EDUCATING ENGINEERS FORAcademy of Engineering’s vision on educating engineers for 2020 and...

1 | P a g e

EDUCATING ENGINEERS FOR

OUR WORLD, OUR PEOPLE, OUR FUTURE

THE SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING, UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT

ACADEMIC PLAN 2009‐2014

DRAFT

Preamble

Our Mission (Why are we here?)

Mission I‐ Broadly educate a diverse group of students and professionals with rigorous engineering training and strong understanding and appreciation of sciences, humanities, art and ethics, thus preparing them for successful careers as leaders in a global society.

Mission II‐ Conduct pioneering research in relevant and grand challenge areas that will advance the intellectual merit and benefit society.

Mission III‐ Serve the State, the country and society through innovation, transfer of knowledge, and public and professional engagement.

Our values (What are our guiding standards?)

The driving tenet in the Academic Plan is to conduct research and educate engineers to benefit society and improve human life. In fulfilling our mission, we are committed to:

Building a learning and teaching environment that promotes academic freedom, encourages critical thinking, embraces creativity, and instills ethical principles and integrity;

Promoting and supporting new discovery and applications of engineering research and development that will positively impact global societies;

Valuing diversity: recruiting and supporting a diverse group of faculty, students and staff; Upholding the highest expectations and standards of excellence, responsibility and

accountability; Expecting collegiality, mutual respect, teamwork and commitment to the common good; Developing leadership and entrepreneurial spirit and skills; Encouraging professional and public engagement.

2 | P a g e

Our Vision (what are our aspirations?) The School of Engineering at UConn has excellent faculty who are engaged in important and vital scholarship, talented students, successful alumni and close partnership with major industries in the region. Our aspirations are:

To be an institution recognized for producing engineering graduates who will assume

leadership roles in industry, government agencies and academia; To achieve national and international recognition for research in key areas including

Sustainable Energy” , “Informatics and Bioinformatics” , “Nanotechnology” , “Biological and Biomedical Technologies”, “Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure” , and “Sustainability of Environmental and Natural Resources” .

To grow so we may become a stronger driving force in the economic development through workforce training and technology collaborations with industry, State of Connecticut and federal agencies;

To become an institution recognized for its diverse community of faculty and students; To be ranked among the top 20 public schools of engineering in the nation; To provide and sustain a positive and pleasant work environment that promotes collegiality,

respect and cooperation, and encourages all faculty, staff and students to maximize their individual career growth potential.

The Academic Plan Toward realizing the School’s vision, the Academic Plan is a strategic roadmap for the next five (5) years aimed at:

Setting realistic, yet bold, goals in research and education; Setting metrics where possible in defining the goals; Developing specific action plans and identifying who is responsible for implementing them; Coordinating the School’s Academic Plan so it is aligned with that of the University.

The Academic Plan will be placed on the School’s web page and progress toward the Plan’s goals will be evaluated and reported twice each year.

Strategic Focus Areas for the Academic Plan

Following the University’s Academic Plan that was approved by the Board of Trustees in September 2008, the School of Engineering Academic Plan focuses on six interrelated areas:

I. Undergraduate Education II. Graduate and professional education III. Research, Scholarship, Innovation and Discovery IV. Diversity V. Public and Professional Engagement

3 | P a g e

In each of these areas, the Academic Plan identifies specific:

Goals (as concise measurable and assessable targets), Strategies (broad directional approaches to attain the goals), Action Plans (explicit steps to be taken as part of each strategy).

Outline of the Focus Areas, Goals and Strategies

I. Undergraduate Education Goal I.1: Enhance the education of undergraduate students in order to prepare them for successful careers as competent practitioners and leaders in their professions.

Strategy 1: Enhance the quality (content and timeliness) of the curricula in view of the National Academy of Engineering’s vision of educating engineers for 2020 and beyond*.

Strategy 2: Promote interdisciplinary engineering education.

Strategy 3: Enhance the experiential learning experience of the students.

Strategy 4: Enhance students’ understanding, appreciation and practice of social sciences, humanities, art, ethics and professionalism, thus preparing them for responsible citizenship in productive careers.

Strategy 5: Enhance pedagogy.

Goal I.2: Augment engineering students’ education with broader activities, to further enhance their experience at UConn and their success in their career paths.

Strategy 1: Improve the graduation rate from 50% to 70% *.

Strategy 2: Preparing students for professional careers.

Strategy 3: Prepare students for graduate schools.

Goal I.3: Optimally poise and utilize the School’s resources and faculty body, in response to workforce needs and research opportunities.

Strategy 1: Increase the faculty size to 150. Strategy 2: Enhance recruitment plans to increase (and maintain) the incoming class size to 500 (subject to parallel decrease in undergraduate student/faculty ratio) while improving the quality of incoming students. Strategy 3: Develop strategic space plans.

Goal I.4: Enhance international engagement.

Strategy 1: Create international opportunities for our students. Strategy 2: Increase international student enrollment.

4 | P a g e

II. Graduate and Professional Education

The faculty in the School of Engineering consider graduate students as important partners in the research and teaching missions. Success of graduate students is a key element in the national and international reputation of the School. Goal II.1 Increase the graduate student population and enhance its quality, in response to workforce needs and research opportunities.

Strategy 1: Increase the sources of support for graduate students. Strategy 2: Provide competitive support packages for graduate students. Strategy 3: Increase the number of qualified American students in our graduate programs. Strategy 4: Improve the quality of the international students recruited to our graduate programs.

Goal II.2 Enhance the education of graduate students in order to prepare them for successful careers as academicians or leaders in industry.

Strategy 1: Enhance the quality (content and timeliness) of the graduate curricula. Strategy 2: Promote interdisciplinary graduate engineering education. Strategy 3: Enhance the experiential learning experience of the graduate students. Strategy 4: Enhance graduate students’ understanding, appreciation and practice of social sciences, humanities, art, ethics and professionalism thus preparing them for responsible citizenship in productive careers. Strategy 5: Provide training in pedagogy, communication and grant proposal writing.

Goal II.3: Augment engineering graduate students’ education with broader activities, to further enhance their experience at UConn and their success in their career paths.

Strategy 1: Preparing graduate students for professional careers. Strategy 2: Enhance graduate student satisfaction.

III. Research, Scholarship, Innovation and Discovery

Our goal is to achieve national and international prominence in research and generation of new knowledge in key focused areas of strength. We also aim to become an important driving force in the economic development in the State through commercialization of our technologies. With this focus, the following goals are established.

Goal III.1 Recruit and retain a world‐class faculty. Strategy 1: Increase the faculty size to 150, at a rate of increase of ten faculty per year. Strategy 2: Enhance faculty recruiting efforts and process. Strategy 3: Nurture faculty and enhance efforts to retain research active faculty.

5 | P a g e

Goal III.2 Identify and support strategic thrusts in research that build upon existing strengths as well as state and national needs and funding opportunities, with the goal of being recognized in these spires of excellence, as a leading institution in the national and international arena.

Strategy 1: Make “Sustainable Energy” a strategic spire of excellence for the School. Strategy 2: Make “Informatics and Bioinformatics” a strategic spire of excellence for the School. Strategy 3: Make “Nanotechnology” a strategic spire of excellence for the School. Strategy 4: Make “Biological and Biomedical Technologies” a strategic spire of excellence for the School. Strategy 5: Make “Security , Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure” a strategic spire of excellence for the School. Strategy 6: Make “Sustainability of Environmental and Natural Resources” a strategic spire of excellence for the School.

Goal III.3 Enhance the research productivity of the faculty, bolster the research strength and reputation of the School, and maximize the impact of faculty’s scholarly contributions. Research productivity is measured by research funding, archival publications, patents, and graduate student support and advising.

Strategy 1: Increase extramural research funding from federal agencies. Strategy 2: Increase extramural research funding from industry. Strategy 3: Increase extramural research funding from State agencies. Strategy 4: Increase extramural research funding from private foundations. Strategy 5: Enhance and further empower the role of research centers/shared facilities Strategy 6: Develop metrics on and plans to enhance scholarly dissemination and output (publications, presentations, patents, books). Strategy 7: Develop international partnerships with institutions offering expertise in focused areas of excellence;

IV. Diversity

We believe that ultimately our creativity, our success in educating future leaders for our state, our country and the global society, and eminence of our scholarship depends on our diversity, and multiplicity of our prospective and differences. We share the University’s commitment, as indicated in the University Academic Plan, to a climate that welcomes individuals with different viewpoints, experiences, and values. Towards this belief, we set specific goals, strategies and action plans.

