<aside> 💡 The Theory Into Practice In Chemical Engineering Group is part of and works closely with the Chemical Engineering Department at Brigham Young University. We work to bring experiential laboratory learning to undergraduate students in a safe laboratory environment. Their laboratory experiences here represent the tip of the iceberg of their future application endeavors.

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Experiential laboratory learning is performing the actions needed to accomplish a substantial, complex, open-ended task similar to that of a practicing chemical engineer but in a laboratory environment.

Table of Contents

Mission Statement

<aside> <img src="/icons/map-pin-alternate_gray.svg" alt="/icons/map-pin-alternate_gray.svg" width="40px" /> Our mission is to provide opportunities to practice chemical engineering fundamentals paired with theoretical models in reverence of the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God.

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<aside> <img src="/icons/mandir_lightgray.svg" alt="/icons/mandir_lightgray.svg" width="40px" /> The “Laws of Nature and Nature’s God” is a reference to the Declaration of Independence where our founding fathers recognized God. We likewise recognize Him and the laws He has provided for our happiness.

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Coupling laboratory opportunities with classroom projects should result in future engineers being better problem solvers. Great problem solvers require lots of practice. Most field engineering problems are open ended in that there are many solutions with some of those solutions meeting the constraints of time and resources. Those solutions require critical thinking skills. Our recommended approach for development of critical thinking with open-ended problems to become great problem solvers is below.

Scope

Our scope is limited to the undergraduate chemical engineering laboratories at Brigham Young University. Chemical Engineering (ChEn) undergraduate students are required to take 6 ChEn department laboratory classes: Introduction to Chemical Engineering (ChEn 170), Chemical Process and Fluid Lab (ChEn 285), Materials and Reaction Lab (ChEn 345), Thermodynamics and Transport Lab (Ch En 385), Separations and Process Control Lab (ChEn 445) and Unit Operations Laboratory (ChEn 479).

Approach

Developing great problem solvers in chemical engineering requires the cultivation of multiple skills. These skills are recommended to be part of each laboratory problem. The below principles are recommended to be taught to students to help them understand why the problem or assignment is organized the way it is. Great problem solvers have the:

• [ ] 1) Ability to work with open-ended problems where there can be many different solutions with an optimum solution subject to time and other constraints.
  • Application recommendation
• [ ] 2) Ability to define and redefine the problem statement. Most effective problem statements in “real life” are often distinctly different from the first evidence of a problem.
  • Application recommendation
• [ ] 3) Ability to identify applicable chemical engineering and or physical principles that govern the behavior of the system; An understanding of fundamental principles should allow the engineer to make an initial prediction or estimate.
  • Application recommendation
• [ ] 4) Ability to collect relevant information from (1) literature, (2) subject matter experts, (3) equipment operators, (4) experimental results from data logging devices, (5) collaborators, (6) similar scenarios that may be in a different field of study, etc.
  • Application recommendation
• [ ] 5) Ability to synthesize and analyze that information to make conclusions that can lead to a solution. That solution should be optimized or constrained to the available time and resources.
  • Application recommendation
• [ ] 6) Ability to critically analyze the solution and compare it with 2 or 3 other potential solutions such as from a literature comparison, back of the envelope estimate, or similar experimental setup.
  • Application recommendation
• [ ] 7) Ability to collaborate with others to multiply the strengths of each individual member and appropriately involve specialists.
  • Application recommendation
• [ ] 8) Ability to be creative.
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• [ ] 9) Ability to convey the solution and it’s potential applicability to other scenarios in written and spoken forms. Other multimedia forms can significantly improve the probability of acceptance and audience understanding of the recommended solution.
  • Application recommendation
• [ ] 10) Experience and practice. Great problem solvers have experience solving problems and thinking critically. The more practice the better.
  • Application recommendation