Continued expansion of eSpace initiative—open, engaging educational space for students
Students in FSE 100 classes gain hands-on engineering experience as freshmen.
In fall 2011, we opened our first eSpace design, integration and prototyping studio. Since that time, we have expanded our eSpace initiative to four eSpaces that serve over 1,000 freshmen in our Introduction to Engineering classes (FSE 100) as well as our students in the Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS) classes.
eSpaces are innovative, hands-on learning spaces that inspire creativity, build problem-solving skills and prepare our students to excel in whichever field they choose.
Freshmen participate in multiple team-based projects culminating in a final project during the last half of the semester. These projects include hydroelectric power generators, solar cars, robotics and solar power generation systems. Teams participating in EPICS also use the studio to plan their entrepreneurial service projects and test proposed engineering solutions.
Rooms are equipped with high-end computers to power engineering applications. Interactive design areas, projection screens, whiteboards and writeable glass wall panels that line the exterior encourage collaboration. The majority of the room is modular—moveable tables, rolling cabinets with tools and power cables that can be pulled from above—allowing flexibility to accommodate a wide spectrum of learning experiences from classroom lectures to large-scale design
and demonstration.
Finished projects are showcased in display cases and in front of the glass panes for public viewing—allowing everyone to see the innovative and inspiring projects that our students create.
