Conference Session

Improving the Teaching Skills of Graduate Students

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Maura Borrego, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

the semester. To varying degrees, these weekly meetings also serveas peer mentoring and community building activities among the teaching teams assigned to eachcourse. There is little communication between graduate students assigned to different courses,even among Graduate Teaching Fellows. Written, qualitative faculty evaluations were veryuseful to workshop leaders, while quantitative student evaluations using a standardized formwere not reflective of the responsibilities of workshop leaders. Recommendations includeexpanding the faculty teaching mentor role, redesigning the student feedback form, and addingsocial activities across course assignments.I. IntroductionThose holding academic faculty positions within a college or university are

Conference Session

Mentoring Graduate Students

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Tershia Pinder-Grover, University of Michigan; Sarah Root, University of Arkansas; Emine Cagin, University of Michigan

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

critical resource upon whichmany large research institutions rely. The GSI position also provides a pivotal opportunity fordeveloping the next generation of engineering faculty and industry leaders through training andmentoring. A centrally organized peer mentor program1 is one approach that can positivelyimpact not only the GSIs’ teaching experiences, but the peer mentors’ experiences as well.2 Thispaper evaluates the Engineering GSI Mentor (EGSM) program at the University of Michigan,which is designed to train and empower selected graduate students to provide teaching-relatedservices to their fellow GSIs. EGSMs’ duties range from consultations on a variety ofpedagogical topics to in-classroom services, such as observing a GSI’s teaching and

Conference Session

Issues of Diversity in Graduate Engineering Education

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Eugene DeLoatch, Morgan State University; Sherra Kerns, Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering; Lueny Morell, Hewlett-Packard; Carla Purdy, University of Cincinnati; Paige Smith, University of Maryland; Samuel Truesdale, Rolls-Royce Corporation

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

career so that they willbe more likely to persevere in majors and careers in science.41 Some of these programs addadditional components such as enhanced emphasis on mentoring, development of career plansand actual graduate applications, dealing with time management and work-life balance issues,and identifying a supportive peer group. Such programs have been described by Purdy et al.42and by Crosby et al.43 While many of these programs are highly effective, they do not alwayshave stable funding. .B. MentoringAs noted by Purdy and Wasburn2, "a continuing concern for all graduate students is how to findsufficient mentoring and role models. This need is not limited to academic subjects. Much morethan undergraduate students, graduate students are

Conference Session

Mentoring Graduate Students

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jan Rinehart, Rice University; Sherry Woods, University of Texas at Austin; Rebecca Richards-Kortum, Rice University

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

candidates had in terms of considering afuture academic career. Many institutions, including top Table 3: Fears about Academic Careerranked Research 1 schools, find that women consistently turn o Balancing work and family o Writing grants and getting fundingdown academic job offers at a far higher rate than male o Getting tenurecandidates.3 Understanding the concerns of under- o Failingrepresented graduate students and postdoctoral scholars will o Getting the right offer o Making an

Conference Session

Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Linda Anthony, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey; Marjory Palius, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey; Carolyn Maher, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey; Prabhas Moghe, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

but also the areas that needimprovement in their peers’ presentations, and that this has helped them to make note of what todo and not to do in their own subsequent presentations (not just IRIFs but also group meetings,conferences, etc.).Additionally, the mere process of engaging in extended discourse, with its give and take, hasbeen instructive for all students – and particularly so for those whose research groups are very Page 13.440.13small, and/or do not meet frequently, and/or have different norms and cultures for meetings. Onestudent reported that the IRIF experience emboldened her to speak up in her own groupmeetings, which had been

Conference Session

Professional Graduate Education & Industry

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Roger Olson, Rolls-Royce Corporation; Randall Holmes, Caterpillar Inc.; Donald Keating, University of South Carolina; Thomas Stanford, University of South Carolina

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

directed project rather than a research thesis o A Professional Fellow (recognized by his/her peers as having progressed well beyond the norm). o Industry experienced faculty are needed to teach the professional engineers. Some of these could/should be visiting/adjunct faculty who are experienced practicing engineers. Page 13.558.53.3 Transforming Engineers into Leaders • In many engineering organizations today, there are multiple tracks for advancement. To be successful in any of these tracks, professional graduate engineering education is needed. o One track is to