Innovation in engineering education is celebrated at Imperial

Academics and students demonstrate innovation in engineering education and learning- News

Wednesday 17 June 2009

By Colin Smith

Academics and students have been demonstrating innovative approaches to engineering education in a range of activities at Imperial College London this month.

One group of students from the Faculty has been improving their communication skills by trying their hand at podcasting, while another has been sketching out a 60 metre long model of a solar powered plane on campus, as part of an aeronautical engineering project. Last night, the Faculty of Engineering celebrated its staff and students at the annual Awards for Teaching Excellence in Engineering Education.

The Faculty of Engineering has been putting a renewed focus on teaching and learning as part of its ongoing EnVision initiative, which was launched in 2006 and which aims to set the benchmark for excellence in engineering education. As part of EnVision, the Faculty is developing new outreach, scholarship and undergraduate programmes.

Engineering podcast

This week, twelve engineering students put their first podcast online as part of a student-led podcasting initiative, which aims to help students from across the Faculty to develop their communication, team work and technical skills. The podcast features students telling stories to their peers about student experiences and the projects that they can get involved in while studying at Imperial.

The new podcast is available to download at www.imperial.ac.uk/envision/experiences/podcasting and it includes a story on photovoltaic cells - being developed at Imperial to harness more solar energy - and stories about students' experiences of living in developing countries while working on engineering projects.

Solar powered plane in Dalby Court

On 12 June, third year undergraduates from the Department of Aeronautics were tasked with sketching out their design for a 60 metre long solar powered plane on the ground in Dalby Court, on the College’s South Kensington Campus. The design formed part of a project where students had been asked to develop concepts for a new type of vehicle that could replace expensive satellites orbiting the Earth. The students developed plans for an unmanned solar powered plane that could fly continuously in the upper atmosphere for one year, carrying a payload of scientific and surveillance equipment. The project culminated in the Dalby Court event, which aimed to help students conceptualise their designs in the real world while helping to build on their team work skills.

Engineering education awards

Yesterday’s awards ceremony formed part of the EnVision effort to celebrate and reward innovation in teaching and learning.

Dr Mathew Genge, from Imperial’s Department of Earth Science and Engineering, jointly received the Award for Teaching Excellence in Engineering Education. He was recognised for his dedication to his students, exemplified through the extra work that he is undertaking to develop a new computer game for undergraduates. The game aims to help students learn how to examine and map rock outcrops in different virtual environments.

Dr Genge (R) is presented with his award from Prof. Bill Wakeham, Vice Chancellor of Southampton University

“These are simple tasks but important parts of traditional geology studies,” says Dr Genge. “Looking at rocks that record the Earth’s history helps us to try and understand Earth’s ancient past. However, field work is expensive. The computer game that I am developing will help students to hone their geology skills while practising in a virtual environment.”

Professor Nilay Shah, from the Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemical Technology, also won an Award for Teaching Excellence in Engineering Education. He was recognised for his work as the Director of Undergraduate Studies, in which he has recruited new Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) and developed training schemes for them. The GTAs provide extra teaching support for academics and learning support for students. Professor Shah has also helped to introduce new courses including ‘Business for Engineers’ and a new interdisciplinary MSc module entitled ‘Urban Energy Systems’.

The Faculty of Engineering also rewarded student excellence at last night’s ceremony. Fourth year undergraduates Harriet Kirk and Andras Szollar, both from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, were recognised for their student-led sustainable engineering projects in developing countries such as Malawi and El Salvador. In one project, students built a 37 metre long suspended footbridge across the North Rukuru River, at Uledi in Malawi, to help locals collect firewood and patrol against poachers. Harriet Kirk, who was chief site engineer on the project, explains:

“For six months of the year, the North Rukuru River cut villagers off from the national park, which was located on the other side. This meant that poachers had free range to decimate large game populations living on the reserve. The construction of the foot bridge literally saved the lives of many animals living in the park who could be protected by villagers for 12 months of the year. The bridge also saved many villagers from having to traverse the river, which in the past had resulted in many drowning deaths.”

Jill Lever (L) presents Harriet Kirk with her award

This year, the Faculty of Engineering introduced a new award that recognises the important work of Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTA). Seb Turner, who had recently finished his PhD in Geology at the Department of Earth Science and Engineering, won the Faculty Graduate Teaching Assistant of the Year Award for his efforts in improving the undergraduate learning experience in geology. Seb, who will start his career at British Petroleum as an exploration geologist in 2010, says:

“Being a GTA has been really rewarding and challenging. The skills that I have learnt such as communicating and working with people of all different ages, abilities and backgrounds will transfer quite easily into my new rol e in business. That is a fantastic lasting legacy of being a GTA.”

Professor Stephen Richardson, Principal of the Faculty of Engineering, says:

“Teaching at Imperial has never been stronger, more innovative or vibrant. The more interesting and interactive we can make our studies the better outcomes we can achieve for everyone in the Faculty. The world is at a crossroads right now and it has never been more important to have engineers who are engaged, passionate and committed to solving some of most pressing problems including climate change and dwindling energy supplies. I congratulate the award winners and thank everyone in the Faculty for helping us to be at the forefront of engineering education and research.”

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