EPICS (Engineering Projects In Community Service) · PDF fileEPICS (Engineering Projects In Community Service) 1. Significance of EPICS at SREC EPICS is a service-learning design program

EPICS (Engineering Projects In Community Service)

1. Significance of EPICS at SREC

EPICS is a service-learning design program in which teams of students partner with local and global community organizations to address human, community, and environmental needs. EPICS is a unique program in which teams of undergraduates are designing, building, and deploying real systems to solve engineering-based problems for local community service and education organizations. EPICS was founded at Purdue University in Fall 1995 and has since spread to a diverse group of Universities in the United States and abroad. S. R. Engineering College has made a Memorandum of Understanding with Purdue University from the academic year 2014 – 15. SREC introduced this program as an elective course in the curriculum for the III B.Tech students of all branches.

EPICS is a service-learning design course in which teams of students from across campus work together on long-term projects that benefit the community. Project work centers around the engineering, technology, and computing needs of a community partner, but interdisciplinary team interaction is an integral element for project success. Teams are composed of first year students through seniors from any disciplines.

2. Objectives:

1. Apply domain knowledge to the design of community- based projects 2. An ability to identify and acquire new knowledge as a part of the problem- solving/design

process 3. Develop an ability to function on multidisciplinary teams and an appreciation for the

contributions from individuals from multiple disciplines 4. Create an awareness of professional ethics and responsibility 5. Build a role that their discipline can play in social contexts

3. Outcomes:

1. Apply disciplinary knowledge to real and possibly ill-defined problems. 2. Collaborate with people from other disciplines and develop an appreciation for cross-

disciplinary contributions in design. 3. Develop the broad set of skills needed to be successful in the changing global workplace and

world. 4. Identify the customer requirements and community demands. 5. Design the products useful for the community service. 6. Communicate effectively with widely varying backgrounds. 7. Provide significant service to the community while learning; gain an understanding of the

role that engineering (and their discipline) can play in society. 8. Follow the engineering and social ethics. 4. Activities held under SREC-EPICS

Workshops: A. One day workshop was organized on 28-11-2015 for the faculty and students, to create awareness about the EPICS. Prof.William Oakes, Director of EPICS (Purdue University) addressed the gathering.

A B

B. One day workshop organized on 02-09-16 at our college on the topic ‘Mining the minds of masses for sustainable growth’ in collaboration with NIF associated NGO ‘Palle srujana’

Poster presentation: Students presented their ideas during ‘EPICS- Poster Presentation’ event, organized on 27-07-16.

Idea presentation through posters

Video lectures: Video lectures were organized for the students regarding the ‘Design Process’. Students participated in the ‘Ideal Wallet’ design thinking session.

Students listening Video Lecture by Dr. Carla Zoltowski, Purdue University

5. www.epics-srec.com(ExclusivesocialplatformforEPICSstudents):

Separate website was developed to provide the social platform for the EPICS registered students. They are accessing online through login, for sharing the information and also submitting their assignments. www.epics-srec.com (linked to our college website) provides complete guidance regarding the community based projects. Videos from Purdue website and Indian Jugaad projects are directly linked up to the website, to get clear idea about the community projects and design skills.

6. Field Visits:

Students have actively involved in the interdisciplinary projects. They have identified the community partners as an end user of their products. They have visited nearby villages, farmers, hospitals, deaf & dumb schools, traffic police station, municipality, transportation departments and NGOs etc. In collaboration with NGO Pallesrujana, our students went for scouting during 21st china shodha yatra.

7. Product – Expo: Product Expo-I was organized on 28-11-2015. Students demonstrated their products and explained about the community partners. Prof.William Oakes, Director of EPICS visited the Expo and appreciated the students. Product Expo-II was organized on 21-03-2016. Students demonstrated their products and explained about the community feedback. Principal sir, all the Deans and HODs visited the expo and appreciated the service oriented products. Product Expo-III was organized on 1-10-16; expert team visited the expo and evaluated the Model demonstrations. Assessment was done based on the rubrics created.

8. Appreciation and Future extension:

During the Ideation Fest @ SREC, some products were selected by Incubators for start- up.

1. Walking stick for old age people. 2. Pollution Free mask with filters. 3. Multi Agri Machine. 4. Modern Planks. 5. Advanced Muncipal cart Many students participated in the national level Technical fest ‘Technotrendz 2k16’ organized by SREC on 29th September. Students won prizes in the events like Paper

presentation, Project Expo and Poster Presentation. One idea got selected in Si3challenge organized by GWMC. EPICS students attended ‘Grass root Innovations Exhibition’ organized by IEI, Warnagal Chapter at NITW on 15th September (Engineer’s Day). Two students from EPICS attended ‘Exhibition of innovations by farmers for farmers’ @ Sphoorthy College of Engineering, Hyderabad on 17th September.

9. Summary Sheet: Academic year

No. of projects handled / progress

No. of students registered

Product Expo/ Demonstration

Expert Team members

Suggestions/ remarks

2014-15 02 10 ------------------- 2015-16, Sem-I

14 76 28-11-2015 Prof. William Oakes & HODs

Design aspect to be focused much

2015-16, Sem-II

19 88 21-03-2016 Dr.V.Mahesh(Principal) & Deans

Project based Learning is appreciable

2016-17, Sem-I

25 124 01-10-2016 Deans & HODs

Service learning is to be focused much

2016-17, Sem-II

19 82 Tentative march 2017

Some of the images are shown below:

Prof.William Oakes, during his visit Expert Team

Power Generation from Waste heat Anti-Shock Walking stick

Multi-Purpose Agri Machine Low cost Room Air Cleaner

Community Partners:

AND

Mallikamba Manovikasa Trust, Sahrudaya Old age home etc…….

EPICS in News