Information about
Our Program

Mission

The mission of the Engineering Science Department at Trinity University is to provide talented students with a broad-based undergraduate engineering education by offering a design oriented, multidisciplinary engineering science curriculum in the context of the University's tradition of the liberal arts and sciences.

Objectives

The Engineering Science program provides students with:

1. a demonstrated ability to practice engineering design and analysis
2. a broad background in the liberal arts and sciences
3. the ability to enter and advance in the field of engineering
4. effective oral and written communication skills
5. the ability to pursue advanced studies

The curriculum emphasizes an in-depth understanding of the fundamentals of the physical sciences, mathematics, and engineering science that form the foundation for technical work in all fields of engineering. Some specialization is available through elective courses in Chemical, Electrical, and Mechanical Engineering, taken during the junior and senior years. The program provides significant hands-on experience in engineering laboratories and participation in engineering design projects throughout the eight-semester engineering design course sequence. The emphasis on fundamentals is intended to prepare students for dealing with the rapid pace of technological change and the interdisciplinary demands of today's, and tomorrow's, engineering practice. The laboratory and design portions of the program provide the student with a balanced perspective of the realities and limitations required for practical problem solving.

The professional practice of engineering requires skill and resourcefulness in applying science and technology to the solution of problems in our complex technological society. The successful engineer must possess a thorough understanding of social and economic forces and have an appreciation of cultural and humanistic traditions. The Trinity Engineering Science Program encourages the development of this kind of graduate by providing a broad technical background and a significant liberal education in the humanities and social sciences.

National Ranking

The Engineering Science Program at Trinity University is consistently ranked among the best engineering programs at schools whose highest degree is a bachelor's or master's degree by U.S. News and World Report.

Accreditation

The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) is a federation of 31 professional engineering and technical societies. Since 1932, ABET has provided quality assurance of education through accreditation. ABET accredits more than 2500 engineering, engineering technology, computing and applied science programs at over 550 colleges and universities nationally. ABET is recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation.

Program Assessment

The Engineering Science Department supports the concept of assessment. In fact, assessment is an essential ingredient in efficient, effective engineering practice. Since the department was founded in 1961, we have practiced self-assessment utilizing feedback from alumni, industry, graduate schools, and a variety of near "real-time" means such as student evaluations, student interviews, anecdotal experiences, observations of visiting faculty, guidance from our industrial Board of Advisors, and, of course, our introspection and self-analysis. However, we do acknowledge that our assessment procedures have, at times, been implicit rather than clearly spelled out and have often been ad hoc rather than carefully scheduled. More formalized procedures - especially the feedback loop activities - should enhance both the efficiency and effectiveness of our assessment efforts. In the Fall 1998, the faculty approved a comprehensive assessment plan for the Department of Engineering Science. To develop a comprehensive assessment plan, we articulated the departmental mission, goals, and objectives to be consistent with the mission of Trinity University, the needs of our various constituencies, and EC 2000.

Our program goals are multifaceted. They articulate our learning outcome objectives; the op-portunities and means by which we help students reach their objectives, and the supporting environment facilitating their education. We documented our assessment process demonstrating that our educational goals and objectives are being achieved. We also formalized a system of feedback and evaluation for continuous improvement of our program. We started to formally implement our program assessment plan beginning in Fall 1998. Following the procedure of our current assessment plan, we gather data using multiple assessment tools such as students' course performance, results from FE and GRE exams, student portfolios, and feedback from surveys distributed to students, alumni, and employers, etc. Faculty discuss these data and assess the outcome of our program objectives in biweekly department meetings and faculty retreats. By utilizing the results of our assessment process, we strive to improve our program each year and review our goals and objectives at least every five years.

Student Organizations

Engineering Science Curriculum

While each engineering student will, with their advisor, craft a custom schedule, this schedule offers an overview of the program.

Eight Semester Design Sequence

Throughout a student's eight semesters at Trinity, design is utilized to motivate and tie together their engineering education.

First Year Design Project - Water Balloon Launcher

The water balloon launcher has become the standard design project for ENGR 1382, Engineering Analysis and Design II. The goal is to design a device that will accurately launch a water balloon through the air over a 50 yard range to a target. The target is a 10 ft horizontal square which belongs to the competing group. The best performing design is determined through a friendly competition where two groups launch balloons at the other's target.

