The Biological and Agricultural Engineering (BAE) division of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) has planned the following program for the 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition held in Portland, Oregon.
Special Sessions sponsored by the Biological and Agricultural Division: Monday, June 24, 2024
1:30 pm: Ecological Engineering Education: Frameworks and Perspectives
An invited panel will discuss their vision for Ecological Engineering and provide insight into challenges and opportunities when integrating ecological engineering content with agricultural, biological, environmental, and similar engineering content areas. Attendees will have opportunities to share their thoughts and ideas on instructional frameworks that are used and/or need to be developed for ecological engineering education. This session is intended to follow up on ideas offered during the Monday morning technical session on engineering education issues relevant to agricultural, biological, and ecological engineering.
Panelists:
Trisha Moore is an associate professor at Kansas State University, conducts research focused on understanding the processes by which natural-based engineered systems contribute to the production of ecosystem services (defined as the benefits people obtain from ecosystems). She has published her work in Ecological Engineering, Water Environment Research, Climatic Change, and Water Research journals. She is a past President of the American Ecological Engineering Society (AEES) and co-chairs the AEES Body of Knowledge committee
Mark C Stone is the department head and professor of Biological Systems Engineering at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Dr. Stone conducts research and provides instruction in areas focused on integrated water resources management, socio-ecological systems resilience, climate change adaptation, and eco-hydrology. He recently completed a Fulbright Fellowship in Chilean Patagonia, investigating community adaptation to climate change. Dr. Stone is an active member of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers and the American Geophysical Union.
David Michael Blersch is an Associate Professor of Ecological Engineering in the Biosystems Engineering Department at Auburn University, has research interests in ecological engineering approaches to nutrient recovery in aquatic systems, ecological systems modeling, and emergy synthesis and sustainability engineering. His instructional responsibilities include Introduction to Ecological Engineering, Introduction to Aquaponics, and Waste Management & Utilization for Biosystems. He is an active member of the American Society of Biological and Agricultural Engineering- Ecological Engineering Committee and is the recent past president of the American Ecological Engineering Society.
David A. Vaccari is a Professor Emeritus of environmental engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, NJ. He has degrees in environmental science and chemical engineering from Rutgers University. He studies wastewater treatment and water pollution, nonlinear statistical modeling in general and modeling of global phosphorus resource flows in particular. He is the lead author of “Environmental Biology for Scientists and Engineers.” He was a member of the Board of Directors of ABET, Inc., and has served as a Commissioner and a Program Evaluator of ABET. He was President of AAEES (2023) and is a member and former chair of the AAEES Education Committee. Dr. Vaccari is a Board-Certified Environmental Engineer and is listed in the Who’s Who in Environmental Engineering and Science.
3:15 pm Biological/Agricultural/Ecological Engineering Programs: The Past While Envisioning the Future
Panelists will discuss their departments’ historical and contemporary highlights and future visions. This session provides an opportunity to recognize the past and share plans to educate and support the next generation of engineers who engage in biological, agricultural, and ecological systems. Attendees can share their insights and experiences, ideas, resources, and what has or has not worked in the past. This session will include the presentation of the BAE division’s Early Career Achievement in Education Award.
Presenters:
Fadi Fathallah is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering at UC Davis. He has over 30 years of experience conducting basic and applied research and teaching courses related to ergonomics, biomechanics, and workers’ health and safety. Dr. Fathallah served as the inaugural Associate Vice Provost of Global Education and Services at UC Davis Global Affairs, where he oversaw the university’s Global Learning Hub/Study Abroad program, Services for International Students and Scholars (SISS) and other Global Affairs-sponsored programs.
Dr. Mark Stone is the department head and professor of Biological Systems Engineering at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Dr. Stone conducts research and provides instruction in areas focused on integrated water resources management, socio-ecological systems resilience, climate change adaptation, and eco-hydrology. He recently completed a Fulbright Fellowship in Chilean Patagonia, investigating community adaptation to climate change. Dr. Stone is an active member of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers and the American Geophysical Union.
Tommy Stephenson currently is a Lecturer in the Biological and Engineering department at North Carolina State University (NCSU) and is the lead instructor for several courses, including BAET 201: Shop Processes and Management, BAET 343: Agricultural Electrification, and BAE 325: Introductory Geomatics. He is the division’s 2024 Early Career Achievement in Education Award recipient. This award recognizes Mr. Stephenson’s dedication to employing innovative pedagogy, mentoring undergraduate students in research and capstone projects, and advising student organizations such as the Pack Pullers Quarter-Scale Tractor Team. Mr. Stephenson is pursuing a Ph.D. in biological and agricultural engineering to become a professor engaged in precision agriculture education, research, and extension programs. He is an active member of the American Society of Agricultural & Biological Engineers and the North Carolina Soil Health Coalition.
Technical Sessions sponsored by the Biological and Agricultural Division (session presentations are subject to change)
Monday, June 24, 2024
- Title: Engineering education issues relevant to agricultural, biological and ecological engineering
- An ecological engineering (EcoE) body of knowledge to support undergraduate EcoE education
- A department-wide approach to student success based on ecological validation
- Undergraduate Level Hands-on Ecological Engineering Course with Semester Long Project and Laboratory Exercises
- Empowering Youth to Create a Healthier Future Through STEM Education About Antimicrobial Resistance
Tuesday, June 25
- Title: Engineering education issues relevant to agricultural, biological and ecological engineering
- Biomanufacturing & Engineering for the Appalachian Highlands – Updates on the development of a scalable bioengineering program in rural settings
- Impact of Experimental Centric Pedagogy on Learning Outcomes: A Comparative Trend Analysis in Industrial Engineering and Biology
- Language Fusion in the Lab: Unveiling the Translanguaging Strategies of Spanish-Speaking Students in Biosystem Engineering Technology and Science
- Transfer of Learning from Mathematics, Science, and Physics Courses to Upper-Level Engineering Courses in Biological Systems Engineering
Wednesday, May 26
- Title: Strategies to engage students in agricultural, biological, or similarly named programs
- Inclusive Experiential Learning for STEM students in Sustainable Robotic Agriculture
- WIP: Impact of an authentic introductory computer programming course on new BAE undergraduate students’ learning motivation and interest in the discipline
- Work in Progress: Grace Platform: Enhancing Pedagogy with Gamified AR and VR in Agriculture Education
- Update on Directed STEM Lessons for Developing Student Interest in Agriculture: A Work in Progress
- Inclusive Experiential Learning for STEM students in Sustainable Robotic Agriculture