Engineering

Engineering Pathways

Students explore various engineering fields, such as civil, computer, electrical and mechanical, through hands-on activities and experiments utilizing state-of-the-art equipment and software on campus. They learn about engineering applications through field trips and meetings with practicing engineers.

Facility

The T. J. Smull College of Engineering has a long history of providing educational outreach to youth. Ohio Northern is one of the few private universities to offer a complete engineering degree in which students begin taking engineering courses during the freshman year. The University has many other built-in features, including personalized education, strong interdisciplinary programs, a low student-to-faculty ratio, opportunities for co-ops and internships, and an on-going tradition of valued-centered education.

Faculty

Coordinator: Professor Laurie Laird is a mechanical engineer and the director of corporate and alumni relations in the College of Engineering. She holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and an M.S. in Aerospace Engineering. Her corporate background includes various engineering roles in the aerospace industry. As a faculty member at ONU, Prof. Laird focuses primarily on the area of freshman engineering courses. She has previous summer camp experience at the University as Director of the "Girls in Engineering, Math & Science" camp, Director of the Pathways Program for middle school students and Director/Instructor at the Engineering Pathways camp for high school students.

Dr. Jed Marquart is a mechanical engineer and is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering in the College of Engineering. He holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and M.S. and Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering and is a registered Professional Engineer (PE) in the state of Ohio. At ONU, he teaches and performs consulting and research in the areas of Computational Fluid Dynamics, Finite Element Analysis, Heat Transfer and Fluid Mechanics. He also teaches in the freshman engineering sequence. He has had previous summer camp experience at the University with "Girls in Engineering, Math & Science" camp. Dr. Marquart is the ONU representative on the Ohio Space Grant Consortium, is a judge for local and regional science fairs and has worked with high school students through the Findlay, OH Explorers Post.

Dr. Eric Baumgartner is the Dean of the T. J. Smull College of Engineering and a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Ohio Northern University. He holds a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Notre Dame, an M.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Cincinnati and a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Notre Dame. Prior to joining ONU, Dr. Baumgartner spent 10 years at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, where he held a number of technical and management positions including a leadership role on the Mars Exploration Rover project that successfully launched, landed and operated the Spirit and Opportunity rovers on the Martian surface. Dr. Baumgartner was honored with the NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal in 2004 for his efforts on the Mars rover project and, in May 2008, Dr. Baumgartner, along with two of his colleagues at JPL, was presented with the 2008 IEEE Robotics and Automation Award. Dr. Baumgartner has had previous summer camp experience through the Engineering Pathways camp and has worked with high school students through various activities including the Findlay, OH Explorers Post.

What to bring

You will want to bring a small amount of spending money since the university bookstore is usually open. Also, you can bring along some of your favorite snacks although there are vending machines located on campus, a local grocery store, and a Rite Aid for unplanned essentials. Bring a cell phone or calling card to make long-distance calls, sometimes Ada has poor reception for cell phones for such carriers as AT&T and Nextel. If you have a camera you may want to bring it. There are always picture perfect events all week long. The apartments are lockable and secure so you should be able to bring normal things such as clock radios, small CD players, or alarm clocks. If medication needs to be dispensed, the SHI director will make appropriate arrangements.

List of essentials:

• Required medications (if any medications are to be dispensed, bring ample supplies and the SHI director will make appropriate arrangements.)
• Sturdy shoes for visiting manufacturing facilities (closed-toe shoes are required, this means no flip-flops or sandals for the tours!)
• Calculator
• Book bag for carrying calculator, notebook, etc.
• Pillow, pillow case
• Soap, comb and/or brush, toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant, etc.
• Hair dryer
• Shower clogs
• Long jeans or slacks (please bring at least one pair long jeans/slacks as you will be required to wear them for the plant tours)
• Shorts
• Shirts or blouses
• Sweater or sweatshirt (classroom buildings are air conditioned and can be cool)
• Jacket
• Socks (at least one pair a day plus extra)
• Pajamas
• Underwear
• Swimsuit and beach towel, sunscreen
• Rain gear
• 1 business casual outfit (i.e. khaki slacks/polo or dress shirt, skirt/blouse)
• Alarm clock
• Single extra long bedsheets, pillow and blanket

What you do NOT have to bring?
Towels are provided. There will be snacks and bottled water provided during the day and evening. Do not bring candles or incense, TV, dart board, draperies, drum set, electric guitars, electric blankets, fireworks, fish net wall hangings, flags, firearms, halogen lamps, hot plates, all pets such as snakes, spiders, lizards, cats, dogs, birds and fish, sunlamps, heat lamps and space heaters, toaster ovens, valuables, water beds, and weights.