Solving Practical Problems as a way for Teaching Environment

SOLVING PRACTICAL PROBLEMS AS A WAY FOR
TEACHING ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING
Iram Mondaca-Fernandez, Maria Guadalupe Aguilar-Apodaca, Veronica
Hernandez-Suarez, Eunice Guzman-Fierros, Jose de Jesus Balderas-Cortes,
Pablo Gortares Moroyoqui, Maria Mercedes Meza Montenegro
Instituto Tecnológico de Sonora
Sonora, Sonora State,
State México
Institute of Biological Engineering 2010 annual Conference
Boston, Mass., March 6, 2010
Outline:
•
•
•
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Instituto Tecnológico de Sonora
Regional Development
BS P
Program: Bi
Biotechnological
t h l i l Engineering
E i
i
Environmental Engineering Education
• Traditional
• Study
d off regionall wastes
• Project development for student education
• Regional problem solving
Boston, Mass., March 6, 2010
Instituto Tecnológico
g
de Sonora
•Northwest
N th
t off Mé
México
i
•Yaqui Valley-- agriculture and small industrial activity
•A lot of solid residue from pig, cow and chicken farms
•Significant
Significant amount of vegetable waste: carrot, chili, tomato
•Most of the wastewater do not receive treatment.
Boston, Mass., March 6, 2010
Participation of University in Regional Development
•International District of Agribusiness
•Experimental
p
and Technology
gy Transference Center
•Research and Innovation Center in Environmental
and Agricultural Biotechnology
•Third Europe-Latin American Forum for Regional Development
Boston, Mass., March 6, 2010
BIOTECHNOLOGICAL ENGINEERING COURSES
Process
Analysis
Quality
Systems
Process
Design
Vegetal &
Environmental
Biotechnology
Formación
Empresarial II
Bioquímica
Microbiana
Biología
Molecular
Tópicos de
Biotecnología
Práctica
Profesional II
Educación
Ed
ió
Ecológica
Termodinámica
Básica
Fenómenos de
transporte
Métodos
numéricos
Optativa I
Práctica
Profesional III
Contextual II
Álgebra
Lineal Básica
Ecuaciones
Diferenciales
Balance de
Materia y energía
Operaciones
unitarias
Optativa II
Optativa III
Deporte
y Salud
Arte y
Creatividad
Mecánica
General
C/Lab
Fisicoquímica
Bioestadística
Diseño de
Experimentos
Ingeniería de
Procesos
Optativa IV
Lenguaje
Matemático
Cálculo I
Cálculo II
Microbiología
General
C/Lab
Métodos
Instrumentales de
Análisis C/Lab
Ingeniería de
sistemas
Ingeniería
De costos
Ingeniería de
Fermentaciones
Química
Inorgánica
C/Lab
Química
orgánica básica
Bioquímica
General
C/Lab
Bioquímica de
Alimentos
C/Lab
Análisis de
Alimentos
C/Lab
Instrumentación
industrial
Bioingeniería
Certificación de
Procesos
General
Education
Engineering
Introduction
Desarrollo
Personal I
Desarrollo
Personal II
Formación
Empresarial I
Pensamiento
Crítico y
Comunicación I
Pensamiento
Crítico y
Comunicación II
Contextual I
Introducción a la
biotecnología
Analytical
Engineering
Techniques Foundamentals
Práctica
Profesional I
Environmental Engineering Education:
Traditional,
Traditional 20022002-2006
•Students analyzed model wastes in Lab
•Students made a lab report
•Some lab projects include compost, silage and
wastewater treatment
Lab reports
Good technicians
Boston, Mass., March 6, 2010
Academic project: manual lab reports vs. project proposals
Objective: Develop team work, analysis/synthesis
and problem solving skills
Strategy:
•Half of the student teams—traditional Lab sessions
•Half of the student teams- working with regional wastes
Planning 2007-2008:
•One year in advance: reagents, materials, lab space
Analysis of results:
•Analysis of projects by professor
•Student survey
Boston, Mass., March 6, 2010
Academic project: manual lab reports vs. project proposals
Survey: eight questions with a 1-5 range of values to answer
1 LABORATORY FOUNDAMENTALS
2 PRACTICAL LAB SKILLS
3 SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE
4 TECHNICAL PROBLEM SOLVING
5 REGIONAL PROBLEM SOLVING
6 WASTE TREATMENT DESIGN
7 PROFESIONAL DEVELOPMENT
8 ENVIRONMENTAL AREA VOCATION
Boston, Mass., March 6, 2010
Academic project: manual lab reports vs. project proposals
Result of survey
Boston, Mass., March 6, 2010
Academic project: manual lab reports vs. project proposals
New skills developed: team working with regional wastes,
team work, analysis/synthesis and problem solving skills
Products:
Traditional
Projects
Grass and corn silage
Carrot, fish waste silage, lab scale, pilot scale proposal
Aerobic treatment of domestic wastewater
Anaerobic treatment of slaughterhouse wastewater, lab scale
Kit h
Kitchen waste compost
t
t
Milk farm manure compost , lab scale, Milk
f
t l b
l
farm scale proposal
Additional projects: ethanol from carrot waste, lab scale
Boston, Mass., March 6, 2010
Proposal
of Education 20082008-2009:
p
Regional liquid and solid waste
Lab analysis
Bioprocess for
Bi
f treatment
t
t
t
or added value
Proposal of solution
Boston, Mass., March 6, 2010
2009--2010 Challenge:
2009
g Solving
g regional
g
problems
p
Make compost
Silage losses by molds
106 Tons/year of wheat straw
Improve the process
Pellets
No till
Gassification
Boston, Mass., March 6, 2010
2009--2010 Challenge:
2009
g Solving
g regional
g
problems
p
Carrot and vegetable waste
Minimal processed products,
dried products
Carotenoids, capsaicinoids
Arsenic, pathogens in water
Municipal treatment
Household treatment
Boston, Mass., March 6, 2010
2010--2011 New p
2010
paradigm:
g
problem
p
solving
g
Problematic situation
Solid or liquid waste
proposal
lab
field
results
Boston, Mass., March 6, 2010
Opportunities:
•A place in the University farm to make projects
with agricultural wastes
•A p
place in the industrial district to add value to wastes
and foods
•Management of a small town wastewater treatment plant
(the plant was constructed in the land of our University)
Challenges:
•Change of mental paradigms of local producers
•Funding
Challenges and opportunities:
•Interdisciplinary
p
y work (interdepartmental
(
p
work))
•Collaborative work with other universities
Boston, Mass., March 6, 2010
Questions?
Questions
?
Boston, Mass., March 6, 2010