A statistical analysis and computational algorithm for comparing pairs of tool marks via profilometry data is described. Empirical validation of the method is established through experiments based on tool marks made at selected fixed angles from 50 sequentially manufactured screwdriver tips. Results obtained from three different comparison scenarios are presented and are in agreement with experiential knowledge possessed by practicing examiners. Further comparisons between scores produced by the algorithm and visual assessments of the same tool mark pairs by professional tool mark examiners in a blind study in general show good agreement between the algorithm and human experts. In specific instances where the algorithm had difficulty in assessing a particular comparison pair, results obtained during the collaborative study with professional examiners suggest ways in which algorithm performance may be improved. It is concluded that the addition of contextual information when inputting data into the algorithm should result in better performance. ABSTRACT: A statistical analysis and computational algorithm for comparing pairs of tool marks via profilometry data is described. This analysis is superior to ad hoc comparisons based

Fellowship. His current research interests include the design of novel infrared optoelectronic devices and how instructional changes can help students more quickly advance from novice to expert problem solvers. He has co-authored over 120 referred technical articles and has won numerous awards for his teaching.In his role as Vice Provost, Archie's major responsibilities include areas related to the undergraduate educational experience including advising, expanding and enhancing university-wide high impact experiences, and connections between academic and student affairs. He also works on building the interdisciplinary capacity of U.Va. and further efforts to establish institutes and centers to foster interdisciplinary research and education. Professor Kokini's research activities include the study of failure mechanisms and design of high-temperature advanced materials such as functionally graded and composite ceramic thermal barrier coatings. He also works on interdisciplinary research related to the biomicromechanics of ECM-cell interactions.He is an ASME Fellow (2002) Adrienne is currently co-Chair of ASEE's Diversity Committee and PIC I Chair; she has previously served on WIED, ChED, and NEE leadership teams and contributed to 37 ASEE conference proceedings articles. Prof. Beena Sukumaran, Rowan UniversityBeena Sukumaran has been on the faculty at Rowan University since 1998 and is currently Professor and Chair of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Under her leadership, the Civil and Environmental Engineering Program has seen considerable growth in student and faculty numbers. Her area of expertise is in micro-geomechanics and has published over 100 peer reviewed conference and journal papers including several papers on engineering education and the unique undergraduate curriculum at Rowan University, especially the Engineering Clinics. She has been involved in various outreach activities to recruit more women and minorities into engineering and is Interactive Panel on Perspectives and Practical Skills for Men as Advocates for Gender Equity AbstractMen can serve unique and critical roles as advocates of gender equity, particularly in maledominated units or organizations, such as most engineering departments and many universities. This panel brings together a group of men with diverse backgrounds and experiences to discuss their perspectives and offer practical skills for men to effectively serve as advocates for gender equity. This paper augments the panel and captures the backgrounds, experiences, perspectives, and recommendations of the panelists, thereby providing a lasting resource for those unable to attend the panel or future interested individuals. The information we present targets men and administrators, who will better understand the barriers to advocacy, learn best-practices of effective advocacy, and hear first-hand experiences of successful advocacy. BackgroundMany factors -systemic and non-systemic, conscious and unconscious, policy and climate -can negatively impact the participation of min...

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Thomas Edison was a noted engineer while Jean Piaget made his fame in children's educational psychology. Piaget's "cognitive constructivism" has been adopted in many early childhood programs, but it also applies to engineering education and its "hands-on" approach, especially in laboratories and project-based courses. The direction of education dramatically shifted when Jean Piaget developed a child-centered developmental learning theory. According to his theory, children construct knowledge about their world through their active involvement in experiences that are meaningful for them in order to provide an ideal learning environment. A Piagetian classroom is filled with authentic activities designed to challenge students so they can construct knowledge at their own developmental pace. Creating constructivist learning environments where students construct their own meaning is not an easy task. Learners need opportunities to learn in a constructivist manner to effectively connect new ideas to existing schema. Educators must empower students to ask their own questions and seek their own answers, experience the world's richness, and challenge them to understand the world's complexities. Classroom instruction is frequently centered on delivering the content to students instead of facilitating student inquiry during the learning process. Although many of the principles of constructivism offer promise in the development of successful learning environments, practical applications are often hard to incorporate into the common constraints of the school environment. 1 With the recent emphasis on "learner-centered" education in engineering education, a deeper understanding and application of Piaget's work is in order. The purpose of this paper is to present a model of an engineering/education collaborative program that is built on Piagetian principles and attempts to outreach to K-12 students to build their enthusiasm for engineering and science. Thus, this paper will describe how Piaget's work was continued by Seymour Papert who then introduced the idea of "constructionism" and how that concept applies to engineering education in the Toying With Technology SM Program at Iowa State University (http://www.eng.iastate.edu/twt). A comparison of Piaget's pedagogy and Edison's work will demonstrate why this pedagogy has application in engineering.