Education for Chemical Engineers最新文献

{"title":"Strengthening engineering identity and communication skills through industrial role-playing in a senior chemical engineering laboratory course","authors":"Jennifer R. Brown,&nbsp;Stephanie G. Wettstein","doi":"10.1016/j.ece.2025.05.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ece.2025.05.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In engineering education, bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical skills is crucial for preparing students for their future careers, however, traditional laboratory courses tend to be formulaic and disconnected from real-world applications. This paper presents a redesigned senior-level chemical engineering laboratory course sequence at Montana State University that incorporates role-playing and industry-relevant scenarios to enhance student engagement and learning outcomes. Instructors take the role of “management” while the students become “interns” and “probationary employees” at fictional companies that need to complete experiments and report results to different clientele. By simulating a professional engineering environment, students can relate labs to future industry tasks, thereby motivating them to improve their technical communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills. The course design involved collaboration with industry representatives and was grounded in social learning, experiential learning, and situated learning theories. Preliminary feedback indicated that students found the course more relevant to their careers, felt more engaged, and developed a stronger engineering identity. This work contributes to the literature on innovative teaching methods in engineering education and offers practical recommendations for educators aiming to enhance the relevance and effectiveness of their courses.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48509,"journal":{"name":"Education for Chemical Engineers","volume":"52 ","pages":"Pages 69-76"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-05-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144106888","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Development and implementation of an APP to simulate centrifugal compressors","authors":"R. Gutiérrez-Guerra ,&nbsp;M. Rosales ,&nbsp;R. Murrieta-Dueñas ,&nbsp;J. Cortez-González","doi":"10.1016/j.ece.2025.05.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ece.2025.05.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The simulation is a key subject in the current curriculum of chemical engineers. In this paper a simulator of centrifugal compressors is presented. The goal was to develop a user-friendly, efficient and low computationally-demanding simulator of centrifugal compressors under APP format. This simulator was developed considering the polytropic behavior of gases and Peng-Robinson’s equation was used to obtain the compressibility factors. The break horsepower, impeller diameter, angular velocity, volumetric flows and number of stages were determined for the centrifugal compressors. The results disclosed that most design parameters of centrifugal compressors showed deviations between 2 % and 10 % regard those reported in literature. Thus, the validation of the APP is achieved. According to students’ perception, the design of interface, the functionality and performance of this simulator allowed the understanding of compressible flow applied in the design of centrifugal compressors. Besides, this simulator works under both manual and automatic mode and runs on computers with standard hardware and software specifications. Automatic mode of the APP generates the design of compressor once user introduces the physical properties and operation conditions. In the manual mode user is required to introduce the same data as the automatic mode but also the compressibility factors. The manual mode increases the interactivity of users with the APP and reduces convergence problems, while the automatic mode improves the efficiency of the algorithm. In addition to the academic benefits determined, this simulator could be used to generate preliminary designs of centrifugal compressors for industrial sector.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48509,"journal":{"name":"Education for Chemical Engineers","volume":"52 ","pages":"Pages 51-68"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-05-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144068989","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Understanding the factors influencing undergraduate performance in chemical engineering thermodynamics","authors":"Edgar Clyde R. Lopez,&nbsp;Diana Pearl R. Arida","doi":"10.1016/j.ece.2025.05.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ece.2025.05.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the factors influencing student performance in Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics, focusing on personal, institutional, social, and external factors. We examine the role of teaching strategies, course design, and peer collaboration in enhancing student success. Key predictors of success include confidence in problem-solving, intrinsic motivation, and a strong foundation in prerequisite knowledge. Effective teaching strategies, such as well-structured course design, practical application of concepts, timely feedback, and engaging lectures, significantly enhance comprehension and academic performance. Peer collaboration, instructor accessibility, and a positive classroom environment further support student engagement and persistence. External challenges also impact outcomes and underscore the need for flexible academic policies and robust student support services. The study highlights the importance of a holistic and student-centered approach that integrates high-quality instruction, structured learning environments, and comprehensive support systems to foster resilience, deepen learning, and ensure long-term success.