Engineers as entrepreneurs: invention and innovation in design and build courses

For several years, first-year engineering students at Colorado University (USA) have experienced the joys and frustrations of engineering in a college-wide introductory design-build test course. The course introduces students to engineering through hands-on, open-ended team design projects. The course is intended to serve the needs of entry-level first-year students, who are of similar age and maturity. With support from an NCIIA grant, a new course targeted at advanced and transfer students, and with an emphasis on entrepreneurship, was piloted. This paper discusses various elements of both courses as they apply to the process of invention and innovation, describes some design projects, and summarizes the lessons learned.