Engineering Quarterly Fall 2022

Engineering Quarterly VOL.V. . . No.1

FALL 2022

W ELCOME !

The Engineering Quarterly is published four times each year by the Hamm School of Engineering at the University of Mary. In each issue, we try to include articles from each of the six majors we offer: Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Construction Engineering, and Construction Management. The intended audience of the Engineering Quarterly includes engineers, engineering students, engineering alumni, future engineering students, and people working in fields related to engineering such as science, computing, and mathematics. The fall issue of EQ is often called the internship issue because in it we describe the many summer jobs, co-ops, and internships that our engineering students have just completed along with their thoughts on them and we also highlight the many engineering companies who came to our fall internship fair to talk to our students about their companies and interview them for jobs and internships. In this issue we celebrate the naming of our engineering school

by Harold Hamm and the ribbon-cutting ceremony we held in September. Of course, for your enjoyment, we also include some of the problems and projects from the courses our students are taking. Enjoy!

Dr. Terry Pilling Dean

The faculty of the Hamm School of Engineering enjoyed front row seats to the event which was followed by personal tours given to all who were in attendance by our faculty as well as our junior and senior engineering students.

Engineering classes were canceled during the event so that we could showcase our laboratories as well as our student design projects to the people on the tours.

At A Glance Enrollment : 174 - Mechanical : 58 - Civil : 38 - Electrical : 22 - Construction : 26 - Computer : 28 Internship Rate : 100% Job Placement Rate : 100% FE Exam Pass Rate : 100% Retention Rate : (2018 cohort) : 73%

The event was a huge success and marks the end of a long journey of design, construction, faculty recruitment, course development, student recruitment, and corporate relationship building. All of these activities will continue into the future at a smaller scale in our philosophy of continuous improvement and we hope to continue to make our friends, donors, students, and alumni proud of our school and its achievements.

H AMM S CHOOL OF E NGINEERING !

On September 20th we had our official ribbon cutting ceremony to name the Hamm School of Engineering after Harold Hamm, founder of Continental Resources. Also in attendance was Kelcy Warren, co-founder of Energy Transfer, Governor Doug Burgum, and Senator Kevin Cramer, as well as many other donors, dignitaries, local news media, faculty, and students.

Founder and Chairman of Continental Resources, one of the largest oil and natural gas producers in the nation, Harold Hamm grew up on humble Oklahoma prairie – hotter than the Dakotas, but a land measured by the same values; you didn’t lie, you didn’t cheat, and everybody did their part.

Harold Hamm’s earliest memory is of

University of Mary

FREE

picking tomatoes in the warm, red Oklahoma dirt. The youngest of 13 children, Hamm’s parents were sharecroppers. They were poor, but to them, life was to be lived as vast and expansive. Someone in need was almost always living with the Hamm family, and when they did have something extra, it was given away. It was in those days that Harold Hamm Hamm fell in love with life’s possibilities: there was a world bigger than him, bigger than the hardship he faced. So when he looked at the oil and gas development running south and northeast of Enid, his imagination was taken. Hamm wanted to be an oilman, because he wanted to make life fuller and better for his family and his community.

At 18, he took a job with an oilfield services contractor, cleaning tanks – the hardest work there was in the field. By 1967, at the age of 21, he’d built up enough credit to take out a $1000 loan to buy a tank truck and start his own business. That was the beginning of Continental Resources. Hamm’s first foray into the exploration side of the business was in 1981, when he drilled a wildcat well in Alfalfa County. It produced 20 barrels an hour. His second came in at 75 barrels an hour. From his grassroots startup, Hamm has built Continental into one of the top New York Stock Exchange-traded oil producers in the United States. Continental is also the largest leaseholder and one of the largest producers in the nation’s premier oilfield, the Bakken of North Dakota and Montana. Hamm co-founded and serves as Chairman of the Domestic Energy Producers Alliance. He’s served as past Chairman and present board member of what is now the Petroleum Alliance of Oklahoma and was a founding board member of the Oklahoma Energy Resources Board. And, in an effort to discover a cure for diabetes, he sponsored the founding of the Harold Hamm Diabetes Center, a world-renowned center ta the forefront of diabetes research. For his contributions, Hamm has received the Platts Global Energy Lifetime Achievement Award, the Horatio Alger Award, and has been named one of TIME Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People in the World.”

We were also very thankful to have Kelcy Warren in attendance at the ribbon cutting.

Mr. Warren was one of the first major donors to the Hamm School of Engineering when it first began and his support was crucial to our success, opening the path to further support from companies and individuals across the region.

When Kelcy Warren began his career, he remembers having one defined goal: to find places where he could work hard and do bet-

VOL.V. . . No.1

ter. As the co-founder of Energy Transfer, one of the largest and most diversified energy infrastructure companies in the country, Warren’s goal has been met. As an impactful donor to the University of Mary’s Hamm School of Engineering and Workforce Development program, we know Warren as a renowned leader, steadfast friend, and a respected partner in our efforts to prepare servant leaders.

Originally from White Oak, Texas, Warren’s early life was marked by simplicity and grit. His father encouraged honesty and kindness in the midst of hard work, and his mother’s own service to her family shone in her compassion and integrity. He spent his early years Kelcy Warren picking up odd jobs – hauling hay, maintaining telephone lines, and, most tellingly, repairing oilfield leaks and building pipelines.

Following high school, Warren attended the University of Texas at Arlington and received a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering. After graduating, he was hired by Lone Star Gas Company as a pipeline design engineer. By 1996, he had co-founded Energy Transfer with 200 miles of natural gas pipeline and 20 employees.

With Warren at the helm, Energy Transfer has flourished into one of the country’s most respected energy partnerships, with Warren himself receiving many honors as an admired business leader. He is also a dedicated philanthropist who supports educational institutions, medical institutions, and animal rescue organizations. One of his most cherished legacies is “Klyde Warren Park” in Dallas, named for his beloved son and widely considered one of the nation’s most successful urban parks.

Along the way, Warren’s support for the University of Mary and our expanding Hamm School of Engineering has enabled our efforts to prepare highly skilled and culturally equipped engineers to serve our growing region. All the while, Warren says he has sought to identify unmet needs and address them – a refrain familiar to those acquainted with the pioneering spirit of our founding Benedictine Sisters, who in 1959 founded this university in response to the unmet needs of our Dakota prairies. A treasured partner and friend, Warren stands as an exemplar of this same pioneering spirit, an exemplar of innovation and creativity joined to compassion, perseverance, and devotion.

T EKTRONIX PARTNERSHIP Tektronix, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of electronic testing and measuring technology, has gifted University of Mary’s Hamm School of Engineering $80,000 worth of its products in two separate donations. The state-of-the-art equipment includes digital oscilloscopes, function generators, triple-output

Engineering Quarterly FALL 2022

2

power supplies, waveform generators, and the ten-year span ending in 2026. In 2016, endigital bench-top multimeters. gineers already had a median annual wage of $91,010 – more than twice the median wage for all workers.

