Investigations in Engineering
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Investigations in Engineering, coded as IENG and nicknamed Fast-paced Death, is based on the Johns Hopkins freshman engineering course What is Engineering?. IENG is offered only at the Johns Hopkins site, has a precalculus prerequisite, and is taught by Jack Bartholomew. If a CTYer scores well enough on tests and assignments (yes, this class does involve grades) and pays $300, he or she can earn three Hopkins college credits.
Course Description
According to the official CTY website:
"This class asks students to do more than calculate the solutions to well-posed, simplified problems. Rather, they are asked to translate problems often encountered by engineers (with no obvious solutions) into ones which can be tackled and resolved. These open-ended assignments require hands-on exploration. Some of the exploration uses a virtual environment with a set of laboratory experiments developed in HTML and Java. These exercises require students to develop a broad understanding of how to solve engineering problems. The virtual laboratory includes exercises such as drilling for oil, remote measurement, electronic circuit design, logical circuit design, and building a robotic arm."
In addition, you'll cover topics such as:
·Fermi Problems
·Dimensional analysis
·Engineering design processes
·Material properties including
-Stress and Strain
-Euler buckling load/Young's modulus
·Statics and Dynamics
·Truss Calculations
·Chemical Engineering
·Error Propagation
·Expected Values
Approximation
Statistics
Binary systems/Digital logic
Engineering Ethics
As one can tell, the courseload for this class is extremely intense. It is highly recommended that only older, more mature students attempt this course. The speed at which information is dealt out during lectures and the pile of assignments required for the course is, in the humble opinion of a survivor of the class, only suitable for 15-17 year olds.
To get credit for this class, you will find yourself doing work outside of class, which is against CTY policy. You may get in trouble for it, but sometimes you may get off the hook.
You'll be graded on Lab reports, Oral Presentations, and an two Essays (one of which is written before CTY begins). The culmination of the course is the design and testing of a bridge, constructed of spaghetti and Epoxy.
Despite the intense course load, you will probably form the most tight-knit, close, bro-like hall ever. You need each other's help, and you need everyone to have your back; whether it be writing labs at 2 AM or just to sit next to you while you write a lab at 2 AM for emotional support.