Introductory Remarks

To prime the pump for the discussion period, Prof. (and textbook author) Hersel will present his thoughts on three topics related to the teaching of transport phenomena and applications. 1) Should topics like heat transfer include design exercises, or is it more appropriate to save such activities for later stages of learning? 2) With tools like Wolfram Alpha readily available, is there still a need for students to focus on mathematical skills? Should we integrate computational methods such as COMSOL into the curriculum? 3) What is the proper balance between multi-scale modeling and analysis in textbooks and course content?