Chang, C., & Semma, B., & Fowler, D. A., & Arroyave, R. (2017, June), An Interdisciplinary Graduate Education Model for the Materials Engineering Field  Paper presented at 2017 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Columbus, Ohio. 10.18260/1-2--27578

\bibitem{asee_peer_27578}
  Chang, C., \& Semma, B., \& Fowler, D. A., \& Arroyave, R. (2017, June), \emph{An Interdisciplinary Graduate Education Model for the Materials Engineering Field}
  Paper presented at 2017 ASEE Annual Conference \& Exposition, Columbus, Ohio.
  10.18260/1-2--27578

Chi-Ning Chang, Brandie Semma, Debra A. Fowler, and Raymundo Arroyave.  "An Interdisciplinary Graduate Education Model for the Materials Engineering Field".  2017 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Columbus, Ohio, 2017, June.  ASEE Conferences, 2017.  https://peer.asee.org/27578 Internet.  16 Apr, 2024

\bibitem{asee_peer_27578}
  Chi-Ning Chang, Brandie Semma, Debra A. Fowler, and Raymundo Arroyave.
  "An Interdisciplinary Graduate Education Model for the Materials Engineering Field".
  \emph{2017 ASEE Annual Conference \& Exposition, Columbus, Ohio, 2017, June}.
  ASEE Conferences, 2017.
  https://peer.asee.org/27578 Internet.  16 Apr, 2024

@INPROCEEDINGS{asee_peer_27578
author = "Chi-Ning Chang, Brandie Semma, Debra A. Fowler, and Raymundo Arroyave"
title = "An Interdisciplinary Graduate Education Model for the Materials Engineering Field"
booktitle = "2017 ASEE Annual Conference \& Exposition"
year = "2017"
month = "June"
address = "Columbus, Ohio"
publisher = "ASEE Conferences"
note = {https://peer.asee.org/27578}
number = {10.18260/1-2--27578}
}

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - Session Topics:

3.  Innovative graduate programs and methods; 
6.  Professional graduate education relevant to needs of engineering practice; 
10. Best practices in graduate engineering and technology education; 

Abstract:

Materials innovations are crucial to technological progress. Equipping the next-generation materials workforce is one of the national efforts to sustain this progress (National Science and Technology Council, 2011). During the first five years of the Materials Genome Initiative, interdisciplinary research centers at universities around the country are developing new materials and educating the future workforce (White House, 2016). 
Our institution is dedicated to the development of an interdisciplinary graduate education model in Material Science Engineering. The research team is comprised of faculty members from six disciplines (i.e., Materials Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, as well as Physics and Chemistry.) and one education center. In the recent year, the interdisciplinary graduate education program was funded by the National Science Foundation. During the first year, students must stay in their disciplines to establish disciplinary knowledge and modes of thinking. During the second year, students begin the interdisciplinary curriculum and activities, and collaborate with students and faculty from the other disciplines. In the third year, students bring back the interdisciplinary perspectives to their disciplines and complete an interdisciplinary research thesis.
The curriculum incorporates a multidisciplinary core (i.e., materials, informatics, and design), an interdisciplinary core (i.e., materials design studio), as well as flexible terminal tracks (i.e., entrepreneurship, energy, computational materials, and internships). Students are asked to complete research projects in each course.  Instructors and advisors evaluate their learning outcomes, professional skills, and technical skills based on rubrics, including interdisciplinary knowledge generation, collaboration, conflict resolution, oral communication, written communication, self-reflection, ethics, interdisciplinary research, multidisciplinary skills, materials science engineering, informatics, and design. In addition to the courses, students participate in a bi-weekly student-led learning community where they are challenged to improve the professional skills and technical skills, and diminish the gaps among the disciplines. To enhance interdisciplinary reflection, students create ePortfolios. To facilitate with students’ learning and career development, students are asked to formulate Individual Development Plans (IDP) with advisors annually. Coffee sessions and seminars are the platforms to consolidate the relationships among students and faculty members, connect with people outside their networks, and obtain up-to-date information in Materials Science. 
To improve the quality of education, faculty members engage in the bi-weekly community of scholars. This professional activity leads us to review the literature regarding interdisciplinary education, create tools (i.e., an IDP template, an ePortfolio template, program learning outcome rubrics, and assessment tools), and brainstorm ideas and solutions. 
Several components in this innovative model are emphasized, including an interdisciplinary curriculum, research projects, professional and technical skills, self-reflection, mentoring, and career counseling. In this study, we will introduce this model, and discuss the initial results and implications. We hope this education model can benefit other institutions, and produce more future materials workforce.

AU  - Chi-Ning Chang
AU  - Brandie Semma
AU  - Debra A. Fowler
AU  - Raymundo Arroyave
CY  - Columbus, Ohio
DA  - 2017/06/24
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - An Interdisciplinary Graduate Education Model for the Materials Engineering Field
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/27578
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--27578
ER  -