Goal IV.1 Enhance the recruitment, activities and programs targeting women and underrepresented minorities in the pre‐college pipeline, and to our undergraduate programs.

Strategy 1: Enhance Bridge program and increase its participation from 40 (in 2008) to 80 in 2013. Increase the participation of underrepresented minorities in PEP (Pre-Engineering Program (PEP) from 37 in (in 2008) to 60 in 2013. Strategy 2: Increase scholarships and fellowships for women and URM.

6 | P a g e

Goal IV.2 Enhance the recruitment of women and underrepresented minorities to our graduate programs.

Strategy 1: Actively recruit women and URM students from outside UConn. Strategy 2: Actively recruit women and URM students from UConn undergraduate programs by providing graduate education transition activities.

Goal IV.3 Increase the retention and graduation rate of women and underrepresented minority students.

Strategy 1: Develop supportive environment and programmatic activities. Strategy 2: Improve awareness for intercultural sensitivity and diversity.

Goal IV.4 Improve the diversity of the faculty and the staff in the School.

V. Public and Professional Engagement

The university’s academic plan defines “Public and Engagement” as the contributions of UConn faculty, staff and students to the state, nation and the world through appropriate collaborations with partners in both the public and private sectors. Embracing this definition, for the School of Engineering, public and professional engagement will be viewed as one form of scholarship that encompasses teaching, research, and service. Outreach involves generation and transfer of knowledge to an audience beyond traditional academic and scholarship communities (such as students on campus or research and professional communities.) Goal V.1 Define opportunities for outreach and develop systems for monitoring, evaluating and rewarding outreach. Goal V.2 Enhance the School of Engineering’s educational outreach activities.

Strategy 1: Enhance k‐12 outreach activities. Strategy 2: Enhance continuing education activities.

Goal V.3 Enhance the School of Engineering’s research and technological outreach.

Strategy 1: Explore and enhance opportunities for expert outreach activities. Strategy 2: Facilitate faculty engagement with industry.

Goal V.4 Enhance the School of Engineering’s broader outreach pursuit.

Strategy 1: Engage professional organizations in outreach.

7 | P a g e

Detailed Action Plans

I. Undergraduate Education

Goal I.1: Enhance the education of undergraduate students in order to prepare them for successful careers practitioners and leaders in their professions.

Strategy 1: Enhance the quality (content and timeliness) of the curricula in view of the National Academy of Engineering’s vision on educating engineers for 2020 and beyond*.

Action plan:

Responsible: Time line

1 Each Department Head will organize a task force for critical examination of their curriculum.

Department Heads

Complete by August 2009

2 An independent SoE taskforce will conduct a critical assessment of the freshman/sophomore years.

Dean appoints the taskforce


3 The BME Undergraduate Courses & Curriculum Committee will conduct a critical examination of the BME curriculum.

Dean appoints the BME UCCC


4 The MEM Undergraduate Courses & Curriculum Committee will provide a critical examination of the MEM curriculum.

Dean appoints the MEM UCCC


5 Establish a task force to evaluate distance learning options for students who enroll in regional campuses

Dean appoints the task force


6 Dean, Department Heads and the SoE Academic Council will:

(i) monitor the progress of these task forces;

(ii) facilitate communication among these task forces; and

(iii) (iii) facilitate School‐wide discussions on the examination and implementation of the task force recommendations.

DeanAcademic Council

December 2009

* The Engineer of 2020: Visions of Engineering in the New Century, the National Academies Press, 2007. ** These task forces will critically examine the assigned program courses and curricula to assess the analytical skills, design skills, critical thinking, and computer application components as well as professional skill building of each program. These task forces will also consider issues such as course sharing and joint course offerings between departments, large classes, and course modularization.

8 | P a g e

Strategy 2: Promote interdisciplinary engineering education.

Action plan:


1 Minors in engineering disciplines: Develop minors in each department to create focused learning possibilities for students to broaden their rigorous engineering training with emerging areas of national importance. Description:

‐ Minors will consist of five (5) courses. Of these, two will be selected from the current list of required courses, and the remaining three will be satisfied through the departmental and professional electives drawn from a list of relevant courses (may include some graduate courses).

‐ Some minors will be designed for students in a single department, while others will be designed with broader scope and course selection options and will be open to all engineering students.

‐ Each unit (department or program) will

carefully study and analyze the need for the minors and the required resources, and identify the list of minors they wish to offer.

Department Heads, along with BME and MEM Program Directors, will forward their recommended minors to the Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Education. Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Education will coordinate the minors and will present them to the School’s Courses & Curriculum Committee and subsequently to the School’s faculty.

May 2009 Fall 2009

2 Forge partnerships with the School of Business to develop the following minors for engineering students (subject to further discussion and approval):

Engineering Management Technology Management

MEM Program Director and Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Education

Fall 2009

3 Forge partnerships with the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences and the Neag School of Education to consider potential joint programs.

Dean

9 | P a g e

Strategy 3: Enhance the experiential learning experience of the students.

Action plan:


1 The task forces formed under strategy 1 of the Goal I.1 will also critically examine the current experiential learning activities and identify opportunities for enhancement: Category 1: Implicit in the curriculum

Course projects Laboratory experience Senior Design projects Senior Entrepreneurial projects

Category 2: Activities within School/University Undergraduate research Undergraduate assistantships

Category 3: Activities with external organizations Co‐ops Internships Professional service Community and public service Entrepreneurship perspective

Category 4: International exposure and study abroad

(See Goal I.4)

Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Education Department Heads and Program Directors

August 2009

2 Based on reports of the relevant departmental task forces, develop a plan and metrics to integrate experiential learning experiences into curriculum.

Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Education Department Heads and Program Directors

December 2009

3 Guided by the reports of the task forces, and oversight of the Academic Council, develop a plan for management and administrative structure to broaden and enhance the targeted experiential experience possibilities.

Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Education

May 2010

10 | P a g e

Strategy 4: Enhance students’ understanding, appreciation and practice of social sciences, humanities, art, ethics and professionalism thus preparing them for responsible citizenship in productive careers.

Action plan:


1 Establish the society: “Engineers and Scientists for Change” to enable students and faculty to participate in broader impact efforts that benefit the spectrum of constituents, from local communities to global society.

Dean January 2010

2 Establish a learning community for engineering leadership development that incorporates activities in communication, management, entrepreneurship, ethics and strategic planning.

Dean and Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Education

May 2010

3 Develop plan, space and resources to encourage students’ participation in professional societies.


December 2009

4 Initiate communication between the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences and Engineering faculty to develop a specific plan for refinement of the general education course selections (including Philosophy 104) for engineering students.

Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Education And Engineering Courses & Curriculum Committee

August 2009

Strategy 5: Enhance pedagogy.

Action plan:


1 Develop on‐campus teaching workshops through the Institute of Teaching and Learning for new (required) and continuing faculty as well as select graduate students.

Dean and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs

May 2009

2 Reward “excellence in teaching” in merit evaluations and recognitions.

Dean and Department Heads

September 2009

3 Support multi‐investigator educational proposals todevelop innovative courses and curriculum development.

Dean and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs

May 2009

4 Develop internal mini‐grants as well as matching funds for external proposals for innovative and transformative courses and curriculum development.

Dean and Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Education

December 2009

5 Study alternative technologies and delivery styles that are effective for large classes.

Associate Dean for Academic Affairs

August 2009

11 | P a g e

Goal I.2: Augment engineering students’ education with broader activities, to further enhance their experience at UConn and their success in their career paths.

Strategy 1: Improve the graduation rate from 50% to 70% *.

Action plan:


1 Create a peer‐to‐peer mentoring program to connect freshmen/sophomores to upper classmen.

Department Heads December 2009

2 Attach the condition of mentoring freshmen/ sophomores to upper level merit scholarship holders.


September 2009

3 Develop an early intervention program to help at‐risk students when the first signs of struggle with academics appear.


December 2009

4 Integrate and expand tutoring services offered by engineering, the Center for Undergraduate Education, and professional societies.


