Lorraine Francis, who holds the 3M Chair in Experiential Learning, was recently named a College of Science and Engineering (CSE) Distinguished Professor. With the honor comes a $15,000 award for professional development or research.
Francis, a professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, was selected by CSE dean Mostafa Kaveh for her outstanding commitment to teaching, her internationally recognized reputation in research, and her dedication to the college. CSE’s awards and honors committee recommended her for the distinction.
Francis was appointed to the 3M chair in 2016. The chair was created to enhance the undergraduate experience for all CSE students, improve retention rates, and better prepare students for entering the workforce after graduation.
“3M chair funding supports the development of hands-on, experiential learning in the College of Science and Engineering. In this effort, we offer a project-based learning course for freshmen, which teaches the fundamentals of open-ended problem solving, innovation, and design. The students learn to use 3D printers, create computer-aided design projects, and program microcontrollers, and then they work in teams on unique projects. The projects are creative and amazing! The students benefit from the new skills as well as the design and teamwork experience.”
—Lorraine Francis
.subhead { text-transform: none; font-family: neutra-2-text, sans-serif; font-weight: 500; font-style: normal; }