Teaching Activities

Dr. Dao has taught a number of engineering classes. Some of the class activities are as follow.

In ENGR 102’s solar oven project, freshmen spend time in the classroom poring over spreadsheets and thermodynamics equations. Then they work in groups of three to six to design the best possible solar oven within timeline and budget specifications and using simple materials -- Mylar, cardboard, aluminum foil, black paper, newspaper, spray paint, tape, and a thermometer. They predict the temperature their ovens will reach based on a “performance index” mathematical model and at the Solar Oven Throw Down test their ovens to determine the accuracy of their predictions. Team “We Showed Up” took both awards associated with performance index -- highest performance index and highest average performance index.

Team “We Showed Up” at Solar Oven Throw Down Event 2013.

Team "The Afterburners" at Solar Oven Throw Down Event 2016.

Team "Solar Chicks" at Solar Oven Throw Down Event 2018.

For the class of CE435/CE535 Prestressed Concrete Structures in the Spring 2017, three field trips were hosted. Some pictures of those trips shown below.

Sunset Road Bridge (2017).


South Stadium parking garage (2017).


Field trip to Coreslab, Phoenix (2017).


Field trip to Coreslab, Phoenix (2017).