Mina, Mani

Profile Picture
Email Address
mmina@iastate.edu
Birth Date
Title
Teaching Professor
Academic or Administrative Unit
Organizational Unit
Industrial Design
The Department of Industrial Design seeks to teach students to tap creativity for the design of products, systems or services that meet commercial objectives in business and industry. The Industrial Design Program was established in the Department of Art and Design in 2010. In 2012, the Department of Industrial Design was created.
Organizational Unit
Electrical and Computer Engineering

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECpE) contains two focuses. The focus on Electrical Engineering teaches students in the fields of control systems, electromagnetics and non-destructive evaluation, microelectronics, electric power & energy systems, and the like. The Computer Engineering focus teaches in the fields of software systems, embedded systems, networking, information security, computer architecture, etc.

History
The Department of Electrical Engineering was formed in 1909 from the division of the Department of Physics and Electrical Engineering. In 1985 its name changed to Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering. In 1995 it became the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

Dates of Existence
1909-present

Historical Names

  • Department of Electrical Engineering (1909-1985)
  • Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering (1985-1995)

Related Units
About
Profile Link
https://dr.lib.iastate.edu/handle/20.500.12876/99855
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Magneto-optic interferometric system: Exploring building blocks and subcircuits

2024-02-13 , Bouda, N. Robert , Gaunkar, N. Prabhu , Theh, W. Shen , Mina, Mani , Electrical and Computer Engineering

Recent developments in the standardization of magnetic field generators have been considered for optoelectronic industrial-scale applications. In this work, a strategy to incorporate all optical components that can be used to implement a broad range of functions for communications applications is presented. We propose a circuit design for a magneto-optic interferometric system based on building blocks and subcircuits consisting of an interferometer with magneto-optic phase shifters and a magnetic field generator. The paper shows the building blocks based on elementary 2 × 2 photonics coupling components. We demonstrate that such a design can be configured as a tunable system based on the phase shift experienced by the incoming signals from two input waveguides and their transitions.

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Course Design Thinking: Navigating Tensions at the Intersection of Design Thinking and Engineering Course Design

2023-06-28 , Fila, Nicholas D , Rover, Diane T , Duwe, Henry , Mina, Mani , Jones III, Phillip H , Industrial Design

In recent years, several researchers and educators have explored how design thinking might be applied to education design practices. These explorations have ranged from general use toolkits to theoretical framings to empirical investigations. While these explorations have advanced considerations of how the human-centered, inquisitive, iterative, generative, and multi-perspective nature of design thinking might inform and improve education design practice, it is also clear that design thinking, as it has been applied in other disciplines and contexts, can be met with resistance and struggles when applied to designing engineering courses. For example, a recent study suggested obstacles related to instructors’ mindsets, course design practices, departmental cultures, and constraints of course and curricular structures. This study seeks to further understand the intersection between design thinking and engineering course design by investigating two research questions: 1. What tensions are experienced by engineering educators attempting to apply design thinking to the redesign of two courses in the second and third year of an undergraduate electrical and computer engineering program? 2. How do these tensions inform the application of design thinking in an engineering course design context? We utilized a collaborative inquiry approach to address the two research questions. Five engineering faculty members who had served on two course design teams participated in this collaborative inquiry. Each team was facilitated by a design expert who worked with the teams to utilize a process that met instructor needs while retaining key human-centered, problem-oriented, generative, iterative, and diverse aspects of design thinking. Teams also consisted of course instructors and additional faculty, staff, and students who provided additional perspectives on student experience, content, and other education aspects. We, the collaborative inquiry participants applied a four-stage process to address the two research questions: (1) we engaged in an open-ended series of individual reflections and group discussions regarding the teams’ processes and application of design thinking, (2) one participant synthesized the discussions into a set of tensions and a collective framing of design thinking in engineering course design, (3) we further engaged in a series of individual reflections and group discussions in response to the synthesis, and (4) we collectively revised the tensions and framing of “course design thinking” to reflective collective agreements and individual nuances. Intermediate results suggest several key tensions experienced by engineering educators when attempting to apply design thinking to course design. These include: (1) resolving extant practices and mindsets with design thinking practices and mindsets, (2) desire to take ownership of process while worrying about ability without facilitation, (3) discomfort with nature of design thinking vs. belief in opportunities it provides, and (4) burgeoning interest and ability set against concerns about buy-in from department and colleagues. Collectively, these tensions informed a framing of design thinking that includes extant themes such as empathy for users and applying generative, visual practices, but reframes these themes to better align with engineering educators’ practices, mindsets, and contexts. In the paper, we will report on the new “course design thinking” framing, elaborate on the identified tensions, and discuss implications for engineering course design practice.

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Publication

Does Engineering need Technological Literacy? Does Technological Literacy Need Engineering?