December 2009

5 Develop learning communities to engage students based on interests and aspirations


December 2009

6 Develop regular forums for open discussion between faculty and students


7 Establish a student council in each department and hold regular meetings with them.


* Graduation Rate. The Student Right to Know Act 1990 requires each institution to make available the graduation rates, within six years, of entering freshmen classes. For the University of Connecticut fall 2000 entering freshmen, the graduation rates by the summer of 2006 were: entered at Storrs - 74%; entered at a regional campus - 46%. Non-graduates may have completed degrees at other institutions. The School of Engineering graduation rate is calculated using the same procedure as the University’s. Currently the School of Engineering’s six-year graduation rate is about 50%.

12 | P a g e

Strategy 2: Preparing students for professional careers.

Action plan:


1 Develop a departmental plan to: • poll/interview students in their senior year to

assess their career goals; • exit poll/interview graduating seniors; • organize career awareness workshops by experts; • leverage industry connections to facilitate student

access to potential employers.


2 Engage practicing engineers and industrial leaders to provide guidance to, and facilitate networking for, students at all levels regarding career selection and employer expectations.


3 Use University resources to facilitate workshops on resume writing and interview skills for students at all levels

Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Education and Department Heads

December 2009

4 Maintain a database to assess the success rate of the graduating students in finding jobs.


5 Enhance co‐op and internship experiences.

(see goal I.2, strategy 3) December 2009

13 | P a g e

Strategy 3: Prepare students for graduate schools.

Action plan:


1 Develop departmental plans to: • Introduce students at all levels to the

opportunities for research and graduate studies. • Encourage students to apply for national REU

programs through NSF. • Encourage faculty members to support students

through NSF site and individual REU programs • Identify junior year students suitable for graduate

studies. • Acquaint students with graduate school

opportunities at UConn and elsewhere. • Inform students of general requirements (GRE

exam, etc.) and procedures. • Arrange a School‐level “Graduate Night” for

senior students.

Associate Dean for Research & Graduate Education Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Education Department Heads

December 2009

2 Develop an accelerated master’s degree program by bridging the undergraduate to graduate program for qualifying students (study the successful ME and ECE models and share lessons learned).


3 Coordinate with the University Honors Program to support students in applying for national fellowships.

Associate Dean for Research & Graduate Education

December 2009

4 Develop site programs for national fellowships Associate Dean for Research & Graduate Education Department Heads

December 2009

14 | P a g e

Strategy 4: Enhance student satisfaction.

Action plan:


1 Improve the quality of advising: • Develop standards for advising. • Improve computer based tools available to

advisors. • Reconcile the perception that the faculty do not

care about undergraduate education with the reality that many faculty are quite passionate about education.

• Recognize undergraduate advising as an important element in overall faculty performance evaluation.

Dean Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Education Department Heads

December 2009

2 Strengthen the sense of community and improve students’ lives. Organize a group consisting of faculty and students to focus on the quality of student experiences at UConn; study (to the extent possible) student life in peer institutes; study and leverage available literature and reports; and develop a plan. Examples of possible activities are: so‐called “fireside chats” with faculty, pizza nights, posting students’ personal profiles and pictures on the departmental websites or within departments.


December 2009

3 Provide more personalized education:• Increase opportunities and set standards for

independent studies; • Enhance opportunities for personal alterations to

the curriculum for meritorious and Honors Program students. Possible examples are Honors sections, Honors projects and senior (design) theses.

Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Education Department Heads and Honors Program advisors

December 2009

4 Develop means of assessing student satisfaction.Examples are: • Systematically examine the student evaluations

of the instructors • Develop senior surveys • Assess alumni satisfaction Institutionalize assessment mechanisms. Commit to monitoring and enhancing

undergraduate student satisfaction.


December 2009

15 | P a g e

Goal I.3: Optimally poise and utilize the School’s resources and faculty body, in response to workforce needs and research opportunities.

Based on the study of schools of engineering in the top 20 public universities, Connecticut’s workforce needs, and our own experience and traditions at UConn, the following quantitative goals are set for the undergraduate student, faculty and staff sizes within the UConn School of Engineering.

Current Status 2014 Goal Total # undergraduate students 1840 2250 # Incoming freshman students 386 Fall 07

492 Fall 08 500

# Faculty 110 150 Student/Faculty ratio 17 15 Staff/Faculty ratio TBD TBD

We, however, recognize the current economic challenges in increasing the resources (mainly faculty and staff sizes). Therefore, our steps toward achieving our goals will be measured and realistic. Among the quantitative goals set in the table above, the governing factor in our resource allocation decisions will be the ratio of undergraduate students/faculty. Hence, our driving goal is to reduce the undergraduate student/faculty ratio from 17 to 15. Enrollment management or limitations in all or some Engineering programs will be one of the tools used to achieve the goal of a 15:1 undergraduate student/faculty ratio. However, enrollment restrictions will not be used to result in negative undergraduate student population growth. In light of the quantitative goals described above, we will focus on increasing the faculty size to reach the goal of 150. Furthermore, to reach the target undergraduate student population size of 2250, while improving the student/faculty ratio, we will develop strategies to enhance our recruiting efforts. The following strategies will be employed to achieve these goals.

16 | P a g e

Strategy 1: Increase the faculty size to 150.

Action plan:


1 Strategically hire faculty members for departments/programs to achieve undergraduate student/faculty ratio of 15:1 Faculty hiring will be based on opportunities for excellence and growth in key research areas (as detailed in section III of the School’s Academic Plan).

Dean Department Heads

Increase of 10 faculty per year

3 Retain outstanding faculty members at all levels through development/endowments.


4 Develop targeted programs of excellence through support of industry and State.

Dean Associate Dean for Research & Graduate Education Department Heads

17 | P a g e

Strategy 2: Enhance recruitment plans to increase (and maintain) the incoming class size to 500 (subject to parallel decrease in undergraduate student/faculty ratio) while improving the quality of incoming students.

Action plan:


1 Expand outreach to grade 7‐12 STEM teachers throughout New England.

Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Education and Director of Diversity & Outreach

2 Develop plans to introduce engineering into the K‐12 curriculum in Connecticut schools (use Massachusetts model).

DeanAssistant Dean for Undergraduate Education Commissioner of Higher Education

3 Increase the frequency and quality of Open Houseactivities.

DeanAssistant Dean for Undergraduate Education Department Heads and Associate Dept. Heads

4 Improve regional recruitment through marketing of engineering programs through science/math coordinators and guidance counselors (e‐mail promotional material, conduct regional open houses, and use alumni promoters).

DeanAssistant Dean for Undergraduate Education Department Heads and Associate Dept. Heads

5 Develop specific plans for improving national and international recruitment activities.

DeanAssistant Dean for Undergraduate Education Vice President for Enrollment Management

7 Increase and strategically reallocate the number of merit scholarships. Develop Husky Opportunities program to connect scholarships, particularly for upper division students, to opportunities and assignments in tutoring, mentoring, grading, and undergraduate teaching assistantships.

Dean Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Education

8 Establish a rigorous plan and scholarships for attracting and accepting talented transfer students, and increase the average SAT score to 1300.


9 Develop a Graduate Teaching Fellowship program for preparation of outstanding students for academic careers.

Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Institute for Teaching and Learning

10 Create a public relations plan to enhance the reputation of our undergraduate programs.

Dean Vice President for Enrollment Management

18 | P a g e

Strategy 3: Develop strategic space plans.

Action plan:


1 Establish a standing committee within the School, to comprise representation from all departments as well as the BME and MEM programs, to create and implement plans for need assessment and space allocation (or reallocation) to optimally accommodate the faculty, student body and growth plans.

Dean will assign the committee members. Dean Academic Council

19 | P a g e

Goal I.4. Enhance international engagement.

Strategy 1: Create international opportunities for our students.

Action plan:


1 Promote student exchanges through the Global Engineering Education Exchange program.

Academic Council Chair, International Program Task Force

2 Develop partnerships for undergraduate student exchange, with select foreign universities.

Chair of the International Program Task Force Academic Council

3 Explore experiential learning experience with international NGOs (such as Engineers without Borders and Habitat for Humanity).

Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Education Chair, International Program Task Force

4 Explore experiential learning experience with international institutions/companies.

Asst Dean for Undergraduate Studies Chair, International Program Task Force

Strategy 2: Increase international student enrollment.

