BSCHE-CHE Assessment Plan June, 2013

University Mission

The University of Cincinnati (UC) serves the people of Ohio, the nation, and the world as a premier, public, urban research university dedicated to undergraduate, graduate, and professional education, experience-based learning, and research. We are committed to excellence and diversity in our students, faculty, staff, and all of our activities. We provide an inclusive environment where innovation and freedom of intellectual inquiry flourish. Through scholarship, service, partnerships, and leaderships, we create opportunity, develop educated and engaged citizens, enhance the economy and enrich our university, city, state and global community. College Mission The mission of the College of Engineering and Applied Science (CEAS) is to provide:

• Excellence in Education – provide a world-class education for our students • Excellence in knowledge creation and transfer in support of education and community –

provide the best education featuring new breakthroughs in science and technology and be able to transfer that knowledge of science technology both to our students and to our local community

• Accessibility – provide a venue where qualified students who want to come, can come; and provide the support necessary to allow them to be successful.

Program Mission Housed in the School of Energy, Environmental, Biological and Medical Engineering (SEEBME), the mission of the Chemical Engineering (ChE) program is to produce well educated students for professional careers, to advance knowledge, and to make further contributions both in the field of chemical engineering and to society in general, through: a contemporary and dynamic curriculum; modern facilities; excellent teaching; research of high quality; interaction and cooperation with industry to relate and reduce theory to practice; and an intellectually stimulating and enriching environment.

Program Educational Objectives

Graduates of the Chemical Engineering Program at the University of Cincinnati will be able to:

1. Apply their strong foundation in the theory and practice of chemical engineering to pursue successful careers in industry, academia, government, or other organizations and in graduate programs and professional schools;

2. Use lifelong learning skills to take advantage of professional development

opportunities in chemical engineering, acquire new knowledge, skills and adapt to changing global markets;

3. Engage in professional service and volunteerism that benefits society and to develop

innovative ideas to generate novel solutions that are ethical, socially responsible, safe and environmentally sustainable.

Consistency of the Program Educational Objectives with the Mission of the Institution

The mission statement provides a broad base which stresses the need for excellence, challenging experiences, and an up-to-date and continuously evolving curriculum. The PEOs are consistent with the institution’s mission and provide detailed goals for the undergraduate program in chemical engineering.

Program Constituencies

The constituents provide feedback on the program and its effectiveness, on the Program Educational Objectives (PEOs), and their comments are summarized by the Program Head for faculty deliberation and action. The program constituencies are as follows:

1. Current students – The chemical engineering program has averaged about 40 students each year over the past 4 years, with a steady increase in enrollment.

2. The teaching faculty, particularly those involved in the core courses, provide the most frequent ongoing feedback, providing comments on the effectiveness of service courses, pre-requisites courses, and their own courses, and relate the comments to the PEOs.

3. Industrial advisors provide considerable feedback in different ways. Major employers provide informal ongoing feedback through meetings with faculty, research collaborations, and attendance at national and regional meetings. The Industrial Advisory Board (IAB) is comprised of individuals who have close associations with the department, are often alumni, and are knowledgeable about our program and its

objectives. They are often industrialists who are employers of significant numbers of our graduates, or interact closely with our faculty in research sponsorships.

4. Alumni provide feedback in an informal way through random contacts with the faculty at conferences, recruiting visits, email etc. Several have maintained continuous relations at the research and development level of their companies following graduation.

Student Learning Outcomes

The program outcomes are derived from the program’s mission statement. A formal Outcomes Assessment (OA) Model has been developed by the Chemical Engineering Program’s ABET Coordinator to more fully describe the philosophy and practices involved in developing and implementing a Program Educational Objectives System, and a Program Outcomes System. A key component of this model is the identification of constituency needs, the tools to address those needs, and a timetable for collecting data, analyzing data, and for disseminating results for program planning. We have adopted the following Student Outcomes, which are exactly the same as those listed in ABET’s Criterion 3:

a. an ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science and engineering b. an ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data c. an ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs d. an ability to function on multi-disciplinary teams e. an ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems f. an understanding of professional and ethical responsibility g. an ability to communicate effectively h. the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a

global and societal context i. a recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in life-long learning j. a knowledge of contemporary issues k. an ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for

engineering practices Relationship of Student Outcomes to Program Educational Objectives The student outcomes describe the educational preparation provided through the Chemical Engineering program. The mapping of student outcomes to PEOs is shown on the right side of Table 1.

