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VOLUME 3, ISSUE 1. SPRING 2016

What do you think about that?

INTEGRATIVE

”

Two Seattle University chemistry professors are revolutionizing the way the country teaches science — one instructor, one classroom, one college at a time.

I agree with that answer.

How are these concepts related ?

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A DEEPER LEARNING “POGIL creates an environment where students reach high levels of thinking, generating new questions and new ideas.”

KRISTEN JAMES ’16 BIOCHEM

The general chemistry classroom is buzzing with activity. Students are asking each other questions, flipping through their workbooks and comparing notes, reaching across the tables to point out discoveries. Professor Jenny Loertscher, PhD, walks among the groups, responding to raised hands. “That’s a great question,” she says. “Is anyone else wrestling with that one?”

A few at a time, students rise to write their conclusions on the whiteboards ranging along one side of the room.

Some challenge their classmates’ conclusions. Others return to make additions or corrections to their work.

You can almost see the light bulbs going on over their heads.

What’s going on here? It’s POGIL: process-oriented guided inquiry learning.

What a contrast to the subdued lecture halls of just a few years ago!

“I lectured for 17 years and I saw a lot of glazed looks,” says Professor Vicky Minderhout, PhD. “Students would say the exam didn’t look like anything they had done in class. They weren’t learning to problem-solve. They were learning to imitate what I was doing.”

She continues: “The only way I know what a student is thinking is if they’re talking about their work and writing down the steps. You don’t want the first time they write it down to be on the exam.”

In the POGIL model, the instructor asks questions that lead students to think more deeply about the material. “We guide our students to explore the data, which is what scientists do all the time,” says Dr. Minderhout. “We say, ‘What do we know about these data? What conclusions can we draw?’”

Drs. Minderhout and Loertscher have written a biochemistry curriculum and additional general chemistry materials that use POGIL to teach content while helping students develop important skills: communication, teamwork, problem solving, critical thinking, management, information processing and assessment. Seattle U students are reaping the benefits — and so are thousands of students at other colleges and universities.

Since 2007, with funding from two National Science Foundation (NSF) grants, Drs. Minderhout and Loertscher have tested, refined and disseminated their methods and materials. They have held workshops and seminars for 800 educators in the United States and Australia, many of whom have adopted some or all of the materials.

POGIL works. It works in classrooms of every size, across diverse student populations. A recent meta-analysis of 200 papers related to teaching and learning in STEM showed that students who participate in this kind of active learning learn better and retain information longer.

“If we are educating scientists,” says Dr. Loertscher, “we need to teach them how to think about a problem, to define it for themselves and to understand that there are multiple correct ways to look at the same information.”

Adds Dr. Minderhout, “They’re not all going to become chemists. But they are all going to have to go out and THINK in whatever career they’re going to pursue.”

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UNIVERSITY OF OPPORTUNITY MAKE AN IMPACT. MAKE A GIFT. SEE PAGES 10 & 11.

Each year at the commencement ceremony, when I look out at the faces of our graduating students, I am struck by the diversity I see. Our students have taken many different paths to reach this important milestone. And they’ve made it!

Our students contribute many different perspectives to the campus dialogue. This diversity of background and experience enriches us all. Our students learn how to work well with people who are quite different from themselves. It is one of our strengths as a university and one reason Seattle U graduates make such a positive impact in the workplace.

But diverse students have diverse needs. How do we create an environment that is both welcoming and supportive for all students? How do we provide the greatest number of opportunities to succeed?

FROM NOVICE TO EXPERT Where should educators focus their time and effort?

Threshold concepts hold the key. A threshold concept is troublesome for the student, challenging to learn or understand. Once grasped, the concept is transformative, because the student will no longer think of things in a novice way. It is integrative and can be applied in many contexts. And it is irreversible: students will never need to re-learn the concept.

For more information about threshold concepts, see www.ee.ucl.ac.uk/~mflanaga/ thresholds.html

We do our best to provide sufficient financial assistance to the vast majority of students who need it. We make sure students get timely advising so they can see a clear path to graduation with no dead ends. We strive to create a respectful, safe environment where students can share differing opinions and ideas. And we challenge our students to engage with the community — and with each other — through service activities.

