2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

In today's educational landscape, preparing students for an ever-evolving and demanding workforce is of paramount importance. Collaborations between industry and academic institutions have consistently demonstrated positive outcomes for all involved parties, including students, instructors, and industry professionals. This article examines the guest presentations delivered by materials manufacturers in two undergraduate lab courses within the field of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE). Additionally, it presents findings from a survey study conducted to evaluate the impact of the guest lecture initiative, involving an average class size of 55 undergraduate students in each of the two courses.
In Fall and Spring of 2022 and 2023, industry presentations were integrated into MSE 3021 and MSE 4022 materials properties and processing laboratory courses to enhance
the students' understanding of real-world applications and industry practices. Presenters were invited from diverse sectors of industry, including metal, ceramic and polymer processing (Applied Ceramics, Solvay, Novelis) in addition to battery testing company (Element Assurance). The lectures offered direct insights into various facets of MSE, such as aluminum manufacturing to battery testing, ceramic production, and polymer processing. In addition, a collaborative effort with one company has resulted in the creation of technical videos that serve as supplemental resources for students. These pedagogical endeavors have been thoughtfully aligned with the MSE paradigm, focusing on materials processing, properties, and performance. The goal of the initiative is to demonstrate the practical significance of the theoretical concepts and processes taught in the classroom, rendering academic knowledge tangible and relevant.
This work in progress paper presents preliminary results of a survey study where the positive student responses validate the constructive impact of these industry collaborations on their educational journey. The study investigates aligning industry guest lectures with specific laboratory experiments within an engineering lab course. It addresses a critical gap in current research by exploring the strategic integration of guest lectures to enhance the learning experience in MSE lab courses. The survey results demonstrated that students not only welcomed the guest lectures but also acknowledged their effectiveness in establishing tangible links to the real world. These endeavors have sparked their curiosity and cultivated enthusiasm for the subject matter, fostering a deeper comprehension of its broader implications for industry and society.
In the future, the aim is to enhance these efforts by diversifying the pool of industry speakers, including representatives from startups, in addition to guest lectures that would be scheduled strategically to minimize any disruptions to the core course material. Furthermore, the focus on gathering more extensive feedback from both students and industry partners were will emphasized to ensure ongoing improvements in the integration of industry engagement within MSE education.