Action plan:


1 Develop agreements with foreign countries for the admittance of their government‐supported students.

Dean Chair, International Program Task Force

2 Explore agreements with premier foreign universities to have students spend their first two years in their home institutions and the junior/senior years in the School of Engineering at UConn‐Storrs.

Dean Chair, International Program Task Force

20 | P a g e

Summary of Metrics for Undergraduate Education

Area of enhancement Current Status 2014 Incoming class size 386 Fall 07

492 Fall 08 Stable at 500

Undergraduate student/faculty ratio

~ 17:1 15:1

Degrees awarded per faculty 2.5 (total 310) 2.8 Undergraduate credit hours per faculty

234 AY08 228 AY 07 209 AY06 185 AY 05

235 *(based on 2250 students @ 15 CrH per semester, and 150 faculty)

In‐state scholarships 57 freshmen 100 Out‐of‐state scholarships

TBD TBD

Students Participating in: Honors Program

240

300

Internships 261 500 Co‐ops 10 200 Undergraduate research No data available 300 Study abroad 18 for AY07‐08 200 Professional Societies 7‐Honors

16‐Professional 10‐Honors 20‐Professional

21 | P a g e

II. Graduate and Professional Education

The faculty in the School of Engineering consider graduate students as important partners in the research and teaching missions. Success of graduate students is a key element in the national and international reputation of the School. Goal II.1 Increase the graduate student population and enhance its quality, in response to workforce needs and research opportunities. Based on the study of schools of engineering in the top 20 public universities, workforce needs, and our own experience and traditions at UConn, the following quantitative goals are set for the graduate student, faculty and staff sizes within the UConn School of Engineering.

Current Status 2014 Goal 2014 Goal

(per 100 faculty) # Faculty 110 150 # PhD (FT) 266

(2.4 per faculty) 450

(3 per faculty) 300

(3 per faculty)

# PhD (PT) 42 (.4 per faculty)

75 (.5 per faculty)

50 (.5 per faculty)

# PhD Degrees Awarded per year 41 (.4 per faculty)

75 (.5 per faculty)

50 (.5 per faculty)

# MSc – (FT) 136 (1.2 per faculty)

150 (1 per faculty)

100 (1 per faculty)

# MSc – (PT) 88 (.8 per faculty)

150 (1 per faculty)

100 (1 per faculty)

# MSc Degrees Awarded (Plan A) 31 (.28 per faculty)

75 (.5 per faculty)

50 (.5 per faculty)

# MSc Degrees Awarded (Plan B) 33 (.28 per faculty)

75 (.5 per faculty)

50 (.5 per faculty)

# MENG (Discussed in details in Chapter VI)

105 200

22 | P a g e

Strategy 1: Increase the sources of support for graduate students.

Support type # in 2008

Goal for 2014

TA 40 Equivalent FT 60 RA (federal grants) 160.5 Equivalent FT 320

RA (Industry)(other) 21 Equivalent FT 40 Fellowships (National) 14 ? Fellowships (training grants) 1 20

Fellowships (UConn) 5

60

Foundation Fellowships And Others

4 20

Action plan:


1 Increase research awards and expenditure in the School of Engineering.

See Focus Area III of the Academic Plan: (Research, Scholarship, Innovation and Discovery)

2 Develop site fellowship programs (IGERT, GK‐12, GAANN, etc.) by encouraging, supporting and rewarding interested faculty to lead the development of such grant proposals.

Dean Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education Department Heads Center Directors

Start immediately

3 Support senior undergraduates and first year graduate students apply for individual Fellowships (NSF, NDSEG, NASA, NIH, etc.)

Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education

Start immediately

4 Actively recruit recent graduates who are recipients of Federal Fellowships (NSF, NDSEG, NASA, NIH, etc.) and have not committed to any other schools yet, by offering attractive augments to their Fellowships.


Start immediately

5 Explore and develop government‐sponsored training programs through the NSA, DoE, etc.


Start immediately

6 Explore and develop industry sponsored training programs.


Start immediately

7 Increase Endowed Graduate Fellowships See Focus area IV of the Academic Plan

23 | P a g e

Strategy 2: Provide competitive support packages for graduate students.

Action plan:


1 • Survey the support packages for graduate students provided by top ranked engineering schools. By contacting colleagues in other institutions, find out both published rates as well as actual support amounts that these schools provide. Use the cost of living and applicable fees to establish support levels in other schools we must compete with.

• Study and document current practices of graduate student support in the School of Engineering.

• Develop a recommendation to the Academic Council and the SoE faculty, to enforce minimum support levels in the School.

Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education SoE Graduate Council

August 2009

2 • Accept all PhD students with a commitment for at least three years of support, subject to satisfactory progress.

• Publicize this commitment.

Department Heads

3 Develop internal fellowships in the School of Engineering (matched 50% by GRAs)to make attractive offers to top graduate applicants.

Dean Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education

Dec 2009

4 • Provide first year competitive funding (matched by 50% by GRAs.) to attract a top graduate students.


Dec. 1010

24 | P a g e

Strategy 3: Increase the number of qualified American students in our graduate programs.

Action plan:


1 Develop Plans for proactive recruitment: • Advertisement through GRE mail serve

• Recruit from regional institutions that do not offer PhD. Facilitate faculty visits to these universities and giving talks to their undergraduates about the benefits of grad school in general and UConn specifically

• Market the positive benefits of a UConn graduate education. Prepare and distribute pamphlets on UConn‐SoE grad programs to other universities.

• Encourage and support faculty to provide up‐to‐date web pages for potential graduate students.


2 • Recruit our UConn sophomores, juniors and seniors by engaging them in research and provide them the opportunity to prepare for graduate fellowship applications.

• Promote submission of NSF REU proposals as site programs and as supplemental programs to support undergraduate student research

• Promote undergraduate students to apply for NSF REU programs offered by other universities. Students will benefit from this experience and can participate in future research at UConn to prepare for fellowship proposal applications.

• Offer a seminar for UConn undergraduate students on graduate school and provide opportunity for one‐on‐one conversations about the benefits of graduate school.

• Actively pursue recruitment of UConn undergrads in physics, chemistry, and mathematics.

Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education SoE Graduate Council Also See Strategy 3 of Goal I: Prepare students for graduate schools.

3 Effectively use the SoE/Departmental websites to publicize our research achievements and quality of our faculty and existing graduate students.


25 | P a g e

Strategy 4: Improve the quality of the international students recruited to our graduate programs.

Action plan:


1 • Develop a list of high‐quality international universities for targeted recruitment of graduate students

• Develop streamlined process for top students in those universities to apply to UConn and provide a rapid response.

• Seek the support of our current students from these international universities to help identify top candidates and proactively recruit them.


2 Develop dual degree programs with top international universities identified through action plan #1

Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education Chair of SoE Int’l Program Task Force

3 Involve those faculty members with international backgrounds to actively recruit students from universities with which they enjoy active collaboration.


4 Encourage/Invite faculty members from reputed international academic institutions to teach summer courses.

26 | P a g e

Goal II.2 Enhance the education of graduate students in order to prepare them for successful careers as academicians or leaders in industry.

Strategy 1: Enhance the quality (content and timeliness) of the graduate curricula.

Action plan:


1 Enhance and emphasize the role of the School of Engineering Graduate Council in actively leading the mission of graduate education in the school.


May 2009

2 • Develop a comparative report of the requirements for graduate degrees in all of the engineering programs.

• Document best practices in various programs. • Study the benefits of some degrees of uniformity

of the requirements among programs. • Provide the result of the study to all faculty and

initiate discussion on this subject school wide.


December 2009

3 Facilitate course sharing and cross‐listing among various departments (for example the School has 3 or 4 separate graduate courses on Engineering Optimization.)


4 Encourage the graduate students to use their university travel allocated funds to present their research findings at national and international conferences by leveraging these funds.


5 Enhance graduate student recognitions such as Best PhD/MS Thesis Awards.


27 | P a g e

Strategy 2: Promote interdisciplinary graduate engineering education.

Action plan:


1 Identify areas of need and opportunity in interdisciplinary graduate engineering education.


December 2009

2 Facilitate development and management of cross departmental courses and programs.


December 2009

3 Develop and implement procedures for appropriating credit to faculty for cross departmental graduate student support, thesis advising and course offering. Such procedure should be based on the principle that these activities within or outside the faculty’s home department merits the same credit.


December 2009

4 Enhance opportunities and establish standards for personal alterations to the program requirements on a case by case basis.


