Sustainable Energy Technologies

Use of large language models (GenAI)

Generative AI (e.g., ChatGPT) has clear implications for engineering practice. In this course, the use of generative AI is permitted, providing it adheres to the guidelines of responsible practice described below:
• AI can be used to find, gather and summarise knowledge on a subject outside your expertise. However, you must verify any information produced by AI. AI output can be convincingly wrong on technical matters, incomplete, contradictory, or potentially omit alternative hypotheses or views. Thus, it is important to verify AI-generated output. This includes checking source material, asking or reprompting an AI for alternative views, and challenging it to justify its statements. Verification may only be possible when you are a subject matter expert, i.e., a competent engineer.
• Generative AI can be used to improve your writing and provide editing feedback. When using AI to alter your writing, it is important to check that the substantive message of the text has not been altered. It is not recommended to use AI to generate original text. Rather, it is safer to place yourself in the role of author, and AI in the role of editor, so that it is only improving the communication of your original ideas.
An AI is not a substitute for a creative, problem-solving engineer. It cannot match the complex reasoning or emotional intelligence of a human. Relying on an AI to solve problems for you may prevent you from achieving course Learning Outcomes. Being unable to demonstrate your mastery of Learning Outcomes during an invigilated assessment (test or exam) when AI is unavailable could lead to you failing the course.  

If you decide to use AI to complete a course assessment, you must disclose its use.

Special considerations

You may apply formally for special consideration if you have been impaired by significant exceptional and/or unforeseeable circumstances that have prevented the completion of or significantly impaired your performance (i.e., such that your results are not representative of your level of understanding) for any major assessment items in the course. The applicability and remedy are listed below for each assessment. You can refer to the University ‘Special Consideration Regulations’ and ‘Special Consideration Policies and Procedures’ documents for more information on the acceptable grounds for special consideration and the application process; note that personal circumstances due to a wider emergency event may also qualify.

Midterm test - moderate or higher - You will be offered an equivalent alternative test that will replace your original test grade. This test will be held for an equivalent time during the semester, to be scheduled with the course coordinator.

Final exam - Moderate or higher - You will be offered an equivalent alternative exam that will replace your original exam grade unless you decline or do not respond to the offer of the alternative exam, in which case the original grade will be used. This exam will be held in the week of July 7.

Note: Students will not be advised of their original marks as part of the alternative assessment process. All communication associated with special considerations will be conducted using official UC email accounts. The offer to sit an alternative assessment will come with a date and time. Students will have a specified amount of time to respond to the offer. Failure to respond in the specified time frame will be interpreted as a declined offer. If a student has applied for special consideration but the application has not yet been approved, they may be permitted to sit the alternative exam, but the mark will not be applied until the special consideration application has been approved.