1

Research in academia

GPPS Forum 18 - Zurich

Luis San Andres

Mast-Childs Chair Professor

Texas A&M University (TAMU)

The main product and

how to make it better

Human knowledgeelementary school

high school

M.S. degree

… Push some

more…

…. and

push a

few more

years

Matt Might, matt.might.net2

B.S. degree

Keep pushing….

the boundary gives way!!!

and keep pushing!

PhD Thesis

Dream big!

Matt Might, matt.might.net3

But the world has not changed

Matt Might, matt.might.net4

Don’t forget the big picture

Keep pushing!

Phd

Matt Might, matt.might.net5

And, the best way to do science is through

graduate students!

The Illustrated Guide to a PhD

Matt Might, matt.might.net 6

Even one child suffering is too many

The only way to end this kind of suffering is science

7

How do graduate students

push boundaries?

8

Work leading towards an advanced graduate degree is

designed to give the student a thorough and

comprehensive knowledge of his or her professional field

and training in methods of research. The final basis for

granting the degree shall be the student’s grasp of the

subject matter of a broad field of study and a

demonstrated ability to do independent research. In

addition, the student must have acquired the ability to

express thoughts clearly and forcefully in both oral and

written languages. The degree is not granted solely for

the completion of course work, residence and technical

requirements, although these must be met.

The official view

Texas A&M Graduate Catalog, p. 151

INDIVIDUAL

INDEPENDENT & ORIGINAL MASTERY

COMMUNICATION

9

Work leading towards an advanced graduate degree is designed to give the student a thorough and comprehensive knowledge of his or

her professional field and training in methods of research. The final basis for granting the degree shall be the student’s grasp of

the subject matter of a broad field of study and a demonstrated ability to do independent research. In addition, the student must

have acquired the ability to express thoughts clearly and forcefully in both oral and written languages. The degree is not

granted solely for the completion of course work, residence and technical requirements, although these must be met.

A room with a view

The ability of student (INDIVIDUAL)

to perform INDEPENT & ORIGINAL

work with demonstrated

COMMUNICATION SKILLS

10

Reading maketh a full man.

Conference a ready man,

and

Writing an exact man

Graduate education follows a proven model

Francis Bacon, pioneer of the modern experimental sciences

English author, courtier, & philosopher;

advocate of inductive reasoning in science;

wrote "Advancement of Learning" 1605, "Novum Organum" 1620,

"New Atlantis" 1627

11

Conditions for research

• Stability Financial support (economic), Personal, family

& peer support (emotional)

• Resources Equipment,

Computers, Tools and Space conducive

to work. Library, Expertise from peers

and faculty.

• Desire to learn & appreciation of past work.

• Desire to serve others.

• Fierce Independence &

• Ability to be a team player.

External

funding

12

Is research really original?

All research is INCREMENTAL. It adds to the

vast published knowledge. Students must

master what was done before.

Originality relates to novel, faster and more

reliable procedures for measurement and

prediction. Engineering research strives to

solve problems and to create opportunities

(innovation).

13

Research funded by industry

PI (faculty) is a PROJECT MANAGER ensuring the program

is executed on time, within budget, and addressing

to the technical requirements specified.All contracts with industry and government (2014), demand the above conditions

Industry sponsors a large portion of TAMU research “business.”Industry seeks certain expertise available in faculty.

Industries are also the major employers of graduates. Only

a few PhDs (< 40%) work in academia

14

Research for industry

Research no longer intends to educate students and to show

“a best effort” advancing science and engineering.

Academic research is a business!To stay in business one needs to satisfy the customer,

anticipating his needs, delivering on time, exceeding

expectations, etc. Furthermore, industry, to remain

competitive, demands more work with less resources and in

record time.

Creativity and innovation are a must to remain

competitive.

15

What is TEES view?

TEES (Texas Engineering Experimental Station), the research

administration arm from TAMU, solicits from sponsors (i.e.

customers):

* Were contract deliverables satisfied and

timely delivered?

* Did the quality of the work meet your

expectations?

* Will you do business with TEES again?

Deliverables are a must!

16

The bottom line

Industry has a choice! If not satisfied, a

customer goes elsewhere where the work

can be conducted as requested, probably at

a lower cost and in less time.

The information age and globalization make a

fierce competition for resources.

What skills do our graduates need to keep a

“research job” during the next 10+ years?

1717

Re-engineering

Engineering Education

1818

Re-engineering Engineering Education

Modern engineering education must enrich

and broaden the culture of students so

graduates are better prepared to work in a

constantly changing global economy.

Educating the Engineer of 2020 (NAE)

Vision 2020: To enhance the nation's economic

productivity and improve the quality of life

worldwide, engineering education in the US must

anticipate and adapt to the dramatic changes of

engineering practice.

