HR: 08:00h
AN: ED11F-01    [Abstracts]
TI: Teaching Engineering in the Context of Spaceflight Instrumentation Design and Development
AU: * McGrath, M
EM: mcgrath@lasp.colorado.edu
AF: Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80303 United States
AB: Designing and developing space flight instrumentation under the best of conditions is challenging. Each instrument, irrespective of heritage, generally presents unique sets of engineering demands. Student instruments add another layer of complexity. Initial institutional reactions to student instrument programs often focus on a pessimistic view of the outcome: "too risky", "too hard", "too inexperienced", "too unreliable". In reality each of these descriptors provides an opportunity to motivate both students and professional staff to perform, and often well above expectations. This paper describes the student instrument design environment, and using examples from SME, SNOE and SDC, explores the underlying reasons why a project represents a premier environment within which to teach.
DE: 0800 EDUCATION
DE: 0810 Post-secondary education
DE: 0825 Teaching methods
SC: Education and Human Resources [ED]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005