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== '''<span style="color:#808080;"><span style="font-size:medium;">INTERDISCIPLINARY COLLABORATION & LONG-TERM AVENUES FOR I&E PURSUIT</span></span>'''<br/> ==

<span style="font-size: small;">Research completed regarding the I&E ecosystem at Tennessee Technological University uncovered a large base of I&E capable student organizations (40+) with an overwhelming lack of courses either I&E based or worked to integrate I&E principles into the curriculum (~9 + Senior Capstone Projects). Courses containing these principles were clustered within the engineering and business disciplines, with few outliers in agriculture and nursing.</span>

<span style="font-size: small;">One such course, involving students of nursing and chemical engineering (open to biomolecular concentration as well as general chemical engineering students), is called [https://www.tntech.edu/news/releases/nursing,-engineering-students-collaborate-on-health-care-problems Clinical Immersion at Interdisciplinary Interfaces] and was piloted during the Fall 2015 Semester. This course taught students to apply field experience/observation and personal interviews to a process very similar to the design thinking process called the [http://eecs.vanderbilt.edu/courses/ee235/STAR_Legacy_model.htm Legacy cycle]. Then students used this creative process to generate innovative solutions to problems noted during clinical experiences in the hospital and/or identified by health care workers (mostly staff nurses). One solution presented at the end of the course included plans and theoretical proof of concept for a non-lead [https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1O6338JsdW6i947bSGWkvvVF9RupCshBwd_pyG-UXELo/edit?usp=sharing radiation-shielding sterile drape] which would be reusable, sterilizable, light-weight and flexible.</span>

<span style="font-size: small;">Though this course was interdisciplinary and focused on a process similar to design thinking, there were a few improvements which would make the experience more effective:</span>

#<span style="font-size: small;">'''Greater introduction to available resources''': While the class was briefly introduced to resources available for prototyping on campus including the iMakerspace within the iCube, no in-depth instruction was provided on use of these resources due to time constraints.</span><span style="font-size: small;">&nbsp;</span>

<span style="font-size: small;">In order to remedy the areas for improve ment outlined above, a long-term 3 year program has been proposed for participation of students from every major offered through Tech. This program will give students exposure to I&E concepts, interdisciplinary collaboration, and promote the use of the many resources available to students for their innovative and entrepreneurial ventures. Divided into yearly cohorts, students from each year will have the opportunity to network and form teams for solution development to problems presented in the surrounding area and/or on mission trips to more distant locations.</span>

#<span style="font-size: small;">First year cohorts will focus on learning the design thinking process, business model canvas, and other vital resources which facilitate innovation and entrepreneurship from concept generation to production & sales. The program will integrate into the curriculum critical & creative thinking activites and exercises for students to apply the concepts these to the world around</span>

= <span style="font-size:large;">Related Links:</span> =