provide an integrated learning experience in a curriculum thread and help to develop curriculum design and modifications.

An Experience of Introducing a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Course

The paper explores the new technology commercialization model being followed at The University of Akron (UA).UA has implemented the National Science Foundation (NSF)Innovation ICorpsTMmodel since 2013. This paper describes how the NSF I-Corps model has changed the innovation culture at UA and allowed the academic faculty to explore the business potential of their intellectual property.Differences in implementation across several I-Corps Sites are explored. The lessons from UAs experience show that the I-Corps Sites program has been a resounding success and helped faculty and students to become more entrepreneurial in exploring the commercial value and demand drivers of technologies invented at UA.Students are more attracted towards and enthusiastic about modern teaching techniques. This paper provides a new concept in the design of a coursework thus enabling the teachers to enhance the teaching and learning process. The course work, laboratory and course projects are linked through proper planning. It is observed that there is an increase in the degree of involvement of the students in the course and they move from doing demonstrations to structured enquiry and also open ended enquiry. This new framework can also address some of the ABET criteria effectively. Results show positive response from the students towards this new technique.The real time experience of Signals and Systems has been embedded in the form of mathematical expressions. The learners fi nd diffi culty in applying these mathematical concepts in a real time scenario. This paper presents the details of effective learning technique attempted for the Signals and Systems course at the under graduate engineering program using mind mapping. Mind mapping as a technique tests the students ability for interactive learning to improve retention and reduce revision time. This paper discusses about the effects of digital/ paper-based mind mapping over conventional teaching method to shift an teaching centric to learning centric. This learning not only focuses on retention of concepts but also caters to the generation of ideas required for solving an engineering problem, which in turn improves the writing skills of the students. Findings showed that there was a signifi cant positive difference in students academic achievement and attitude towards learning the subject through the paper/digital based mind mapping.

A Virtual Industry Platform for Course Projects in Automotive Electronics : A Case Study

The paper explores the new technology commercialization model being followed at The University of Akron (UA).UA has implemented the National Science Foundation (NSF)Innovation ICorpsTMmodel since 2013. This paper describes how the NSF I-Corps model has changed the innovation culture at UA and allowed the academic faculty to explore the business potential of their intellectual property.Differences in implementation across several I-Corps Sites are explored. The lessons from UAs experience show that the I-Corps Sites program has been a resounding success and helped faculty and students to become more entrepreneurial in exploring the commercial value and demand drivers of technologies invented at UA.Students are more attracted towards and enthusiastic about modern teaching techniques. This paper provides a new concept in the design of a coursework thus enabling the teachers to enhance the teaching and learning process. The course work, laboratory and course projects are linked through proper planning. It is observed that there is an increase in the degree of involvement of the students in the course and they move from doing demonstrations to structured enquiry and also open ended enquiry. This new framework can also address some of the ABET criteria effectively. Results show positive response from the students towards this new technique.The real time experience of Signals and Systems has been embedded in the form of mathematical expressions. The learners fi nd diffi culty in applying these mathematical concepts in a real time scenario. This paper presents the details of effective learning technique attempted for the Signals and Systems course at the under graduate engineering program using mind mapping. Mind mapping as a technique tests the students ability for interactive learning to improve retention and reduce revision time. This paper discusses about the effects of digital/ paper-based mind mapping over conventional teaching method to shift an teaching centric to learning centric. This learning not only focuses on retention of concepts but also caters to the generation of ideas required for solving an engineering problem, which in turn improves the writing skills of the students. Findings showed that there was a signifi cant positive difference in students academic achievement and attitude towards learning the subject through the paper/digital based mind mapping.