S.K.I.E.SSeeking Knowledge In Engineering and Science

Audio amplifier labs

•Analog audio volume control build.

•Analog low pass filter circuit build (Subwoofer).

•Analog high pass filter circuit build (Tweeter).

•Students make use of their own audio Source

(IPods, Pandora, etc).

Home made Speaker built using:

•Neodymium magnets.

•Paper plate.

•28 gauge copper wire.

Nodal circuit matrices lab:

•Poudre valley HS project.

•Application of matrices in solving Electrical

Engineering circuit problems.

Concepts:

•Voltage divider.

•Op-amp operation.

•Frequency response.

•Analog design.

Concepts:

•Electromagnetics

i. Flux

ii. Current

iii. fields

•Electrical signals --> audio output

•Faraday’s Law

Concepts:

•Matrices and linear algebraic operations.

•Kirchhoff's Voltage and Current Law(KVL, KCL)

•Circuit analysis.

Hack a wiimote:

•MEMS technology (accelerometer).

•Optical sensors (infrared camera).

•Sensor data interpretation.

•Communication buses.

•Component Identification.

TweeterSubwooferVolume Control

Galvanometer lab:

Detect the direction of the

magnetic field produced

due to the current in a

loop of wire

Concepts:

•Right hand rule.

•Lorentz force.

Electromagnet lab:

Create a magnetic field using a

solenoid and power source

Concepts:

•Ampere’s Law

•Fields

Electric Motor Lab:

•Homemade motor built using common

household items such as:

i. 9 Volt battery

ii. 2 powerful magnets

iii. Aluminum Foil

iv. Blocks of wood

v. Spool of thread

Concepts:

•Conservation of energy

•Electromagnetism

Volume Control Circuit Subwoofer Circuit Tweeter Circuit

Project Goals

•Increase exposure of applied Electrical Engineering concepts to high school students .

•Build relationships between the ECE department and regional high schools.

•Garner support of engineering and science to meet global competition.

•Integrate labs to high school curricula.

Outreach Programs•Engaging students in electrical engineering from middle to high school levels.

Rocky Mountain HSFort Collins, CO

Fossil Ridge HSFort Collins, CO

Loveland HSLoveland, CO

CSU High School Exploration Days 08’ - 09’

Demonstrating labs to Steve Vecchio, Physics teacher at Fossil Ridge HS, to incorporate into the curriculum.

Built labs based on Ken Gywnn’s (faculty at Loveland HS) feedback

Every fall around 500 high school students and their family members explore undergraduate life in Engineering at CSU.

At this event we gathered additional feedback from high school students.

Main pilot program school. Headed by John Fialko and Robert Ufer.

Designed nodal analysis lab. Recommended by Sayers, Mathematics teacher at PHS.

Poudre Valley HS Fort Collins, CO

They plan to incorporate the audio amplifier labs into their electronics I & II courses.

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50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

300,000

350,000

400,000

US India China

Bachelor's degrees

Associate degres(or equivalent)

Graph comparing the engineering graduates in the US versus other countries.

Study made by Duke University in 2004

Challenges:

•Establish contacts with regional high schools.

•Establish credibility as a new program with CSU.

•Effectively communicate with high school students in an understandable fashion.

•Create easy to understand lab write-ups for several education levels.

•Align applied concepts to high school curricula.

•Having obvious results without using expensive equipment.

•Powering circuits in a cost effective way (batteries / AC to DC converter power supply).

Acknowledgments:•Ken Gwynn - Loveland HS•John Fialko- Rocky Mountain HS•Robert Ufer- Rocky Mountain HS•Ashley Waddell - CSU Office of Development•Olivera Notaros - CSU Electrical Engineering Department.•Dan Ferguson- Agillent Technologies

Future Plans:

•Continue to develop relationships with regional high school faculty and students.

•Establish contacts at middle schools.

•Improve labs and write-ups based on faculty and student feedback through the website.

•Streamline the lab kit design process to provide a one kit solution.

•Create new interesting and challenging labs for more advanced levels.

•Building PCB layouts of audio amplifier filters.

•Expand to high schools in other states.

Power unit created for lab testing and building purposes.