Developing Wind Energy Curriculum for First Year Engineering Seminars

In the midst of a climate crisis, it is imperative that Penn State as an institution educates students to be aware and critical of the context and impact of their professional work. This means rooting the College of Engineering curriculum in sustainability and ethics. To accomplish this, we have developed wind energy curriculum for Penn State’s First Year Engineering Seminars (FYS). Based on surveys sent out to faculty and engineering students, we generated a list of Drawdown solutions that the participants had the most interest in. We have worked collaboratively with other scholars and prominent faculty at the university to create a bank of dynamic lessons that integrate these popular Drawdown solutions into FYS, including onshore wind, offshore wind, and the future of micro wind. Furthermore, the curriculum includes a set of activities that range from collaborative, hands-on projects to case study discussions. The wind energy lessons accommodate a variety learning styles and are focused on the social, environmental, and economic implications of wind energy development. The purpose of the curriculum is to produce the next generation of well-rounded engineers that can create a sustainable world for all. In the upcoming school year, we will evaluate the success of this new curriculum by measuring engagement with the lessons amongst faculty and students through online questionnaires.