Dr. Raju Dandu, professor in mechanical engineering technology at Kansas State University Salina, specializing in sustainable product design, development, manufacturing, energy efficiency, and effective equipment maintenance programs. He provided reliability centered maintenance instruction and hands on training to local food manufacturer. He has four years of plant maintenance experience as a mechanical engineer in thermal and nuclear power industry. He has been in education for last 13 years teaching design, manufacturing, and industrial automation related courses.

A recessed downlight is designed to address limited availability of energy efficient residential and light commercial recessed downlight fixtures. This fixture is a non-conventional indoor insulated ceiling (IC) rated, air-tight recessed compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) downlight fixture. The distinct features of fixture include: compact and light weight, unique CFL lamp, built-inmodularity and high lumen output. This paper outlines the design and development of a recessed downlight to address the early market acceptance of CFL fixtures and the replacement of incandescent light sources.

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In recent years engineering and technology programs are challenged to prepare graduates to meet the globalization of the engineering profession and the real world demands of the global workforce. For the past several years, mechanical engineering and technology programs embarked on reforming the curricula by introducing new courses at the freshman level to enhance student motivation and improve retention. This paper talks about how the existing courses at freshman level in the area of mechanical detailing, technical graphics and manufacturing methods were used innovatively to provide the real world experience of product design, manufacturing and operation. It also shows how the program addresses part of the CDIO (Conceive, Design, Implement, Operate) framework. Students taking the mechanical detailing course are involved in reverse engineering project. Students work in teams in redesigning the product, developing technical drawings, exchanging drawings with a different group to manufacture their product, and test and operate the product. This approach demonstrates the real world workplace environment of product design and manufacturing in which technical knowledge and other skills are learned and practiced. The freshman course project is an early exposure to students to demonstrate the relevance of mechanical engineering technology. It helps the students see graduates as practitioners of the profession, implementers of technology, jobready and focused on applied engineering.

Engineering Technology faculty development is a continuous challenge. Enrichment of faculty through real-life industrial experience provides the opportunity for continuous improvement of technology faculty technical currency. In the summer of 2000, one of the mechanical engineering technology faculty worked with local industry to revive technical skills, learn new skills, observe project management skills, and bring new learned skills into the classroom. He participated as a team member of the company in the startup process of a truck assembly production line. This summer opportunity provided first-hand experience for the faculty member to work in teams with project managers, engineers, technologists, and technicians of different companies. The authors will share their observations and mutual benefits of this partnership and how it has impacted faculty, the college, and industry in several ways. The paper concludes with some suggestions from authors to tie the internship with curriculum development.