2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

In today's ever-changing world, where environmental concerns and innovation are on the rise, higher educational institutions play a crucial role in preparing the next generation of engineers and innovators to address pressing global challenges. This paper presents a three-year experience of a newly established mechanical engineering program with a mechatronics course, collaborating with our campus sustainability center to nurture sustainable innovation. This partnership has yielded a positive array of collaborative student projects showcasing mechatronics' tangible impact on sustainability.

Through diverse case studies, we spotlight successful projects that have appeared from this collaboration, along with the lessons learned. We emphasize mechatronics' transformative potential in addressing campus sustainability challenges and engaging students through experiential learning. Projects range from energy-efficient automation systems to eco-friendly solutions, illustrating students' creative problem-solving and the significance of interdisciplinary collaboration. Furthermore, the paper examines the challenges encountered by the newly developed mechatronics course for sustainable innovation. We also explore areas for improvement, including curriculum enhancements and more effective integration of sustainability principles, aiming to amplify the impact of such collaborations. This paper offers a valuable perspective for educators and institutions seeking to incorporate mechatronics into sustainability initiatives. It provides an opportunity for reflection on the journey of a newly developed program. We aim to inspire others to work together and encourage students to motivate others to join similar collaborations and empower students to lead sustainable innovations in their communities and beyond.