</div></div><div><h3>Tweetable Abstract</h3><div>Success in Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics depends on confidence, motivation, strong foundations, and support systems. Teaching strategies, course design, and peer collaboration are key. A holistic, student-centered approach fosters resilience, engagement, and long-term success.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48509,"journal":{"name":"Education for Chemical Engineers","volume":"52 ","pages":"Pages 37-50"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-05-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143934571","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"15 years of IChemE-accredited degrees at the University of Santiago de Compostela: A description of the motivation, journey, and output","authors":"Almudena Hospido ,&nbsp;Héctor Rodríguez ,&nbsp;Gumersindo Feijoo ,&nbsp;Juan M. Garrido ,&nbsp;Julia González-Álvarez","doi":"10.1016/j.ece.2025.05.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ece.2025.05.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The accrediting scheme by the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) constitutes an international reference for the specific accreditation of chemical engineering programmes in higher education. The promoters of the initial 5-year chemical engineering programme at the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC) identified such scheme as a very attractive value for the continuous improvement of the programme as well as concomitantly for the skills set and employability of its graduates, getting accredited for the first time in 2010 (and renewed in 2013). In adapting this 5-year programme to a sequence of bachelor + master programmes under the Bologna process in the early 2010s, the design of the new programmes was carefully performed to balance adequately the requirements of a considerably regulated framework for the studies of chemical engineering at the Spanish legislative level and the requirements more connected with the chemical engineer profession emphasised by the IChemE accrediting guidelines. The IChemE accreditation has been successfully achieved (2018) and renewed (2024) by both the Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering and the Master’s Degree in Chemical Engineering and Bioprocesses at USC, and it has acted not just as a seal of added value but also as a key driving force in keeping the continuous improvement wheel turning. This has been particularly manifested in aspects such as the introduction in the programmes of new content aligned with the new worldwide trends in the field of chemical engineering, and the growing importance given to embedded cultural learning associated with e.g. ethics, sustainability, health and safety, or diversity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48509,"journal":{"name":"Education for Chemical Engineers","volume":"52 ","pages":"Pages 77-83"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-05-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144123420","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Advancing chemical engineering education: Amplifying active learning with Wooclap’s innovative pedagogical techniques","authors":"O. Gil-Castell ,&nbsp;J. Carrillo-Abad ,&nbsp;J. Ribes ,&nbsp;R. Sanchis-Martínez ,&nbsp;N. Martí ,&nbsp;M.V. Ruano ,&nbsp;J.M. Peñarrocha ,&nbsp;L. Pastor ,&nbsp;M. Izquierdo ,&nbsp;A.L. Jiménez ,&nbsp;R. Sánchez ,&nbsp;R. Fernández ,&nbsp;R. Serna-García ,&nbsp;P. San Valero ,&nbsp;M. Erans ,&nbsp;J.D. Badia ,&nbsp;J.B. Giménez ,&nbsp;A. Cháfer","doi":"10.1016/j.ece.2025.04.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ece.2025.04.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The integration of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) into university education has evolved into Learning and Knowledge Technologies (LKT), enhancing teaching and learning practices. In this scenario, Audience Response Systems (ARS), such as Wooclap, are effective tools for fostering student engagement through interactive methods like real-time questions, surveys, and games. In this study, Wooclap was implemented in 12 Chemical Engineering courses from 7 different degree programs, with a potential audience of 629 students. A total of 277 students and 10 instructors participated in the evaluation, which measured perceptions through a questionnaire and comparative academic performance. The results indicated that 68 % of students had never used Wooclap before, highlighting the innovative aspect of this work. Both students and educators reported that Wooclap improved the three pillars of the Engaged Learning Index, particularly enhancing behavioural and cognitive engagement. Moreover, 84 % of respondents recommended the use of this application in other courses, especially in theoretical ones. Educators found it easy to use, effective in boosting participation, and helpful in facilitating a deeper understanding of complex concepts. Importantly, Wooclap use led to an improvement in student performance, highlighting its potential as a valuable catalyst for active learning in higher education.