Transcript Librarians’ Contributions to a University of Maryland Engineering Honors Program by Bob Kackley, Neal Kaske, and Julie Arnold with assistance from Anni Hartung Engineering and Physical.

Librarians’ Contributions to a
University of Maryland
Engineering Honors Program
by
Bob Kackley, Neal Kaske, and Julie Arnold
with assistance from Anni Hartung
Engineering and Physical Sciences Library
University of Maryland
ELD/ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition
Salt Lake City, Utah
June 23, 2004
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Today’s Objectives
• Define and Describe Gemstone Program
• Report Uniqueness of Gemstone Program
• Roles Played by Gemstone Librarians
– Individually
– Team-Based
– Campus-wide
• Gemstone’s Future
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Defining and Describing Gemstone
• Initiated in 1996 by Dr. William Destler, Provost
and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs and
former Dean of the James A. Clark School of
Engineering
• Selected students from all majors chosen from the
UM Honors program
• Gemstone Program received NSF Grant for
$400,000 and funding as well from AT&T and GE
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Uniqueness of Gemstone
Program
• Developed under the auspices of James A. Clark School of
Engineering
• Faculty Mentors allow Gemstone students great latitude
• Most students from sciences & engineering --- but other
majors included enhancing multi-disciplinary teamwork
interaction
• Long–term nature of program (four years) involving
research ending with a thesis and presentation
• A living-learning community --- most of one UM dorm is
inhabited by Gemstone students and Staff
http://www.gemstone.umd.edu
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Other “Similar” University
Programs
• University of Michigan -- interdisciplinary, but science-based and
introductory courses only
• Tennessee Tech in beautiful Cookeville, TN involving Undergraduates,
Graduates, and PHD students for engineering only
• University of Delaware with NSF award for assessing an
Undergraduate Research Program
• Ohio University’s RoboCup multidisciplinary, senior design project
• GMUs (George Mason University) “Self as a Citizen” team-taught
learning communities for first year students only
• Mention of a university in Great Britain
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Four Year Gemstone Curriculum
• Freshman
– Freshman Honors Colloquium GEMS 100 (1 credit),
Research Topic Exploration GEMS 102 (1), and
Science and Technology …
GEMS 104(3)
• Sophomore
– Team Dynamics/Research Methodology GEMS 202 (2),
Team Project Seminar I
GEMS 296 (1), and
Team Project Seminar II
GEMS 297 (2)
• Junior
– GEMS 396 (2), and GEMS 397(2)
• Senior
– GEMS 496 (2), and GEMS 497 (2)
*total for the 18 credit citation
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Roles Played by Librarians
(Individually)
• Librarians are considered “an important part of the Gemstone
Community” - librarian volunteers select a team to work with for
three years
• Sophomore year - all GEMS classes must come to Gemstone
Librarian for hour+ session on library and information sources for
their individual team project (plus, help team narrow their project)
• Attend Gemstone meetings occasionally to monitor info needs and
answer e-mail requests for general info or how to get resources
• Stress importance of giving proper credit for prior work and use of the
APA Style Manual
• Gemstone Advisory Board
– 1)marketing to HS students: companies for funding
– 2)integration of all GEMS courses
– 3)strategies for helping teams stay together despite highly varied
curricula
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Roles Played by Librarians
(Team-based)
GEMS 100
Team “Mock” Project
Library session at McKeldin (Main) Library
GEMS 102
Developing Team Topics
Librarian in-class demo and project sheets
GEMS 104/HIST 175 Using primary sources/archives
Librarian and Archivist in-class demo
GEMS 202
Research Methods/Literature Review
Introduction to Working with Team Librarian
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Roles Played by Librarians
(Campus-wide)
• Connect students and their activities to other officials
either on or off campus (“Doc in the Box”)
• Attend Gemstone Poster Sessions that are held in
sophomore and junior years as well as Undergraduate
Research Day in late April
• Critique Gemstone practice thesis rehearsals, attend the
actual formal thesis presentation, being a panel expert, and
judging theses
• Participate in Gemstone Citation Ceremony (a cap and
gown ceremony)
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Gemstone: Now and in the Future
• Gemstone Program has become a prestigious honors program as it
matures (Fall ’04 expect 600+ students on 30+teams)
• Younger siblings or just friends are even joining due to positive
Gemstone student alumni referrals
• Nearly 175 incoming students per year with current GPA for them --4.31 and average SATs ---1463
• Many Gemstone students using Gemstone research experience as a
stepping stone to Grad school and Med school
• Plans to hold focus groups with librarians to gather feedback on how to
enhance our roles (some are reluctant to take on a three year
obligation)
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Acknowledgements
• Dr. William Destler --- UM Provost and Senior Vice
President of Academic Affairs
• Michael Hwang --- former Gemstone student
• Amy Duhaime Hill --- Gemstone Coordinator of Team
Research
• Pinar Beygo --- Administrative Assistant, EPSL
• Dr. Glenn Rahmoeller --- Gemstone Coordinator of
Corporate and Industrial Affairs
• You for being an excellent audience and now it is
your time more questions please!
• Contact information
– Bob Kackley 301-405-9155 [email protected]
– Neal Kaske 301-405-9144 [email protected]
– Julie Arnold 301-405-9151 [email protected]
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