Graduation is not the ultimate success, but it is an important step along the way. The fact that Seattle U has a high graduation rate across every demographic demonstrates that we are providing the right kind of support.

We want our students to be successful in the world, and the evidence shows we are doing well. I believe we are truly the University of Opportunity.

MICHAEL J. QUINN, PhD Dean, College of Science and Engineering

04

LEARNING FROM FAILURE What happens when you set up an experiment and things don’t go as planned? Jeff Derenthal (’16 MEGR) has the answer, “You learn a ton.”

Last summer, Jeff collaborated with Matt Shields, PhD, who is researching small off-grid energy systems suitable for rural communities in developing countries. “A small-scale wind turbine is easier to deploy on your house, on your factory, in your village,” says Dr. Shields. “At this scale, turbine efficiency is key.”

Delivering electricity to underserved communities is a social justice issue that resonates strongly with Jeff. “Microturbines are a novel form of renewable energy, a field I want to pursue after graduation,” he adds. “Our research project studies vortex bubbles on the blades of a wind turbine to determine how they affect performance.”

Jeff’s task was to develop the test bed and set up a validation test for different microturbine wing profiles. He explains, “If your model is scaled correctly, you can very accurately predict the power output from the full-sized turbine. We wanted to replicate the Reynolds numbers and flow conditions in our wind tunnel, extrapolate that data and apply it to the swept area of the actual design.”

Dr. Shields adds, “There are very few research groups doing testing on this scale. We found one published paper, but their testing was for a different purpose. Instead of purchasing a multi-thousand dollar sensory system, Jeff had to design and build it himself, which was much more challenging.”

Working with very small-scale power train parts and mounting the miniature electric motor proved to be difficult. Jeff spent hours in the machine shop and the lab but was not able to complete his work before classes resumed in the fall.

“I didn’t ever get to spin a wind turbine, but I learned what’s involved in going from a 3D model to a physical design,” Jeff says. “I can speak with some fluency about the characteristics of experimental devices. Students in other places don’t get this kind of exposure — it’s the number one thing that has stood out for me at Seattle U.” Both the research and other Seattle U students will benefit from Jeff’s experience. “Jeff got our program off to a solid start,” says Dr. Shields. “I have another student researcher lined up who will build on what Jeff learned.”

“Engineering is about learning from failure.

If something is not the way you expect it to be, it’s important to know how do an analysis and understand the strategies and designs that will lead to better outcomes.”

JEFF DERENTHAL ’16 MEGR, Arvanitidis Fellow

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NETWORKED FOR SUCCESS For Scott Shipp, a software engineer at Expedia, the decision to obtain his Master of Software Engineering (MSE) at Seattle U was a no-brainer.

“Seattle University awarded the first Master of Software Engineering in the country and boasts notable alumni such as Steve McConnell, the author of ‘Code Complete,’” he says.

McConnell (’91 MSE), founder and CEO of Construx Software Builders, comments on how Seattle U prepares MSE students to succeed: “In the software world, successful technical employees are knowledgeable in three areas: software engineering principles and practices; technology; and their business domain. Successful technical employees also have the attributes of being able to work effectively both in teams and alone, communicate effectively and engage in ongoing learning frequently. The Seattle U MSE program provides the breadth needed to support a career’s worth of ongoing learning.”

A hallmark of the MSE program is a three-quarterlong capstone project for an industry sponsor.

“After two or more years spent learning the various facets of software — architecture, user experience, testing and implementation — students take on a real-world project that will be put in production in front of actual users,” explains Shipp. “You form a group and run the project like you would run an actual company.”

He continues, “I have often heard from others in the industry that the theoretical and researchoriented nature of many programs does not prepare students for the real on-the-job issues facing software companies.

Welcome to Seattle University, which not only prepares you for such issues, but literally thrusts them on you as a requirement for graduation!”