December 2009

5 Forge partnerships with the School of Business to enhance our Professional Master of Engineering curriculum.

Dean Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education Director of MEng program

December 2009

6 Forge partnerships with the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, the Neag School of Education and the UConn Health Center to discuss and consider potential joint programs and enhancing the multi disciplinary nature of the existing ones.


December 2009

28 | P a g e

Strategy 3: Enhance the experiential learning experience of the graduate students.

Action plan:


1 Critically examine the current experiential learning opportunities and develop action plans for enhancement in: • Graduate Co‐ops • Graduate Internships • Professional service • Community and public service • Entrepreneurship perspective • Research Abroad potential for Graduate students


May 2010

29 | P a g e

Strategy 4: Enhance graduate students’ understanding, appreciation and practice of social sciences, humanities, art, ethics and professionalism thus preparing them for responsible citizenship in productive careers. [Note: This strategy is mostly a repeat of strategy 4 in Goal I.1 for undergraduate students. The resources developed will be used for both graduate and undergraduate students.]

Action plan:


1 Establish the society: “Engineers and Scientists for Change” to enable students and faculty to participate in broader impact efforts that benefit the spectrum of constituents, from local communities to global society.

Dean January 2010

2 Establish a learning community for engineering leadership development that incorporates activities in communication, management, entrepreneurship, ethics and strategic planning.

Dean Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Education

May 2010

3 Develop plan, space and resources to encourage graduate students’ participation in professional societies.

Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Education

December 2009

30 | P a g e

Strategy 5: Provide training in pedagogy, communication and grant proposal writing.

Action plan:


1 Develop on‐campus teaching workshops through the Institute of Teaching and Learning for select graduate students.

Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education Associate Dean for Academic Affairs

May 2009

2 Establish Teaching Fellowships to Outstanding Graduate Students who wish to pursue careers in Academia.

Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education Associate Dean for Academic Affairs SoE Graduate Council

December 2009

3 Utilize University’s and Graduate School’s resources to develop formal programs and workshops for technical communication, proposal writing and conduct of research.


December 2009

31 | P a g e

Goal II.3: Augment engineering graduate students’ education with broader activities, to further enhance their experience at UConn and their success in their career paths.

Strategy 1: Preparing graduate students for professional careers.

Action plan:


1 Develop a departmental and school plans to: • Poll/interview students in their last year to

assess their career goals; • Exit poll/interview graduating students; • Organize career awareness workshops by experts; • Leverage academic and industry connections to

facilitate student access to potential employers.

Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education Department Heads

December 2009

2 Use University resources to facilitate workshops on resume writing and interview skills for graduate students at all levels.


December 2009

3 Maintain a database to assess the success rate of the graduated student placement.

Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education And Department Heads

December 2009

4 Utilize networking to facilitate quality postdoctoral positions for our PhD graduates. Actively promote national post‐doctoral fellowship programs to senior graduate students (NRC, etc)


December 2009

5 Engage practicing engineers and industrial leaders to provide guidance to, and facilitate networking for, graduate students at all levels regarding career opportunities, selection and employer expectations in industry.

Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education And Department Heads

December 2009

6 Engage our Graduates to serve as ambassadors to promote our graduate program at different academic institutions and industry


32 | P a g e

Strategy 2: Enhance graduate student satisfaction.

Background: Graduate student satisfaction is a function of a student’s academic and research experiences, their relationships with peers, faculty and their advisor and their social activities. Graduate student satisfaction significantly affects their research performance in short term and their career placement in long‐term. This in return has profound consequences for the reputation and quality of our graduate programs. Several recent in‐depth studies (Including at Berkeley University of Virginia, University of Maryland – Baltimore County, Oklahoma State University and Seattle University)

According to the findings of these reports, graduate students broadly tend to view their academic, scholarly and research experiences rather favorably when queried about their satisfaction. More variable are the responses when asked about their non‐academic aspects of their experience. These factors, especially among international students, minority students and women, can have a very significant, and sometimes detrimental, impact on their satisfaction with their graduate school experience. According to these studies, large percentages (~ 50% to 75%) of the graduate students experience an emotional or stress‐related problem that significantly affected their well being and/or academic performance. While stress cannot be eliminated from the graduate student experience, creating an atmosphere of inclusion, participation, empowerment, support and involvement, as well as utilization of the professional services available on campus, will have a significant effect on the graduate students experience, performance and career trajectory. [Draft Note: Dr. Nick Lownes from the CEE Department has written a very useful review of these studies as well as the anecdotal survey of the graduate students at UConn in preparation for the Academic Plan].

Action plan:


1 Improve the quality of student/advisor interaction advising. With the support of graduate school, provide workshop and training (mandatory for starting faculty) on the “art of supervision and advising”.


December 2009

2 Strengthen the sense of community and improve students’ lives. Organize a group consisting of faculty and students to focus on the quality of graduate student experiences at UConn; study (to the extent possible) student life in peer institutes; study and leverage available literature and reports; and develop a plan. Examples of possible activities are “fireside chats” with faculty, pizza nights, posting students’ personal profiles and pictures on the departmental websites or within departments.

Dean Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education SoE Graduate Council

December 2009

3 Add representation from the graduate students on the Graduate Research Council


December 2009

4 Develop regular forums for open discussion between faculty and graduate students.


33 | P a g e

5 Establish a Graduate Student Association in each department and hold regular meetings with them.


6 Develop means of assessing graduate student satisfaction.

Institutionalize assessment mechanisms. Commit to monitoring and enhancing graduate

student satisfaction.

Dean Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education Department Heads

December 2009

7 Provide a mechanism for confidential graduate student grievance hearing, conflict resolution and counseling. Make sure that students are aware of the mechanism.


December 2009

8 Make sure that students are aware of the health and counseling services available to them at UConn.


34 | P a g e

III. Research, Scholarship, Innovation and Discovery

Our goal is to achieve national and international prominence in research and generation of new knowledge in key focused areas of strength. We also aim to become an important driving force in the economic development in the State through commercialization of our technologies. With this focus, the following goals are established.

Goal III.1 Recruit and retain a world‐class faculty. Our faculty will have national and international recognition based upon their contributions in research, education and service. Their stature will enable them to influence national research and policies and initiatives.

Strategy 1: Increase the faculty size to 150, at a rate of increase of ten faculty per year. (see Goal I.3 on: Optimally poise and utilize the School’s resources and faculty body, in response to workforce needs and research opportunities. ) Faculty hiring will be based on opportunities for excellence and growth in key research areas as discussed in Goal III.2.

Strategy 2: Enhance faculty recruiting efforts and process. The excellence and prominence of our research programs first and foremost depends on the quality of our faculty. Hiring of faculty is the single largest investment for the School. To recruit outstanding faculty, we need innovative, aggressive and prudent plans.

Action plan:


1 Anticipate: Every department and unit must at all times anticipate vacancies and must actively identify (through professional circles and contact with colleagues) outstanding entry level and mid‐career potential faculty candidates. Department seminars and distinguished seminar series should be used as effective venues in this regard. The Departments and the School will be strategically poised to address the developing or future national research needs based upon roadmaps developed by DARPA, NAE etc and target faculty hiring accordingly.


Start immediately

2 Recruit Rising Stars: Particular emphasis in recruiting efforts will be placed on identifying outstanding junior faculty with proven record of initiating successful research programs, who may consider joining UConn. Faculty members who have secured national Young Investigator Awards


Start immediately

35 | P a g e

(NSF CAREER, ONR YIA, etc). We should consider endowed named positions as effective means of attracting such faculty.

Department Heads Center Directors

3 Startup Packages: Develop competitive startup packages that leverage TA assignment, teaching load reduction, access to shared equipment in research centers, and collaborative agreements with industry, as significant components of these packages.


Start immediately

Strategy 3: Nurture faculty and enhance efforts to retain research active faculty.

Action plan:


1 Faculty Salary: Conduct a comparative study of the UConn Engineering faculty salaries with aspirant engineering schools. In case of discrepancies, work with central administration to plan appropriate actions.

Dean December 2010

2 Merit Raise: Each department will examine its merit raise criteria and policy to assure that faculty achievements and contributions to the mission of the School are appropriately rewarded. The current merit raise policies will be made public and shared by all departments. Dean will facilitate the sharing of ‘best practices’ and ‘lessons learned’ and coordination among departments.


