Transcript ChE - UGCS - California Institute of Technology

Chemical Engineering
1
STUDENT-FACULTY CONFERENCE
CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
FEBRUARY 14, 2013
Committee Members
2
 Sabrina Sun
Senior, Biomolecular Track
 Reuben Britto
Senior, Materials Track
 Kevin Gu
Senior, Process Track
 Alex Wang
Senior, Biomolecular Track
 Connor Coley
Junior, Materials Track
 Richard Flagan
Irma and Ross McCollumWilliam H. Corcoran Professor;
Executive Officer
 John Seinfeld
Louis E. Nohl Professor
 Michael Vicic
Lecturer
 Zhen-Gang Wang
Professor
Topics of Discussion
3
ChemE curriculum
1.


Incorporation of new core
Numerical methods course
2. Career plans
 Interest in industry
 Life after Caltech
3. Miscellaneous issues
 TA-to-student ratio
 Senior thesis
 Student-faculty interaction
ChemE Curriculum
4
•
•
INCORPORATION OF NEW CORE
NUMERICAL METHODS COURSE
New Core Requirements and Course Changes
5
 New core
 Changes to Ph2 series
 Ma1abc (27)
 Ph2a: Waves
 Ph1abc (27)
 Ph2b: Quantum
 Ch1ab (15)
 Ph2c: Stat mech / thermo
 Bi1, Bi1x, or Bi8 (9)
 Menu (9)
 Ch3a and other intro lab (12)
 Scientific writing (3)
 Hum/SS (108)
 PE (9)
New Core Requirements (Cont.)
6
 Majority rated Ma2 and Ph2 as neutral or above in importance to
the option
 Ma2/Ph2 are prerequisites for required courses
 Ma2 for ACM95
 Ma2/Ph2 for Ch21a
Incorporation of New Core
7
 Proposal:
 Keep Ph2a


Replace Ph2b with Ch21a


Stat mech / thermo taught by Prof. Miller
Keep Ma2a


Quantum taught by Prof. Okumura
Replace Ph2c with Ch21c


Preparation for Ch21a
Preparation for ACM95
Replace Ma2b with ChE statistical analysis course

Programming focus
ChE Numerical Methods Course
8
You would be interested in a recommended ChE Matlab, Mathematica,
and COMSOL coding class.
Number of Students
25
20
15
10
5
0
Strongly Agree Somewhat agree
Neutral
Somewhat
disagree
Strongly
disagree
Numerical Methods Course (Cont.)
9
 Issue:
 Strong interest in computation class tailored to chemical
engineers
 Action:
 Implement numerical methods class as option requirement
9 unit course taught by Professor Flagan
 Replaces Ma2b
 Focuses on MATLAB and Mathematica
 Possibly incorporate probability/statistics

Sample Schedule
10
Sophomore
Junior
Fall
Winter
Spring
Ma2a
Numerical Methods
Elective/Hum/SS
Ph2a
Elective/Hum/SS
Ch9
Ch41a
Ch41b
Ch41c
ACM95a
ACM95b
ACM95c
ChE62
ChE63a
ChE63b
Ch21a
Ch21b/Ch24
Ch21c
ChE103a
ChE103b
ChE103c
Elective/Hum/SS
ChE101
ChE105
Elective/Hum/SS
Elective/Hum/SS
Elective/Hum/SS
Elective/Hum/SS
Elective/Hum/SS
Elective/Hum/SS
Career Plans
11
•
INTEREST IN INDUSTRY
• LIFE AFTER CALTECH
Familiarity with Industry
12
Familiarity with possible career paths within industry
14
13
12
10
10
9
8
6
4
2
2
0
Very unfamiliar

Somewhat unfamiliar
Somewhat familiar
Students are not well informed about
opportunities in industry
Very familiar
Experience in Industry
13
Internship experience or intent to get an internship in industry
16
15
14
12
10
10
9
8
6
4
2
0
Yes

No
Probably not
Some have experience working in industry
Interest in Industry
14
Interest in working in industry
16
15
14
14
12
10
8
6
4
4
2
1
0
Very disinterested

Somewhat disinterested
Somewhat interested
Despite overwhelming interest…
Very interested
Life After Caltech
15
Short-term plans immediately following graduation
25
21
20
15
10
7
4
5
2
0
PhD

MS
Sci/Eng Job
Other or Undecided
Most students plan to go to graduate school
Interest in Industrial Contacts
16
Desire to have an online database of industry-related contacts
30
25
25
20
15
10
8
5
1
0
Yes

No
Probably won't use it
Strong interest in access to industry contacts
AIChE Student-to-Industry Mentoring Program
17
Usefulness of AIChE student-to-industry mentoring program
18
17
16
14
12
11
10
8
6
4
4
2
2
0
Very not useful

Somewhat not useful
Somewhat useful
Very useful
Mixed opinions about AIChE’s mentoring program
Careers in Industry
18
 Issues:
 Lack of familiarity with opportunities in industry
 Very few chemical engineering companies at career fair
 Lack of accessibility to industry contact information
Careers in Industry (Cont.)
19
 Actions:
 Continue asking the career center to invite more chemical
engineering companies
 Develop online database of contact information
 Refer students to Dr. Vicic for advice/contacts
 Work with AIChE to improve industry mentoring program
Miscellaneous Issues
20
TA-TO-STUDENT RATIO
• SENIOR THESIS
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTION
•
•
TA-to-Student Ratio
21
 Objectives of improving ratio:
 Graduate: shorter turnover period for grading
 Undergraduate: more individual help during office hours
In general, would you like to have more TAs
for ChE core classes?
No
7
(21%)
Yes
27
(79%)
Prefer more undergraduate or graduate TA's for
these classes
Graduate
28
Undergraduate
14
0
5
10
15
20
For those who responded yes to the previous question
25
30
TA-to-Student Ratio (Cont.)
22
 Issue:
 Strong interest in more TAs, especially graduate TAs
 Action:
 Survey former TAs of ChE courses
Graduate:
 Hours spent weekly?
 Undergraduate:
 Comfort with grading sets?

Senior Thesis
23
 Issue:
 Students do not know what is expected or how they will be
evaluated for senior thesis
 Action:
 Post detailed instructions on CCE website
 Prof. Flagan will hold organizational meeting at beginning of
term to go over guidelines
Student-Faculty Lunches
24
I would be interested in student-faculty lunches with ChE professors
How often would you like to have these lunches?
Student-Faculty Lunches (Cont.)
25
 Issue:
 Student faculty lunches are desired for increased interaction
between undergraduates and professors
 Action:
 Informal monthly lunches with faculty who regularly go to
Chandler
Arrange on ad hoc basis for a group of 4-5 ChemE undergrads
 Requires minimal effort to set up
 Not ideal for students interested in particular faculty member

Discussion Time!
26
 Incorporation of new core
 Numerical methods course
 Careers in industry
 TA-to-student ratio
 Senior thesis
 Student-faculty lunches
 Other questions/concerns?