National Academy of Engineering (2007)

Desired Attributes of Engineers

1.A good understanding of engineering science and

fundamentals

2.A good understanding of design & manufacturing

processes

3.Good communication skills

4.A multi-disciplinary, systems perspective

5.A basic understanding of the context in which

engineering is practiced

6.A profound understanding of the importance of

team work

J Roundhill (2001) Jon McMasters, Boeing VP (2006)

Young

19

20

Vision EC 2020: Skills to succeed

Educating the Engineer of 2020 (NAE)

• Prepared for global competency.

• Superb communication skills (written & oral).

• Trained in teams that work and deliver.

• Ready for open-ended multidisciplinary

problems with no unique answer.

• Ready for innovation and to embrace

change.

• Show absolute professional integrity.

More than just technical skills!

21

Skills – which ones are important?

Passow, H.J., 2012, “Which ABET Competencies do Engineering Graduates Find Most

Important in their Jobs,” ASEE Journal of Engineering Education, 101, 1, pp. 95-118.

teams

life-long learning

& ethics

communication

data analysis

&

problem solving

ABET, Inc. Accreditation

Board of Engineering and

Technology

Engineering employers value a

a) Top cluster (teamwork, communication, data

analysis and problem solving)

b) Intermediate cluster (math, science and eng

skills, ethics, LLLearing, design and engineering tools)

c) Bottom cluster (contemporary issues,

experiments, & understanding impact of one’s work).

Clusters stable over time –spanning 18 graduation years and over a period of

zero to ten years after graduation

ABET skills or competencies

Passow, H.J., 2012, “Which ABET Competencies do Engineering Graduates Find Most

Important in their Jobs,” ASEE Journal of Engineering Education, 101, 1, pp. 95-118.22

23

The Turbomachinery

Laboratory

Texas A&M University is a land-grand state institution

Teach/Research/Serve engineering & science

23

24

• To educate future engineering leaders for advanced users and manufacturers of turbomachinery.

• To conduct fundamental and applied research of the highest quality, meeting the needs of the turbomachinery industry

for the 21st century (performance and reliability).

• To provide top-quality professional-development education for practicing turbomachinery engineers (workforce development).

Our mission

24

$900k/y per

faculty

mainly from

industry

25

• The Turbomachinery Laboratory (TL) receives no

funds from the State of Texas. It is supported

primarily by income from two major conferences for users

of commercial turbomachinery

• The Turbomachinery Symposium and International

Pump Users Symposium in Houston (September). ~ 5,000 attendees for users of commercial turbomachinery

• METS: Middle Eastern Turbomachinery Symposium (2011,

2013, 2015).

• ATPS: Asia Turbomachinery & Pump Symposium

(2016, 2018)

Operation

25

26

TurboLab : Outreach

• Annual event

• Houston, TX

• Approx. 5,400

attendees

• 360+ companies

• Began:

Turbo 1971

Pump 1984

Turbomachinery

& Pump

Symposia

(Pump & Turbo)

• Biennial event

• Singapore

• ~ 900+ attendees

• 42 exhibitors

Middle East Turbomachinery Symposium (METS)

Past (2011, 2013, 2015): 1000 attendees + 60+ exhibitors

• 4-5 courses

annually

• Houston, TX

Continuing

Education

Stand-alone

Short Courses

• 36 companies

• $25K annual

dues

• Approx. 15-20

research projects

funded annually

* Began 1980

Turbomachinery

Research

Consortium

(TRC)

• 5-8 ME faculty

• 1 Aero faculty

• Approx. 75

graduate

students

Faculty &

Graduate

Student

Involvement

Asia Turbomachinery

& Pump

Symposium

26

27

Funding SourcesExternal government contracts(NASA, USAF, NSF, DOE)

• Individual contracts with industry (GE, Boeing, Pratt &

Whitney, Dresser Rand, Siemens, Elliott, Honeywell, Solar Turbines,

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, etc.)

• Joint industry research agreements with OEMs

and users of turbomachinery

• Turbomachinery Research

Consortium: 36 members at $25k/year.

• Members vote research projects.

Research focuses on solving

current problems in industry!27

37 years

(funded by

Childs/Vance)

28

2018 TRC members 35 companies: a global conglomerate

• Atlas Copco Comptec

• BHEL Hyderabad

• The Chemours Co.

• Chevron

• ConocoPhillips

• Dresser-Rand Co/Siemens

• Danfoss

• Elliott Co. Ebara Group

• ExxonMobile R&E

• GE Oil & Gas

• Hanwha Techwin

• Hess Corp.

• Hitachi Plant Technologies

• Honeywell

• Ingersoll Rand

• John Crane

• Kawasaki Heavy Industries

• Kobe Steel Ltd.

• MAN Turbo SE

• Mitsubishi Heavy Industries

• NewWay Air Bearings

• PETROBRAS

• Pratt & Whitney UTC

• Praxair

• Safran Aircraft Engines

• Shell Global Solutions

• Shenyang Blower Works Group

• Solar Turbines Inc.

• Schlumberger

• Southwest Research Institute

• Statoil

• Sulzer Pumps Ltd.

• Torishima Pump Mfg. Co., Ltd.

