M David Burghardt
Professor of Engineering
Degrees
PHD, 1971, Univ Connecticut; MS, 1968, Univ Connecticut; BS, 1965, United States Merch Marine AcaBio
Dr. Burghardt, P.E., C.Eng., is Chair of Engineering at Hofstra, former Chair of Computer Science, and the author of ten texts in thermodynamics, diesel engines and engineering fundamentals. He is a community activist, believing that engineers should seek leadership roles in our technologically sophisticated society. A former Mayor, Village of Kensington, he led the creation of an intermunicipal environmental committee, serving as its Chair, dedicated to improving the water quality of Long Island Sound.
Fourteen years ago, with the support of Dr. James M. Shuart, President of Hofstra University, Dr. Burghardt, the Chair of Engineering, created the Hofstra Center for Technological Literacy to enhance technological literacy of K-12 students on Long Island. The Center quickly extended its reach to include New York State in its entirety.
With support and collaboration of local industry and the Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), the Center has hosted teacher workshops, engineering design competitions, and large-scale funded projects.
In collaboration with colleagues in the Hofstra University's School of Education, Dr. Burghardt helped create a graduate program in integrated mathematics, science and technology (MST) for elementary teachers and designed a course in Children's Engineering, ElEd 239, that places engineering and the design experience at the center of learning. The MA/MST program is in its fifth year.
In partnership with the New York State Department of Education, the Center won a $1.6 M National Science Foundation grant to organize the New York State Technology Education Network (NYSTEN) a mathematics, science and technology education (MST) staff development network in New York in 1993. Bringing together 120 mathematics, science, technology education teachers and industry partners in four-person teams, NYSTEN developed integrated MST activities, placing engineering design at their heart, and ran workshops for over1000 teachers, parents and school administrators across the state and nationwide.
In 1997, the Center, in collaboration with SUNY at Stony Brook and the Brookhaven National Lab, received NSF funding (The MSTe Project, $4.2M) to provide sustained 100-hour mathematics, science, and technology education staff development to 1500 elementary school teachers over a five-year period. In 1999, the Center received a $1.53M NSF grant to develop high school and community college technology curriculum materials through the New York State Curriculum for Advanced Technological Education (NYSCATE) project. In spring of 2003, the Center received a three-year, $1.0 million NSF grant (NYSPDC), to create professional development institutes at several community colleges in NYS and run professional development workshops across the state. Very excitingly, also in the fall 2003 the Center received a targeted five-year MSP grant under No Child Left Behind from NSF for nearly $12 million to improve middle school mathematics in ten under-performing school districts. The MSTP grant will link mathematics across the MST curriculum in middle schools.
Teaching Interests
My teaching interests are diverse. One area is in engineering, applied thermodynamic and energy system analysis. The second interest is in K-12 STEM education, particularly at the elementary and middle school levels.Research Interests
Of particular interest is how engineering design can provide enhanced student learning in mathematics and science, especially for lower performing students.Recent Courses Taught
| Course | Title | Level |
|---|---|---|
| CT 239 | CHILDREN'S ENGINEERING | Graduate |
| ENGG 010 | CMPTR PRG FOR ENGNRS | Undergraduate |
| ENGG 113 | THERMODYNAMICS | Undergraduate |
| ENGG 139 | THERMAL ENGINEERING | Undergraduate |
| ENGG 143D | MECH ENGG DESIGN | Undergraduate |
| ENGG 143F | MECH DEGN:THERML & FLUID SYSTM | Undergraduate |
| ENGG 170 | MECH ENGG LAB 2 | Undergraduate |
| STEM 120 | FNDATNS OF THE HUMAN MADE WRLD | Undergraduate |
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