Thomas H. Colledge, PhD, PE

Assistant Professor of Engineering Design
The Pennsylvania State University

Mailing Address

213 Hammond Building

University Park, PA 16802

Phone

814-863-1527 (Office)

814-863-7229 (Fax)

E-Mail

thc100@psu.edu

About Me — My passion over the past twenty-one years has been to develop and grow a program at Penn State whereby students might apply their academic training, in multidisciplinary teams, to solve problems of marginalized communities. This vision of service learning in engineering took root during my undergraduate years and became a professional goal upon joining the Engineering Design department at Penn State in 1991. My efforts have been focused on development of Humanitarian Engineering. Over these intervening 22 years, this quest has borne fruit through the creation and implementation of a number of efforts which have helped nurture a culture of service by engineering students and faculty. These efforts were broad based and included:

        1. Academic Programs: Creation of the Engineering and Community Engagement Certificate which provides an
             academic home for students engaging in Humanitarian Engineering efforts.
         2. Design Projects: Engaging hundreds of students in design projects which addressed the needs of
              marginalized communities in East Africa, the Caribbean, Central/South America, and areas within the United
              States.
        3. Research: Development of research efforts for undergraduate students which focused on solving problems of
             marginalized communities.
        4. Dissemination: Creation of the International Journal for Service Learning in Engineering: Humanitarian
             Engineering and Social Entrepreneurship to permit dissemination of the scholarly work of students and faculty
             mentors from around the world.
        5. Student Learning Community: Creation of a student learning community to facilitate and nurture such efforts
             among students
        6. Outreach: Engaging middle school students in engineering design of solutions to problems in their local
            communities.

These efforts culminated in the formal approval by the College of Engineering at Penn State in 2011 of the Humanitarian Engineering and Social Entrepreneurship (HESE) program.

                                                          Faculty — Humanitarian Engineering and Social Entrepreneurship (HESE)

                                                Editor-in-Chief — International Journal of Service Learning in Engineering, Humanitarian Engineering and Social Entrepreneurship

                                                Faculty Adviser — Society of Humanitarian Engineers and Social Entrepreneurs

Secretary-Elect - American Society of Engineering Education, Community Engagement Division

Research Interests

Learning communities and the integration of service-learning projects into undergraduate curriculum and the impact on cognitive skills development and retention
Management of water, wastewater, housing and energy services for poverty reduction
Broad areas of interest related to engineering education and developing communities include:
- Alternative Energy Technologies
- Water Resources
- Environmental Issues
- Infrastructure
- Housing
- Entrepreneurship
—with an emphasis on the cultural appropriateness of such activities.

Education

PhD Agricultural and Biological Engineering. Minor: Instructional Systems
The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA

M. Eng. Civil Engineering
The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA

B.S. Civil Engineering
The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA

B.S. Mathematics Education and Science (Biology)
The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA

Publications

- Colledge, T.H., Cognitive Foundations of Engineering Design/Build Service Learning Projects. Proceedings from Engineering Design at Catholic Universities. Spring, 2005

- Snyder, Benjamin J., J. Bussard, J.Dolak, T. Weiser, T. Colledge. A Portable Sisal Decorticator for Kenyan Farmers, The International Journal for Service Learning in Engineering. Vol. 1, No. 2, September, 2006.

- Colledge, T.H., Development of a Certificate Program in Engineering Service Learning and Entrepreneurship. NCIIA Annual Proceedings, 2007.

- Pearce, Joshua, L. Grafman, T. Colledge, R. Legg. Leveraging Information Technology, Social Entrepreneurship, and Global Collaboration for Just Sustainable Development. NCIIA Annual Proceedings, 2008.

- Colledge, T.H., Cognitive Benefits of Engineering Service Learning. NCIIA Annual Proceedings, 2009.