Table 1. Mapping of Student Outcomes to Program Educational Objectives (PEOs).

Note 1: The PEO’s were numbered as follows:

1. ChE PEO # 1: Strong foundation in the theory and practice of chemical engineering to pursue successful careers in industry, academia, government, or other organizations and in graduate programs and professional schools;

2. ChE PEO # 2: Use lifelong learning skills to take advantage of professional

development opportunities in chemical engineering, acquire new knowledge, skills and adapt to changing global markets; and

3. ChE PEO # 3: Engage in professional service and volunteerism that benefits society and to develop innovative ideas to generate novel solutions that are ethical, socially responsible, safe and environmentally sustainable.

Student Outcomes ChE

PEO’s 1 2 3

a. Apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering x

b. Design and conduct experiments, analyze and interpret data x

c. Design a component, system or process to meet desired needs x x

d. Function on multi-disciplinary teams x x x e. Identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems x x

f. Understand professional and ethical responsibility x

g. Communicate effectively x h. Understand the impact of eng solutions in a global and societal context x

i. Recognize the need for, and able to engage in life-long learning x x

j. Knowledge of contemporary (technical) issues in Chemical Engineering x x

k. Use the techniques, skills, and modern tools necessary for engineering practice x x x

Program Curriculum

The undergraduate curriculum breakdown in terms of Math and Basic Sciences, Engineering Topics and General Education is shown in Table 2.

Table 2. Undergraduate ChE Curriculum Breakdown by Categories.

In addition, each undergraduate student can follow a specific learning track by taking a combination of required courses and technical electives. The specific tracks of study are as follows: SEPARATIONS 20CHE641 Non-Equilibrium Thermodynamics 20CHE655 Adsorption Processes 20CHE659 Inorganic Membranes 20CHE660 Membrane Separations 20CHE671 Aerosol Science and Engineering 20CHE686 Characterization of Powdered and Porous Materials 20CHE688 Powder Technology 20CHE689 Zeolites: Synthesis, Characterization and Applications 20CHE691 Fundamentals and Applications of CVD 20CHE692 Sol-Gel Science and Engineering 20CHE690 Applied Separations 20CHE697 Biotechnology

ENERGY/ENVIRONMENT 20CHE630 Waste Treatment 20CHE635 Fuels and Air Pollution 20CHE637 Homogeneous Catalysis 20CHE659 Inorganic Membranes 20CHE660 Membrane Separations 20CHE671 Aerosol Science and Engineering 20CHE672 Design of Particulate Pollution Control 20CHE686 Characterization of Powdered and Porous Materials 20CHE688 Powder Technology 20CHE689 Zeolites: Synthesis, Characterization and Applications 20CHE691 Fundamentals and Applications of CVD 20CHE692 Sol-Gel Science and Engineering 20CHE778 Fundamentals of Gas-Solid Reaction 20CHE657 Fuel Cells I: Fundamentals 20CHE658 Fuel Cells (II): Technology and Applications 20CHE694 Environmental Catalysis and Reaction Engineering

ADVANCED MATERIALS 20CHE607,-608, -609 Advanced Particle Technology 20CHE659 Inorganic Membranes 20CHE660 Membrane Separations

20CHE671 Aerosol Science and Engineering 20CHE675 Particulate Processes 20CHE686 Characterization of Powdered and Porous Materials 20CHE688 Powder Technology 20CHE689 Zeolites: Synthesis, Characterization and Applications 20CHE691 Fundamentals and Applications of CVD 20CHE692 Sol-Gel Science and Engineering 20CHE693 Polymer Engineering Lab 20CHE695 Properties and Applications of Hydrogels 20CHE796 Polymer Engineering 20CHE797 Polymer Viscoelasticity 20CHE676 Colloid Science and Engineering 20CHE694 Computational Chemistry for Engineers 20CHE698 Molecular Engineering of Functional Nanomaterials 20CHE699 Surfactant Science and Engineering

BIO and LIFE SCIENCES 20CHE623 Biochemical Engineering 20CHE650 Bioseparations 20CHE695 Properties and Applications of Hydrogels 20CHE624 Biotransformation and Biocatalysis 20CHE676 Colloid Science and Engineering 20CHE694 Computational Chemistry for Engineers 20CHE698 Molecular Engineering of Functional Nanomaterials 20CHE699 Surfactant Science and Engineering 20CHE853 Biotechnology

Continuous Improvement Process

The ChE Continuous Improvement process for defining, measuring, analyzing and implementing/improving program objectives and delivery is summarized in the ChE Continuous Improvement Model, shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. ChE Program Continuous Improvement Model.

