Undergraduate engineering education with hands-on experimental acoustic field work

Offering undergraduate students access to technician-level work experience early in their academic career has successfully promoted subsequent interest in and pursuit of independent inquiry in acoustics. Over the past 9 years, approximately 70 undergraduate students have been affiliated with the East Carolina University Department of Engineering’s acoustics and vibrations laboratory. Of those 70, 30 have pursued independent inquiry, 11 have attended a professional meeting, 7 have presented at a professional meeting, and 7 have pursued additional study or secured positions in a relevant field. The student work has spanned several topical areas in acoustics and vibrations. The primary effort has been collecting synchronized atmospheric and acoustic data over long ranges in littoral environments. This work presents the best practices the investigators have cultivated for training, recruiting, and retaining quality undergraduate research assistants. Both paid research positions and unpaid work done for course credit are included in the discussion.