Chemical Engineering Principles Laboratory
The chemical engineering principles laboratory is home to experiments that build on key elements of course work essential for student success in the field. The lab course teaches students to develop their own experimental procedures to answer specific questions posed, and assemble laboratory equipment to achieve these goals with instructor input – simulating methodologies students will use as practicing chemical engineers. Students gain hands-on experience using basic equipment and approaches for designing laboratory experiments, measuring results, interpreting data, and drawing objective conclusions. Students work in teams, summarize their work in written lab reports, and present their findings to others in the class.
Thermofluids Laboratory 
Students perform four experiments in teams of three people in this lab. All four experiments run simultaneously (and with duplication) as needed to accommodate class size. A specific question or series of questions to be answered is provided for each experiment. The experimental procedure for each laboratory is created by the team. In some cases, the experimental apparatus, and measurement devices to be used, may be assembled by the students to answer the laboratory questions. Class time is devoted to the assembly of the lab apparatus to be used, development of the experimental procedure, performing the experiment, and writing a lab report. Some class time is also devoted to familiarizing students with certain experimental procedures and measurement devices appropriate for the experiment. One lab report is submitted by each team. After the completion of an experiment at the end of a two week block, the experiment is re-run by a new team. The previous team that runs the experiment will pass on relevant information to the new team to help with the new team set up and experimental design. In this way, the experimental set-up and procedure can evolve and improve as subsequent teams re-run the same experiment.
After each team has cycled through each experiment, results from each team for each experiment will be compiled to make a master data set. Discussion of trends and possible mechanisms will be examined. The last team to perform a given experiment will be required to utilize this master data set and prepare a presentation for the class on the experimental results