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48509,"journal":{"name":"Education for Chemical Engineers","volume":"52 ","pages":"Pages 14-25"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143921874","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bridging the skills gap: Enhancing employability for chemical engineering graduates","authors":"Maryam Malekshahian,&nbsp;Jessica Dautelle,&nbsp;Salman Shahid","doi":"10.1016/j.ece.2025.04.005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ece.2025.04.005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Extensive research underscores a persistent skills gap among graduates across various disciplines. However, identifying the precise skill gaps in engineering education remains challenging due to inconsistencies in existing research, and studies specifically addressing employability skills in chemical engineering are limited. This study aims to address these knowledge gaps by identifying the critical employability skills necessary for chemical engineering graduates. The study employs a multi-method approach, incorporating a systematic literature review, surveys of students, alumni, and employers, and a statistical analysis of job advertisements for graduate positions. The objective is to establish a comprehensive understanding of required competencies and evaluate the alignment between employer expectations and graduate competencies. A structured skill framework was developed, encompassing 15 primary skill groups and over 75 sub-skills. Comparative analysis of employer perceptions and job advertisement data highlighted discrepancies in perceived versus stated skill priorities. However, competencies such as communication, interpersonal skills, self-management, and adaptability were consistently recognised as essential across sectors. Significant skill gaps were observed in areas such as communication, problem-solving, literacy, interpersonal, self-management, and business acumen. Survey findings indicate that engineering students often overestimate their technical proficiency while underestimating the importance of transferable skills such as resilience, ethics, and integrity. Conversely, employers consistently emphasise the need for a well-rounded skillset that integrates technical expertise with strong communication and management capabilities. This disconnect underscores the need for educational programmes to promote greater self-awareness among students and ensure their skill development aligns with industry demands. These results align with existing literature, reinforcing the importance of embedding transferable skills within engineering curricula to better prepare graduates for professional success.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48509,"journal":{"name":"Education for Chemical Engineers","volume":"52 ","pages":"Pages 26-36"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143927873","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Individualised process simulation examination: A novel online take-home approach within a flipped classroom","authors":"Rolf Bode-Staud ,&nbsp;Lukas Rohwer ,&nbsp;Luisa Malek ,&nbsp;Armin Fricke ,&nbsp;Stephan Scholl","doi":"10.1016/j.ece.2025.04.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ece.2025.04.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The development and application of the software tool “Take-Home Exercise/Exam” (THEE) in the graduate class “Introduction to Computer Aided Process Engineering” (<em>Intro CAPE</em>) addresses gaps in process simulation pedagogical conveying and presents a novel approach to learning practices. These gaps exist in theoretical frameworks, in assessment strategies, and in methods for individualised student evaluation, particularly under digital and online constraints. The novel THEE tool introduces a secure and fully online assessment framework that enhances student engagement and supports independent learning through flipped classroom methodologies while ensuring academic integrity. Implemented in the <em>Intro CAPE</em> course, THEE facilitates individualised assignments, automated grading, and immediate feedback, establishing a new standard for pedagogical practices in process simulation amidst the growing trends of digitalisation and remote learning. The application of THEE in the <em>Intro CAPE</em> curriculum led to notable improvements in student performance and increased course registration rates relative to declining student enrolment in the department. Regular assessment allowed targeted adjustments of content to support students' long-term development. Student feedback highlights the benefits of a flipped classroom structure, which encouraged deeper engagement with the course material. THEE embedded into the new course structure enables examinations in an introductory course by providing the resources for exercise and exam tasks with different skill levels. Future enhancements will focus on improving instructional videos, and testing more complex process designs to allow for a gradual improvement of student capabilities and self-guided learning. The aim is to develop a long-term, flexible digital framework for exercises and exams, using THEE that integrates and builds on the increasing digitalisation and internationalisation in the process industries and in the education for chemical engineers.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48509,"journal":{"name":"Education for Chemical Engineers","volume":"52 ","pages":"Pages 1-13"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143877564","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Energy under debate: Fostering critical thinking in chemical engineering through in-class debates","authors":"María del Mar Mesa,&nbsp;Diego Valor,&nbsp;Antonio Montes,&nbsp;Ignacio García-Casas","doi":"10.1016/j.ece.2025.03.