School of Engineering & Applied Science

Anna Dollár

 

Professor

Degrees with fields, institutions and dates

  • M.S. Mechanical Eng., 1978; Krakow University of Technology, Krakow, Poland
  • Ph.D. Mechanical Eng., 1985; Krakow University of Technology, Krakow, Poland

Years of service on this faculty, including date of original appointment and dates of advancement in rank. 

  • August 2000- present

 Other related experience-teaching, industrial

  • August, 1995 -August, 2000: Illinois Institute of Technology, Department of Mechanical, Material, and Aerospace Eng., Chicago, Assistant Professor
  • August, 1993 -August, 1995: Illinois Institute of Technology, Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Chicago, IL Visiting Assistant Professor
  • December, 1988- August, 1993: Carnegie-Mellon University, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Pittsburgh, PA Research Consultant
  • September, 1986- January, 1988: Carnegie-Mellon University, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Pittsburgh, PA Postdoctoral Research Associate

Current Research Interests

Engineering Education/ Educational Research
Anna Dollár co-authored with Paul S. Steif (CMU) a web-based, interactive Engineering Statics course: http://oli.web.cmu.edu/openlearning/forstudents/freecourses/engineering-statics . The course has been developed as part of the Carnegie Mellon Open Learning Initiative (OLI) and is available to individual learners and institutions free of charge. It draws upon the authors’ work to reorganize Statics instruction to better address the conceptual challenges students face.  Elements of the course also benefit from studies of conceptual knowledge in Statics and the development and psychometric analysis of the Statics Concept Inventory.   
The course consists of twenty modules.  Each module is based on a set of carefully articulated learning objectives and contains expository text and various interactive exercises, including about 300 tutors with hints and feedback. Assessment is tightly integrated within each module, with students confronting frequently interspersed formative “Learn by Doing” activities, and summative “Did I Get This” interactive assessments at the end of each section to signal if learning objectives were met.   

 

Since June 2006, the Open and Free version of the course has had over 45,000 anonymous visitors. Over 6,500 named users have registered for the Open and Free version during the same time period. Since May 2007 the academic version of the course has been used in blended mode by over 2,600 students in 84 course sections at over 35 institutions. In 2011, the academic course was used by 848 students from 18 institutions.

Interactive portions of the web-based materials are instrumented to record student answers, and provide the results in readily accessible aggregated form in a Learning Dashboard.  Thus, before class, instructors can utilize that information to identify student difficulties, and then focus classroom activities on specific concept and skills that need elaboration and reinforcement. Students’ usage of the course is analyzed by educational data mining techniques.  Learning gains are quantified with the diagnostic tests.  Overall usage of the course materials by students, as well as detailed patterns of use of interactive elements, is analyzed.  Finally, correlation between the usage frequency, students’ self regulation of learning and performance is studied. 
This work is supported by William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and by the National Science Foundation.

