10 replies to this topic

[Ankur Shah]

Hi!

I beleieve the best sources for most basic info on most basic fundamentals of academics is through books.

I recommend, Cussler and Treybal. There may be others for sure.

Ankur

[gary_mondejar]

hi! can anyone help me on finding an experiment to plot the enthalpy composition diagram? this is our take home exam. i already have an experiment to plot the x vs. y curve but i do not know of an experiment to measure the enthalpy of a binary mixture. your help will be very much appreciated. thanks!

[Art Montemayor]

Gary:

If you are asking other ChE students and us professional ChEs to help you do your take-home exam work, you are asking us to do something that is not only ethically and morally wrong, it is also despicable. I hope that is not what you are asking this Forum to foment or support you in doing.

The reason I spend a lot of time on this Student Forum is because I try to help ChE students who are honestly and truthfully doing their best and only need additional work in understanding the theory and practice problems. I also try earnestly to prepare them for what is waiting for them in the professional field in the future. But I detest anyone - especially a ChE student - who would stoop to cheat on a ChE exam --- especially one that is based on the Honor System.

I have a lot of respect and greater expectations of ChE students who have struggled and sacrificed a lot of time and mental work in order to make themselves into professional engineers with an ethical code.

If this Forum is to be used to employ unethical methods to achieve a ChE degree, I personally will quit coming here and probably drop out of trying to help such devious and under-handed methods. I don't believe it is right, correct, or just to try that kind of "trick" on fellow ChE students who are doing the work assigned and expected of them.

I expect ChE students who read this post to give me their opinions on my comments and to tell me honestly if they feel that I have the "wrong" attitude.

I will await response from serious and interested ChE students.

[gary_mondejar]

Gary:

If you are asking other ChE students and us professional ChEs to help you do your take-home exam work, you are asking us to do something that is not only ethically and morally wrong, it is also despicable. I hope that is not what you are asking this Forum to foment or support you in doing.

The reason I spend a lot of time on this Student Forum is because I try to help ChE students who are honestly and truthfully doing their best and only need additional work in understanding the theory and practice problems. I also try earnestly to prepare them for what is waiting for them in the professional field in the future. But I detest anyone - especially a ChE student - who would stoop to cheat on a ChE exam --- especially one that is based on the Honor System.

I have a lot of respect and greater expectations of ChE students who have struggled and sacrificed a lot of time and mental work in order to make themselves into professional engineers with an ethical code.

If this Forum is to be used to employ unethical methods to achieve a ChE degree, I personally will quit coming here and probably drop out of trying to help such devious and under-handed methods. I don't believe it is right, correct, or just to try that kind of "trick" on fellow ChE students who are doing the work assigned and expected of them.

I expect ChE students who read this post to give me their opinions on my comments and to tell me honestly if they feel that I have the "wrong" attitude.

I will await response from serious and interested ChE students.

Dear Art,

I don't know what to say. What you said was a slap in my face. But thinking of it again and again, I guess you are right. I want to sincerely thank you for what you said. Thanks for helping us (ChE students) and me to be better engineers in the future. I'll do my best to answer my exam with honor and pride. Thank you so much.

[Zauberberg]

Hello Gary,

Do not take Mr Montemayor's words personally. If you browse Student forum topic list, you'll find many homework assignments posted by student ChE members, who were trying to get their problems solved by professionals or other students.
I am of opinion that we should always throw some light on specific (posted) problem - which Mr Montemayor is doing, and to give as much useful references and guidelines as we can.

Unfortunately, many of us were not taught during studies to use a literature or referencing when specific problem or task appears, and this was the biggest handicap (at least in my case). So, when facing real situation in the field, you should always try to collect as many data as you can, related to your problem. Internet and industrial company libraries are incredible opportunities for that.

[Art Montemayor]

Gary:

It isn’t often that I have been fortunate to receive a learning experience from a ChE Student in this Forum. But, I have, on some occasions, had the privilege of receiving a “lesson learned” from a Student. This is such an occasion.

