Interdisciplinary Learning

The third component in the Grand Challenge Scholars Program is to integrate interdisciplinary learning into the scholar's curriculum. In order to solve the Grand Challenges, scholars must work with other disciplines and be well-rounded. It will take more than engineers to reach lasting solutions. Please read below about the classes I've taken outside of engineering as well as a project I worked on with environmental engineers.

To solve a problem such as one of the Grand Challenges, you need more than just an engineering degree. The 14 Grand Challenges are problems that require collaboration with others and an understanding of other disciplines. In order to broaden my understanding of the world around me, I have taken the following courses that are outside the scope of electrical engineering:

  • Integrated Seminar 301 - Climate, Carbon, and Forests

  • Accounting 201 - Introduction to Financial Accounting

  • Operations Management 378 - Project Management

  • Operations Management 370 - Process Management

  • Management 311 - Introduction to Management

  • Politics 100

  • Geography 101

  • Climate Change Certification

Alternative Solids Management Project

From Fall 2017 - Fall 2018, I was a member of a design team consisting of three environmental engineering majors and myself. We conducted a feasibility study for the Moscow Water Reclamation and Reuse Facility to determine whether they could add anaerobic digestion and combined heat and power to their current process configuration. You can see the full report in the Supplementary Documents page. This study was part of the WEFTEC Student Design Challenge. My team and I presented our results at the 2018 WEFTEC conference in New Orleans, LA where we placed 4th in the international competition. We also presented at the 2018 PNCWA conference in Boise, ID.