The group that scores the most "hits" within a specified time advances to the next level of competition until all but one group is eliminated.

This project originated in the mind of Dr. Richard Swope and was first put into practice during the spring semester of 1982. In its inception, the project's goal was to design a launcher that, when placed on the goal line of the football field, could launch a balloon through a large hoop on the five yard line, another large hoop on the fory five yard line and hit Dr. Swope who was standing on the fifty yard line.

The team that could hit Dr. Swope two out of five times received and automatic A for the course. The project received national press coverage during the eight year period that Dr. Swope taught this design course. The balloon launch project continues to be a large part of the curriculum for the Engineering and Design II course which Dr. Bill Collins now oversees.

Sophomore Design Projects

For the past two years, Sophomore Design (ENGR 2181/82) has been involved in Service Learning projects, in which we go to different community organizations, and design objects and devices that will be used by members or clients of the organization.

In 2006-07, the class designed a suspension for a “LifeStrides” classroom in Houston High School. This devices permits a developmentally-disabled student to be suspended in an upright position so that he or she can initiate their own motion, and interact with their environment.

In 2007-08, we teamed up with our local chapter of Goodwill to design accommodations for grounds maintenance equipment. Because Goodwill provides grounds maintenance personnel through the AbilityONE program, at least 75% of the workforce must have some sort of disability that makes entering the workforce difficult. Developing accommodations that permit physically disabled people to use equipment like lawnmowers and string trimmers enables Goodwill to expand their job opportunities. In May 2008, one of the accommodations developed by a sophomore design team won third place in the NISH National Scholar Award Competition. Each of the nine team members of the project spilt $3000, and matching awards of $3000 were provided to both the Engineering Science Department and Goodwill. Local media coverage of Trinity’s award was provided by the San Antonio Express News, KABB FOX 29, as well as the Trinity Public Relations department.

Junior Design Projects

(Coming Soon) 

Senior Design Projects

Each year, senior design groups undertake a year long capstone design project in consultation with a faculty advisor.  One faculty member acts as administrator for all the design group.  Late in the Junior year, students have the opportunity to propose their own senior design projects - or to work with faculty or industrial advisors on one of their proposals.  Then, student groups spend the fall analyzing the needs of the client/problem, setting and analyzing criteria for a successful project, investigating alternative solutions, and finally refining their optimal design.  The spring is spent implementing, testing, and refining the design.  Some examples of recent projects are:

• 'Accessible Home Vital Signs Monitoring System,' which won a national competition, beating other major universities. From the project report, The scope of the project is to design and construct an accessible home vital signs monitoring system which is non-invasive, accessible, safe, and accurate. The purpose of this report is present on all aspects of the project. This covers the initial research stage, ordering of parts, construction of the case, coding for the project, and final human testing. The average difference between the basis obtained from the clinic and the test runs for weight was 0.5 lbs. The average difference for blood oxygen level was 0.8% within a range of 95-99%, all normal. All patients? heart rates were within the specified range of 60-100 beats per minute. There is room for improvement in a few places with regard to the functionality and usability of the device. Rubber feet should be added to the base of the device and more audio support should be added to aid the hard of hearing when data is being collected, allowing them to know that the device is still working.
• 'Rainwater Catchment System,' in which a group designed and built a system to capture and store rainwater for use in landscaping and gardent watering during periods of drought.
• 'Red Rover,' where a team sponsored by the Texas Space Grant Design Challenge analyzed the mission requirements for a two-person manned rover for Martian activity, including command and control, payload, power and communications budgets, and locomotion.  The group designed and constructed a 1:6 scale rover model, tested the model (in earth gravity), then scaled the results to a full-scale rover in Martian gravity.  The results of this project were disseminated at two state-wide showcases in Houston.

 


• 'Trinity Robotics,' who designed and built a line-following robot that could navigate an electrical-tape course, recognize and follow direction markings, and locate and retrieve "radioactive waste" (colored soda cans).  This was done while avoiding "factory workers" (barbie dolls) on the course.  This group took second in the IEEE Region 5 Competition (12 states in the southwestern USA).

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San Antonio, Texas 78212-7200

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