Fall 2016

Engineering: My Heart is in the Work (98-219)

Primary Contact:
Brandon Ortiz (baortiz@andrew.cmu.edu)
Room: Doherty Hall A302
Time: Monday 6:30-7:20pm and Wednesday 6:30-7:20pm
Abstract:
Do you know what engineering major you want to be? This course is designed to expose first year
students to the fields of engineering studied at Carnegie Mellon. We plan to focus on the "sweet spots" of
the different fields in engineering, exposing students to the material that motivates the current
upperclassmen to pursue the field while accurately representing what one might do in a typical day of
majoring in that field. Upperclassmen from across the engineering disciplines will share their enthusiasm
for their major by teaching four lectures in their area of study.
Tentative Schedule
Date

Sequence

Subject

August 29

Week 1, Class 1

What is Engineering? / Introductions

August 31

Week 1, Class 2

ECE 1

September 5

Week 2, Class 1

No Class (Labor Day)

September 7

Week 2, Class 2

ECE 2

September 12

Week 3, Class 1

MatSci 1

September 14

Week 3, Class 2

MatSci 2

September 19

Week 4, Class 1

MechE 1

September 21

Week 4, Class 2

MechE 2

September 26

Week 5, Class 1

CivE 1

September 28

Week 5, Class 2

CivE 2

October 3

Week 6, Class 1

ChemE 1

October 5

Week 6, Class 2

ChemE 2

October 10

Week 7, Class 1

BME 1

October 12

Week 7, Class 2

BME 2

October 17

Week 8, Class 1

EPP 1

October 19

Week 8, Class 2

EPP 2

October 24

Week 9, Class 1

No Class (Lab Week)

October 26

Week 9, Class 2

No Class (Lab Week)

98-219 Syllabus: 1

October 31

Week 10, Class 1

ECE 3

November 2

Week 10, Class 2

ECE 4

November 7

Week 11, Class 1

ChemE 3

November 9

Week 11, Class 2

ChemE 4

November 14

Week 12, Class 1

MechE 3

November 16

Week 12, Class 2

MechE 4

November 21

Week 13, Class 1

CivE 3

November 23

Week 13, Class 2

No Class (Thanksgiving)

November 28

Week 14, Class 1

CivE 4

November 30

Week 14, Class 2

MatSci 3

December 5

Week 15, Class 1

MatSci 4

December 7

Week 15, Class 2

The End

Lab Week
In the middle of the course there will be one week of labs. Students will sign-up for a 1-2 hour lab session
that will occur during the week. Sessions will be divided by major and students will sign-up by availability.
Sessions will include lab tours, building circuits and other major-specific hands-on activities.

o
o

Grading (Pass/ Fail):

Can miss at most 2 lectures
Complete midterm & final
Must complete 5 homework assignments.
Two specific assignments are required for everyone.
Choose three more among the five remaining choices.
Instructors
Name
Amanda Marano
Kalie Rosati
Tanvi Joshi
Julia Napolitano
Rebecca Tien
Tyler Kohman
Tiffany Lin
Ashwini Ganpule
Paul Chao
Yilin Elim Zhang
Mary Jin

Andrew ID
amarano
krosati
tjoshi
jnapolit
rltien
tak
yuchuanl
aganpule
pchau
yilinz
lingboj

Year
5th Year Masters
Senior
Junior
Junior
Junior
Junior
Junior
Junior
Senior
Junior
Junior

Primary Major
ECE
ChemE
ChemE
ChemE
CivE
CivE
MechE
MechE
MatSci
MatSci
ECE

Secondary Major
BME
BME
EPP
EPP
BME
BME

Homework Assignments
2 required for everyone and you pick 3 others for a total of 5 assignments that require your submission.
Homework Topic

Date Assigned

Date Due
98-219 Syllabus: 2

3. What research catches your attention on campus

4. (REQUIRED) Reflection on your major choice and burning questions
5. Course planning and research
6. A scavenger hunt on campus resources
7. (REQUIRED) Reflection on the course

September 28
October 12
October 31
November 14
November 28

October 10
October 24
November 9
November 28
December 5

The Midterm
You will meet with a faculty member in one of the engineering disciplines for about an hour sometime
during weeks 8 and 9. The goal of this meeting is to introduce you to a faculty member as a potential
contact as well as expose you to someone else who has a passion for their field of study. The professor
will open a discussion with you on a topic of their choosing and ask for your input. Come prepared
because this is your chance to ask questions and engage in discussion with someone who is experienced
in their field.
You will complete a one-page journal on the meeting. Write your observations and thoughts.

The Final
Each student will choose 5 items from a list of materials that will be provided closer to the end of the
semester. In a 30-60 second-long video submitted by December 3rd, explain what you would make with
the items chosen. The final product can be related to a topic that interests you, or the major that you
think you will declare. The instructors will compile samplings of these videos into a final course video
which will be shown on the last day of class (Wednesday, December 7th).

98-219 Syllabus: 3