Linda Vanasupa is a Professor in the Materials Engineering Department at the California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, Calfornia. Since she joined the Cal Poly faculty in 1991, she has won several University awards for teaching and applied research as well as the Dow Outstanding New Faculty Award from the American Society for Engineering Education. Her primary interest in education has been to create laboratory experiences that closely match the "real world," promoting the use of statistics, teamwork, communication, and ethics within engineering. She has authored 12 articles on various classroom techniques. Her research interests are in the area of thin film deposition and… characterization.