Hi, welcome to ENGR 1620... Intro to Engineering! I am your host, Keith Williams. This course is all about brainstorming, invention, hacking, retrofitting, and teaming. Here is our tentative list of topics for this class:

* Introduction; what makes an engineer; engineering design process; paper gliders

* Inspiring engineers

* Engineering archeology

* Ordinary things, technical drawing, the parti

* CAD

* 3D printing and class ring design & print

* Batteries and electrochemical engineering

* Algorithms and Autonomy

* Autonomous vehicles; XV11 hack

* Sphero and apps

* Violins and other resonant structures

* Violins and other instruments

* Ballistic protection; egg drop challenge

* Knee and hip replacements; biomedical inventions

* Robotic surgery and visit to surgery suite

This course provides an overview of the engineering profession. It introduces students to engineering design, and the role of creativity in the solution of open-ended (design) problems. The conceptual understanding and skills needed to apply the engineering method are integrated into hands-on projects. This project, which is intended to be both fun and challenging, focuses on a realistic problem, requiring a balance of engineering analysis and the economic, cultural, political and other considerations needed to achieve a successful solution. In addition to the fundamental role of engineering analysis and optimization, students also develop communication and teaming skills.