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ece.2025.03.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper examines the use of in-class debates as a collaborative learning technique in the teaching of Chemical Engineering, as part of a third-year course in the Chemistry degree. \"The aim is to evaluate its effectiveness in developing critical thinking and argumentative skills, while promoting awareness of sustainable energy aligned with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7, which aims to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all (United Nations, 2015). Over two academic years (2022–2024), students participated in debates on various energy sources, including nuclear, wind, solar or tidal energy, among others. The debates encouraged students to engage with diverse perspectives, apply their theoretical knowledge, and defend positions contrary to their own beliefs. Surveys were conducted before and after the debates to assess changes in student opinions on the viability of different energy types. Post-debate surveys revealed significant shifts in perception, such as a 0.8-point increase in favourability towards tidal energy in the 2023–2024 cohort. Additionally, 88 % of students reported finding the debates engaging, and 87 % felt the activity improved their understanding of energy topics. To further assess the development of critical skills fostered by the debates, a rubric was designed and applied by the professor, focusing on areas such as argument clarity, use of evidence, and teamwork. This rubric provided valuable insights into students' skill progression throughout the activity, offering an objective perspective on the effectiveness of debate-based learning without impacting students' final grades.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48509,"journal":{"name":"Education for Chemical Engineers","volume":"51 ","pages":"Pages 121-132"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143791023","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"One-week flipped workshop on heat integration","authors":"Daniel R. Lewin ,&nbsp;Nilay Shah ,&nbsp;Abigail Barzilai","doi":"10.1016/j.ece.2025.03.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ece.2025.03.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper describes the first implementation of a flipped, one-week workshop on heat integration that was taught in Spring 2024 to the 3rd Year cohort of 138 students in Chemical Engineering at Imperial College, London. The “flipped” workshop consisted of three online lessons that cover the core materials on pinch design of heat exchanger networks, which the students were required to complete ahead of each of the corresponding three face-to-face class meetings, which focused on problem-solving exercises largely carried out by the students themselves. The paper describes the teaching methodology applied, presents and analyses the results of a survey conducted to assess the students’ perceptions and degree of satisfaction with the workshop. Learning outcomes relevant to the workshop topic, that is, the ability to design and optimize heat exchanger networks in realistic plant-wide settings, are also presented and compared to those of previous years. The main conclusion is that the short workshop format can successfully achieve the learning objectives, even for relatively large class sizes. Evidently, this workshop can be taught effectively in this concentrated form provided that the workshop participants are given access to the online lessons in advance of the class exercises.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48509,"journal":{"name":"Education for Chemical Engineers","volume":"51 ","pages":"Pages 110-120"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143620751","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Teaching pharmaceutical process safety and environmental protection: A case study from Wuhan Institute of Technology","authors":"Hui Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.ece.2025.02.006","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ece.2025.02.006","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>With the rapid development of chemical industry, process safety and environmental protection is becoming a concern for administrators and stakeholders in China. To meet the increasing demands, the higher education institutions established the relevant courses to provide safety education for chemical engineering undergraduates. Herein we described the implementation of safety training across the four-year pharmaceutical engineering program at Wuhan Institute of Technology. Process safety was taught as an independent course to equip students with the basic principles and fundamental concepts. In addition, it was integrated into practice curriculum in a spiral fashion, ranging from practical courses, laboratory experiments, to design courses. The engineering practices helped students to apply theoretical knowledge into practical applications. Lastly, students’ course evaluation was reviewed and the strategies for continuous improvement were proposed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48509,"journal":{"name":"Education for Chemical Engineers","volume":"51 ","pages":"Pages 103-109"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143609151","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}