Dr. Bruce Finlayson

Rehnberg Professor and Chair
Department of Chemical Engineering
University of Washington
Seattle, WA 98195
finlayso@cheme.u.washington.edu

Problem-centered Course in Numerical Methods

The objective of the course is to teach chemical engineering students how to make mathematical models of complicated phenomena, how to invoke sophisticated software to solve the models, how to build the model step by step, and how to check the model and their interaction with the computer. A major theme of the course was that you have to learn to check your work: show how you know you've solved the problem you think you have and how you know the accuracy of the numerical solution. The author believes that this is the single most important skill the students will remember after six months. After all, using modern packages, the computer package is doing 90% of the work, and it behooves us to be sure our 10% is right.

Student groups were also assigned to prepare a lesson on the computer, using either Macromedia Director or the html markup language. Lessons were prepared on how to solve algebraic equations, how to solve ordinary differential equations, how to solve stiff equations, and a lesson was made to explain to sixth graders what a catalytic converter did and chemical engineers' role in it. Interaction with personnel at Microsoft was used to improve the lessons. The lessons are installed on the local computer network so that students who have not taken the class can use them in a `how to' fashion. One exciting development was to witness the creativity the students showed while creating their lesson. The instructions are simple enough that they can do dramatic things easily, and this encourages them to develop better lessons. It may be that the creativity and trial-and-error engineering that used to be exercised working on students' cars and bicycles is now being exercised on the computer.

Thomas L. Marchioro II
uces_info@krellinst.org
17 July, 1997