Principal publications

Journal Articles 

  1. P.S. Steif, A. Dollár, Web-based Statics Course: Study of Usage Patterns and Learning Gains, Journal of Engineering Education, October 2009, pp. 321-333.
  2. A. Dollár, P. S. Steif, An Interactive, Cognitively Informed, Web-Based Statics Course, International Journal of Engineering Education, Vol.24, No.6, pp. 1229-1241, 2008; interactive paper at: 
    http://www.ijee.dit.ie/OnlinePapers/Interactive/Dollar_Steif/StaticsCourse.html 
  3. A. Dollár, P.S.Steif, Learning Modules for Statics, International Journal of Engineering Education Vol. 22, No. 2, pp 381-392, 2006; interactive paper at:  http://www.ijee.dit.ie/OnlinePapers/Interactive/Statics/Learning-Modules-for-Statics-Dollar-Steif.html
  4. P.S.Steif, A. Dollár, Reinventing The Teaching Of Statics, International Journal of Engineering Education, Vol. 21, No. 4, pp 723-729, 2005
  5. M.Dollár, A.Dollár, On the Strength and Ductility of Nanocrystalline Materials, Special Issue of the Journal of Materials Processing Technology (Elsevier); by invitation only, 157-158 (2004) 491-495
  6. A. Dollár, K. Meade, Modeling Pull-Out Test of Dental Implants, Biomedical Engineering-Applications, Basis & Communications, 15 (2003), p.133-142
  7. A.Dollár, S.Dymek, Microstructure and high temperature mechanical properties of mechanically alloyed Nb3Al-based materials, Intermetallics, 11 (2003), p.341-349.
  8. A.Dollár, S.Dymek, M.Dollár, The Effect of Microstructure on Ductility of NiAl, Archives of Metallurgy, 47 (2002), p. 3-15.
  9. S.Dymek, A.Lorent, M.Wrobel, A.Dollár, Mechanical Alloying and Microstructure of a Nb-20V-15Al Alloy, Materials Characterization, 47 (2001), p. 375-381.
  10. S.Nair, A.Dollár, Stresses and Strains in High Pressure Composite Hoses, Journal of Pressure Vessel Technology, 119 (1997) 351.
  11. A.Dollár, P.Steif, Cohesive Zone Approach to Interpreting the Fiber Push-Out Test, J. Amer. Ceramic Soc., 76 (1993) 897.
  12. A.Dollár, P.S.Steif, Y.C.Wang, C.Y.Hui, Analyses of the Fiber Push-Out Test, Int. J. Solid Str., 30 (1993) 1313.
  13. P.S.Steif, A.Dollár, Models of Fiber-Matrix Interfacial Debonding, J. Am. Ceramic Soc., 75 (1992) 1694.
  14. A.Dollár, P.S.Steif, Interface Blunting of Matrix Cracks in Fiber-reinforced Ceramics, J. Appl. Mech., 59 (1992) 796.
  15. A.Dollár, P.S.Steif, The Branched Crack Problem Revisited, J. Appl. Mech., 58 (1991) 584.
  16. A.Dollár, P.S.Steif, Stresses in Fibers Spanning an Infinite Matrix Crack, Int. J. Solid Str., 27 (1991) 1011.
  17. A.Dollár, Z.Kordas, The Search of Plastic Nonhomogeneity of Material For Fully Plasticized Circular Cylinders Under Combined Loadings, Rozprawy Inzynierskie (Engineering Transactions), 38 (1990) 429.
  18. A.Dollár, Z.Kordas, Nonhomogeneous, Circular Thick-Walled Cylinders Under Nonuniformly Distributed Pressure Fully Plasticized at Failure, Mechanika Teoretyczna i Stosowana (Applied and Theoretical Mechanics), 28 (1990) 65.
  19. A.Dollár, P.Steif, A Tension Crack Impinging upon Frictional Interfaces, J. Appl. Mech., 56 (1989) 291.
  20. P.Steif, A.Dollár, Longitudinal Shearing of a Weakly Bonded Fiber Composites, J. Appl. Mech., 55 (1988) 618.
  21. A.Dollár, P.Steif, Load Transfer in Composites with a Coulomb Friction Interface, Int. J. Solid Str., 24 (1988) 789.
  22. A.Dollár, Effect of Material Inhomogeneity on the Shapes of Noncircular Cross-sections of Thick-walled Cylinder Fully Plasticized at Failure, Rozprawy Inzynierskie - Engineering Transactions, 31 (1983) 241.
  23. A.Dollár, J.Kaczorowski, A.Siemieniec, An Analytical Method of Strength Calculations of Major Elements of Tube-Ball Mills, Scientific Bulletins of AGH University of Science and Techn., 142 (1981) 119.
  24. A.Dollár, M.Grabka, Z.Warszynski, The Analysis of Stress State in Rings of Sintered Carbides with regard to Thermal Stresses, Scientific Bulletins of AGH University of Science and Techn., 142 (1981) 113.
  25. A.Dollár, Z.Kordas, The Shapes of Thick Curved Bars Subjected to Bending, Tension and Shear Showing Complete Yield at the Stage of Collapse, Mechanika Teoretyczna i Stosowana (Applied and Theoretical Mechanics, 4 (1980) 603.

