Curriculum improvements in power engineering

The Power Engineering Group at the University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez (UPRM) has implemented several strategies to improve its curriculum and meet new ABET accreditation criteria. Strategies include the revision of course contents, integration of laboratory practices to courses, and a more prominent role of undergraduate research and power electronics in the power engineering curriculum. Courses are being updated to include contemporary topics while keeping fundamental engineering principles. A recent grant by NSF will support on-going efforts to create laboratory practices that would connect the teaching of theoretical principles to actual implementations. Participation in the Center for Power Electronics Systems, a NSF Engineering Research Center, has given UPRM the opportunity to expand course offerings and undergraduate research in power engineering. An important outcome of this curriculum improvement is to motivate students to take an active role in the learning process