In just five years since its beginning, the new Hamm School of Engineering has already earned a reputation for rigorous course work, innovation, and multidisciplinary experiential learning during all four years of study in civil, construction, mechanical, and electrical engineering, in addition to programs in construction management and computer science.

“We believe these donations to the Hamm School of Engineering at the University of Mary will provide these students the tools they need to break through the walls of complexity and accelerate their innovation and C ONTINENTAL R ESOURCES success in the classroom, lab, and when workI NTERNSHIPS ing with client projects,” said Tektronix Key Account Manager, Jake Graves. “We know graduates of the Hamm School of Engineering already play a pivotal role in helping meet the global need and demand for highly skilled, ethical, and communicative engineers in the workforce. The industry needs these graduates now more than ever. From what we know, the Hamm School of Engineering is already a model of excellence in such a short time of existence.”

Hamm School of Engineering Lab Coordinator Rodrigo da Costa Aparecido says the donated equipment will be used to teach fundamental and leading-edge testing concepts.

“The cutting-edge Tektronix equipment is what students and recent graduates are going to see in the field,” added Aparecido. “The build quality of the Tektronix products is second to none and helps me as the lab coordinator have less down time and repair expenses. Most importantly, this equipment allows us to have one student per lab station, increasing active learning and motivation for each student. Tektronix was always available and willing to work with the Hamm School of Engineering to determine our needs, evaluate, advise, and complete the donation. Tektronix is the market leader, and we are grateful to have them as a partner.”

According to Tektronix, their mission is to empower engineers to create and realize technological advances with ever greater ease, speed, and accuracy. Tektronix solutions have supported many of humankind’s greatest advances of the past 75 years – health, communication, mobility, and space. With offices in 21 countries, Tektronix is committed to the scientists, engineers, and technicians around the world who will define the future.

The Hamm School of Engineering is helping meet the growing workforce demands of North Dakota and nation. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), projects employment growth of 140,000 new engineering jobs for

Technical representatives from Continental Resources visited the University of Mary Hamm School of Engineering on Wednesday, October 5 to meet with students and share information about internship opportunities with their company. They especially wanted to meet students majoring in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering or Computer Science.

They scheduled interviews following the info session and encouraged students to bring their resumes since they will be hiring approximately eleven engineering (and computer science) interns for the summer 2023 program.

The intern program is based in Oklahoma City but they have students interning across ND, MT, TX, OK and WY. This is a paid internship and students will have a housing stipend and be reimbursed for travel.

A SSOCIATION OF G ENERAL C ONTRACTORS S CHOLARSHIP

VOL.V. . . No.1

Freshman wrestler and Construction Management major Aidyn Mitchell was presented a scholarship by Carey Burke and Russell Hanson from Associated General Contractors.

The Associated General Contractors of North Dakota awards scholarships each year to high school seniors who are pursuing a career in construction. The AGC has distributed over $60,000 in scholarships last year and would like as many students as possible to apply at www.agcnd.org

S UMMER I NTERNSHIPS Dalton Bruce is a civil engineering senior who interned at Braun Intertec as a construction material tester. “I worked from Fargo to Dickinson, and from White Shield ND, down to Lemmon, SD. I was taught a variety of tasks, including concrete testing, soil proctors, compaction testing via nuclear gauge, asphalt coring, bolt inspections, and rebar inspections.

Overall it was a healthy learning experience, though I’m not sure Braun is the right company for me and my future. One cool thing to happen was I worked on a slip pour in Spiritwood ND for some crop silos, and now they are sending me to Lenexa Kansas for three weeks!”

Ben Niemuth worked as an intern with the North Dakota Department of Transportation this summer. “I worked at the central office in the Local Government Division. I reviewed plans for various NDDOT projects around the state, checking that they had sufficient specifications and all the information that they needed. I also worked with the DoT project database and GIS map, inputting data and information from the projects. I also got to go out to several job sites and see the projects while they were being worked on. I had a very good time working at the DoT. It was a more civil engineering focused internship, which was a nice change of pace from the mechanical engineering stuff that I usually do.”

Mikayla Brackin is a civil engineering junior who interned at Stantec in Bismarck as a transportation intern. “My main responsibilities were different project management tasks. I got to spend a lot of time learning how the company manages each project and help with the details for each meeting, contacted many different utility companies and people in the surrounding areas about the project and how it would affect them, and I did some work on CADD and would redraw/combine files together to make

Engineering Quarterly FALL 2022 the utility data work together so that the engineers could review different site locations.

I really enjoyed my internship this summer because I got to see more of the management side of projects along with the technical aspects. Stantec has a great intern program that would host 1-2 different hour-long sessions virtually each week where we could learn more about the company and we got some tips on how to develop our professional skills.”

Jackson Gallagher interned at Bobcat as a Design Engineering Co-op (8 Months 40h/week). “During my time there I worked with a team of Mechanical Engineers on some of Bobcat’s Newest Products. My week-to-week tasks consisted of designing multiple fixtures and components that aided the development of Bobcats Products. Following these, I had the ability to validate my design using simulations and physical testing. I enjoyed every experience that Bobcat had to offer including hands-on and behind the desk experience.

The coolest experience that I had was the ability to create components that will soon be produced inside of Bobcat’s products! A Co-op through Bobcat is an experience that very few companies can offer.”

Nathan DesMarais interned at Bobcat this summer. “I was on the strategy team and helped with planning future automation projects, EV storage research, site visits at all North Dakota locations and a snowblower quality issue. Now I am currently a Part-Time Intern on the MEX team and have taken an excavator cab and hydraulics valve apart and am currently helping reassemble it with the new controls. For me the Strategy position was way too much computer time as I am more of a hands-on learner. The position I have now has been enjoyable. I was able to operate all the different equipment during the ride and drive. This included driving the T7X which is the first all-electric track loader.”

David Ruiz worked for the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the Operational Technology Division (OTD) of FBIHQ in Quantico, VA. “OTD is responsible for providing and researching technical capabilities for retrieving investigative evidence. I had the opportunity to work at a couple different groups getting exposure to different types of technologies.

One of my main projects I worked on was conducting a vibration analysis of a small unmanned aerial system with a payload bringing it to weight capacity. I also learned a lot about hyperspectral imagery and RF frequency communications. I enjoyed the internship and I would enjoy something similar in the future. Some highlights of the internship

3

included getting a tour of the Lab Division, the J. Edgar Hoover Building, seeing a demo of some of the Hostage Rescue Team’s capabilities, working out with agent trainees and obtaining a TS security clearance.”

Paul Pellegrene interned at Deephaven Data Labs using their software to create sport analytics (Mainly the MLB) and create dashboards on simulation statistics. “It was a lot of fun and informative. I learned a lot about data science, working with a team and using python to pull, manipulate, and visualize data. Something cool that happened was I learned how to set a script to run at a certain time in the day, then that script would automate actions on a web browser to scrape data for my team’s simulation. It was a fun project, and I learned a lot from it.”

