Conference Session

Graduate Student Experience

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Sunni Newton, Georgia Institute of Technology; Lydia Soleil, Georgia Institute of Technology; Tristan Utschig, Georgia Institute of Technology; Donna Llewellyn, Georgia Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

AC 2010-1963: DESIGN AND ASSESSMENT OF PROFESSIONAL EDUCATIONALDEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS AT ARESEARCH EXTENSIVE UNIVERSITYSunni Newton, Georgia Institute of Technology Sunni H. Newton is currently in her 4th year of Georgia Tech's PhD program in industrial organizational psychology, with a minor in quantitative psychology. She attended Georgia Tech as an undergraduate, double-majoring in psychology and management. She worked for several years as a graduate research assistant in a psychology lab where she helped conduct studies on adult learning. She currently works as a graduate research assistant in Georgia Tech's Center for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning (CETL) where

Conference Session

Innovation and Measuring Success in Graduate Education

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Robert Fleisig, McMaster University; Harry Mahler, Ontario College of Art and Design

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

they clearly understood the impact of theinsulation. Similar conclusions were drawn by IDEO on the topic of energy efficiency in a2009 study for the Department of Energy13.The upshot of their research efforts was that it led to a number of new ideas and directionsfor their design project. They now began asking how can practicing design engineersinnovate in this field? Their goal became innovation, in the sense of searching for new ideasthat lead to a significant impact on society. They concluded that investigating new energyefficiency technologies would be an unlikely path to innovation because of the lack ofinterest on the part of consumers.ConclusionsThe two students working on the Now House Project were able to find a new direction,entirely

Conference Session

Mentoring Graduate Students, Diversity, and Assessment

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Adrienne Minerick, Mississippi State University; Rafael Hernandez, Mississippi State University

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

given research field. • Design of an experimental plan.The endearing premise of this proposal-based qualifying exam was that writing a researchproposal is a learning tool that teaches tangible research skills which students do not gain in theirtraditional graduate coursework. This semester-long course included incremental milestones forthe student and regular feedback from the instructors. The final product of the course was a 15page NSF style research proposal and a 20-minute oral presentation on the proposal before afaculty committee selected by the course instructors. All performance evaluations wereincorporated into a final grade for the course. Of the 6 students enrolled in the course in Summer2009, three were chemical engineering

Conference Session

Educating Students for Professional Success

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Andrea Burrows, The University of Cincinnati; Anant Kukreti, The University of Cincinnati; Mike Borowczak, The University of Cincinnati; Amr Safwat, The University of Cincinnati

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

of experience in dealing with difficult students or difficultsituations. Formal teaching methods are often not supplied – and practical experience is limited,often resulting in poor and ineffective communication between faculty and students.This paper will address a potential solution towards preparing graduate students in becomingfuture engineering faculty. The paper will focus on several engineering graduate students whoparticipated in a grant linking their education, research, and career development. Thedevelopment of the graduate students in the program is rooted in a 20 hour a week commitmentto develop and implement self-created, engineering and research related lessons in local highschools throughout the academic year. The paper will

Conference Session

Methods, Techniques and New Programs in Graduate Education

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Monica Cox, Purdue University; Cyndi Lynch, Purdue University; Jiabin Zhu, Purdue University, West Lafayette; Phillip Dunston, Purdue University; Audeen Fentiman, Purdue University; Pamella Shaw, Purdue University; Demetra Evangelou, Purdue University

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

on doctoral student engagement in identified best practices, including mentoring and faculty-student relationships, orientations and transition courses, and doctoral student professional development. Her research explores the impact of best practices on the associated doctoral student learning outcomes and assessment of best practices. She instructs Purdue’s Preparing Future Faculty course and the Preparing Future Professionals course, designed to facilitate graduate students transition into faculty positions and non-academic positions respectively.Jiabin Zhu, Purdue University, West Lafayette Jiabin Zhu is a PhD student in the School of Engineering Education at Purdue University. She

