(87d) Engaging an Entrepreneurial Mindset Though Open-Ended Projects in the Sophomore Year

An ability to view a task with an entrepreneurial mindset (EM) is a skill that can set engineering students apart. Having an EM requires students to demonstrate curiosity to find connections and create value when solving a problem. In order to develop EM, open-ended projects can be utilized where students have the freedom to think critically and creatively to solve a problem. In sophomore level Materials in Engineering Systems and Fluid-Thermal Systems courses, two projects were created to engage students in EM thinking while reinforcing course concepts using open-ended projects. First, in a Fall semester Materials in Engineering Systems course, students completed a project to choose a new material to redesign the molasses storage tank that failed in Boston in 1919. In the project, teams of students needed to consider the properties of different materials, the thickness of the storage tank needed based on their materials choice, and the material cost of this new tank. Then, in a Spring semester Fluid-Thermal Systems course, student teams were given different fluid flow system scenarios that they needed to design to determine a pipe material, pipe diameter, necessary fittings, minimum pumping power, and system cost. Minimal system constraints were provided to require students to explore alternative solutions, seek information from outside sources to acquire knowledge, and persist through potential design failure. Overall, students had a positive reception to these projects, and many expressed enjoying having the liberty to analyze materials and fluids that are not widely discussed in class. Project assignment sheets and implementation details can be found on cards published on the Engineering Unleashed Platform.