Paige Lang interned at APEX Engineering Group in Bismarck, ND, this summer. “This was the 2nd summer I worked for APEX Engineering Group and I am excited to go back full-time after graduation. I was in the Water Resources department working on projects that included culvert design and pipe extensions. I enjoyed this internship so much. I worked with some amazing people who taught me a great deal about different engineering software, the bidding process, and how they acquire jobs. One cool thing I did this summer was participating in pipe inspections along US 85.”

Andre LaPlante interned over the last 18 months in Manufacturing Engineering at BTD. “I was tasked with creating work instructions, setting production rates, answering questions from operators, and performing Continuous Improvement projects. I really enjoyed my time with BTD and was able to learn a lot. One of the cool things that happened was I was able to be involved in the utilization launch of a Cobot Robot Welder!”

Sarah Carlson is a junior Civil Engineering student who interned at Bollig Engineering in Willmar, MN for the second summer.

“It is a small firm that works mostly with small cities on infrastructure projects and with a few airport projects. I worked in both the field and office. When I was in the field with the RPRs for our infrastructure improvement projects, I kept track of quantities, observed back-filling and service/mainline replacement, and spoke with the residents about any concerns they had about the ongoing project. When I worked in

VOL.V. . . No.1

Engineering Quarterly FALL 2022

the office, I adjusted project plans/drawings black bear that was several yards behind me on CAD and did small tasks around the office. forever enshrined in its concrete.”

A part of my job I really enjoyed was being Pierre Miller worked tasked with helping a small city with a sewage a summer internship backup issue from Inflow and Infiltration. I at Stantec in Chicago, attended city council meetings to address conIL. “My main responcerns while researching funding solutions. I sibilities were runwill also continue to monitor and work with ning photometrics, the city throughout the year until the problem designing projects in is resolved.”

AutoCad, and organizing small aspects Marcus Morehead worked as an intern for of projects. This internship was a good exAe2s during the sum- perience to expose myself to what working mer. “Throughout the 4 on a design team is like and helped me to months working there, I learn of aspects of engineering that I would had a verity of responsi- like to pursue more in my career, as well as bilities including: RPR aspects that I now know I am not interested in and field work on a rural working.”

Mara Dalton inwater project, creating terned for her second spreadsheets, cost estisummer at CORE mates and quantity sheets for updated utility Consultants in Enprojects, reviewing shop drawings and strucglewood, CO in comtural modeling for structural projects.” “My mercial and residentime at Ae2s was a very beneficial learning tial land developexperience. I gained a much better underment. “I was able to standing of what a career in civil engineering dabble in grading and looks like outside of the classroom. The Biserosion-control for marck office was small enough for me to custom-built homes in the mountains, utility get to know almost everyone. I worked directly with a few people on some interesting design for commercial projects, StormCAD, projects in the different areas of civil engi- as well as lots of work on plan sets. I really neering, which helped me get a better feel on enjoyed it and am looking forward to starting which area I would like to be working on in full-time for them in August 2023. The crathe future. My internship with Ae2s led to an ziest thing that happened was some pigs from America’s Got Talent came into the office!” informative and enjoyable summer.”

Gannon Steffes Megan Achbach worked at Steffes in started an Electrical Grand Forks as an Engineering Co-op electrical design enat Bobcat here in gineer intern. (“No, I Bismarck this sumam not related, it’s mer. “As part of this just ironic”) “My team, my responsibilmain responsibiliities include design of ties were in Solidwiring schematics, harnesses, and electronic Works.

During the summer, Steffes was gocomponents. In addition, I develop assembly strategies to minimize error in manufactur- ing through a shift from Creo to SolidWorks ing, and I support prototype builds to improve so I was tasked with transferring over many designs before production. This co-op has electrical parts, creating new assemblies, and been a fantastic job; I work on a team that creating new drawings for their upcoming views me as a capable professional, and not SKIDS. I also dabbled in PLC programming just an intern. I’m excited to continue work- a bit. I created my own logic/software for one ing through December! One cool thing that of the existing tube benders using CSCAPE happened this summer was winning Bobcat’s to allow for much faster and easier usage of Student Innovation Summit, an event where the machine. It’s been my favorite job I’ve co-ops from across the company competed to ever had. I got to meet and work with many dream up/pitch a hypothetical product to be great people while also learning an enormous amount about the oil industry. Everything Bobcat’s next big thing in 60 years.” that I did was learned on the job and everyone Gabriel Brooks in- around me was a huge help in the learning terned in Petoskey, process. Each summer Steffes gathers all of Michigan for OHM the interns in Dickinson for their Intern Week Advisors. “I did site I got to see all of the projects that each intern inspection, materials worked on and afterward I got to take them testing, data collec- all on in a game of mini golf in Medora.” tion and reporting, project supervision, and I helped with some design work.

Overall, I really enjoyed the experience, and I P ROBLEMS TO TRY especially enjoyed working on some structural engineering projects. I was offered a full-time position, and I am looking forward to working in the structural engineering Here are some problems from our courses this department after I graduate. One project I semester that you might like to try. The soluworked on has my footprints and those of a tions can be found at the end of this issue.

4 C OMPUTER A PPLICATIONS IN E NGINEERING

By NANCY KELLY

When using an Arduino Nano, the analogRead function returns a value of 0 when reading 0 Volts and a value of 1023 when reading 5 Volts. Given that the returned value must be an integer between 0 and 1023, what value will analogRead return when reading each of the following voltages?

1. 1.6 Volts 2. 3.3 Volts P HYSICS II

By PATRICK KELLY

An electric current, I, flows down the yaxis toward the origin, along a quarter-circular segment of radius R, and then outward along the x-axis as illustrated in the figure. Determine the magnetic field produced by this current at the origin.

A PPLICATION S OFTWARE C ONCEPTS

By TERRY PILLING

Write a program in Python3 which draws a graph showing a bouncing ball and design it to allow the same simulation on Earth, Mars, or Jupiter as in the following pictures.

C OMPUTER A IDED A NALYSIS

By TERRY PILLING

Write a program in C which takes an arbitrary number of floating point values from the user on the command line when executing the program and then uses a function called float max(float, float) in order to output the maximum number among them.

VOL.V. . . No.1

E NROLLMENT T RENDS

By TERRY PILLING

Since we began our engineering program at the University of Mary in 2015 we have experienced a steady increase in enrollment at an almost linear rate. The graph below shows the number of full time students enrolled in the Hamm School of Engineering over time.

The top line shows the number of students each year who have declared one of our engineering degrees as their first major. The bottom line shows the number of students who

M ARAUDER C ART R ACE P ROJECT

By ANTHONY GARCIA

The purpose for the design report for this project is to put together a document that outlines the background, theory, ideas, methodology of the design process, designs, proposed manufacturing techniques, prototypes, management, and analysis for the remote control car and various structures students will design and prototype. The objective of this design project is to practically apply the material students learn in their technical engineering courses and to experience the process of designing and managing an engineering project.

