MAE Department Current Graduate Program Initiatives

1. MAE Department CurrentGraduate Program Initiatives October 12, 2012 John Kuhlman

2. Outline • List of Current Graduate Program Committee Initiatives: • 1.) Develop Proposal for New Graduate Program in • Materials Science & Engineering (MSE) • 2.) Obtain Permanent Course Numbers for MAE • 493/593/693 Special Topics Courses • 3.) Examine/Modify Current Lists of Graduate Core • Classes • 4.) Develop “Milestones” for MS & PhD Program • Students • 5.) Develop Policy to Require Publication of One or • More Journal Papers for All PhD Students • 6.) Initiatives for Graduate Student Recruitment • 7.) Develop “Guidelines for MAE MS & PhD Students”

3. Proposal for New Graduate Program in Materials Science & Engineering (MSE) • MAE Department has developed a draft of proposal for the new Graduate Program in Materials Science & Engineering (MSE). • MAE GPC will complete the proposal development, and submit it for formal review for establishment this academic year. • MAE GPC has gathered additional materials to “flesh out” the draft document: • a.) brief overview of new MSE labs and related equipment from recent BOG review documents, • b.) recent vitae of MAE faculty in MSE area from recent BOG review documents, and • b.) 2011 list of journal papers published by MAE faculty in MSE area. • One potential issue which must be addressed carefully is “turf”. • (Primary responsibility: Ed Sabolsky, with help from Samir Shoukry • & Nithi Sivaneri.)

4. Permanent Course Numbers for MAE 493/593/693 Special Topics Courses • MAE Department has taught several new “Special Topics” courses at the senior technical elective & graduate levels in recent years. • These courses tend to be in newer specialty areas, which may have significant potential for future research funding and new curricula focus areas (e.g., materials science and energy areas). • MAE GPC has developed list of all of these classes taught since Spring ‘05; a total of 81 course sections were found; avg. # = 10/year. • Only a very few of these Special Topics courses exist that have not already been converted into permanent courses with their own course numbers. (Two at the graduate level.) • This semester, the MAE GPC has approved MAE 565, “Artificial Intelligence Techniques in Engineering” as one such new course. This application is currently being considered by College, and then will go to Faculty Senate Curriculum Committee. • Permanent number for MAE 693E, “Thermodynamics & Kinetics of Materials” is being developed by Kostas Sierros. (Primary respon-sibility: John Kuhlman.)

5. MAE Graduate Core Classes • MAE Graduate Program Committee worked this past year to determine the need to revise list of core classes, and to determine if Faculty satisfied with current core class policies. • MAE GPC has determined that faculty members in the Fluids & Aerodynamics and the Thermal Sciences and Systems areas are generally satisfied with their current core classes, and agree that all core classes should be taught each year. They also generally agreed that students should be required to take their core classes in the Technical Area(s) that relates to their research, not from another area. • MAE GPC has not gotten reports from faculty in the Solid Mechanics & Structures; Design, Dynamics, & Controls; and Materials Science and Engineering Technical Areas. • We are continuing to gather recommendations from faculty in these technical areas. • (Primary responsibility: Samir Shoukry.)

6. MAE Graduate Core Classes • MAE faculty established a “core” graduate course program about 15 years ago. The current list of core classes in each Technical Area is shown below. • This policy includes the plan that all “core” classes are to be offered on a regular basis, independent of course enrollment, and students were to complete their core class(es) from the core(s) in their Technical Area of interest. However, current policy also requires minimum enrollment of 10 students.

7. MAE Graduate Student “Milestones” • We are concerned that in some instances, some graduate stu-dents do not appear to be fully aware of relevant policies applicable to them, and/or our expectations. • All of the policies and procedures are available to students online, but tend not to be summarized in concise form. • This problem may be simply an example of students not paying attention to details when they aren’t on their current “event horizon.” • However, the GPC has begun to develop MAE Department Graduate Student “Milestones”, to try to convey our expectations that they complete their degrees in a timely fashion. • Victor Mucino has created an initial version of such Milestones, and GPC will review/revise, and then recommend to MAE Faculty for adoption. (See next slides for example.) • These Milestones were presented to all MAE graduate students by Victor in September 2012. • (Primary responsibility: John Kuhlman)

8. Draft MAE Graduate Student MS “Milestones” • Master of Science (AE or ME) • First semester (fall); 12 cr. • 3 cr. 1st Core course • 3 cr. 1st Math course • 6 cr. Research • Second semester (spring); 12 cr. • 3 cr. 2nd Core course • 3 cr. 2nd Math course • 6 cr. Research • Turn in Program of Study