 Selected Conference Proceedings 

  1. A. Dollár, R. R. Ulseth, ,P. S. Steif, Blending Interactive Courseware Into Statics Courses and Assessing the Outcome at Different Institutions; Proceedings of the American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition, Vancouver, BC, June 2011
  2. A. Dollár, P. S. Steif, Using A Digital Dashboard For Learning To Blend Interactive, Web-Based Courseware Into An Instructor-Led Statics Course; Proceedings of the American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition, Louisville, Kentucky, June 2010; (Mechanics Division Best Paper Award).
  3. A. Dollár, P.S. Steif, Web-Based Statics Course Used In An Inverted Classroom; Proceedings of the American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition, Austin, Texas, June 2009; (Mechanics Division Best Paper Award).
  4. A. Dollár, P. S. Steif, Web-based statics course:  patterns in use and the relation to learning gains; 2008 Frontiers in Education , Saratoga Springs, October 2008
  5. A.Dollár, P.S.Steif, Enhancing Traditional Classroom Instruction with Web-based Statics Course, 2007 Frontiers in Education, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, October 2007
  6. A.Dollár, P.S.Steif, Sharpening Statics as a Tool for Design: Demystifying the Modeling of  Forces at Supports and Connections, American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, June 2005
  7. P.S.Steif, A.Dollár, John A. Dantzler, Results from a Statics Concept Inventory and their Relationship to other Measures of Performance in Statics, 2005 Frontiers in Education, Indianapolis, Indiana, October 2005

Scientific and Professional societies of which a member

  • Member of American Society of Mechanical Engineers: 1994 - present
  • Member of American Society of Engineering Education: 1997 - present
  • Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi: 2007-present

 Honors and awards. 

  • Ohio Magazine Excellence in Education recognition December 2011

  • ASEE North Central Section Outstanding Teacher Award, 2011

  • Invited Speaker

    • Active/Self-directed Learning, National Academy of Engineering (NAE) Frontiers of Engineering Education workshop, November 2011

    • Systematic Formative Assessment, Main plenary session at the American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE) Annual Conference & Exposition, Vancouver, BC, June 2011 (about 2500 attendees)

  • University System of Ohio Faculty Innovator Award, 2011

  • E. Phillips Knox Teaching Award      December, 2006
    Miami University most prestigious peer-reviewed award for excellence and innovation in undergraduate teaching
  • School of Engineering and Applied Science Outstanding Teacher Award        March, 2004
  • Commencement Speaker     April, 2001
    Department of Mechanical, Material and Aerospace Engineering, IIT
  • Polish Women 2000 (Polki 2000)     October, 2000
  • Julia Beveridge Award (IIT)     May, 2000
  • University Excellence in Teaching Award (IIT)     April, 1998
  • Barnett Excellence in Teaching Award  (MMAE Department IIT)     May, 1996

Institutional and Professional Service

Miami University (these are some selected examples) 

  • Member of the Committee for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching (CELT)  and Senate Liaison,  August 2006 - August 2007, August 2008 - present
  • Member of  University Senate, August 2004 – April 2007
  • President (2005-2006) and Executive officer (2002-2007), Performing Art Series Advisory Board
  • Member of Graduate School Academic Achievement Assistantships Committee (2005-2006)
  • Member Harassment / Discrimination Review Panel (2003-2006)
  • Member of First in 2009 Coordinating Council (September 2002 – April 2004)
  • Member of the University Enrollment Planning Steering Committee (October 2000 – 2003)
  • Chair of  SEAS Teaching Award Committee, August 2005 – present

   

National

  • Chair of the Mechanics Division of ASEE (2010 - present)
  • Invited Speaker; Panel Discussion on Fostering the Implementation of Best Practices, American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE) Annual Conference & Exposition, Vancouver, 2011
  • Chair Elect of the Mechanics Division of ASEE (2008 – 2009)
  • Member of Executive Committee of the Mechanics Division of ASEE (2004 – present)
  • Reviewer for IJEE, ASEE, FIE, ASME, International Journal of Engineering Education, International Journal of Solids and Structures, ECS Pearson Prentice Hall, Wiley & Sons Publishing Company, Addison-Wesley Publishing Company
  • Chairing sessions at conferences: FIE, CATE, ASEE, ASME, International Conference on Mechanical Behaviour of Materials, Switzerland,  9th International Conference on Composite Engineering, San Diego, 6th Annual International Conference on Composite Engineering, Florida, 13th U.S. National Congress of Applied Mechanics