Project Assignment This is the design project assignment for the course ENR 280 Engineering Design Lab 1.

The project assigned to each group is to design a remote control car and parts of the race

Engineering Quarterly FALL 2022

5

have declared one of our degrees as either Aside from the single-year dip that occurred their first or their second major. in 2020, when the world was encountering the COVID-19 pandemic, we see an almost perfectly linear increase in time. Our goal, according to the University of Mary’s Vision 2030 strategic plan, is to achieve a steady state of 400 engineering students enrolled in our program by the year 2030.

We have designed our facilities, our laboratories, and our faculty hiring progression to achieve this goal and it is gratifying to see that the goal point of 400 students is found right between the two lines at the year 2030. Things continue to look very good for our school, our students, and for the University of Mary.

track, which includes designing both a dynamic and static structure. Each team will be assigned a client/sponsor who will drive one lap of the race and provide specifications on the car and dynamic structure. The race course will be constructed in the University of Mary Engineering Building and occupy the Senior Design Center, Engineering Fundamentals classroom, and the Engineering building hallway and lobby depicted in the figure above. In this course, ENR 280 students are tasked to present and document designs and prototypes that would be ready for manufacturing, which will take place in the sequent class, ENR 281 - Engineering Design Lab 2. Course deliverables include a detailed project report, detailed designs of prototypes, and a presentation.

Project Goal and Specifications The goal of this project is to design the following: 1) A remote control car that satisfies the clients requirements, 2) a dynamic structure that satisfies the clients requirements, and 3) a static structure that will assist in completing the race track (specifications to be determined).

In addition to the design requirements, teams have the objective to make their designs as engineering (i.e. mechanical, electrical, energy) efficient and economic as possible.

With multiple teams designing different parts of the project, the final objective is to provide the best documentation and presentation of the designs as these will be assessed by judges outside of the class to select which team they would select to give the entire project to.

Race Rules to be considered in Design Below are the rules of race that the designs must comply with. If any of the listed rules or the minimum design requirements in the table are not met, the design team will fail the design project.

1. All cars will race simultaneously.

2. Maximum car dimensions: 12" length × 8" width × 8" height, 5 lbs 3. There are limits to picking up the car. a) Cars that fall off, flip upside down, get stuck, or require manual intervention by a person to continue the race must be moved back to the beginning of

VOL.V. . . No.1

the obstacle or the last obstacle started b) Cars can only be picked up by people on that team and this can only be done five times per obstacle. After five manual interventions, the car must be moved to the beginning of the prior obstacle. If the car was damaged but able to be repaired prior to the race being over, the car may resume the race starting at the beginning of last obstacle it completed.

4. Four laps. The race will be four laps long and driven by any member of the team. The client must drive at least one lap 5. Starting positions. Placement at the starting line will be determined from the presentation trivia quiz.

6. Gate start. The start of the race will occur when the gate directly in front of each car is lifted/dropped. First place will get a 5 second head start ahead of second, second will have a 4 second head start on third, third will have 3 second head start on fourth, fourth will have a 2 second head start on fifth, fifth will have a 1 second head start on sixth (in total first place will have a 15 second head start on sixth place).

7. No weapons. Cars’ only functions are to be able to travel and be remotely controlled. Cars and remotes cannot have anything that will intentionally damage nor disrupt the function of other vehicles (e.g. any form of shooting devices, attempts at hacking camera’s or remotecontrol devices, or use of radio jammers will result in failure to meet design requirements and thus a fail in the project.)

8. No intentional collisions outside of the ‘chaos track’. Intentional collisions outside the ‘chaos track’ will be penalized by moving back to the start of current area/room. This will be refereed by a faculty member.

9. Each team member requires one driver in the designated driving zone in each area (Bold colored in map shown in the figure. Areas are the Engineering Design Center, Engineering Fundamentals Classroom, Engineering Lobby, Engineering hallway north end), one mechanic following the remotely operated car throughout ready assist with repairs/accidents, and one mechanic stationed at the teams’ dynamic structure to assist with any repairs/accidents.

10. If a car approaches a non-functioning dynamic structure, the driver will wait 2 minutes as the mechanic works on the dynamic structure. After 2 minutes, the car can be placed at the dynamic structures exit by human intervention.

11. Each team will have a budget of $450 at the start of the Spring semester for ENR 281. This will cover manufacturing costs for prototypes and final designs. Teams will be provided an initial car kit in ENR 280 which can be used on top of the budget starting in Spring.

Engineering Quarterly FALL 2022 12. *You cannot purchase an already functioning remote control car and modify it Submission Items Project Report 1. Title Page: Title of design project is to be on the page, along with the following information: Date of submission, Course/Section, Instructor, and Team members.

2. Executive Summary: a) The purpose of the executive summary is to provide key information up-front, such that while reading the report, a reader has expectations that are fulfilled on a continuous basis. Key to a good Summary is the first sentence, which must contain the most essential information that you wish to convey. b) The summary is to be written as if the reader is totally uninformed about your project and is not necessarily going to read the report itself. c) It must include a short description of the project, the process and the results. d) The Executive Summary is to be one page or less with one figure maximum.

3. Table of Contents: Include section titles and page numbers 4. Design Problem and objectives: Give a clear and concise definition of the problem and the intended objectives. a) Outline the design specifications, constraints, and cost implications. b) The final project objectives must also be presented in the form of a set of technical specifications.

5. Literature Review/Background Theory: Provide the necessary literature and/or background on the project needed to understand the designs and to put all information presented in context.

6. Design conceptualization, initial ideas, process, and decisions: Document the stages of the design work and explain the reasoning on how direction of design was decided.

7. Detailed design documentation: Show all elements of your chosen designs including an explanation of a) Assumptions made, making sure to justify your design decisions. b) Function of the System c) Ability to meet Engineering Specifications d) Prototypes developed, their testing and results relative to Engineering Specifications e) Cost analysis f) Manufacturing processes used g) Human factors considered h) All technical drawings, diagrams, figures and tables should be accurately and clearly labeled with meaningful names and/or titles. When there are numerous pages of computer-generated data, it is preferable to put this information in an appendix with an explanation

6 in the report narrative.

8. Laboratory test plans and results for all portions of the system that you built and tested. Write a narrative description of test plan(s). Use tables, graphs, and wherever possible to show your results.

Also, include a description of how you plan to test the final system, and any features you will include in the design to facilitate this testing. This section forms the written record of the performance of your design against specifications.

9. Work Breakdown Structure: Show a list of outcomes to be accomplished, broken down to the appropriate levels.

10. Scheduling (Gantt Chart): Show a complete listing of the major tasks to be performed, a time schedule for completing them, and which team member has the primary responsibility (and who will be held accountable) for each task.

