Conference Session

New Trends in CHE Education II

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Sundararajan Madihally, Oklahoma State University

Tagged Divisions

Chemical Engineering

different topics that couldbe useful to graduate students, which potentially minimizes redundancy for resident graduatestudents. In summary, the seminar series can be used as a possibility of incorporating some ofthe soft skills into the graduate program.Key words: graduate program, soft skills, seminars, writing, cultureINTRODUCTION.Graduate programs in various institutions are developed to advance the technical competency ofthe graduate students. As a degree requirement, graduate students enroll in few mandatoryclasses dealing with advanced chemical engineering topics such as thermodynamics, transportphenomena and reaction engineering. In addition, they also enroll in elective courses relevant totheir research topic. PhD students are accepted as

Conference Session

Innovations in the CHE Laboratory

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Marvi Matos, University of Washington; Danilo Pozzo, University of Washington

Tagged Divisions

Chemical Engineering

open-endedproblems. The approach is intended to provide a platform to teach and evaluate for an additionalset of “soft” skills. These important skills include leadership, composure under uncertainty,critical thinking, creativity, group work, task division, time management, literature searches andforward thinking. We believe that the introduction of high degrees of uncertainty into thelaboratory serves as a tool to prepare the students for a rapidly changing industrial world.Introduction The evolution of Chemical Engineering historically has been driven by changingindustrial needs and by research developments in a broad spectrum of areas. Some of therelatively young areas of Chemical Engineering include semiconductors and microelectronics

Conference Session

Contemporary Issues in CHE Education

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Paul Blowers, University of Arizona

Tagged Divisions

Chemical Engineering

coursework while they have the satisfaction of progress. And, as social problemsmount due to resource constraints, the ability to help others through their profession is anotherstrong motivator.There are certain core skills that students must have in a discipline in order to become successful.Fostering those skills can be done through longitudinal advising. It is assumed that graduateswill be technically competent in their selected fields. However, students must have strongwritten and oral communication skills. These skills can be strengthened in students bysuggesting they participate in writing workshops, become student ambassadors or tour guides, orthrough tutoring other students. Teamwork is another "soft" skill expected in students.Encouraging