ICME Applied in the Undergraduate Capstone Senior Design Sequence

Six years ago, Materials Science and Engineering at Michigan Tech embarked on a quest to integrate ICME into the undergraduate curriculum. It began with small modules within a “methods” course that preceded the 2-semester capstone project course. A holistic strategy gradually evolved over the next several years, culminating in a “Material Design” course the spring of junior year followed by industry-sponsored senior projects scoped to utilize ICME methods. The Material Design course combines experimental measurements with measurement system analysis (MSA), thermodynamic and kinetic material optimization with the design of experiments (DOE), and an overarching material design project. The course is organized with weekly module themes that require prereading, lab/modeling work and reports, and a Friday practical quiz. Along the way, students learn to keep a notebook, use Thermo-Calc and Minitab, and write a comprehensive report. All of the skills developed in “Material Design” are to be applied in the capstone project course the following semester.