MAKE AN IMPACT. MAKE A GIFT. SEE PAGES 10 & 11.

Does Seattle U’s team-oriented, hands-on approach work? McConnell says it does. “Seattle U’s MSE graduates have a track record of moving into leadership positions in their organizations,” he says. “I believe this is partly due to the program content and partly due to the supportive relationships that graduates develop with other Seattle U graduates.”

Those relationships are important in more ways than one, says Shipp. “Among my classmates are some of the top minds from Amazon, Boeing, Microsoft, Google and others in the region.

They have their own years of experience in the software industry. In many ways, I learn as much from them as from the faculty. I am building a great network of peers.”

“In this program, you get the building blocks necessary to achieve any position in the industry, from software architect to engineer to business analyst to project manager. You really can go anywhere you want with it!”

SCOTT SHIPP ’16 MSE Software Engineer II, Expedia

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OPENING IN 2021: CENTER FOR SCIENCE & INNOVATION The $100 million Center for Science and Innovation — the most significant building project Seattle University has ever undertaken — expands capacity and responds to the urgent need for well-prepared leaders in the fields of engineering, science, mathematics, computer science and software engineering.

1891 SEATTLE U FOUNDED 1914 FIRST SCIENCE CLASSES 1942 WORLD WAR II DELAYS LAUNCH OF

MAJOR GIFT PHASE NOW UNDERWAY.

Students will study, collaborate and relax in attractive, well-lit gathering spaces located throughout the building.

In cutting-edge teaching labs, students will explore and expand on classroom learning.

Visiting students touring the college can visualize themselves at Seattle U.

ENGINEERING PROGRAMS

1945 SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING LAUNCHED 1961 BANNAN BUILDING OPENS 1963 C

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COMPUTING CENTER ESTABLISHED

In multi-investigator laboratories, undergraduate student researchers will collaborate with faculty members engaged in ongoing scientific investigation.

Faculty and students will interact in offices with easy access to nearby labs.

1990 BIOLOGY ADDITION OPENS 2021 CENTER FOR SCIENCE & INNOVATION OPENS

In the modernized Project Center, teams of engineering, computer science and software engineering students will work on nine-month design projects for industry sponsors.

1971 COLLEGE OF SCIENCE & ENGINEERING CREATED 1987 ENGINEERING

BUILDING OPENS

Students will be able to move easily from lecture to lab to analysis in dynamic, flexible classrooms that accommodate experiential learning.

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COMPETITIVE EDGE The first person in her family to attend college, Elizabeth Sblendorio (’16 ECE) knows how to set goals and aim high.

When Liz discovered that she excels at calculus and physics, she researched careers that employ those disciplines.

“Electrical engineering was a perfect fit,” she says. “So I set that goal for myself.”

In 2014, Liz transferred to Seattle U from community college. Her faculty advisor — Agnieszka Miguel, PhD, Chair of the Electrical and Computer Department — is a strong mentor.

“Right away, Dr. Miguel understood my goals and encouraged me to get involved in professional organizations,” Liz says. She became an officer in the Seattle U chapter of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and joined the Society of Women Engineers (SWE).

Liz’s strong academic background, her well-rounded resume and her confidence to speak up for herself were all factors in what came next.

During the fall of her junior year, Liz attended SWE’s national conference.

“I was determined to make the most of the opportunity,” she says. The event’s motivational speakers showed her what was possible in her field, and the career fair led her to Kimberly Clark, a manufacturer of household paper products.

“When I visited their booth, it was like talking to people I had known for years,” says Liz. “They asked me to come back that afternoon for an interview. A few weeks later, they offered me an internship at their headquarters in Neenah, Wisconsin.”

During her five-month internship, Liz worked on a team tasked with optimizing the systems used to track energy consumption at Kimberly Clark’s manufacturing plants nationwide. She was in charge of data visualization and designed the dashboards that would display the information being collected.

“I was the youngest person on the team, the only intern, and the only woman,” says Liz. “They trusted me to take on the project alone, and I had the confidence to share my knowledge. Some of my colleagues would forget I was not a full-time employee.”