May 2010

3 Work Load: Each department must examine their teaching load policy to assure that faculty are successful in their academic endeavors contributions to the mission of the school have maximum impact. The current teaching load policies will be made public and shared by all departments. Dean will facilitate the sharing of ‘best practices’ and ‘lessons learned’ and coordination among departments.


May 2010

36 | P a g e

4 Faculty Mentors: Develop a formal mentoring

program for the new faculty by successful senior faculty. Regularly assess the effectiveness of the faculty mentoring program. Recognize, publicize and reward faculty mentors’ efforts and success.


Start immediately

5 Create more term professorships, endowed positions, fellowships, and awards for senior and junior faculty who contribute significantly to the mission of the School and its stature.

Dean Associate Dean for Research and Graduated Education

Start immediately

6 Support nomination of faculty for various national and international awards and recognitions:

• Increase awareness of award opportunities

• School, departments’ and centers’ leadership and PTR committees will actively facilitate and support nomination of faculty for university, national and international awards and fellow status of the professional societies.

• Promote senior faculty members for key national and international leadership positions.

Dean Associate Dean for Research and Graduated Education Department Heads

Start immediately

7 NAE: Actively promote and assist in the election of qualified senior faculty into the National Academy of Engineering. Develop a network of NAE members who can serve as nominators and supporters.

Dean Associate Dean for Research and Graduated Education

Start immediately

8 Publicity: Continue to enhance publicity of outstanding achievements of faculty, both internally and externally, through various School and departmental publications and websites. Organize the School and departmental communications and publicity personnel for maximum effectiveness. Coordinate a distributed team for the School,

Dean Associate Dean for Research and Graduated Education Department Heads

Start immediately

37 | P a g e

departments and centers that will develop and implement plans for bolstering publicity and public communications. Continuously assess circulation and readership of the School and departmental publication for maximum impact. Monitor web traffic to the School and department websites to optimize exposure.

9 Award Ceremony: Sponsor an annual formal award ceremony in SoE focused on recognition of faculty excellence and accomplishments.

Dean December 2010

Goal III.2 Identify and support strategic thrusts in research that build upon existing strengths as well as state and national needs and funding opportunities, with the goal of being recognized in these spires of excellence, as a leading player in the national and international arena. The following six thrusts are identified: Draft Note: the following data is not complete

Spires of Excellence

Current (2008) Status

fund

ing

level (08

)

No. of

faculty

*

1 Sustainable Energy $2.67M 23

2 Informatics and Bioinformatics $4.88M 32

3 Nanotechnology $3.28M 25

4 Biological and Biomedical Technologies

$1.61M 13

5 Security , Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure

$1.M 23

6 Sustainability of Environmental and Natural Resources

$.78M 14

* Allocations were based on current research of faculty in the school.

38 | P a g e

The following strategies are set forth to further strengthen and buildup these spires of excellence.

Strategy 1: Make “Sustainable Energy” a research aspires of excellence for the School.

Action plan:


1 Fully implement the Eminent Faculty initiative which will promote energy research and training in fuel cell, solar cell, alternative energy, power engineering and energy storage. Related areas that will be developed include advanced batteries, intelligent transmission networks for highly variable generation sources, wind energy, etc.


May 2010

2 Expand the activities of the CGFCC to encompass sustainable energy. Form a "Sustainable Energy Institute”.

Dean Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education Director of the GFCCC

Start in 2009

3 Form a group of research active faculty in this area to develop a strategic five year plan

Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education Director of the GFCCC

August 2009

4 Activities can form the foundation for a successful multi‐university program (i.e., ERC, MURI, etc). Activities through NSF IUCRC will leverage industrial support for joint R&D

Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education Director of the GFCCC

Start immediately

5 Plan and invest in high‐quality laboratory space through renovations and in the existing space and new Engineering Building.


Start immediately

Strategy 2: Make “Informatics and Bioinformatics” a strategic spire of excellence for the School. This area has high potential for return on infrastructure investment since the existing strength is significant.

39 | P a g e

Action plan:



Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education BECAT Director

August 2009

2 Develop plans for bolstering the status of Booth Engineering Center for Advanced Technology (BECAT) to a University Center and as a nationally recognized IT research center.

Dean Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education BECAT Director

June 2009

3 Support the development and implementation of the CTSA (Clinical and Translational Science Awards) for bioinformatics research and training. Collaboration with the UCHC, pharmaceutical and insurance firms are central to this activity.


Start immediately

4 Invest in and grow existing strengths in data fusion and data mining with high performance computational resources and other infrastructure support.

Dean Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education Director of BECAT

Start immediately

5 Leverage growing relationships with IBM and other leading IT companies to develop a regional presence in NE through multi‐institutional collaboration.


Start immediately



Start immediately

Strategy 3: Make “Nanotechnology” a strategic spire of excellence for the School. This area has been emphasized in the School of Engineering and College of Liberal Arts and Sciences for two decades and has been a priority in faculty recruitment for Materials Science and Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, and Electrical and Computer Engineering. Funding for nanotechnology activities at the federal level have stabilized but the State of CT has demonstrated strong interest in supporting nanotechnology activities related to infrastructure development.

40 | P a g e

Action plan:




August 2009

2 Plan and seek funding for advanced facilities on the Storrs campus that enable nanofabrication of hard and soft materials and devices. Sources of primary funding include congressional earmarks and state appropriations.

Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education In coordination with research center directors

Start immediately

3 Encourage inter‐disciplinary activities that will create synergies among faculty members in all departments. Nano research activities will focus on development of applications (through devices and processes) and not duplicate existing strengths in characterization at UConn.

Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education In coordination with research center directors

Start immediately



Start immediately

Strategy 4: Make “Biological and Biomedical Technologies” a strategic spire of excellence for the School. Currently in the School, activities in Bio‐medical Science and Engineering, Imaging and Bioinformatics are strong. There is also strong overlap with Nanotechnologies.

Action plan:




August 2009

2 Facilitate close collaborations with UCHC, School of Pharmacy, and various Life Sciences departments and units.

Dean Associate Dean for Research and Graduate

Start immediately

41 | P a g e

Education 3 Plan, seek funding and invest in growth areas of

biomedical imaging, regenerative medicine, point of care diagnosis and treatment.


Start immediately



Start immediately

Strategy 5: Make “Cyber and Infrastructure Security” a strategic spire of excellence for the School.

Action plan:




August 2009

2 Leverage and grow the programs through DHS (Department of Homeland Security) and through partnerships with local agencies (Coast Guard, CT‐DEMHS, etc) and industries (IBM, GE, UTC, etc).


Start immediately



Start immediately

Strategy 6: Make “Environmental and Natural Resources Engineering” a strategic spire of excellence for the School.

Action plan:




August 2009

42 | P a g e

In coordination with the Program Director of Environmental Engineering and the Director of CESE.

2 Develop inter‐disciplinary research and graduate education programs in water and air resources in conjunction with CLAS‐EEB (Ecology and Evolutionary Biology) and CANR (College of Agriculture and Natural Resources).

Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education In coordination with the Program Director of Environmental Engineering and the Director of CESE.

Start immediately

3 Significant untapped resources for environmental engineering research exist in state agencies. Develop a plan to explore and tap into these resources.


Start immediately

4 International component in environmental research areas are promising. Develop plan and support activities to explore international opportunities.


Start immediately

5 Explore developing “Environmentally Sustainable Systems” as a center within the Sustainable Energy Institute. (see strategy 1).

Dean Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education Director of the GFCCC

Dec 2009

6 Plan and invest in high‐quality laboratory space through renovations and in the existing space

Dean

Start immediately

http://www.canr.uconn.edu/

43 | P a g e

Goal III.3 Enhance the research productivity of the faculty, bolster the research strength and reputation of the School, and maximize the impact of faculty’s scholarly contributions.

Research productivity is measured by research funding, archival publications, patents, and graduate student support and advising. Strategy 1: Increase extramural research funding from federal agencies.

Currently the external research expenditure per faculty per year in the School of Engineering is $135K. In 5 years, we aim to increase this to $250K per year.

and new Engineering Building.


Action plan:


1 Proactively seek funding by creating opportunities in discussions with Federal funding agencies, Industry and Foundations.


2 Develop critical mass of faculty and staff in key strategic growth areas as discussed in Goal III.2. Align hiring of new faculty members to the academic plan.


