College of Engineering and Mineral Resources. She holds a Ph.D. in chemical engineering from the Pennsylvania State University. She teaches freshman engineering courses and supports the outreach and recruiting activities of the college. Her research interests include neural tissue engineering, stem cell research, absorption of air pollutants in human upper airways, attrition and university retention, Increasing student awareness and interest in research and engineering, STEM education, and recruitment and retention of women and minorities.

She teaches freshman engineering courses and supports the outreach and recruiting activities of the college. Her research interests include neural tissue engineering, stem cell research, absorption of air pollutants in human upper airways, attrition and university retention, increasing student awareness and interest in research and engineering, STEM education, and recruitment and retention of women and minorities.

Introduction:There is no doubt that engineers significantly contribute to the growth of any nation's economy. However, the rate of engineering innovations and initiatives poses a great challenge to the United States (US) due to the high attrition rates observed in engineering programs in the US.Attrition is recognized as a significant problem in engineering education; engineering programs are reporting graduation rates in the range of 40-60%.1-7 Students seem to experience a loss of interest and lack of motivation for engineering in part due to the demanding engineering curriculum of the first two years.2,3 The first two years are recognized as critical to promote student retention in engineering.To improve student retention, the first-year engineering curriculum have experienced significant changes in the last decade. There is a growing trend towards incorporating engineering concepts in first year engineering courses. The purpose is to demonstrate that engineering is fun, rewarding, relevant, and interesting. With these changes, there has been an increase in the implementation of hands on activities that promotes student engagement in a student centered environment.The objective of this project was to introduce a new module on electronics to students enrolled in a first year engineering program. The module was incorporated in an engineering problem solving course and was designed to include reading material, practice problems, hands-on activities, and a project. This paper describes the content of the module, how the module was implemented, and its impact in students' perception of engineering. Methodology:Sample Size: 42 students enrolled in an engineering problem solving course participated in this study. All students were enrolled in a first year engineering program at a land-grant institution in the mid-Atlantic region; none of the students have been accepted in a major engineering discipline. Eighty-six percent of the students were male, and all students enrolled were calculus ready. Content of ElectronicsModule: A hands-on module was developed to introduce first year engineering students to electronics. The module's instructional material included the instructor's note, theoretical practice problems, a student handout, and hands-on activities that involved the design of electrical circuits using electrical components.

College of Engineering and Mineral Resources. She holds a Ph.D. in chemical engineering and has postdoctoral training on Neural Tissue Engineering and Molecular Neurosciences. She teaches freshman engineering courses and supports the outreach and recruiting activities of the college. Her research interests include neural tissue engineering, stem cell research, absorption of air pollutants in human upper airways, attrition and university retention, increasing student awareness and interest in research and engineering, STEM education, and recruitment and retention of women and minorities.

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