Before her internship was complete — even before she had given her final presentation — Liz was offered a position as Electrical Engineer on the Drives and Controls Team at Kimberly Clark. “I have always wanted to create something tangible,” she says. “This is the work I want to do. I’m right where I’m supposed to be.”

“Seattle U gave me the opportunity to be noticed and to have a voice.”

ELIZABETH SBLENDORIO ’16 ECE

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UNPARALLELED EXPERIENCE As a young girl, Tresha Lacaux (’07 MEGR) loved puzzles, taking things apart and putting them back together.

“During high school, a friend’s father taught me to fly a small, single-engine kit airplane,” she says. “It was during those weekend flights that I discovered the wonder of the aerospace field, and from there it was a natural progression to becoming an engineer.”

Tresha began her university education at Virginia Tech. After moving to the Seattle area, she completed her degree at Seattle U, where she says focus on the student experience is unparalleled.

“The smaller class sizes at Seattle U allow for frequent interactions with the professors, not teaching assistants. I had access to labs to conduct research that further enhanced my learning and would not have been made available to me at other universities until I was a graduate student.”

Now in her tenth year as an engineer at Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Tresha says her Seattle U education contributed to her current success.

“Seattle U provided me with an outstanding theoretical foundation in mechanical engineering as well as the tools to look at the bigger picture and impact of any engineering problem.”

She continues, “This skillset allows me to stand above the crowd because I can not only solve the theoretical problem, but I have the ability to make the most effective decision, considering all aspects including cost, producibility, manufacturability and safety. At Boeing, individuals with this skillset are often rewarded with project ownership and leadership opportunities. As a result, I have been able to grow from individual contributor, to project lead, to engineering manager.”

Tresha hopes to make an impact on the diversity of the engineering field.

She has taken an active role in organizations such as Black Engineer of the Year Award (BEYA), mentoring middle and high school students, speaking with them about STEM careers, and acting as a positive role model in her community.

In her role on Seattle U’s Mechanical Engineering Advisory Board, Tresha contributes industry topics and the insights of an aerospace industry professional. “I hope that my contributions to the advisory board encourage the university to challenge and prepare students with industryrelevant solutions,” she says.

“Giving back to the community not only increases the value of my degree but also encourages undergraduate students to believe that with true dedication, anything is possible.”

TRESHA LACAUX ’07 MEGR Manager, Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Structures Engineering

MAKE AN IMPACT. MAKE A GIFT. SEE PAGES 10 & 11.

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MAKE AN IMPACT. Our students are ready to create a better world. They will design innovative products and technologies to solve the challenges faced by local and global communities. They will apply their creativity, skills and leadership abilities to unlock new discoveries in science and mathematics. And they will have a positive effect on the culture of any company they work for.

Your support paves the way. You can help STEM students by making a financial gift, serving on an advisory board, sponsoring a project or mentoring a fledgling engineer, mathematician or scientist.

M G

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MAKE A GIFT.

YOUR SUPPORT HELPS OUR STUDENTS IN MANY WAYS: DEAN’S FUND STUDENT RESEARCH ENHANCED LABORATORIES ENDOWED PROFESSORSHIP OR CHAIR CLASSROOM TECHNOLOGY SCHOLARSHIPS CENTER FOR SCIENCE & INNOVATION

To make a transformational gift, contact Michelle Finet, CSE Director of Development: 206-296-2846 / finetm@seattleu.edu Visit seattleu.edu/giving and choose the College of Science and Engineering Dean’s Fund.

Non-Profit Org. U.S. POSTAGE PAID Seattle, WA Permit No. 2783

Seattle University 901 12th Ave PO Box 222000 Seattle, WA 98122

Variable data: Dr. & Mrs. Jonathan Winters 489 West Pine Street Seattle, WA 98122

THE FUTURE OF STEM IS HERE. SEE PAGES 6 & 7.

Michael J. Quinn, PhD Dean, College of Science and Engineering

seattleu.edu/scieng Printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper free of chlorine chemistry. Printed with bio-renewable inks.