2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

This paper summarizes the evolving integration of sustainability issues into a materials science course taught within a multidisciplinary engineering program over the previous four years at the University of Colorado Boulder. Integrating sustainability topics was hoped to bridge the sociotechnical divide that is common in engineering education. The course worked to achieve the overarching learning goal “Think about the broader implications of materials, such as the triple bottom line for sustainability over the life cycle (cradle to grave or cradle to cradle) including environmental impacts, social impacts, and economics.” The teaching methods included assigning the textbook chapter on environmental and societal issues during the first week of the semester, integrating sustainability topics into lectures consistently throughout the semester, and requiring students to consider social and environmental issues as part of two open ended projects. Sustainability-related topics were worth about 6% of the overall course grade. Teaching and assessment methods in the course were intentionally selected to provide students choice and flexibility, aligned with Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles which are intended to create a neuroinclusive environment. Examples of UDL practices included: (1) allowing students the choice of whether to work alone or in self-selected groups for the course projects; and (2) allowing students the option of how to communicate their knowledge on the projects (written report, website, or recorded video). The quality of the students’ knowledge about sustainability as revealed through the projects was highly uneven, and on average weaker than their scores on the more traditional technical portions of the project. It is hoped that the examples and lessons learned will help others integrate sustainability topics into materials science courses. However, it appears difficult to instill a sociotechnical mindset and overcome the engineering culture which preferences technical topics.