2022-08-23 , Mina, Mani , Electrical and Computer Engineering , Industrial Design

Background: This paper reviews a pedagogical journey teaching Technological Literacy classes for over ten years in Colleges of Engineering and of Design. Technological literacy programs face challenges in our institutions. Engineering and design departmental discussions of the skill reveal these challenges. Purpose: This pedagogical review shows that response and reception to model courses affirm the necessity of curriculum innovations that establish and perpetuate Technological Literacy as a core university discipline. This essential step fortifies the proficiency of future engineers and industrial designers; breaks down disciplinary silos; and engages a multi-literacy community. Method: This paper examines the inception, implementation, and reception of an in-progress novel course at a university navigating the future of technological literacy. Created for a College of Design at the graduate level and open to all students at all levels from all disciplines, the class is titled “Design, Technology, Society, Philosophy, Equity: How things work.” Results: This course generated significant student responses and institutional feedback in early analysis. Further quantitative analysis after its conclusion is forthcoming. Conclusions: The trend of siloing training and academic disciplines seems to be waning. Colleges of Engineering and Design seek to establish cross-functional educational opportunities for their students. Industry and discipline authorities at the conference and national level need to explore integration, mutualism, and reciprocity in an increasingly diverse socio-technical environment.

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Publication

Considerations for the Use of Personas and Journey Maps in Engineering Course Design

2022-08-23 , Fila, Nicholas , Rover, Diane , Duwe, Henry , Mina, Mani , Industrial Design , Electrical and Computer Engineering

Personas and journey maps are ubiquitous in many design disciplines. These tools allow designers to better understand key users and engage with a user’s experience over time with a product or system. While personas and journey maps are widely used in design disciplines, little scholarship exists on how they, collectively, might be successfully adapted to different contexts, e.g., engineering instruction and course development. Yet, these tools have the potential to help educators better understand students’ experiences during a learning activity, class session, semester, or even an entire curriculum, and identify key issues to address as they develop or revise new learning experiences. This paper presents three case studies of the persona and journey map creation among engineering educators, explores their effects on educator empathy, and investigates factors that may influence their successful implementation in engineering course design settings. Each case features some variation on the format of personas and journey maps. We utilize several data sources to achieve a comprehensive snapshot of each case, including audio recordings of team course design meetings, persona and journey map artifacts, course data, and researcher observations. We present each case individually and identify themes that run across the implementations. These themes include the importance of instructor involvement in the creation process, the effect of diverse voices in the creation process, and the role of play, as well as relevant trade-offs in each of these themes.

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Publication

Design considerations for magnetic field generators for future switching applications

2024-02-07 , Bouda, N. Robert , Gaunkar, N. Prabhu , Theh, W. Shen , Mina, Mani , Electrical and Computer Engineering

Widespread adoption of Magnetic Field Generators (MFG) will require most electro-optical systems to incorporate high current devices, thereby demanding decreased power consumption due to loss reduction. Recent progress in magnetic field generator typologies has shown ways of reducing form factor while meeting better performance in terms of max current and magnetic field level based on selected transistor technologies. However, developments in the standardization of MFGs need to be considered for optoelectronic industrial-scale applications. This work describes a strategy for identifying the optimum condition for a high magnetic field, form factors contributing to power consumption, and the feasibility of such magneto optical.

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Publication

Revisiting classroom environment and activities: Reexamination of mistakes and learning cycles

2023-06-25 , Theh, Wei Shen , Shannon, Rachel , Mina, Mani , Electrical and Computer Engineering

This paper addresses some of the difficulties we see in many engineering classes. A majority of engineering classes are still taught using the conventional lecturing system whereby the professor talks in front of an audience, be it in person, online, pre-recorded, or a hybrid system. In today’s information technology age, students naturally turn to online lectures and YouTube videos for topic-specific notes or practice to get ready for the exams. Many of the in-coming college or university students spent their high school years in social isolation or lock-down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The concept of teams and collaborations has not been the main mode of their learning and engagement in classes. This situation can have an adverse effect on their development when they join an institution of higher learning. There is considerable research conducted on the advantages of integrating elements of teamwork, collaboration, and experimentation with the team for in-class activities. This approach is shown to be especially effective for some of the early classes. In this work, we would like to focus on our experience in using in-class engagement and collaborating activities as the main mode of our classes in Introduction to Electrical Engineering and the undergraduate-level Electromagnetism. This process is a modified version of existing active learning practices. The main idea is to engage students with continued in-class activities and team-based work that encourages students to examine and learn together. Students will work together to tackle problems that would emphasize the basic and the main ideas, methods, and thought process that we would like the students to engage with and develop conceptual comfort and mastery over time. The paper will introduce the idea and process that we have reported in earlier papers after working with undergraduate students over the years. Next, we will introduce and discuss the two classes (Freshman Engineering and Electromagnetism) where we deployed the method. We will also highlight the students’ work and introduce their journeys by sharing their reflections and some examples of their activities and challenges. The main question that we are trying to ask and find evidence for is, "Can we re-engineer mistakes and use them as an important part of the learning, changing, and adapting to the process, examinations, and growth of the students?” We found that providing low-stakes learning opportunities is impactful in encouraging collaborations among the students and allowing them to openly engage in their own identity, discuss, examine their knowledge and not be afraid of mistakes. In addition, students are more willing to learn from their mistakes, which we argue is the more meaningful approach to achieving effective learning because they are experiencing a better path and interactions for facilitating their experience that would result in remembering the learning and the process.

