http://blogs.dordt.edu/ddeboer Douglas De Boer's Blog Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:19:03 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Henry Petroski has a new book out, titled The Essential Engineer: Why Science Alone Will Not Solve Our Global Problems.  One of the themes in the book is that scientists are interested in understanding—that is, knowing things about—nature. In contrast, engineers are interested in creatively doing things in new ... http://blogs.dordt.edu/ddeboer/2010/03/10/engineers-do-it-scientists-know-it/ I had an interesting experience today after my "Introduction to Microprocessors and Digital Circuits" class (EGR 204) ended. Professor Ploegstra, who teaches biology in the next hour walked in to prepare the room for his class.  After taking a look at my whiteboard markings he remarked something like, "ABCD, ... http://blogs.dordt.edu/ddeboer/2010/01/20/abcd-abcd-blah-blah-blah-blah/ Engineering at its core is about creativity and design.  The joy of a completed project is really amazing.  When the electric car project successfully rolled out of the shop on May 6, for the first time fully on electric power, the students on that project started whooping it up, running ... http://blogs.dordt.edu/ddeboer/2009/09/16/engineering-because-dreams-need-doing/ The Sioux City Journal has now posted a video about the electric car project. http://blogs.dordt.edu/ddeboer/2009/05/11/electric-car-project-in-video/ The Sioux City Journal covered the electric car project in a front-page story.  The text of the March 7 Journal story can be found here. http://blogs.dordt.edu/ddeboer/2009/05/07/electric-car-project-in-the-news/ I don't have time to elaborate, but the electric car is on the road. The last connection was made at about 4:30 PM. It was tested on blocks (front wheels off the ground) for a few minutes, and then at 4:45 it went on its first trip on ... http://blogs.dordt.edu/ddeboer/2009/05/06/electric-car-is-on-the-road/ It has been a busy semester.  I've not found time to keep my blog up-to-date.  Lots of things have happened with the EV project.  During March a lot of time was spent researching suppliers and ordering parts.  That's also when spring break happened, so there was a one-week interval when ... http://blogs.dordt.edu/ddeboer/2009/05/01/ev-project-update/ (Somehow this post was accidentally deleted from the blog. It was originally posted in January.) I've received a number of questions about the electrical vehicle project. Last semester the students did planning and preparation for this project. This semester, starting on Saturday, January 17, the students got started with the dirty ... http://blogs.dordt.edu/ddeboer/2009/02/25/ev-project-the-engine-is-out/ I have not had time to blog this semester. That's because I've been busy with a lot of good things, including a senior project to convert a 1998 Plymouth Neon to a plug-in electric car powered by batteries. You can read a good update on what is happening on ... http://blogs.dordt.edu/ddeboer/2008/12/04/senior-projects-and-more/ This summer as I traveled I heard a number of opinions regarding the use of ethanol to fuel cars. Some are for it in order to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels. Some are for it to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. (Ethanol might burn with less pollution ... http://blogs.dordt.edu/ddeboer/2008/08/18/burn-foodeat-fuel/