11. Bill of materials: Parts costs include only those items included in the final design. A detailed bill of materials includes (if possible) manufacturer, part number, part description, supplier, quantity, and cost.

12. Safety: Provide a statement of the safety consideration in your proposed design to the extent that is relevant.

13. Conclusions: Provide a reasoned listing of only the most significant results.

14. Acknowledgments: List individuals and/or companies that provided support in the way of equipment, advice, money, samples, etc.

15. References: Including books, technical journals, patents.

16. Appendices:As needed for the following types of information: a) Detailed hand calculations, computations and computer-generated data. b) Manufacturers’ specifications. c) Original laboratory data.

• Updates (10% of course grade) – Give detailed description of work progress since previous update.

– Three updates in the semester.

• Project Report (30% of course grade) – Details to be provided after lecture assignments are complete and the class general project report template assignment complete.

• Final Presentation (20% of course grade) – Final oral/visual presentation covering entire project.

– Present prototypes of designs.

This project will continue next semester with the construction of the designs in Engineering Design Lab II and will culminate in a race through the obstacle course across the engineering building. The winning team will receive prestige, glory, and a prize!

VOL.V. . . No.1

FALL I NTERNSHIP FAIR

Engineering Quarterly FALL 2022 programs, and social atmosphere. Great Culture and Spirit where Creativity is Fostered, 100% Employee Owned, Significant Opportunities to Grow and Advance, Core Values which Speak to the Heart of AE2S and its Employees, Large, Diverse, and Challenging Projects with the Latest Technology, FamilyFriendly with Flexibility and Work-Life Balance AE2S is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.”

Available positions: Engineer-in-Training: Hydraulic Modeling full-time internship, job, or cooperative education.

7

Federal, State and Tribal Governments, BIA, IHS, as well as service to airport boards and private clients. We deliver projects from concept to completion in all aspects including surveying, right-of-way acquisition, designing, environmental coordination, preparing bid documents, bid letting, construction management and testing, through the closeout of the project.

Available positions: Full or part-time Job, Internship, Cooperative Education

Ackerman-Estvold, Minot, ND Ackerman-Estvold is a full service architectural and civil engineering consulting firm serving clients on projects ranging from initial planning to closeout and every step in between. “Our team is composed of over 50 highly experienced individuals with a comprehensive knowledge of all aspects of architecture and civil engineering within the Minot, Williston, Fargo, Boise, and Ackerman Surveying offices. Our team includes civil engineers, registered engineers, registered architects, architectural design staff, construction inspectors, GIS specialists, drone pilots, financial specialists, communications specialists, administrative staff members, and professional land surveyors. The company was founded in Minot, ND, in 2003 out of a deep desire to serve the residents of their hometowns in northwestern ND. AckermanEstvold takes pride in recruiting young North Dakotans back to our state and provides them with job opportunities and experiences just like those found in larger cities. In 2013 Ackerman-Estvold expanded locations and service offerings by merging with AmeriTech Engineering Corporation, and their partner architectural firm ABC Building Concepts, LLC. In 2018, Ackerman-Estvold expanded its presence to serve the Boise, Idaho area. In 2020, Ackerman-Estvold merged with Minot based architecture firm Anderson Wade & Whitty, PC adding several architectural team members and 40 years of architectural work throughout ND. A Fargo location was added at the end of 2020.

Available positions: Civil Engineer and Project Designer full-time internship.

Basin Electric Power Cooperative, Bismarck, ND Apex Engineering Group, Inc., Fargo, ND Apex Engineering Group provides consulting services in drinking water, wastewater, water resources, transportation, municipal, and electrical engineering and land surveying to the region. “Our staff has a passion for providing engineering solutions and believes it’s only the best solution if it’s also the best experience. Great experiences happen by being true to our core values – listening, trusting, and working together – beliefs that help make life easier for our clients, the community and our employees.”

Available positions: Full or part-time Civil Engineering Intern.

Basin Electric’s core business is generating and transmitting wholesale bulk electric power to customers, primarily to our member rural electric systems, which are located in nine states: Colorado, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming. Our largest subsidiary, the for-profit Dakota Gasification Company, owns and operates the Great Plains Synfuels Plant near Beulah, ND, which gasifies lignite coal and captures some of the carbon dioxide emissions (CO2) and sends them to depleted Canadian oil fields for geologic sequestration.

Available positions: Full-time job or internship as Chemical Laboratory Field Technician or Power Modeling Engineer.

Barr Engineering Co., Minneapolis, MN

Barr is a consulting company that integrates engineering and environmental expertise to help clients develop, manage, process, and restore natural resources across North America and around the world. “We have been employee owned since 1966 and trace our origins to the early 1900s. Today, we have over 900 employees across the U.S and Canada who work with clients in the mining, power, fuels, public, and manufacturing sectors, as well Advanced Engineering and Environmental as attorneys, developers, and others with comServices, LLC (AE2S), Grand Forks, ND plex problems.

Available positions: Full or part-time Job, InAdvanced Engineering and Environmental ternship, or Cooperative Education.

Services, LLC (AE2S) is an award-winning, specialized civil/environmental consulting enBrosz Engineering, Inc., Bowman, ND gineering firm that provides professional services and a unique brand of extreme client ser- Brosz Engineering, Inc. operates as a genvice. “Our work environment is consistently eral consulting engineering practice, specialrecognized both locally and nationally for our izing in civil engineering, surveying and argreat culture and values, proven recognition chitectural services for Municipal, County,

Collins Aerospace, Charlotte, NC Collins Aerospace, a Raytheon Technologies company, is a leader in technologically advanced and intelligent solutions for the global aerospace and defense industry.

Collins Aerospace has the capabilities, comprehensive portfolio and expertise to solve customers’ toughest challenges and to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving global market. Do you want to be a part of something bigger? A team whose impact stretches across the world, and even beyond? At Collins Aerospace, our Mission Systems team helps civilian, military and government customers complete their most complex missions – whatever and wherever they may be. Our customers depend on us for intelligent and secure communications, missionized systems for specialized aircraft and spacecraft and collaborative space solutions. By joining our

VOL.V. . . No.1

team, you’ll have your own critical part to play in ensuring our customer succeeds today while anticipating their needs for tomorrow.

Are you up for the challenge? Join our mission today.

Available positions: Full-time Mechanical Engineering Co-op, Electrical Engineering Co-op, Manufacturing Engineering Co-op, Production Planning Co-op Internship

Engineering Quarterly FALL 2022 teams of empowered individuals that believe in mutual respect, integrity, and a passion for transforming our customers’ visions into reality.

Available positions: Full-time Project Engineer Intern

8 McGough, Roseville, MN

McGough is a respected partner that brings six generations of experience to high profile, unique and complex construction projects.

We take great pride in our people and their extraordinary expertise in planning, development, construction and facility management.

McGough employee tenure reflects the commitment and pride we share in our work. Ask anyone who knows us – the caliber of our people sets us apart.

