(294e) “Design-Ifying” Biochemical Engineering Separations: Incorporating Small Design Projects into a Lecture Course

Small design projects were used to enhance student outcomes and engagement in a traditionally lecture-heavy senior-level biochemical engineering separations course. The projects were used to reinforce lecture material and were assigned at the end of each major course topic. Project topics included centrifugation, precipitation, filtration, and chromatography. Students carried out the projects in groups of four and designed the separations equipment under consideration to meet desired specifications subject to constraints common to that piece of equipment. One class period per project was set aside for students to meet and work on the project with consultation from the instructor. Student feedback on each project was solicited in the form of surveys given at the conclusion of the topicâ??s formal assessment. Specifically, students rated the educational value of the group project and their current understanding of the course topic in addition to free-form comments. This presentation will include the results of this implementation and lessons learned from this course.