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Fostering Student Excitement for Marine Engineering in Fundamental Engineering Courses

A new, project-based-learning course, Quantitative Engineering Analysis, has been created and delivered at Olin College of Engineering that integrates introductory-level mathematics, physics, and engineering. The course focuses on developing students’ knowledge, skills, and confidence in using quantitative analysis as part of the engineering design process. The course structure is built around multidisciplinary projects; one of which involves the design of a boat and draws on the fundamentals of marine engineering and naval architecture to teach core engineering concepts such as vector calculus and rigid-body mechanics. The project is designed to foster a high level of student engagement by placing it in the context of an exciting, relevant, and tangible engineering challenge. Details of the course materials are presented including project instructions and collaborative in-class and individual out-of-class assignments. Results from the design-challenge portion of the project and a student reflection present evidence that course goals were successfully accomplished. Through the process of analyzing, designing, building, and testing a hull design, students are introduced to concepts from marine engineering that would typically not be found in a first year course. By using a marine engineering inspired problem to frame the course module, students are exposed to this vast area at a very early stage in their career-potentially increasing interest in further study or professions in the field.