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Publication

Considerations for the Use of Personas and Journey Maps in Engineering Course Design

2022-08-23 , Fila, Nicholas , Rover, Diane , Duwe, Henry , Mina, Mani , Industrial Design , Electrical and Computer Engineering

Personas and journey maps are ubiquitous in many design disciplines. These tools allow designers to better understand key users and engage with a user’s experience over time with a product or system. While personas and journey maps are widely used in design disciplines, little scholarship exists on how they, collectively, might be successfully adapted to different contexts, e.g., engineering instruction and course development. Yet, these tools have the potential to help educators better understand students’ experiences during a learning activity, class session, semester, or even an entire curriculum, and identify key issues to address as they develop or revise new learning experiences. This paper presents three case studies of the persona and journey map creation among engineering educators, explores their effects on educator empathy, and investigates factors that may influence their successful implementation in engineering course design settings. Each case features some variation on the format of personas and journey maps. We utilize several data sources to achieve a comprehensive snapshot of each case, including audio recordings of team course design meetings, persona and journey map artifacts, course data, and researcher observations. We present each case individually and identify themes that run across the implementations. These themes include the importance of instructor involvement in the creation process, the effect of diverse voices in the creation process, and the role of play, as well as relevant trade-offs in each of these themes.

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Publication

Case Studies in Applying Design Thinking to Course Design in Computer Engineering

2023-10-20 , Rover, Diane , Duwe, Henry , Jones, Phillip , Fila, Nicholas D. , Mina, Mani , Electrical and Computer Engineering

This Innovative Practice Full Paper describes case studies from an instructional design process based on design thinking, illustrating tools used during stages of design. Instructional teams investigated the potential relevance of design thinking in engineering course design in electrical and computer engineering. Two teams of educators used a design thinking process in the redesign of two computer engineering courses, one in embedded systems and one in computer organization and architecture. The process of applying design thinking methods and tools was led by a facilitator with expertise in design thinking and electrical and computer engineering. The process leveraged specific tools and collaboration. This paper presents examples from each course, focusing on the design thinking tools used by the instructors and team members, highlighting what design thinking looks like when applied in this setting, and giving specific examples. The purpose is to suggest strategies and provide information and guidance for educators to use tools in their own course design efforts.

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Publication

On Competence and Virtue in Engineering and Computing Education

2022-10-08 , Frezza, Stephen , Mina, Mani , Industrial Design

This presents a descriptive analysis of the relationship of competence and virtue for engineering and computing professionals. Rooted in recent developments in competence theory, including the development of the Computing Curricula 2020 (CC2020) guidelines, this work illustrates the relationship between competency-based and virtue-oriented approaches to education. It presents the case for connecting virtue, and the development of virtue, as a necessary aspect for the formation of competent engineering and computing professionals. It suggests a proposed set of engineering and computing (E/C) dispositions drawn from the lifetime learning and computing competency literature that can be used to frame competency-based and/or virtue-oriented E/C education and outlines how dispositions like these serve as a means of bridging competency and virtue as learning goals. The paper concludes with the case for formation in professional virtue is a critical component of engineering and computing education.

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Publication

Does Engineering need Technological Literacy? Does Technological Literacy Need Engineering?

2022-08-23 , Mina, Mani , Industrial Design , Electrical and Computer Engineering

Background: This paper reviews a pedagogical journey teaching Technological Literacy classes for over ten years in Colleges of Engineering and of Design. Technological literacy programs face challenges in our institutions. Engineering and design departmental discussions of the skill reveal these challenges. Purpose: This pedagogical review shows that response and reception to model courses affirm the necessity of curriculum innovations that establish and perpetuate Technological Literacy as a core university discipline. This essential step fortifies the proficiency of future engineers and industrial designers; breaks down disciplinary silos; and engages a multi-literacy community. Method: This paper examines the inception, implementation, and reception of an in-progress novel course at a university navigating the future of technological literacy. Created for a College of Design at the graduate level and open to all students at all levels from all disciplines, the class is titled “Design, Technology, Society, Philosophy, Equity: How things work.” Results: This course generated significant student responses and institutional feedback in early analysis. Further quantitative analysis after its conclusion is forthcoming. Conclusions: The trend of siloing training and academic disciplines seems to be waning. Colleges of Engineering and Design seek to establish cross-functional educational opportunities for their students. Industry and discipline authorities at the conference and national level need to explore integration, mutualism, and reciprocity in an increasingly diverse socio-technical environment.

View