Start immediately

3 Strategically align the faculty effort allocation to grow the identified research thrusts. Develop a policy for differential teaching and service loads for research active faculty (see Goal III.2, Strategy 3, and Action Plan 3).


Start immediately

4 Promote high impact, high risk research. Development of large, multi‐investigator proposals (NSF ERC, DoD MURI, etc) represent major commitment of effort and resources. To support faculty members leading these efforts and to enhance the probability of success, the School will initiate seed funding programs to:

‐ provide course reductions and other incentives to participating faculty.


Start immediately

44 | P a g e

‐ Support exploratory visits to key agencies by SoE faculty.

5 Promote multi‐investigator and inter‐disciplinary research: ‐ Develop faculty dialogue and interaction to

prepare for large submission through o the formation of working groups o mini‐symposiums o workshops

‐ Develop incentives for faculty and unit participation for inter‐disciplinary research

‐ Develop and support (with seed funding) working groups in key areas with UCHC faculty that are aligned to the intersection of engineering and medicine.


Start immediately

6 Grow the physical infrastructure to support research in key areas.

Secure high‐quality research facility for School’s research thrusts.

Maximize the space available for research in the new Engineering Building.

Dean Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education Associate Dean for Academic Affairs

December 2010

7 Foster relationships with government laboratories for joint funding opportunities (DoD laboratories are good examples), with a focus on translational R&D to meet the needs of mission‐oriented agencies.


Start immediately

8 Mentor new faculty through a network of successful senior faculty. Provide professional training for grant writing for junior and other interested faculty. Organize workshops by experienced faculty on successful proposal submission. Develop an effective program for providing high quality support infrastructure (technical writing, editing, graphics, budgeting, etc. ) to faculty for preparing proposals.

Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education Department Heads Center Directors

Start immediately

9 Coordinate with central administration to seek Dean Start

45 | P a g e

congressional earmarks for the thrust areas. Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education

immediately

12 In collaboration with our industrial partners establish one or more “Industry Professor In‐Residence” positions through which senior researchers from industry will fill these positions to spearhead major research projects and proposals.


August 2010

Strategy 2: Increase extramural research funding from industry, and develop effective plan for joint commercialization with industry.

Currently the external research expenditure from industry in the School of Engineering is approximately $1M. In 5 years, we aim to increase this to $5M per year.

Action plan:


1 Foster industry relationships through:

‐ SBIR activities (coordination with CT SBIR office will be critical)

‐ NSF ‐ IUCRC (Industry/University Cooperative Research Center

‐ CCAT. – Connecticut Center for Advance Technologies

Develop workshops for faculty on opportunities.

Publicize the School’s capabilities to regional and national corporations.


Start immediately

2 Develop a graduate (Masters) level version of the very successful Senior Design Projects model.

Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education Department Heads

August 2010

3 Implement best practices for collaboration and joint commercialization activities with industry.

Dean Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education Executive Director UConn Technology Incubation Program

Start immediately

46 | P a g e

4 Identify key industry partnerships for potential

translational research programs, joint projects and technology/product commercialization.


Start immediately

5 Energy: Develop plans for focused discussions with UTC, GE, IBM, Fuel Cell Energy and NU for partnership in Sustainable Energy

Become members of University Cooperative Research Center (NS‐ IUCRC) through which broader activities in energy can be developed for potential ERC, STC or MURI

Dean Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education Director, CGFCC

Start immediately

6 BioEngr./ Biomedical Engr. : Develop joint translational biomedical research with industry (Requires close alignment with School of Pharmacy and UCHC)

‐ Develop alliances with pharmaceutical and biomedical device manufacturers in the region.

‐ Leverage membership in BEACON and

develop leadership within organization to work closely with local industries.

‐ Seek support through Coulter Foundation

for translational research


Start immediately

Strategy 3: Increase extramural research funding from State agencies.

Currently the external research expenditure from State agencies in the School of Engineering is approximately $800K. In 5 years, we aim to increase to $2M per year.

Action plan:


1 Develop and enhance research relationships with state agencies such as:

‐ CONNDoT, (CT Dept. of Transportation) ‐ DEP (Dept. of Environmental Protection)

Dean Associate Dean for Research and Graduate

Start immediately

47 | P a g e

‐ DEMHS ( Dept. of Emergency Management and Homeland Security)

‐ DHE (Department of Higher Education)

Become a ‘go‐to’ institution in the region where difficult technical problems are solved.

Education Department Heads

Strategy 4: Increase extramural research funding from private foundations.

Action plan:


1 Seek support through foundations such as Keck, Coulter, and Simons foundations, for high risk, cutting edge research.

Dean Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education Director of Development Director of Foundation Activities

Start immediately

2 Study, develop and provide the faculty the list of private foundations that may support research, education and outreach activities of the faculty and the school.

Dean Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education Director of Development Director of Foundation Activities

August 2009

Strategy 5: Enhance and further empower the role of research centers/shared facilities The School of Engineering faculty are actively involved in research in the following centers that are managed by the School or the University.

http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0geu7SbfltJX04AzAdXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTBybnZlZnRlBHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDMQRjb2xvA2FjMgR2dGlkAw--/SIG=11sg5dffk/EXP=1230819355/**http%3a/www.ct.gov/demhs/site/default.asp

http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0geu7SbfltJX04AzAdXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTBybnZlZnRlBHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDMQRjb2xvA2FjMgR2dGlkAw--/SIG=11sg5dffk/EXP=1230819355/**http%3a/www.ct.gov/demhs/site/default.asp

48 | P a g e

Engineering:

‐ Bioinformatics & BioComputing Institute ‐ Booth Engineering Center for Advanced Technology (BECAT) ‐ Connecticut Global Fuel Cell Center (CGFCC) ‐ Connecticut Transportation Institute (CTI) ‐ Technologies and Research for Advanced National Security of Intermodal Transportation

(TRANSIT): DHS Center on Transportation Security

University:

‐ Center for Environmental Science and Engineering (CESE) ‐ Institute of Materials Science (IMS)

Action plan:


1 Where appropriate, each center will develop a five year strategic plan, in line with and integrated with the School’s and the University’s Academic Plan. See action plan 1 in strategies 1‐6 of Goal III.2.

Center Directors August 2009

2 Study, develop and implement an incentive based, self sustaining model and set Indirect Cost (IDC) return rates to centers to be managed by the centers.

Dean Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education Center Directors

August 2009

3 Study, identify and remove structural barriers been academic de4partments and research centers to further facilitate integration, resource sharing and faculty participation.

Dean Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education Center Directors

Start immediately

Strategy 6: Develop international partnerships with institutions offering expertise in focused areas of excellence. Examples of possible initiatives are listed below.

49 | P a g e

Action plan:


1 Develop NSF Partnership for Int’l Research and Education (PIRE) program in key research areas. Promote relationships with regions and institutions that are targeted as high priority by NSF

• Africa • Middle East • Far East • Southeast Asia

Leverage existing relationships with key EU institutions in areas such as hydrologic studies

Dean Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education Director of International Academic Partnerships

Start immediately

2 Develop World Materials Network: Leverage resources of IMS and SoE to pursue collaborative user agreements and joint projects involve sharing of sophisticated equipment for mutual benefit.

Dean Director of IMS

May 2010

3 Develop research and development programs that feature societal impact on the environment and human health. Leverage experience and connection to USAID, institutions in developing countries (in Africa and Asia) to secure grants from federal, int’l and philanthropic organizations.


May 2010

50 | P a g e

It is expected that implementation of the action plans under goals III.1 through III.3 will significantly enhance scholarly dissemination and output (publications, presentations, patents, books). Current scholarly output for Engineering Faculty in academic year 2007‐2008 are listed below:

2008 Journal Articles per Year

355/112

Conference Proceedings per Year

391/112

Books (Cumulative)

80/112

Patents (Cumulative)

240/112

51 | P a g e

IV. Diversity We believe that ultimately our creativity, our success in educating future leaders for our state, our country and the global society, and eminence of our scholarship depends on our diversity, and multiplicity of our prospective and differences. We share the University’s commitment, as indicated in the University Academic Plan, to a climate that welcomes individuals with different viewpoints, experiences, and values. Towards this belief, we set specific goals, strategies and action plans.

Goal IV.1 Enhance the recruitment, activities and programs targeting women and underrepresented minorities in the pre‐college pipeline, and to our undergraduate programs.

