Transcript Slide 1

ME 489 Practices of Modern Engineering
Lecture 14
March 22, 2010
US Engineering Stats and
Graduate School:
How to get the work done
Luis San Andres
Mast-Childs Tribology Professor
Texas A&M University
http://rotorlab.tamu.edu/me489
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Lecture
Date: March 22, 2010
Today: About
graduate school
Statistics on US engineering
Grad school: how to get the work done
The Wrecking Crew presents:
Reading & other assignments:
A4: IP Primer due today
Other: complete ONE MINUTE PAPER
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Assignment 4: Intellectual Property
Intellectual Property (IP) is the group of legal rights for
things (ideas, processes, artistic expressions, gadgets) people
create or invent. Intellectual property rights typically include
patent, copyright, trademark and trade secret rights.
AS AN INDIVIDUAL or GROUP READ a PRIMER on IP and take a QUIZ at
http://www-apps.umuc.edu/primer/enter.php#
Send “report card” via e-mail to your lecturer (due by 03/22/11)
NOTE: URL site does not send acknowledgment of
completion – PRINT/SEND SCREEN of completion OK
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comments: Entrepreneurship
-I never really thought about attending the (E)workshops,
but now I will check into those resources
- What should we do as a first step to learn more on how to
be(come) an entrepreneur?
- If we only have time to take a couple of business classes,
which ones are the "best"?
- For most innovators that became successful,
entrepreneurial pursuits come from fully original designs or
improvements on existing technologies?
- What is contained in a business model?
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Recommendations:Entrepreneurship
As a first step to learn more on how to be(come) an entrepreneur?
MAYS Business School:
CENTER FOR NEW VENTURES AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
http://cnve.tamu.edu/
Contains (student) resources including a reading list
-For most innovators that became successful, entrepreneurial pursuits come from
fully original designs or improvements on existing technologies?
READ DEBATE on INNOVATION MODELS (March 8-19, 2011)
Is Japanese "incremental innovation" superior to the West's
"disruptive innovation“?
http://www.economist.com/debate/archive
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Practices of Modern Engineering
Lecture
Engineering by the Numbers
Data taken from 2008 ASEE Prism & 2010 ME Dept Statistics
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Engineering: Bachelor’s degrees by discipline
2008
ASEE: American Society for Engineering Education
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ASEE: Engineering by The Numbers 2008
UG enrollment
UG & Bachelor Degrees
403,191
72,213
female
17.9%
330,978
male
85,249
Mechanical Eng
Bachelor degrees
74,170
18%
female
82%
male
67%
Caucasian
13.0%
Texas A&M University
21.1%
Undergraduate 08
09
6,840
7,090
#2, #1 G Tech: 7,507
ME 2009
1,145
#4, #1: G Tech
Bachelor degrees
1,010
Asian American
all
8 th in nation, #1 GTech: 1,459
6.5%
Hispanic
171
women
10 th in nation, #1 GTech: 282
4.7%
African American
93
Hispanic
8 th in nation, #1 U PRico: 578
94%
Domestic
6%
Foreign
ME
8th in nation, #1 G Tech: 317
17,324
11.90%
ME
204
23.4%
ME women
ASEE: American Society for Engineering Education
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ASEE: Engineering by The Numbers 2008
Masters enrollment
92,815
20,396
female
72,419
male
40,427 foreign
22.0%
43.6%
Texas A&M University
MS degrees
23%
female
77%
male
59%
Caucasian
Hispanic
5.4%
African American
58%
Domestic
42%
Foreign
14.60%
ME
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ME MS 2009
#6, #1: USCA: 3,882
#4, #1: G Tech
MS Degrees
Asian American
5.4%
4,647
2,698
ALL Graduate 2008
38,986
15.4%
Masters enrollment
and degrees
493
< 30%
all
#12 in nation, #1 USCA: 1,449
women
not among top 20
93 ME
# 3 in nation, #1 GTech: 184
11.9%
ME women
ASEE: American Society for Engineering Education
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ASEE: Engineering by The Numbers 2008
Ph D enrollment
59,450
13,426
female
46,024
male
31,193
foreign
22.6%
Ph.D. enrollment and
degrees
52.5%
Texas A&M University
PhD degrees
21%
female
79%
male
61%
Caucasian
12.40%
Hispanic
3.20%
African American
42%
Domestic
58%
Foreign
14.20%
ME
#4, #1: USCA: 3,882
207
ME PhD 2009
PhD Degrees
Asian American
3.60%
1,140
2,906
ALL Graduate 2009
9,086
181
all
#3 in nation, #1 GTech: 214
151
foreign
83%
25 ME
# 9 in nation, #1 UC Berk: 58
12.5%
ME women
ASEE: American Society for Engineering Education
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Engineering: Enrollment by Gender
ASEE: American Society for Engineering Education
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Engineering: Enrollment by Ethnicity
ASEE: American Society for Engineering Education
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Engineering: Enrollment by Residency
ASEE: American Society for Engineering Education
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A frequent comment from UG students
Comments?