9. Draft MAE Graduate Student MS “Milestones” • Master of Science (AE or ME) • Summer Session 6 cr. (optional) • Third semester (fall); 12 cr. • 3 cr. 1st Specialty course • 3 cr. 2nd Specialty course • 6 cr. Research • Fourth semester (spring); 12 cr. • 3 cr. 3rd Specialty course • 3 cr. 4th Specialty course • 6 cr. Research • Defend Thesis • FINISH in 4 Semesters

10. Main Take Away (Courtesy of Victor) • Your main objective is: To successfully and effectively complete your Graduate Program and GRADUATE as soon as possible. • This is NOT a “job”; you are acquiring a higher learning degree and specialized research training. • You are assessed by “Performance” not by “effort” (you do what you have to, whatever time it takes). • You grow professionally when you are outside your comfort zone. • You can not be so busy that you forget to graduate! • Target 3/4 semesters for a MS Degree and 5/6 semesters for a Ph.D. Degree. • Graduate Programs are getting more competitive.

11. Require Journal Paper for All PhD Students • The proposal would be to require all PhD students to have published at least one archival journal paper before graduation, or prior to the defense of their dissertation. • The GPC will consider the various pros and possible cons of this policy change, and will develop a recommendation to the Faculty for adoption. • (Primary responsibility: Ken Means.)

12. Graduate Student Recruitment • OPINION: Fundamentally, individual faculty are the “first line of defense” in this area; they are best qualified to identify the skills and background that their GRAs need. They should be proactive; it is in their own best interests. • HOWEVER, the College is in the process of providing significant help: • 1.) Ryan Sigler’s recruiting visits have begun to recruit specifically at the graduate level. These trips are primarily to organized graduate recruitment fairs. I recently attended one of these, held at Purdue University. • 2.) Also, Ryan’s office is in the process of preparing both a general graduate student recruiting brochure, as well as grad student recruitment brochures for each Department. Since July 2012, I have gotten or written brief, 30-100 word descriptions of each MAE research focus area. Our MAE research brochure is currently being developed. Next step will be to provide the necessary artwork/photos. • ALSO, I would like to adapt Ismail’s “MAE Research Fair”, & couple it with graduate student recruitment efforts: have it on same day as graduate school information sessions/dinners, & invite students from neighboring schools, including schools w/out PhD programs. • I developed list of 70 US Engineering schools w/out PhD programs; gave this to Ryan Sigler. (15 schools < 6 hrs away; 24 < 7 hrs.) • (Primary responsibility: John Kuhlman.)

13. Graduate Student Recruitment • At right are photos of “Big Ten +” Graduate Student Expo, held at Purdue U. on Sept. 24, 2012. Over 60 graduate programs from around the US were represented. I spoke to 10-15 students who were specifically interested in ME or AE graduate programs. • Ryan Sigler and Cate Schlobohm of the College Freshman Engineering Program also attended similar, smaller events at Rose Hulman & IUPUI on same trip. They also went to Michigan & MSU last week to attend similar events; plan to go to Wright State & U Dayton, too. • The first such effort at Rose Hulman last fall netted one new CSEE graduate student. Dave Solley attended this. • This type of activity has the potential to increase our US citizen enrollment earning their BS degrees from outside of WVU.

14. “Guidelines for MAE MS & PhD Students” • These already exist at the College level; see at right. • However, we will develop MAE-specific guidelines. • Nithi Sivaneri has already developed a draft document; this will be updated and reviewed by the GPC this year, and then recommended to the Faculty for adoption. • (Primary responsibility: Nithi Sivaneri.)

15. Distance Education • Victor & I met with Sue Day-Perroots & Cindy Hart last fall to begin a dialogue with WVU Extended Learning program, & learn about their services. • I visited Old Dominion U. & National Inst. of Aerospace last December to observe two well-established extended learning/distance education programs. • Victor & I met with Cindy Hart again this August to observe examples of existing WVU distance education courses, and WVU extended learning facilities. • Cindy Hart will gave 30 minute introduction to WVU Extended Learning programs and facilities to all MAE Faculty at MAE Retreat in August 2012. • Victor has identified opportunity for MAE to provide graduate-level Aerospace Engineering distance education to students in Mexico; several in-person meetings, including meetings including Gene & Warren, have occurred. • Warren Myers has suggested that MAE consider a pilot program to develop & offer MAE 241 Statics through distance education/online learning, to support efforts in Freshman Engineering.