Available positions: Full or part-time Project Management Job, Internship, Cooperative Education

Doosan Bobcat, West Fargo, ND Bolton & Menk, Inc., Mankato, MN Bolton & Menk is an ENR Top 150 and Star Tribune Top 200 Workplace, who specializes in providing public infrastructure solutions.

“We want to take care of our clients by providing the best services and solutions for them.

From advocating for our communities, to designing their dreams, to finding funding; we take pride in our work. Because we live here too. We are continually looking to add motivated, talented, and collaborative individuals to join our team in multiple areas of our organization. We have office locations in MN, IA, ND, SC, and NC to help serve our client communities.”

Available positions: Full-time Job or Internship

More than 60 years ago, our founders rocked the equipment industry by inventing the first compact machine and transforming the way the world works. Since then, we’ve never stopped breaking the rules and reimagining what could be. While others follow our lead, our teams are focused on what’s next, busy creating the vision and the tools of tomorrow.

Powerful, efficient products. Intelligent, connected technologies. Innovative solutions that revolutionize once again how work gets done.

At Bobcat, it is possible to change the world.

Join us and help shape what tomorrow will be, right now.

Available positions: Product Management Co-op, Engineering Prototype Intern (MayAugust 2023), Product Training Co-op, Engineering Co-op, Internship, Cooperative Education

Ducks Unlimited, Inc., Memphis, TN Ducks Unlimited conserves, restores, and manages wetlands and associated habitats for North America’s waterfowl. These habitats also benefit other wildlife and people.

Available positions: Part-time Seasonal Technician Job or Internship

EAPC Architects Engineers, Grand Forks, ND EAPC is a team of more than 180 architects, engineers, interior designers, LEAN process improvement specialists, construction managers, and other professionals working together across market sectors and the United States to create places that delight, heal, and stimulate peak performance. We have nurtured a culture of extraordinary people with curious and creative minds who are passionate about delivering elegant solutions that solve our clients’ challenges. EAPC is a full-service design firm that offers architecture, interiors, commissioning, structural engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, industrial engineering, and construction management.

Available positions: Part-time Internships in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil/Environmental Engineering

Doosan Digital Innovation AmericaDoosan, Bismarck, ND

Consolidated Construction Co., Inc., Appleton, WI Consolidated Construction Co., Inc. has been providing streamlined design and construction services to clients across the Upper Midwest since 1950. By consolidating funding, architecture, construction and service into a single source, we’ve simplified project delivery and won national awards for ingenuity and cost reduction. Our projects run the gamut from industrial buildings to churches, hotels, schools and commercial buildings, and our reputation has propelled us to grow to more than 400% in the past ten years. Consolidated Construction is made up of high-performing

Doosan Digital Innovation America, LLC (DDIA) is the primary IT shared service provider for the Doosan affiliates in North America. Their customer portfolio includes Doosan Fuel Cell located in South Windsor, CT and Doosan Bobcat Company located in West Fargo, ND. DDIA is the North American presence of the South Korean based Doosan Digital Innovation entity. DDIA aspires to provide cost-effective tactical support and business analyst expertise to our customers. The organization is comprised of three teams who are focused on infrastructure support, operations support & applications delivery. Other company employees include business analysts with strong ties to the Doosan business units we support.

Available positions: Full-time Application Developer Co-op, Information Technology Co-op, Business Systems Co-op (Cooperative Education)

HDR, Inc., Omaha, NE HDR partners with clients to shape communities and push the boundaries of what’s possible. From our seven offices across South Dakota, North Dakota and Wyoming, we provide engineering, environmental, right-ofway and construction services to communities, creating a foundation for progress.

Our multidisciplinary teams include engineers, scientists, economists, builders, analysts and artists. We work with clients to identify and craft unique solutions for the everyday needs like safe roadways and clean drinking water. The expertise we provide is backed

VOL.V. . . No.1

by nearly 11,000 employees, in more than 200 locations around the world – and counting.

Available positions: Full-time Engineer Job or Internships in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, General Engineering, Civil/Environmental Engineering

Engineering Quarterly FALL 2022 Members, but also improving the lives of our employees.

Available positions: Full-time Job or Internship

JE Dunn Construction, Kansas City, MO It’s difficult to encapsulate a legacy of nearly 100 years. It may rest in the skyline of hometown Kansas City or in other communities across the country where JE Dunn cranes reach skyward. Maybe it’s in the ability to survive and grow as a family and employeeowned business, or in the way we have fostered loyalty among generations of employees. One thing is certain: the JE Dunn legacy can be found in our spirit of excellence, of giving and growing into the 21st century, and in our continued commitment to our core values.

Available positions: Full-time Engineer, Field Engineer, and Project Engineer Job, Internship, or Cooperative Education in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, General Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil/Environmental Engineering, Construction Management

9

product quality, safety, continuous improvement, open communication and strong customer relationships. We attribute our legacy of innovation to these relationships and the customers who have always kept us looking forward. With our commitment to our customers as strong as ever, we’re confident the core values that have guided our business for more than 70 years will ensure our reputation for innovation remains intact for decades to come.

Available positions: Full-time Manufacturing Engineer Intern, Manufacturing Engineer Co-op, Design Engineer Intern, Design Engineer Co-op, Supply Chain Intern, Manufacturing Engineer, Design Engineer Job, Internship, or Cooperative Education in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering

MDU Resources Group, Inc., Bismarck, ND MDU Resources Group, Inc. is a multibilliondollar corporation. While headquartered in Bismarck, North Dakota, operations and customers are located all across the country to help grow our vision of Building a Strong America. MDU Resources Group, Inc. business units include Montana-Dakota Utilities, Co., Great Plains Natural Gas Co., Intermountain Gas Co., Cascade Natural Gas Co., and WBI Energy, Inc. Within the six business units that are spread out across 44 states, jobs range from construction, electric & natural gas distribution and utilities, to a wide range of positions for business professionals, allowing employees to find their strengths and passions in a variety of work environments.

Available positions: Full-time Jobs in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, General Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil/Environmental Engineering, Data Science, Data Mining, Computer Systems Networking & Telecommunications, Computer Science, Construction Management.

Moore Engineering, West Fargo, ND Moore Engineering is a 100% employeeowned Civil Engineering and Land Surveying firm with locations throughout North Dakota and Minnesota.

Available positions: Full-time Job or Internship in Civil/Environmental Engineering

North Dakota Department of Transportation, Bismarck, ND

Steffes, Dickinson, ND National Information Solutions Cooperative (NISC), St. Louis, MO Are you ready to love your job and the place you work? For over 50 years, National Information Solutions Cooperative (NISC) has worked to develop technology solutions for our more than 900+ Members (mainly utility and telecommunication cooperatives) to help them operate efficiently and serve their communities. NISC is an industry leader providing advanced, integrated IT solutions for consumer and subscriber billing, accounting, engineering & operations, as well as many other leading-edge IT solutions. We are owned by the Members we serve, and we are not only passionate about improving the lives of our

Steffes is a lean-operating original equipment manufacturer headquartered in Dickinson, North Dakota with additional manufacturing facilities in Grand Forks, North Dakota, Shelby, North Carolina, and customer support facilities in Midland, Texas; Casper, Wyoming; and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

We specialize in steel fabrication and electrical services for a variety of diverse industries, including oil and gas, contract manufacturing and electric thermal storage. With a creative team of experienced engineers and manufacturing experts, our ability to innovate and solve complex issues is unmatched in the manufacturing industry. Our customer-centric culture fosters an unwavering commitment to

Originally called the State Highway Department, the North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT) was established in 1917.

