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Department of Mechanical Engineering

Lawrence E. Carlson

Professor
Founding Co-Director (emeritus), Integrated Teaching and Learning Program
(303) 492-8112
Lawrence.Carlson@colorado.edu
Personal Website
Curriculum Vitae

Education

  • D.Eng. Mechanical Engineering, University of California at Berkeley, 1971
  • M.S. Mechanical Engineering, University of California at Berkeley, 1968
  • B.S. Mechanical Engineering, University of Wisconsin, 1967

Professional Recognition

  • Vince Kontny Award - Outstanding Undergraduate Advisor, University of Colorado, College of Engineering and Applied Science, 1990
  • Outstanding Undergraduate Advisor, Council on Academic Advising, University of Colorado, 1990
  • National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, Mary E. Switzer Distinguished Research Fellowship, 1990-91
  • Sullivan-Carlson Innovation in Education award – Annual award to honor engineering faculty, nominated and awarded by engineering students, endowed in the name of Jackie Sullivan and me at the dedication of the ITL Laboratory, 1997
  • IDEO Fellow, IDEO Product Design and Development, Palo Alto, CA, 2001
  • Charles Hutchinson Outstanding Teaching Award, College of Engineering and Applied Science, 2001
  • John and Mercedes Peebles Innovation in Education award, College of Engineering and Applied Science, 2004
  • Excellence in Teaching Award, Boulder Faculty Assembly, University of Colorado, 2008
  • Bernard M. Gordon Prize for Innovation in Engineering and Technology Education, National Academy of Engineering (co-recipient with Jacquelyn Sullivan), 2008

Research Interests

  • Research in engineering education, design of upper-limb prostheses

Selected Publications

  • Carlson, L.E. and Sullivan, J.F. (2006), “A Multi-Disciplinary Design Environment,” Proceedings of IDETC/CIE 2006, ASME 2006 International Design Engineering Technical Conferences, September 10-13, Philadelphia, PA, Paper DETC2006-99148, 6 pp.
  • Carlson, L.E. (2005), “Rapid Prototyping to Cement CAD Modeling Skills,” CD-ROM, Proceedings, American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference, June 2005, Session 2252, 6 pp.
  • Carlson, L.E. (2005), “Virtual CAD Parts to Enhance Learning of Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing,” CD-ROM, Proceedings, American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference, June 2005, Session 2126, 10 pp.
  • Carlson, L.E. and Sullivan, J.F. (2004), "Exploiting Design to Inspire Interest in Engineering Across the K-16 Engineering Curriculum," International J. of Engr. Education, Vol. 20(3), pp. 372-378.
  • Knight, D.W., Carlson, L.E. and Sullivan, J.F. (2003), "Staying In Engineering: Impact Of A Hands-On, Team-Based, First-Year Projects Course On Student Retention,” CD-ROM, Proceedings, American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference, June 2003, Paper 1800. (Selected Best Conference Paper).
  • Knight, D.W., Carlson, L.E. and Sullivan, J.F., (2003), “Gender Differences In Skills Development In Hands-On Learning Environments”, CD-ROM, Proceedings, 2003 ASEE/IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference, November 2003, Session 1447.
  • Gall, K.A., Knight, D.W., Carlson, L.E. and Sullivan, J.F. (2003), “Making the Grade with Students: The Case for Accessibility,” J. of Engr. Education, Vol. 92, No. 4, pp. 337-344.
  • Knight, D.W., Sullivan, J.F., Poole, S.J. and Carlson, L.E. (2002), “Skills Assessment in Hands-On Learning and Implications for Gender Differences in Engineering Education,” Proceedings, ASEE Annual Conference, June 2002.
  • Sullivan, J.F., Carlson, L.E., and Carlson, D.W. (2001), “Developing Aspiring Engineers into Budding Entrepreneurs: An Invention and Innovation Course,” J. of Engr. Education, Oct. 2001, pp. 571-76.
  • Carlson, L.E. and Sullivan, J.F. (1999), “Hands-on Engineering: Learning by Doing in the Integrated Teaching and Learning Program,” International J. of Engr. Education, Vol. 15, No. 1, pp. 20-31.

Patents

  • Giffin, J., Rushwald, B. & Carlson, L.E., “Rotatably Adjustable Snowboard Binding,” Application approved, 2008.
  • Carlson, L.E., Frey, D.D. & Brown, E.S., "Locking Mechanism for Voluntary Closing Prosthetic Prehensor", U.S. Patent No. 5,800,571, Sep. 1998.
  • LeBlanc, M., Nelson, C. & Carlson, L., "Rotary Thumb Prosthesis", U.S. Patent No. 4,990,162, Feb. 1991.