Strategy 1:

Action plan:


1 Increase corporate student sponsorships and scholarships.

Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Studies Director of Engineering Diversity Program

Start immediately

2 Enhance Bridge program and increase its participation from 40 (in 2008) to 80 in 2013.


Start immediately

3 Increase the participation of underrepresented minorities in PEP (Pre-Engineering Program (PEP) from 37 in (in 2008) to 60 in 2013.


Start immediately

Strategy 2: Increase scholarships and fellowships for women and URM.

Action plan:


1 Work with alumni and industries to increase URM scholarships.

Dean Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Studies School’s Development Officers

Start immediately

2 Develop proposals to NSF and other federal agencies to solicit support for URM students.

Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Studies

Start immediately

3 Explore private foundations and solicit support for URM students.


Start immediately

52 | P a g e

Goal IV.2 Enhance the recruitment of women and underrepresented minorities to our graduate programs.

Strategy 1: Actively recruit women and URM students from outside UConn.

Action plan:


1 In partnership with the University, Explore and develop and institute internal and external sources of funding for URM and women scholarships and fellowships.

Dean Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies

Start immediately

2 Develop partnerships with regional and national institutions that have student populations from predominantly under represented groups or women to create and facilitate pipelines of graduate applicants.

Dean Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies

Start immediately

6 As part of the Northeast Alliance for Minority Participation, and the Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP), get access to broad programs of recruitment and mentoring of URM students.

Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies

Start immediately

Strategy 2: Actively recruit women and URM students from UConn undergraduate programs by providing graduate education transition activities.

Action plan:


1 Identify talented women and minority undergraduates who have not taken the GRE and who appear not to have contemplated advanced study. Involve them in various research activities.


Start immediately

2 Provide institutional matching funds, for women and URM students who participate and get support in REU project in the school, as a means of enhancing the our graduate applicant’s pipeline.


Start immediately

53 | P a g e

Goal IV.3 Increase the retention and graduation rate of women and underrepresented minority students.

Strategy 1: Develop supportive environment and programmatic activities.

Action plan:


1 Support professional organizations such as NSBE and SWE. Provide funding for the academic activities of these organizations.


Start immediately

2 Develop and/or enhance support networks by faculty, senior undergraduate and graduate students, staff and alumni to create an embracing and supportive environment for women and URM students.


Start immediately

3 Develop and/or enhance programs that are designed to improve critical analytical skills of the students and provide academic support and tutorial services when needed.


Start immediately

4 Arrange regular meetings to ensure effective communication and monitor academic performance for early intervention when needed.


Start immediately

Strategy 2: Improve awareness for intercultural sensitivity and diversity.

Action plan:


1 Publicize the available diversity education activities at the university to the SOE faculty and staff.

Emphasize the importance of these trainings in various faculty meeting, encourage and monitor participation.

Dean Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Studies

Start immediately

2 Extend diversity training to the Graduate TA’s in the school.


Start immediately

3 Seek funding for and provide diversity TAs. Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Studies

Start immediately

4 Provide funding to the departments for diversity Dean

August 2010

54 | P a g e

initiatives and reward achievements. Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Studies

5 Host an annual diversity engineering dinner with active participation from industry and alumni.


August 2010

Goal IV.5 Improve the diversity of the faculty and the staff in the School.

Action plan:


1 Explore internal and external sources of funding for hiring qualified women or URM faculty. Examples are:

• Institutional special hiring opportunities, • NSF AGEP


Start immediately

2 Provide visiting scholar opportunities to qualified scientists as a means to explore a career at UConn.


August 2009

3 Communicate with faculty and administrators and increase their awareness of the need for faculty diversity. Their contacts, networks and conference attendance should be used effectively towards identifying female and URM faculty candidates.


Start immediately

VI. Public and Professional Engagement

The university’s academic plan defines “Public and Engagement” as the contributions of UConn faculty, staff and students to the state, nation and the world through appropriate collaborations with partners in both the public and private sectors. Embracing this definition, for the School of Engineering, public and professional engagement will be viewed as one form of scholarship that encompasses teaching, research, and service. Outreach involves generation and transfer of knowledge to an audience beyond traditional academic and scholarship communities (such as students on campus or research and professional communities.)

Goal V.1 Define opportunities for outreach and develop systems for monitoring, evaluating and rewarding outreach.

55 | P a g e

Action plan:


1 Develop and articulate clear definitions of outreach activities.

Dean Dean’s PTR Council

Start immediately

2 Rigorously include outreach as part of the activity reports and PTR forms of the faculty, and consider outreach in the evaluation of merit.

Dean Department Heads PTR committees

August 2009

3 Include outreach as part of the annual report of each department and the School.


Start immediately

4 Recognize, facilitate and reward outreach activities by the departments and centers.

Dean

Start immediately

Goal V.2 Enhance the School of Engineering’s educational outreach activities.

Strategy 1: Enhance k‐12 outreach activities.

Action plan:


1 Examine the current k‐12 outreach activities in the School and explore opportunities for enhancement. Example of such programs include: Bridge Program, da Vinci Project Engineering 2000 - Explore Engineering E2, Multiply Your Options, Pre-Engineering, Connecticut Invention Convention.

Dean Asst. Dean for Undergraduate Studies

August 2009

2 Intensify efforts to seek funding from state, federal and private sources for K‐12 education outreach.

Dean Department heads

August 2009

3 Support and encourage faculty include K‐12 outreach activates where appropriate in their research proposals.


Start immediately

Strategy 2: Enhance continuing education activities.

Action plan:


http://www.engr.uconn.edu/%7Eedpweb/bridge/

http://www.engr.uconn.edu/davinci/

http://www.engr.uconn.edu/%7Eedpweb/myo/

http://www.engr.uconn.edu/%7Eedpweb/myo/

http://www.engr.uconn.edu/%7Eedpweb/pep/

http://www.ctinventionconvention.org/

http://www.ctinventionconvention.org/

56 | P a g e

1 Asses the onsite Master of Engineering Program and explore opportunities for enhancement and growth.

Dean Director of Meng. Program

August 2009

2 Develop plans for offering of technical workshops and short courses.


August 2009

3 In partnership with appropriate units in the university, examine and develop plans for online and remote education.

Dean Associate Dean for Academic Affairs

Start immediately

Goal V.3 Enhance the School of Engineering’s research and technological outreach.

Strategy 1: Explore and enhance opportunities for expert outreach activities.

Action plan:


1 Actively promotes commercialization through multiple seminars and visits from UConn Technology Incubation staff.

Dean Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education Director of UConn Technology Incubation

Start immediately

2 Develop plans for creating and promoting opportunities for “expert outreach” such as policy studies at the state or national level, or participation in federal or state commissions, taskforces or key technical leadership positions.


August 2009

Strategy 2: Facilitate faculty engagement with industry.

57 | P a g e

Action plan:


1 Enhance research opportunities and interaction with industry

(see strategy 2 in Goal III.3)


August 2009

2 Publicize faculty expertise and promote and encourage opportunities for faculty consulting. Recognize consulting as a form of outreach in faculty evaluations.


Start immediately

3 Explore the need, the benefits, the economic impacts and the impact on the visibility of the School, of an “Engineering Clinique” that will be a gateway for small industry in the state for getting access to faculty and student expertise and the Schools facilities.

The “Engineering Clinique” may also be a venue for inception of commercialization of research in the school. The Clinique can facilitate entrepreneurial education for engineering students.

Dean

August 2010

Goal V.4 Enhance the School of Engineering’s broader outreach pursuit.

Strategy 1: Engage professional organizations in outreach.

Action plan:


1 Provide planning, support and encouragement for the student professional organizations in the School to participate in the outreach activities.

Dean Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Studies

August 2009

2 Found the professional society: “Scientists and Engineers for Change” as a venue for faculty, staff and engineers outreach activities.

Dean

August 2010

3 Stimulate students’ interest in outreach though class and senior design projects.


August 2009

4 Create internal and external funding opportunity Dean

August 2010

58 | P a g e

for outreach.

4 Publicize the School’s outreach activities. Dean

Start immediately

EDUCATING ENGINEERS FORAcademy of Engineering’s vision on educating engineers for 2020 and...

Documents

Transcript of EDUCATING ENGINEERS FORAcademy of Engineering’s vision on educating engineers for 2020 and...