Kansas State University

K-State Salina students, faculty present at engineering education conference

Submitted by Communications and Marketing

Several Kansas State University Salina faculty members and students made presentations at the American Society for Engineering Education's Midwest Section Conference, Sept. 18-20, at K-State Salina.

K-State Salina Continuing Education served as the conference organizer. The conference theme was "Opportunities and challenges in STEM education and research."

K-State Salina presentations included:

• "Teaching Diversity in STEM Curriculums," moderated by Bill Genereux, associate professor of engineering technology, with panel members including arts, sciences and business department faculty Becky DeGreeff, assistant professor; Greg Stephens, associate professor; Jung Oh, professor; Jennifer Davis, assistant professor; and Fred Guzek, associate professor.
• Student poster session, moderated by Julia Morse, associate professor of engineering technology.
• "Broadening STEM Students' Perspectives, and Recruiting with Blended Learning and Study Abroad," presented by Guzek; Kathy Brockway, associate professor of arts, sciences and business; Troy Brockway, associate professor of aviation; and Sue Guzek, instructor of arts, sciences and business. This paper earned second place.
• "Mentoring Middle School NXT Robotics: Math Development as a Primary Design Constraint," presented by Richard Zajac, professor of arts, sciences and business.
• "Encouraging an Engineering Mindset amid Skill Practice in the Freshman Manufacturing Processes Lab," presented by Morse.
• “University and Small Business Collaboration for Undergraduate Research Projects in Health Care Robotics," presented by Saeed Khan, associate professor of engineering technology, and Lee Gatton of Gatton Research & Development LLC and the 2012 K-State Salina alumni fellow.
• "Teaching and Assessing Quality and Continuous Improvement," presented by Thomas Mertz, associate professor of engineering technology.

K-State Salina student poster presenters included:

• "Bulk Velocity Metering Apparatus" by Dustin Ewing, junior in engineering technology; Aaron King, junior in engineering technology; J.W. Clark, sophomore in engineering technology; Steven Pihl, junior in engineering technology; and Raju Dandu, professor of engineering technology.
• "Collaboration Software" by Adam Svoboda, senior in engineering technology; Steven Colgrove, senior in engineering technology; and Les Kinsler, professor of engineering technology. This poster won first place in the undergraduate poster competition.
• "Conference Camera PPM Gimbal" by Wade Winfrey, senior in engineering technology; Kale Morris, senior in engineering technology; Coady Morris, senior in engineering technology; and Dandu. This poster won third place for best undergraduate student poster.
• "K-TRON Shear Eliminator" by Darrell Schielke, senior in engineering technology; Byron Ronnebaum, junior in engineering technology; Joshua Jensen, junior in engineering technology; and Dandu
• "Senior Design Project — Heater Scraper Tool" by William Pepper, senior in engineering technology; Caleb Crawshaw, senior in engineering technology; Chester Ewing, senior in engineering technology; Eddie Rego, senior in engineering technology; and Dandu.

Noel Schulz, associate dean for research and graduate programs for the College of Engineering, presented a plenary session on "Continued Opportunities to Increase the Number of Women and Minorities in STEM."

Kinsler served as the conference chair, and Dandu is Midwest section chair for the American Society of Engineering Education.