The NDDOT is an innovative and progressive organization that has a great team of employees that work hard across the state to carry out the Department’s mission to safely move people and goods. The NDDOT strives to build and maintain an efficient transportation system consisting of about 8,518 miles of roadway and 4,858 bridges. It oversees the development of surface transportation including highways, bridges, rail, transit, pedestrian and bicycle paths across the state. Annually, the Department processes over 1,000,000 vehicle registrations and serves over 500,000 licensed drivers at branch offices located across the state. The NDDOT’s Central Office is located on the North Dakota State Capitol Grounds in Bismarck and has eight District Offices across the state in Bismarck, Devils Lake, Dickinson, Fargo, Grand Forks, Minot, Valley City and Williston.

Available positions: Full or part-time Job or

VOL.V. . . No.1

Engineering Quarterly FALL 2022

Internships in Civil/Environmental Engineer- Titan Machinery Inc., founded in 1980 and ing and Construction Management headquartered in West Fargo, North Dakota, owns and operates a network of full service agricultural and construction equipment dealer locations in North America and Europe. The network consists of US locations in Colorado, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Wyoming and its European stores are located in Bulgaria, Germany, Romania, and Ukraine. The Titan Machinery locations represent one or more of the CNH Industrial Brands, including Case IH, New Holland Agriculture, Case Construction, New Holland KLJ, Bismarck, ND Construction, and CNH Industrial Capital.

At KLJ, we love engineering, moving for- Available positions: Full or part-time Job or ward, and bringing ideas to life. Our work Internship is more than a project, it’s a long-term solution for the communities in which we live and work. We are committed to providing an exceptional experience to our customers – every project, every time. We reimagine what projects can be through innovative planning, design, and support of infrastructure projects of all shapes and sizes. Join our team and reimagine what your career can be.

Available positions: Full or part-time Job or Internship in Civil/Environmental Engineering The North American Coal Corporation,

Mountain Plains, LLC, Bismarck, ND Mountain Plains, LLC was founded in 2009, since then, our team has grown to over 40 professional members. We strive to provide our clients with unsurpassed project management utilizing our extensive range of services.

Our projects are executed for clients such as electrical cooperatives, pipeline companies, municipalities, government agencies, land developers and private land owners. Mountain Plains, LLC is equipped with state of the art technology and equipment ensured to provide high accuracy at a productive and efficient rate. We continue to build a firm that has a reputation for being respected, committed, and trusted in all aspects of our operations. Our foundation, in combination with our highly-dedicated workforce, will allow us to be the most feasible option for our clients in the future to come.

Available positions: Full or part-time Civil Engineering Internship

10

S OLUTIONS TO P ROBLEMS

Computer Applications in Engineering: 1. 327 2. 675 Physics II: The Biot-Savart Law tells us that an infinites⃗ produced by a imal magnetic field vector dB current I along an infinitesimal path d⃗l at a ⃗ away from d⃗l is given by point R ⃗ = dB

µ0 Id⃗l × R̂.

4πR2

Since R̂ is always directed toward the origin it is parallel to the current along the straight segments and so d⃗l × R̂ = 0 on the straight segments. On the curved segment the current is perpendicular to R̂ and so at any point on the circular arc d⃗l × R̂ = (0, 0, −dl) is a vector of length dl directed along the negative z axis (into the page). To find the magnitude of the magnetic field we add up all of the contriPlano, TX butions along the circular arc: Z The North American Coal Corporation mines µ0 I dl B= and supplies lignite primarily as a fuel for 4πR2 arc power generation and provides value-added mining services for other natural resources where R is the constant distance to the origin companies. As a subsidiary of NACCO In- along the arc and therefore comes out of the dustries, Inc. (NYSE: NC), North American integral. The integral along the arc of dl is Coal and affiliated businesses operate eight just the length of the arc and since it is a quarsurface coal mines in the United States, pri- ter of a circle its length is 2πR = π R. So the 4 2 marily in North Dakota, Texas, Mississippi, magnetic field at the origin is Louisiana and the Navajo Nation in New Mexico. Our employees work in areas of con⃗ = − µ0 I ẑ B struction science, engineering, biology, envi8R ronmental science, business, management and other science and technology fields. We gen- Computer Aided Analysis: erate low-cost electricity to our power plant customers using clean, efficient and environ- The following C program takes N numbers as mentally friendly technologies. In 2019, we input and returns the maximum one. delivered 34.6 million tons of coal and conmaxN.c tinue to provide dragline mining services for independently owned lime rock quarries in # i n c l u d e < s t d i o . h> Florida. # i n c l u d e < s t d l i b . h> Available positions: Full-time Engineering, i n t u s a g e ( char * name ) ; geology, and technical co-op and internship f l o a t max ( f l o a t num1 , f l o a t num2 ) ; i n t main ( i n t a r g c , char ** a r g v ) { i f ( argc < 3 ) return usage ( argv [ 0 ] ) ; f l o a t maximum = 0 ; f o r ( i n t i = 0 ; i < a r g c ; i ++ ) { maximum = max ( maximum , a t o f ( a r g v [ i ] ) ) ; } p r i n t f ( " The maximum i s %.2 f \ n " , maximum ) ; return 0; } i n t u s a g e ( char * name ) { f p r i n t f ( s t d e r r , " Usage : %s num1 . . . numN \ n " , name ) ; return 1; } f l o a t max ( f l o a t num1 , f l o a t num2 ) { i f ( num1 > num2 ) r e t u r n num1 ; e l s e r e t u r n num2 ; }

Application Software Concepts:

Titan Machinery, West Fargo, ND

The following Python program simulates a bouncing ball on Earth, Mars, and Jupiter.

To switch to a different planet you simply uncomment the gravitational constant associated

VOL.V. . . No.1

with that planet. ball.py import m a t p l o t l i b . p y p l o t a s p l t import m a t p l o t l i b . a n i m a t i o n a s animation # A c c e l e r a t i o n due t o g r a v i t y , m . s −2. # earth : g = 9.81 # mars : g = 3 . 7 2 1 # j u p i t e r : g = 24.79 # The maximum x−r a n g e o f b a l l ’ s t r a j e c t o r y to plot .

XMAX = 5 # The c o e f f i c i e n t o f r e s t i t u t i o n (− v_up / v_down ) .

