Research and publication are part of the culture in the MMET Department, especially for tenure track and tenured faculty. Teaching, as well as assessment and curriculum development, are strengths in the department that have led to scholarly articles on pedagogy and innovations in teaching.
Two of the organizations that support STEM education research in engineering and engineering technology are the American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE) and the International Association of Journals and Conferences (IAJC). Each holds annual conferences and workshops, and publishes several academic journals.
Assistant Professor David Labyak in particular has published and presented in this area of engineering education. Department Chair John Irwin conducts research on methods used to improve student learning and engagement in STEM subjects. Together they co-authored and presented the paper, Industry 4.0 Integration in a Manufacturing Engineering Graduate Certificate and MS Degree, at the 2022 IAJC Annual Conference in Orlando, Florida. The paper was accepted in the Technology Interface International Journal (TIIJ), a highly-selective, peer-reviewed journal covering broad topics in various branches of engineering technology.
Their paper outlines the topics and assessment results of learning outcomes from an online graduate course at Michigan Tech, taken mainly by working professionals. The course had two homework assignments on machine learning using MATLAB, which has built-in functions specifically tailored for machine learning applications.
Some face-to-face interaction was indicated as being important, even though it was offered as an online course. These and other suggestions will help steer future course structure, to improve learning outcomes.
Irwin also co-authored a paper published in the 2022 ASEE Annual Conference, Four Pillars of Manufacturing Knowledge Revision and Validation Process.
Additional conference proceedings papers have been accepted for presentation in 2023 by MMET faculty members include:
- Dr. Irwin has a paper accepted for presentation at the ASEE Conference for Industry and Education Collaboration (CIEC) titled, Michigan Learning and Education Advancement Program (MiLEAP), which describes the MMET department workforce development training initiatives in Fluid Power Training.
- Dr. Irwin and Research Assistant Professor Sarah Tan (Engineering Fundamentals) Sarah Tan wrote a paper titled Examining the Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on S-STEM Financially Supported Students’ Change-Readiness and Self-Efficacy.
- Dr. Labyak and Associate Professor Scott Wagner wrote a paper titled Industry 4.0 and Holistic Safety Programs Industry Collaboration in Manufacturing Engineering.
- Dr. Labyak will present a conference proceedings paper at the ASEE Engineering Design Graphics Division (EDGD) Midyear Conference titled Teaching Vibration and Modal Analysis Concepts in Traditional Subtractive Machining to Mechanical Engineering Technology Students.
- Associate Professor Sunil Mehendale has a co-authored paper, Visualization Research of Droplet Freezing on Inclined Titanium Surface, accepted in the Journal of Heat Transfer Research. More information on Dr. Mehendale’s paper can be found in Tech Today.