- Lackey, G., Bell, L., Ferdik, C., Shreve, M., Mehta, C., Mehta, K., Colledge, T., “Technology, implementation and economic sustainability model for an affordable biogas digester: A Case-Study”, Forum TBD

- Mehta, C., Mehta, K., Colledge, T., "The E-Spot Model for developing Business Strategies for Technology-based Ventures in Developing Communities", NCIIA Annual Conference, Alexandria, March 2011

Collaborative Projects/Travel

Projects:
- Sisal Decortication—University of Nairobi, Kenya
- Wind Powered Energy Production for Rural Communities—University of Nairobi, Kenya
- Oil Pipeline Catastrophe Mitigation—University of Lagos, Nigeria
- Solar Energy Production for Rural Communities—University of Ibadan, Nigeria
- Anaerobic Digestion for Methane Production and Electrical Power Generation—University of Technology, Jamaica
- Mustard Seed Community - University of Technology, Jamaica
- Bridge Design and Construction—Nueva Esperanza, El Salvador
- Housing Retrofitting—Nueva Esperanza, El Salvador
- Surveying for Water Projects and Bridges—Nueva Esperanza, El Salvador
- St. Giles Anglican Primary School—T. A. Marryshow Community College, Grenada
- Alternative HVAC design of computer building—Nueva Esperanza, El Salvador
- Alternative energy system for computer building—Nueva Esperanza, El Salvador
- Portable milk drying apparatus—University of Technology, Jamaica
- Solar energy for households—Food for the Poor—Kingston, Jamaica
- Rain Catchment System - CYEC, Nyeri, Kenya
- Biodiesel System - CYEC, Nyeri, Kenya
- Biodiesel-Powered Steam Engine Generator - CYEC, Nyeri, Kenya
- Alternative Energy System (Bicycle-Powered Generator) - CYEC, Nyeri, Kenya
- Anaerobic Digester w/ Methane Production for Cooking Fuel - CYEC, Nyeri, Kenya
- High Tunnel w/ Drip Irrigation - CYEC, Nyeri, Kenya
- Field-Level Drip Irrigation System - CYEC, Nyeri, Kenya
- Water Filtration System - CYEC, Nyeri, Kenya
- Anaerobic Digester w/ Methane Production for Cooking Fuel - Tisma, Nicaragua

Professional Affiliations

Awards

Lawrence J. Perez Student Advocate Award—Penn State College of Engineering
Leadership and Service Award—Penn State College of Education
W. LaMarr Kopp International Achievement Award -- Penn State Global Programs
Tau Beta Pi—Engineering Honor Society

Courses Teaching or Taught

ABE 402: Transport Processes for Biological Production
ASM 221: Agricultural Systems Management
ASM 428: Electric Power and Instrumentation for Agriculture
CDEV 470: Comparative Community Development
EDSGN 100: Engineering Design and Graphics
EDSGN 497C: Engineering Design in Developing Communities
ENGR 097: Humanitarian Engineering
EDSGN 352: Foundations of Community Service Engineering
EDSGN 452: Projects in Community Service Engineering

Books

Convergence: Philosophies and Pedagogies for Developing the Next Generation of Humanitarian Engineers and Social Entrepreneurs. Edited by: Colledge, T.H., IJSLE, 2012
Computer Aided Design Using Solid Modeling—6th Edition (1999). Schroff Publishing, Inc., Colledge, Thomas, D. Sathianathan, J. Faldowski, S. Ranade, and K. Meyer.

Grants

National Collegiate Innovators and Inventors Alliance (NCIIA)—Service Through Design and Entrepreneurship Certificate Program.
U.S. Department of Agriculture—Energy Production and Pollutant Mitigation from Broiler Houses on Poultry Farms in Pennsylvania and Jamaica.
PSU Office of Undergraduate Education—Development of a collaborative, web-based design laboratory—incorporating biological and chemical design elements into first year design course.
Hach, Inc.—Equipment for design laboratory development.
National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance (NCIIA) - Design of Agricultural Utility System for Subsistence Farmers in Kenya.
Corporate sponsorship of ESW projects
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) P3 Program. Design of a Biodiesel Powered Steam Engine for Electricity Generation, Kenya.

Alcoa Nomination—Construction funding for student-designed solutions and release time for program development.
Africana Research Center—Collaborative team development for student projects and research efforts—Jamaica.
PSU International Programs—Collaborative team development for student projects—El Salvador and Jamaica.
Earth & Mineral Sciences Diversity Office, Minority in Engineering Office, Women in Engineering Office, EGEE Office—Collaborative team development for students in projects—El Salvador.

Professional Licensure

Professional Engineer (PE-049560-E): Civil Engineering, Pennsylvania
Instructional Certificate II: Mathematics Education, Pennsylvania

Journals

International Journal of Service Learning in Engineering: Humanitarian Engineering and Social Entrepreneurship

Miscellany

updated: March 2012