ENGG1500 Engineering Thermodynamics (Workshops)

Thermodynamics is at the heart of many engineering processes and many of the important technical and environmental problems that engineers tackle. ENGG1500 helps students to understand the answers to the following questions and how they are related:

1. Will clever engineers one day construct an engine that converts heat into work with one hundred per cent efficiency?
2. Why is it so hard to reverse the effects of pollution?
3. Why are heat pump hot water systems so much more efficient than electrical heaters?
4. Why does a hot cup of coffee always cool down and never warm up?

ENGG1500 has over 300 students. The lectures are used to explain difficult concepts, highlight key issues and show the context of the theory to solving practical problems. Students are expected to have pre-read text material and completed a brief on-line quiz before they go to each lecture where they use clickers to engage with the content. In addition to the lectures, students attend tutorials and large group workshops to work on key problems related to the lectures.

Dr Greg Birkett has taken a leadership role focusing on teaching within the School of Chemical Engineering and has a reputation for excellence in teaching. He has undertaken major roles in grant projects for both research and teaching. Currently he is part of the leadership team developing the Journey Maker curriculum development tool with funding from the UQ TEL grants.