The Composite Materials Engineering Program at Winona State University, the first of its kind at the undergraduate level, has a curriculum which includes basic and engineering sciences, materials science, mechanics, and design and manufacturing. The goal of this project is to use the laboratory work to provide a relationship between these elements in the curriculum. Unity and coherence of subject matters are provided by practical experiences in materials characterization at various stages of study. Characterization of materials enables students to understand materials properties, their structure and composition, their performance, and how to design and process them. This understanding will enable students to develop and produce composite materials that perform in new and more effective ways for a myriad of applications. The laboratory equipment consists of: ten microscopes, an analytical balance, two hardness testers, surface area and porosimetry equipment, three high temperature furnaces, a tabletop tensile test machine, and a data acquisition system. This equipment is used in laboratory and classroom instruction of 13 courses in the curriculum, and in the development of two new courses. The equipment is also used in student design projects and undergraduate research.