R = 0.65 # The t i m e s t e p f o r t h e a n i m a t i o n . dt = 0.01 # I n i t i a l p o s i t i o n and v e l o c i t y v e c t o r s . x0 , y0 = 0 , 4 vx0 , vy0 = 1 , 0 def g e t _ p o s ( t =0) : """A generator y i e l d i n g the b all ’ s pos itio n at time t . """ x , y , vx , vy = x0 , y0 , vx0 , vy0 w h i l e x < XMAX: t += d t x += vx0 * d t y += vy * d t vy −= g * d t i f y < 0: # bounce ! y = 0 vy = −R* vy yield x , y def i n i t ( ) : """ I n i t i a l i z e the animation figure . """ ax . s e t _ x l i m ( 0 , XMAX) ax . s e t _ y l i m ( 0 , y0 ) ax . s e t _ x l a b e l ( ’ $x$ /m’ ) ax . s e t _ y l a b e l ( ’ $y$ /m’ ) l i n e . s e t _ d a t a ( xdata , ydata ) b a l l . s e t _ c e n t e r ( ( x0 , y0 ) ) h e i g h t _ t e x t . s e t _ t e x t ( f ’ H e i g h t : { y0 : . 1 f } m’ ) return line , ball , h e i g h t _ t e x t def animate ( pos ) : " " " For e a c h frame , a d v a n c e t h e a n i m a t i o n t o t h e new p o s i t i o n , pos . " " " x , y = pos x d a t a . append ( x ) y d a t a . append ( y ) l i n e . s e t _ d a t a ( xdata , ydata ) ball . set_center ((x , y) ) h e i g h t _ t e x t . s e t _ t e x t ( f ’ Height : {y : . 1 f } m’ ) return line , ball , h e i g h t _ t e x t # S e t up a new F i g u r e , # w it h equal a s p e c t r a t i o so t h e b a l l appears round . f i g , ax = p l t . s u b p l o t s ( ) ax . s e t _ a s p e c t ( ’ e q u a l ’ ) # T h e s e a r e t h e o b j e c t s we n e e d t o k e e p track of . l i n e , = ax . p l o t ( [ ] , [ ] , lw = 2 ) b a l l = p l t . C i r c l e ( ( x0 , y0 ) , 0 . 0 8 ) h e i g h t _ t e x t = ax . t e x t (XMAX* 0 . 5 , y0 * 0 . 8 , f ’ H e i g h t : { y0 : . 1 f } m’ ) ax . a d d _ p a t c h ( b a l l ) xdata , ydata = [ ] , [ ] i n t e r v a l = 1000 * d t a n i = animation . FuncAnimation ( fig , a n i m a t e , g e t _ p o s , b l i t = True , interval=interval , repeat= False , i n i t _ f u n c = i n i t ) p l t . show ( )

T HEORY VS FACT

By TERRY PILLING

“Though faith is above reason, there can never be any real discrepancy between faith and reason. Since the same God who reveals mysteries and infuses faith

Engineering Quarterly FALL 2022 has bestowed the light of reason on the human mind, God cannot deny himself, nor can truth ever contradict truth. Consequently, methodical research in all branches of knowledge, provided it is carried out in a truly scientific manner does and not override moral laws, can never conflict with the faith, because the things of the world and the things of faith derive from the same God. The humble and persevering investigator of the secrets of nature is being led, as it were, by the hand of God in spite of himself, for it is God, the conserver of all things, who made them what they are.”

– Catechism of the Catholic Church The catechism of the Catholic Church states that there is no conflict between faith and reason – they are simply different paths to truth.

Similarly, there is no conflict between theory and fact. They are merely different paths to knowledge. A "fact" is knowledge derived from direct observation while a "theory" is knowledge derived from a predictive scientific or mathematical model.

Something that becomes very clear when scientists and engineers speak to the general public is that many people have a fundamental misunderstanding of what we mean by the terms ‘theory’ and ‘fact.’ This seems to come from the colloquial use of terms and sometimes leads to much confusion. I thought it might be helpful to explain what these terms mean to us as scientists and engineers.

A fact is something which is directly observed. In other words, something everyone from experimental scientists to children, to cats, can know – since they observe it directly with their senses or scientific measuring instruments. For example, the statement: “the bag of wasabi almonds fell to the floor when my cat pushed it” is an observed fact – both me, and the cat, saw it happen and can agree that this is a fact.

On the other hand, a theory provides an explanation of facts: it is the reason why the almonds fell. Theories are based on fundamental scientific principles and can be used to predict future events and discover previously unknown facts. A theory answers the question “why?”.

Science is the art of correlating and explaining the facts around us. To make sense out of the patterns. Cats know facts but only humans can appreciate the reasons behind the facts – only humans have theories.

Discovering new facts is fun and exhilarating (watch a child doing it and you’ll wish you were them), and discovering the reason for those facts, the theory behind them, is just as exhilarating. Facts are correlated in our minds and patterns among them are discovered which sometimes suggest a deeper, causal, relationship between them or, in the case of a theory, a common explanation of them. There is no conflict between theory and

11 fact. They aren’t the same thing. One is an observation and the other is an explanation, a cause, a reason behind the facts. It seems that the confusion among non-scientists which conflates theory and fact results from the colloquial misuse of the term “theory” when one means “hypothesis”.

An hypothesis is an explanation that has not been tested enough to be shown to be accurately predictive. It is an educated guess.

Many hypotheses are wrong in that a few simple tests show that they don’t work: there may be a logical fallacy such as mistaking correlation and causation1 , a prediction that doesn’t come true, or a new fact is observed that doesn’t fit with the explanation. For example, I could hypothesize that my poor grades are caused by the professor being in a bad mood and then the next test I get a good grade even though the professor is still in a bad mood.

My hypothesis failed. On the other hand, a very few hypotheses work well for a long time after repeated tests and eventually become elevated to the status of theories. However, if a fact is ever discovered that is not explained by our current theory, the theory must be modified or replaced. This doesn’t mean the original theory was wrong, it is still predictive of many facts, it is just incomplete. Newton’s theory of gravity was replaced by Einstein’s theory of gravity, but both still explain why my almonds fell to the floor.

The theory of gravity is well established to the point where we no longer have to perform the experiment to be confident in the result.

Why doesn’t my cat get this? I’ve explained it to him a hundred times yet he still insists on performing the same experiment repeatedly with my bag of wasabi almonds.

Contact Information For more information about our engineering program and students, or to sponsor a scholarship, donate to our program, hire our students, present at our career fair, request back issues of the Engineering Quarterly, or just to provide comments and feedback about our program please contact us using our email address: Engineering@umary.edu Next issue: February, 2023

1 Correlation can still be a useful tool for predicting events even when the reason for those events is not understood. This is the essence of ‘Big Data’ which is becoming integral to our world and has been used to predict things as disparate as flu outbreaks to apartment fires.

VOL.V. . . No.1

Engineering Quarterly FALL 2022

12