Session 1:  Developing Basic Spreadsheet Skills

This session will focus on teaching students spreadsheet skills that will make their work
better in many ways and allow them to complete their work more efficiently.  For example,
using names for cells and ranges of cells instead of cell addresses, using efficient
selection techniques instead of dragging out ranges of cells, and so forth.  These are
skills that we teach to our freshmen in their intro computing course.  Creation of "proper"
engineering graphs and streamlining of graph creation will also be covered.  Excel formula
syntax and the use of built-in functions will be reviewed.

Session 2:  Introducing Spreadsheet Problem-solving Methods

Here, the focus will be on the problem scenarios that lend themselves to spreadsheet
solution.  These would include the once-through calculation, with ample attention to
units, case studies using data tables to drive once-through calculations, and targeting
of calculations to desired results using Goal Seek and Solver.  Optimization calculations
involving constraints using the Solver will be covered too.  Part of this will include graphical
representation.  There will be some discussion of how the spreadsheet approach changes
the way problems are solved.

Session 3:  Spreadsheet Applications Across the Curriculum

We want to take a look at the opportunities for spreadsheet use in the various core
courses of the ChE curriculum.  For example, setting up iterative calculations for
recycle problems in material & energy balances.  Another example would be solving
a 2-pt boundary value problem in countercurrent heat exchange using the Euler
method and the Solver for the shooting method.  Carrying out nonlinear regression to
evaluate kinetic models in the reactor design/reaction kinetics course.  We will have to
consider the general use of Excel in laboratory courses for applied statistics calculations.
And we'll look at cash flow analysis as part of the design course.  There will be more
examples from fluids, thermo, separations, and control.

Session 4:  Spreadsheet Programming (Excel/VBA) and Connecting to other Applications

The approach here will be to illustrate how to get the biggest bang from the smallest buck,
when it comes to VBA programming.  We will assume that students will not have the time
or inclination to become expert VBA programmers.  Recording simple macros and creating
user-defined functions will be emphasized.  There will be some consideration of small-scale
VBA applications, as required by the problems that arise in courses, and the implementation
of user forms.  We will select some interconnection examples, such as, Excel communicating
with HYSYS, Matlab, Mathcad, Fortran or C/C++, and, in real time, with LabView.  Most of these
will require some level of VBA programming.  There will be some mention, and possibly demo,
of intriguing Excel add-ins, e.g., the new Polymath add-in.