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ME Grad Program
Source: ME Grad Advising Office
Enrollment --- with 452 graduate students (fall 2009; 425 in spring 2010;
almost all full-time students); the fourth largest and one of the most diverse
mechanical engineering graduate programs in the U.S.
•Faculty --- 61 T/TT faculty include 5 endowed chair professors,
12 endowed name professors, and 23 assistant professors
•Ranking --- 9th among U.S. public institutions (U.S. News & World Report,
2010) and 16th overall
•Diversity --- 81 (18%) women (fall 2009); 207 (48.7%) Ph.D.
students (spring 2010; including direct Ph.D. students); students from 21 states in
the United States and 29 other countries
•Fall 2010 Graduate Admission --- 838 total applications (918 for
spring and fall 2010); 10.5% admittance rate; average GRE scores for
admitted students of 779 (Q) and 1,305 (Total) (as of June 2010)
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SLOAN Foundation Fellows Program
How to Get the
Research Work Done?
2008
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What does earning a graduate
degree means?
The official view
Work leading towards an advanced graduate degree is
designed to give the student a thorough and
comprehensive knowledge of his or her professional field
and training in methods of research. The final basis for
INDIVIDUAL
granting the degree
shall be the student’s grasp of the
subject matter of a broad field of study and a
demonstrated
ability &toORIGINAL
do independent
INDEPENDENT
MASTERY research. In
addition, the student must have acquired the ability to
express thoughts clearly and forcefully in both oral and
COMMUNICATION
written languages. The degree is not granted solely for
the completion of course work, residence and technical
requirements, although these must be met.
2007-08 TAMU Graduate Catalog,, p. 151
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What does
earning a
graduate degree
means?
Work leading towards an advanced graduate degree is
designed to give the student a thorough and
comprehensive knowledge of his or her
professional field and training in methods of
research. The final basis for granting the degree
shall be the student’s grasp of the subject matter
of a broad field of study and a demonstrated ability
to do independent research. In addition, the
student must have acquired the ability to express
thoughts clearly and forcefully in both oral and
written languages. The degree is not granted
solely for the completion of course work, residence
and technical requirements, although these must be
met.
The only view
The ability of student (INDIVIDUAL)
to perform INDEPENT & ORIGINAL
work with demonstrated
COMMUNICATION SKILLS
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Necessary conditions
•Stability
Financial support (economic)
Personal (emotional)
Family & peer support (emotional)
•Resources
Equipment, Computers, Tools and
Space conducive to work
Library, Expertise from peers and
advisor
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Necessary conditions
•Desire to learn
Passion for subject. Not merely a ticket for
future $$ rewards
•Natural Curiosity
Constant inquiry, hands-on experience
•Desire to serve others
Professional society/community at large
•Appreciation of Needs
How to contribute with improvements?
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Necessary conditions
•Fierce Independence
Drive towards solving unique problems (find
“opportunities”)
•Ability to be a team player
You ride with others!
•Appreciation of Past Work
Learn from others!
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The role of your advisor
• Provides the means ($$, Lab & office space, PC,
access to information)
• Guides on literature (self and others)
• Guides on selection of procedures (analytical,
experimental, shows shortcuts)
• Recommends classes, seminars
• Serves as active co-author in publications
• Encourages and supports attendance to
professional meetings
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The advisor does NOT
• Conduct minute scrutiny of the student progress
• Monitor correctness of analysis, equations,
computer programs, test results, etc. in every detail
• Correct & Edit English and style of every single
document, report, thesis, and (paper) manuscript
prepared to show student research progress
• Teach basic mathematical skills and engineering
skills student should have learned in prior education
Advisor assumes you are a professional
responsible adult
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The advisor expects a student
To perform work timely (assigned tasks and responsibilities)
to the best of his/her ability
To take full responsibility for own accomplishments and
shortcomings
To have a strong desire to learn and be of assistance to
fellow students in the Laboratory
To read/learn from technical papers to enhance knowledge
and technical competence in field of interest
To write effectively and concisely well documented sound
technical reports and papers
Remember: you are a professional responsible adult!
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How to Get the Work Done?
ORIGINAL RESEARCH?
All research is INCREMENTAL; it adds to the vast
published knowledge. There is no excuse for you
not to know what has been done before.
Originality relates to novel, faster and more reliable
procedures for measurement and prediction. In all
cases, the research must strive to solve problems
and to create opportunities (innovation).
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How NOT to Get the Work Done?
FINISH LINE
Class Work
Independent
research
Analysis &
Writing
Literature review
Thesis
Year 1
Year 2
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Year 3
How to Get the Work Done?