You have taught me, and probably some other members on this Forum, that there is always an opportunity for a student to learn and come out ahead of an experience – no matter how bad or distasteful the experience. It is this learning that breaks us free of restraints and false hopes based on the hopes that we can get by in life with a minimum of effort on our part and totally depend on others to do our work. This is a pivotal step and an “article of faith” for an engineer because when we enter the professional arena we are expected to be the leaders and innovators in resolving many problems facing our society – from keeping our water supplies pure and abundantly available, ensuring we can grow crops to continue feeding ourselves, maintaining an energy supply for our economy, constructing our safe and economical homes and work environments, to creating jobs and leading others to successful solutions in the industrial workplace. And in order to receive that magnitude of responsibility, we must ensure that our preparation and our developed skills meet the criteria to carry out those goals. That’s why professional engineers are held responsible and liable before society as Registered and Licensed engineers. The public and society demands that because our profession is a vital one that sustains a lot of our societies needs and requirements. Here, I am not basking in self-engrandizement or on an ego trip; what I’ve recited are simple, plain facts that most (or all) of the developing nations in the world will freely admit and count on. Our profession is an important one, without a doubt. And because it is, it must demand continued self-improvement in those that make up this profession. That should explain why it is so difficult, taxing, and demanding to just qualify for an engineering education – and then find out that one has to constantly compete with many others in order to achieve a degree – much less the status of recognized professional engineer. The worst test is when one gets out in industry and real life and tries to put to test the principles taught in school – dealing with real, honest-to-life people, situations, and problems that are often 180^o apart from the theory we learned. This test is the worse because it puts the young graduate in a situation where he has to reach back and depend on his strength of character, intestinal fortitude, perseverance, and hard work ethic.

Many universities and engineering professors don’t state it, nor do they refer to it, but it is tacitly understood that engineering students should realize that they are expected to strictly abide by the moral code of never cheating, lying, or stealing. These basic, negative character defects will destroy any engineer – even before he/she gets started in their career. No respectable engineering society in the profession will tolerate an individual who will be prone to lie, cheat, or steal. This is simply not tolerated world-wide in the engineering profession. How could we place any faith or confidence on an engineer who designed a critical bridge, dam, refinery, power station, skyscraper, etc., etc. and was found to have cheated or lied about the strength of materials used or the calculations done? This scenario is simply not acceptable by simple logical reasoning. And it follows in real life that this logic is applied 100% of the time with respect to engineers. That’s why I take such a hard and rigid stand where it involves the character and ethical values that a ChE student must have and cultivate. If you fail to nurture and defend those values you will fail miserably as an engineer – not because you can’t make the mathematical or scientific grade, but simply because other engineering colleagues will refuse to work with you or have you as a peer. It is not enough for an engineer to make the “right” calculation or the “right” decision. He/She must also do what is RIGHT. This is a pre-requisite to the profession.

Please excuse my long-winded recital of basic engineering criteria that should be well-known by all. I repeat it here not for your sake, but rather for those ChE students who might be tempted in the future to try to get by with a minimum of self-effort or competitive spirit. We have to work and compete hard among ourselves in order to strive to self-improve. That’s not only expected, it is now being demanded of us by the professional societies and registration commissions as proof of continuing education and self-improvement. This is what is ahead for all students. With social status, privileged economic station, and respect comes the responsibility of earning it and keeping it.

I now thank you for this learning experience and for the hope that my point(s) were well-taken. I can assure you that I never mean to apply a slap in the face of a student – HOWEVER, if I could be convinced that it would turn a bad student into a successful, practicing engineer I would do so not once, but probably twice! A ChE student has had to sacrifice far too much time, work, money, effort, lost loves, and increasingly difficult Thermodynamics problems for me to watch him/her waste it all on one false character flaw or decision. By the time a ChE student gets into university he/she has shown that they represent the exceptional and talented expectations for their society. To allow them to fail and ruin their opportunities – even by their own means – is a terrible waste and one I wish to avoid.

I am very impressed by your attitude and the time/effort you have made in analyzing my remarks as they pertain to your original statement. You analyzed correctly. The basis of my remarks was not to vent my spleen, but rather to try to salvage your – and other students’ – best interests: always take the high road where morals and integrity are concerned while you are a student. It will carry you far and wide in your later life as a professional. You have said it best: always take your exams with Honor and Pride. The results are supposed to be a direct and accurate measure of who you are.

I wish you all the luck in your endeavor to join us in the profession and please feel free to always ask for help from this Forum in understanding any engineering concept or concern you may have. We want to help you prepare for the ultimate exam, but not to take the exam for you. That would be cheating you out of an education and would surely place you in a bad situation later when you couldn’t explain what you would be expected to dominate.

Art Montemayor

[uetian98]

Seriously guys,

I regretted opening this topic and closed it without going through the lengthy replies instead.
Then I though why not to share my piece of mind regarding this all.

I was expecting to find something interesting as per the topic.
Its absoulte OK to share good things, But its a good idea to stick to the topic.
THANK