Program Educational Objectives and Student Outcomes are defined in this plan and the associated university e-curriculum P-1 and P-2 on-line planning as well as more specifically on a course-by-course basis in the course syllabi and university e-curriculum C-1 forms. ChE program education objectives and student outcomes have been deliberately aligned with ABET EAC requirements for consistency with ABET criteria and within CEAS. Assessment instruments will be used to measure attainment of defined program educational objectives and student outcomes. The instruments to be used, frequency of data collection, constituents involved and the reviewers are summarized in Table 3.

Table 3. Assessment Instruments for ChE Baccalaureate Program.

Assessment Instrument

Frequency of Data Collection Constituents Involved Reviewers

Dir

ect M

etho

ds

Student work and course assessments

Refer to Table 4; Each selected course is evaluated at least twice in 2 year cycle

Collected by program faculty from students

ChE Curriculum Committee

Co-op employer assessment of students

After completion of co-op semesters as shown in the curriculum

Collected by professional practice faculty from employers regarding student employees

Professional Practice faculty and ChE Curriculum Committee

Senior Design Projects

Yearly at the end of the Senior year

Collected by Senior Design instructor and judges from local American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) Chapter

ChE Curriculum Committee

Individual Course Evaluations

Each semester Collected electronically by college from students for every course

ChE Curriculum Committee

Indi

rect

Met

hods

Alumni Survey Twice during 6-year cycle

Collected by Program Chair ChE Curriculum Committee

Industrial Advisory Board and Employer Survey

Every 2 years Collected by Program Chair ChE Curriculum Committee

Program specific Co-op employer survey

Yearly Collected by professional practice faculty from employers

Professional Practice Faculty and ChE Curriculum Committee

Senior Survey Annually (spring semester)

Collected by Program Chair from graduating seniors

ChE Curriculum Committee

Graduating Senior Exit Interviews

Annually (spring semester)

Personal Interview between selected seniors and Program Chair

ChE Curriculum Committee

The Program ABET Coordinator will analyze the data collected and with the assistance of the Curriculum Committee members (three faculty total, including the ABET Coordinator) will track and organize this information together with data from other assessment instruments, such as student course evaluations and surveys. The Curriculum Committee will meet at least 3 times per year as new data becomes available for each of the trimesters. Their charge will be to drive the implementation/improvement cycle by validating current performance levels, identifying discrepancies, creating improvement plan, determining risk, implementing new measures, reassessing performance, resetting new goals and identifying improved goals and student learning assessments in concert with program faculty and other constituents. Figure 2 shows the Continuous Improvement process graphically.

Figure 2. Continuous Improvement Assessment Loop in the ChE Program.

Course Assessments Table 4 lists the matrix relating the student outcomes to each of the ChE required courses including co-op practice. The level of outcome being assessed for each course is assigned a number with the following meaning: Introduced: 1 Introduced and somewhat Developed: 2 Developed: 3 Developed and somewhat Mastered: 4 Mastered: 5 Only courses that have a 4 or 5 for a specific student outcome are assessed for that outcome. The student rubrics used to assess each student’s performance against the student outcomes in any required ChE course is shown in Table 5. Specific rubrics, shown in Tables 6 and 7 are used for assessing writing skills and team performance in laboratory and senior design courses.

Table 4 Mapping of ChE required courses t student outcomes.

Table 5. Rubrics used for assessing student performance.

Table 5. Rubrics used for assessing student performance (continued).

Table 5. Rubrics used for assessing student performance (continued).

Table 5. Rubrics used for assessing student performance (continued).

Table 6. Writing Evaluation Rubric used in Laboratory and Design Project Courses.

Table 7. Rubrics used for evaluating team performance in Laboratory and Design Project Courses.