FINISH LINE
Class Work
Independent
research
Literature review
Literature review
Analysis, Synthesis &
Writing
Thesis
Year 1
Year 2
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Year 3
Research for industry
Industry sponsors a large portion of TAMU research
“business.” Industry supports your work because it needs
a certain expertise – your advisor’s mainly
The Principal Investigator (your advisor) has accumulated a
vast experience in solving engineering problems with an
outstanding tradition of excellent service to several
industries
These companies are also the major employers of graduates,
i.e., you will probably work for one of the companies funding
the work. Only
a few Ph.D.s end up working in
academia
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Research for industry
Principal Investigator, i.e. PROJECT MANAGER,
has the main responsibility of ensuring the
program is executed on time, within budget,
and addressing to the technical
requirements specified
Presently, all contracts with industry, even with
government, demand the above conditions
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Research for industry
Research is no longer intended to educate students and to
show “a
best effort” to advance science and engineering.
Academic research is a business!
To stay in business one needs to satisfy the
customer, anticipating his needs, delivering on time,
exceeding expectations, etc. Furthermore, industry,
to remain competitive, demands more work with less
resources and in record time. Creativity and
Innovation are highly sought to remain
competitive. One must strive to do things right the
first time!
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The bottom line
Industry has a choice! If not satisfied, a customer
will go elsewhere where the work can be
conducted as requested and probably at a lower
cost and in less time. Think about globalization.
What skills do you need to keep your “research
job” during the next 10+ years?
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What is TEES view?
TEES (Texas Engineering Experimental Station), the research
administration arm from TAMU, solicits information from sponsors
(customers):
* Were contract deliverables satisfied and timely delivered?
* Did the quality of the work meet your expectations?
* Will you do business with TEES again?
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TAMU revamping grad education
2011: MS and PhD graduating students must demonstrate, just like UGs,
the soft skills needed to survive in a fast changing world.
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How to Get the Work Done?
Views from Dr. San Andres (former)
graduate students
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How to Get the Work Done?
• Set goal(s) of research
• Compile written tasks
• Develop time table for completion
• Remain focused
• Strive for excellence
• Read technical literature
• Ask questions when necessary
• Document work throughout
Student 1
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How to Get the Work Done?
• Ask for help with design and feasibility
• Plan ahead—fabrication always takes longer than
expected
• Make certain your project budget fits the plan
• Read instrument and software manuals early
• Write about what you have learned as you learn it.
• Don’t get discouraged by failure—it happens!
• The work will not get done by itself and it will not
get done overnight—hang in there!
Student 2
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How to Get the Work Done?
• Divide ultimate research goal into tangible
objectives
• Prioritize objectives
• List the individual tasks to achieve each objective.
• Prepare a timetable to complete tasks
• Read and learn from literature
• Deliver as planned!
Student 3
The greatest obstacle to
discovery is not ignorance - it is
the illusion of knowledge.
Daniel J. Boorstin
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How to Get the Work Done?
* Develop a methodology with your advisor
Weekly meetings with your advisor are recommended
* Seek help from other students/peers
* Keep yourself organized
* Read technical papers
Identify similar problems others have encountered and/or
solved.
Gain ideas on how to further your research.
Student 4
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How to Get the Work Done?
• Plan your tasks and keep organized.
• Don’t rush what you are unsure of. A task is
achieved the quickest when it is done slowly and
correctly once, than when it is rushed through
several times without the appropriate background
and consideration given.
• Document your work, diversify your schedule and
deliver on your planned tasks
DO THINGS RIGHT (ALMOST ALWAYS) THE FIRST TIME !
Student 5
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How to Get the Work Done?
•Define a clear goal and conduct work with vision and
persistence
• Utilize tools and resources to your advantage: mentor’s
experience, the close-knit social group of a laboratory (grad
students, post-docs, and professors of all ages)
• Make the most of information (the depth and breadth of
understanding necessary to thrive in a field of research is constantly
growing)
Read technical papers related to your work
Take course work that is applicable and information rich
•Have a sense of urgency to make your research field the
best it can be
Student 6
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How to Get the Work Done?
•Personal – Focus on research work and academic studies,
prioritize between work and entertainment activities.
Distribute time according to duties and responsibilities.
Professional – when dealing with research and academic
work: organization of ideas and efforts, time management,
planning and completion of tasks, methods and procedure
to achieve tasks and to meet goals, and to deliver results.
Student 7
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How to Get the Work Done?
• Work proceeds along several fronts and
every task takes time!
• Do not wait to complete course work to
start research!
• Do not just plan & schedule, actually do the
work and deliver!
• Read & write often! Do not wait until advisor
tells you to do so!
Student 8
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How to Get the Work Done?
Avoid NIH (Not Invented Here) Attitude
Do not reject or discredit ideas because they
come from other sources outside your group
(In particular published literature)
Learn and accept right ideas and reject wrong
ones.
Invention is 1/10 inspiration and 9/10
perspiration (T. Edison)
Student 9
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How to Get the Work Done?
• Master published literature.
Do not just read & learn your
advisor’s papers. A lot has been done
elsewhere, even in different fields
• Have fun! – Enjoy your work, Help others,
Write & Publish!
Student 10
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Questions?
Next lecture
03/24 –
Tips from UT Graduate Students
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Practices of
Modern
Engineering
© Luis San Andres
Texas A&M University
2011
http://rotorlab.tamu.edu/me489
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