Conference Session

Professional Graduate Education and Industry

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Thomas Stanford, University of South Carolina

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

knowledge has been gained at university, usually involvingstudy from both a scientific and an engineering perspective. However, this is usually insufficient for theeffective practice of engineering. The effective engineer-leader must develop the skill of applyingscientific knowledge not only to the solution of “routine” problems but also to new and unique problems.The latter requires continual self-directed learning.Technical Knowledge Technologies change very rapidly. While the engineer’s education does not becomeoutdated, he or she must continually learn about new technologies as they evolve. These new technologiesoften represent emerging best practices that can be employed in the effective solution to a newengineering challenge. The effective

Conference Session

Professional Graduate Education and Industry

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Roger Olson, Rolls-Royce Corporation

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

postgraduate degrees.However, creative/innovative engineers will, and must, enhance their skills beyond their highest attaineddegree.Engineering leaders must be developed who will, in turn, guide other engineers to develop innovativenew designs, and who will lead the development of products providing what the customer wants andneeds. Management styles that will both encourage innovation, and meet the basic human needs ofengineers are needed. This will include the adoption of cutting-edge concepts and best practices fromother nations. This, in turn, will lay the groundwork for turning theory into practice. Engineers must alsodrive changes in their fields. The field of engineering is changing so rapidly, that an engineer must keepup with the rapid

Conference Session

Mentoring Graduate Students, Diversity, and Assessment

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Carla Purdy, University of Cincinnati

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

Academic Careers AbstractFor students graduating with a Ph.D. in engineering today and opting for an academiccareer, the path to eventual promotion and tenure is likely to be long and difficult. Whilenew Ph.D.s may understand the importance of continuing to do cutting-edge research,establishing a solid funding record, and obtaining strong teaching recommendations,there are many other factors important to career success of which they may be unaware.For example, they may have little knowledge of how formal promotion and tenure rulesmay be interpreted by their colleagues, what an annual performance evaluation reallymeans, how to establish a good network of mentors with whom to discuss importantcareer decisions

Conference Session

Methods, Techniques and New Programs in Graduate Education

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Hetal Jasani, Northern Kentucky University; Traian Marius Truta, Northern Kentucky University

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

elective in Social Informatics is also available for students whowant to cultivate a deeper understanding of technology as an arena for social interaction, as is thecase in the modern workplace.In short, the placement of the program in the interdisciplinary College of Informatics makes itstand out from the crowd of various IT graduate programs currently offered in this country. Theprogram is not static; it will evolve as the college evolves, and as it matures it will deepen itsconnections with the local IT industry.The Need for the MSCIT ProgramOur society’s dependence on information technology, and the sophistication of such technology,has evolved to a point where an in-depth knowledge of IT concepts and best practices is animportant asset for

Conference Session

Methods, Techniques and New Programs in Graduate Education

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Michael Dyrenfurth, Purdue University; Mike Murphy, Dublin Institute of Technology; Gary Bertoline, Purdue University; Robert Herrick, Purdue University; Gareth O'Donnell, Dublin Institute of Technology; Kathryne Newton, Purdue University; Nuria Castell, Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya; Miquel Barcelo, Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya; Didac Balas, Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya; Maria Ribera Sancho, Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya; Donal McHale, Dublin Institute of Technology; Jordi Garcia, Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

master's programs asdocumented by the National Academy's Science Professionals: Master's Education for aCompetitive World[2]. From this it is clear that industry is clamoring for advanced graduateswith a constructive mix of leadership, research, and technological capability. Additionally,increased calls for internationalization are noted by Marginson & van der Wende inGlobalisation and Higher Education[3],Bhandari's KeyResearch in U.S. Study Abroad: Findingsfrom the Institute of International Education’s Study Abroad Capacity Series[4], and withrespect to China by Zhang's Response of Chinese Higher Education and SJTU toGlobalization[5].Much of the good practice generally pertaining to international exchange and dual degrees can befound in the