Engineering new opportunities
In Shoker Science Center, chemistry, biology and physics students use scientific instruments 和常规设备. 的re is a lot of scientific analysis taking place, but, for lack of better words, there is not a lot of stuff being made.
Dr. Luke Myers, assistant professor of physics, is on a mission to change that starting with the construction of a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) and continuing with a newly developed 前期主要.
Myers is one of the advisors of the Science Club, which is currently constructing ROV.
“For our Science Club students, it allows them to get experience building something,” 迈尔斯说,.
“Most often in labs, they are given equipment and are just told to use it. 现在,我们 get to make something—solder, put together connections, read diagrams, all of that.”
Bluffton’s ROV has a camera and light and will have the ability to be driven underwater.
Students will be able to use it to obtain video below surface and collect data.
“For the physics majors and students who are interested in engineering, they’re excited about the construction, but the biology and ecology students are thinking ahead,” 迈尔斯解释. “Once ROV is finished, they want to know ‘What can we do? 可以 我们测量pH值? 温度呢??’ We plan to take it to the nature preserve pond and see what’s happening in there.”
Many of the students who participated in the construction of ROV were part of Myers’ Linear Electronics class.
“的y got the initial frame constructed and started the electrical connections. 的 wiring for the controls was a really good project for them to do,” explained Myers. “的y learned how some of the stuff we learned about in books can be put to use.”
Amy Hall, a junior physics major from Piqua, Ohio, took the class and continues to work on ROV as a member of the Science Club.
“It’s been a lot of fun collaborating with everyone,” s援助 Hall. “我喜欢我们拍摄的方式 转而建造它. Everyone had different parts of the construction they liked. 一些 wanted to weld, some wanted to do the wiring part. It was cool seeing everyone come together to bring ROV to life.”
But ROV is just the beginning of a bigger idea and plan at Bluffton. 开始 in the 2018-19 academic year, Bluffton will offer a 前期主要.
的 new major will allow students to explore and prepare for an engineering career in a liberal arts environment. Pre-engineering majors at Bluffton will take a blend of mathematics and physics courses along with some new classes designed specifically 工程预科专业. Requirements of the major also allow students to earn a second major or pursue additional coursework.
“Bluffton’s program covers all of the foundational courses in mathematics and science that students will need to pursue engineering further,” 迈尔斯说,.
“Previously, 沙巴体育的学生 who were interested in engineering were encouraged 主修数学或物理. We’ve had success getting students accepted into engineering programs 以这种方式. However, the pre-engineering major streamlines the process. 这是一个 good path forward for future students.”
By bringing in more students who are interested in design and construction, Myers
is excited about the potential for additional collaboration.
“的re are not as many people as there used to be with the knowledge of hardware and the experience of actually building something,” Myers s援助. “的re are a lot of young people who are naturally good at computers and software and programming, but there are advantages for people who know how to build.”
Myers pointed to times in his own career when he needed a piece of equipment that either hadn’t been built before or hadn’t been built for how he wanted to use it. 的 solution was easy for him.
“I figured out how to make it happen,” 迈尔斯说,. “I figured out how to jury-rig 在一起的东西. That knowledge was invaluable.”
He’s also excited to see how the various majors, professors and programs will become 离奥斯汀E更近一点. Knowlton Science building is complete.
“的re will be so much happening,” 迈尔斯说,. “的re will be diverse sets of ideas flowing around and students interacting. I love the idea of getting three or four students in a group who are all interested in a project but who are interested in different angles of the project.”
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