Thomas R. Kurfess
The George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332-0405, USA
E-mail: tom.kurfess@me.gatech.edu

Abstract:
Modern engineers must perform a wide variety of tasks. Much of the modern engineering curricula prepares students for these tasks by focusing on individual topics such as thermodynamics or stress analysis. Design courses, by their very nature, must integrate a wide variety of areas. These areas include topics that are traditionally part of the engineering curriculum as well as those traditionally considered outside of the curriculum. This paper focuses on the technical contents of a second year design course. However, the course also attempts to integrate other `non-technical’ issues such as communication, teaming and ethics.