In 1988, Drexel began a project which involves a comprehensive restructuring of the lower division engineering curriculum. The program provides an early introduction to the central body of knowledge forming the fabric of engineering, the unifying rather than parochial aspects of engineering, experimental methods, the computer as a flexible, powerful professional and intellectual tool, the importance of personal communications skills, and the imperative for continuous, vigorous, life‐long learning. The subject matter is organized in four major components replacing and/or integrating material in thirty‐seven existing courses in the traditional curriculum. The theme of all activities is a central focus on the students as emerging professional engineers and the faculty as their mentors from the very beginning of their education. To date, 500 students and 50 faculty have participated in the project. Preliminary results of evaluations are encouraging. Retention rates and achievement levels are high. Performance tests indicate that most students develop excellent levels of computer and laboratory skills. Their written and oral presentations demonstrate achievement of superior levels of communication skills. Personal interviews and evaluations indicate that student response is quite positive and they place a high value on faculty participation in a team effort. Both faculty and students indicate that this different experience has given them an insight into the importance and scope of the engineering profession and a sense that its practice can be exciting, rewarding and enjoyable.

The frequency dependence of the complex dielectric constant of glycerol—water mixtures has been measured in the megacycle frequency range at −7.5°, −15.3°, and −19.5°C. for various concentrations between nearly pure glycerol and an equal molar mixture. Cole—Cole plots of the data indicate a single main relaxation with an asymmetric distribution of relaxation times of the Davidson—Cole form. The limiting dielectric relaxation time of the Davidson—Cole distribution was found to be strongly dependent on the water content and to vary exponentially with the molar concentration of water. The width of the distribution of relaxation times is independent of the concentration over the range studied and only slightly temperature dependent. The average dielectric relaxation times of the mixtures were extrapolated to 100% water. The dielectric relaxation time of water obtained by this extrapolation agrees satisfactorily with the measured value, indicating a smooth transistion between the average relaxation time of pure glycerol and pure water, as well as indicating a change in the distribution of times from that of the Davidson—Cole form to a single time. These experimental findings can be explained in terms of the ``group'' concept of Schallamach in which it is assumed that in mixtures of associated—associated liquids, such as glycerol and water, dielectric orientation occurs through a cooperative effect in groups of molecules, these groups containing molecules of both kinds. The concentration dependence of the dielectric relaxation time is also compared to that of viscosity. The comparison indicates that the variation of dielectric times with water content is similar to, but not exactly the same as, the variation of viscosity.

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At a time when we can least afford it, mastery of experimentation among practicing engineers is fast becoming a lost art. Within the undergraduate engineering curriculum there has been a continuous decrease in emphasis in the study and practice of experimentation over the past several decades. The Introductory Engineering Test, Design and Simulation Laboratory is an important and unique component of the “Enhanced Educational Experience for Engineers,”—Drexel's E4 program—which attempts to reverse this trend in a substantial way. It is based on three premises: that experimentation is a critical and distinguishing element of the profession; that experimental skills require time to develop; and that entering students are interested in laboratory work. Thus it provides early, continuous and significant laboratory experiences for all students regardless of major throughout the freshman and sophomore years. The nature of the program and facilities are based on a perspective which recognizes the rich diversity of engineering experimentation yet emphasizes its common elements. The laboratory facilities and program can be incorporated in most lower‐division programs creating the potential for significant improvements in the upper division. The results of our experience since 1989 indicate that the laboratory provides a rich learning environment in which most students achieve or exceed the educational and performance objectives. Equally important, student response is enthusiastic and they have found the laboratory to be a place for them to have a lot of fun becoming engineers!