EngineeringShattuck-St. Mary’s

EngineeringCenter of Excellence Vision & Plans

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Engineering Center of Excellence (COE) Vision and PlansBackground: The faculty and administration of Shattuck-St. Mary’s believes the time is right to build an Engineering Center of Excellence. This White Paper shares the vision and plans for this endeavor and seeks to benefit from the input of parents, educational consultants, and students.

There are several key reasons why an Engineering Center of Excellence makes sense at SSM:

• The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that opportunities for engineers is expected to be strong and that “starting salaries are among the highest of all college graduates.”

• In its 2011 Job Outlook, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) noted that “engineering majors are most in demand at the bachelor’s degree level.”

• The demand for engineering courses has grown significantly in recent years at Shattuck-St. Mary’s (SSM). This year, more than 70 Upper School students, or more than 20% of our students are taking an engineering class.

• SSM has successfully launched nine Centers of Excellence during the past ten years, including a BioScience program, and fully understands the key factors in building world class programs.

• SSM’s Blended Learning program provides a powerful combination of classroom instruction, online resources, and real-world experience that lends itself well to a dynamic Engineering Center of Excellence.

Program Vision: Engineering is a broad discipline with specializations in mechanical, electrical, computer, civil, aerospace, chemical, biomedical, and industrial engineering. The vision of the SSM Engineering COE is to give students classroom and hands-on experience in a wide range of engineering applications. This will allow students to:

• Benefit from a range of engineering courses and practical experiences in high school;

• Pursue high school internships prior to college;

• Prepare for the rigor of top engineering programs in the nation including MIT, Georgia Tech, Cal Tech, Purdue University, University of Michigan, and Carnegie Mellon;

• Define and help to clarify engineering specialization in college.

Program Specifics:Students enrolled in the Engineering COE would be required to complete a set of foundational courses before advancing to specialized classes. In addition, students would be required to complete a summer internship that would be arranged by the student and Program Director. During the academic year, students would be engaged in internships as well as a combination of on-campus and off-campus workshops, seminars, shadowing

opportunities, competitions, and research projects.

Required Foundational Coursework: • Digital Circuits• Engineering Statics• Principles of Engineering• Robotics

Specialized Advanced Coursework such as:• Advanced Robotics• Dynamics• Manufacturing Simulation• Manufacturing Technology• Power and Energy• Thermodynamics

Required Summer Internships• Focused experiences that allow students to engage in real-world engineering applications;• Relationship-building with individuals who may serve as future mentors;• Opportunities to further refine a student’s engineering interest.

Required, but with some choice:• School year opportunities with a local network of businesses and organizations (e.g., Sage Electrochromics,

Banner Engineering, PaR Systems);

• Regional/National conference travel/field trips (e.g., Robotics Alley, University of St. Thomas, Society of Women Engineers);

• Regional/National engineering competitions;

• Engineering research projects;

• Teaching opportunities through STEM@SSM or Middle School classes;

• Annual trips to engineering “hotbeds” such as Silicon Valley, Houston and the Johnson Space Center, Munich, and Seattle.

About Mike Boone, Engineering COE DirectorMike Boone is in his ninth year of teaching engineering. Prior to teaching, he spent 13 years in the engineering, design, and manufacturing field. His industrial experience includes developing biomedical testing machines, test equipment for use in the space shuttle program, nuclear waste handling equipment, and designing theme park rides for Universal Studios. Mr. Boone also teaches Manufacturing Technology classes at the University of Minnesota and has completed the Engineering Education program at University of St. Thomas.

About Fayfield Hall, home to the Engineering COE Fayfield Hall opened in 2011 as a state-of-the-art science and engineering center. Located in close proximity to the weCreate Center, the philosophy is to blend the discipline of engineering with the ability to creatively imagine solutions to real-world problems. The two adjacent facilities create a think-tank atmosphere in which students are free to innovate and work collaboratively. The weCreate Center offers specific studios including an Architectural Design studio. The Engineering Lab in Fayfield Hall is a well-equipped space to support a range of engineering interests. Designing, building, and testing bridge structures is an example of a student project supported by this space. The lab includes the following:

• 3-D printer• Laser cutter• Eight permanent CAD stations• Pro/Engineer, West Point Bridge, Robot C,

PCB Artist software for student laptops• Robotics lab, including two platforms• Mechanical assembly and testing area

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