Engineering Program Strengths info sheet

ENGINEERING

Program Strengths 1. distinctiVely christian instruction Dordt engineering students are guided in their learning by professors who see their primary mission as training followers of Christ and teaching students the importance of developing and caring for God’s creation while using each student’s engineering abilities.

2. academic excellence In 11 out of the last15 years, Dordt engineering students have achieved a

remarkable 100 percent pass rate on the nationally administered Fundamentals of Engineering exam for an overall pass rate of 96 percent. This is well above the national average for engineering students at universities across the United States.

3. teaching and learning Focused In contrast to larger research universities, the focus

of the Dordt engineering program is on teaching engineering. All engineering professors at Dordt teach a broad spectrum of courses and are able to help students make important connections between the diverse subjects taught in the engineering curriculum.

4. aBet accredited The Dordt College engineering program is accredited by the Engineering

Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org. Dordt College is one of only a handful of Christian colleges that has been fully accredited for over 20 years. As the national organization that accredits engineering programs across the United States, ABET regularly evaluates and reviews the methods of continuous improvement to ensure students in the Dordt engineering program receive a top-notch engineering education.

The primary strength of Dordt’s engineering program is training students for an effective Christian life as an engineer, in addition to the quality technical training. I value the education I received at Dordt for teaching me how to think about a wide variety of issues and topics in life as much as for teaching the technical topics of engineering. Dordt trained me as a person and a follower of Christ, in my career and in my life. I wouldn’t trade that for the world. david hjelle, M.S. (Cornell University), Lead developer, Icon Systems, Inc., Minnesota

5. Personal instruction The average engineering class size at Dordt College is 18 students, creating an ideal teaching and learning environment. Since professors have students in multiple classes, a close learning community develops during a student’s program of study at Dordt.

6. Faculty experience Dordt engineering faculty bring to the classroom not only their doctoral research experience, but also substantial professional and industrial engineering experience; experience that includes microprocessor design, powerplant analysis and design, civil-structural design for steel mills and refineries, industrial heat exchanger research, HVAC design for commercial buildings, and biomedical research.

7. Integral core curriculum Dordt engineering graduates do not receive a narrow technical training in

engineering; rather they receive a broad engineering education in a Christian liberal arts and sciences context that prepares them for leadership in an interdisciplinary profession.

8. Graduate placement Dordt engineers have maintained a strong track record of career placement.

Students have had opportunities for service in industries and graduate schools throughout North America and internationally.

9. Record of student awards Since our program began over 30 years ago, Dordt engineering students have frequently won national awards and scholarships for their design and scholarship activities from organizations such as NASA, American Society of Civil Engineers, American Public Power Association, and The Lincoln Arc Welding Foundation.

10. Equipment and facilities Our laboratory and design studio spaces are continually being

developed and improved to serve students who are entering a profession that is continually changing. A wellinstrumented electronics laboratory, a recently renovated CNC/CAM prototype laboratory, a solar energy system laboratory, and a new highbay engineering research facility are just some of the spaces that serve engineering students today.

The Faculty Ethan Brue, P.E., Ph.D., Iowa State University. Specialization: Biomass gasification, renewable energy systems, history of technology.

Industrial experience: Combustion system design (DuPont-Pioneer Hi-Bred).

Douglas De Boer, P.E., Ph.D., University of Colorado. Specialization: Communication systems, digital signal processing, embedded controllers. Industrial experience: Integrated circuit design (Hewlett Packard).

Kayt Frisch, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin, Madison. Specialization: Biomechanics of tissue and human movement, non-invasive measurement of tissue properties.

Kevin Timmer, Ph.D., Iowa State University. Specialization: Environmental engineering, bio-renewable technology, HVAC systems. Industrial Experience: HVAC system design (Engineering Design Associates).

Nolan Van Gaalen, Ph.D., Iowa State University. Specialization: Thermo-fluid properties and engineering materials, heat transfer. Industrial experience: Heat exchanger design (Adams Thermal Systems).

Justin Vander Werff, P.E., M.S., Iowa State University. Specialization: Structural analysis, reinforced concrete design, foundation design, structural steel and pressure vessel design. Industrial experience: Civil-structural design and consulting (Superior Engineering).

For more information go to www.dordt.edu/academics/programs/engineering.