• Voith Turbo

• Waukesha Bearings

Benefits: trained engineering students, software for rotordynamics, and world-class test facilities

29

Turbo Lab graduate students

Educating the Engineer of 2020 (NAE)

• Prepared for global competency

• Superb communication skills (written & oral)

• Trained in teams that work and deliver

• Ready for open-ended multidisciplinary problems with no unique answer

• Ready for innovation and to embrace change

• Show absolute professional integrity

• Do more with less

• Do things right the first time

30

The road ahead………………… ………………..

31

© Luis San Andres 2018

Learn more at http://rotorlab.tamu.edu

Practices of Modern Engineering

Some references

CDIO

Initiativehttp://www.cdio.org/ Producing the next engineers

NAE Achievements Engineering Greatest Achievements in the 20th Century

How engineering reshaped the world we live in

National Academy of Engineering

A Vision Engineering Challenges for the 21st

CenturyThe road ahead - a century of transformation

An agenda for American S&T

Rising Above the Gathering Stormhttp://www.nap.edu )

Energizing and Employing America for a brighter Economic Future

32

Council on

Competitive

ness

http://www.compete.org CEOs, University presidents and labor leaders

working to ensure U.S. prosperity

ABET publications

http://www.abet.org ABET, Inc. Accreditation Board of Engineering

and Technology

More References

National

Academy of

Engineering

http://www.nap.edu

pdf textbooks

The Engineer of 2020: Visions of

Engineering in the New Century.

Educating the Engineer of 2020: Adapting

Engineering Education to the New Century

A New Vision for Center-Based Engineering

Research (2017)

Geert

Hofstede, Gert

Jan Hofstede,

and Michael

Minkov

www.amazon.compaperback

Cultures and Organizations: Software of

the Mind, 3rd edition

Richard

Nisbett

www.amazon.com

paperback

The Geography of Thought: How Asians

and Westerners Think Differently...and

Why

33

34

Other stuff….

35

Reality check

The world changes rapidly and engineering

education must also evolve simultaneously.

Global competition & communications drive entry-

level and more routine jobs overseas. US

engineers need more dimensions of knowledge to

compete US will maintain its role as world

leader in technological innovation.

King, C.J., 2012, “Restructuring Engineering Education: Why, How and When?”,

ASEE Journal of Engineering Education, Vol. 101,1, pp.1-5

The 3-corners of Eng Vision 2020

NAE: Educating the Engineer of 2020

Superb Engineering(Maths, Physics, Science)

Entrepreneurship,

Philanthropy,

Ethics

Arts

Creativity &

Innovation,

Design,

Communication

36

37

Engineering – What You Don’t

Necessarily Learn in School

D. Wisler, 2003, ASME GT 2003-38761

3838

Differences: University & Industry

D. Wisler, Engineering – What You Don’t Necessarily Learn in School, 2003 (ASME GT Paper)

University Industry

1. More individual oriented 1. More team oriented

2. Is it original work? 2. Can we leverage existing

work?

3. Does it contribute to

science?

3. Does it contribute to the

business?

4. Will it make archival

publication?

4. Will it make it into

production?

5. Is it interesting to do? 5. Is it worthwhile financially?

3939

Differences: University & Industry

D. Wisler, Engineering – What You Don’t Necessarily Learn in School, 2003 (ASME GT Paper)

University Industry

6. Develop the equations,

analysis, etc. from first

principles

6. Fit a curve through the data

and/or anchor the existing

analysis

7. Is it original and complete

from scientific (physics)

perspective?

7. Is it institutionalized into

the system from an

engineering perspective?

8. Graduate when thesis

finished

8. Meet schedule and budget

9. Publish, publish (or perish) 9. Customer, customer,

customer

4040

Differences: University & Industry

D. Wisler, Engineering – What You Don’t Necessarily Learn in School, 2003 (ASME GT Paper)

University Industry

10. Sound scientific process 10. Design practices,

templates

11. Non-profit institution 11. Profit institution

12. Solve roadblock issues as

they occur

12. Identify & manage risks

carefully up front with risk

abatement plan & critical path

scheduling

13. Professors (especially

tenured) are independent

13. Formal management

process up to shareholders

41

a) Apply knowledge of mathematics, science and engineering

b) Design and construct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data

c) Design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs within

realistic constraints such as economic, environmental, social, political,

ethical, health and safety, manufacturability, and sustainability

d) Function on multi-disciplinary teams

e) Identify, formulate and solve engineering problems

f) Understanding of professional and ethical responsibility

g) Communicate effectively

h) The broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering

solutions in a global, economic, environmental, and societal context

i) Recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in life-long learning

j) A knowledge of contemporary issues

k) An ability to use the techniques, skills and modern engineering tools

necessary for engineering practice.

ABET Engineering Criteria 2000: Outcomes (a-k)

Qualities of modern engineer

Upon graduation students must demonstrate an ability to

42

Doctoral Degree – QEP at A&M

Quality Enhancement Plan at TAMU

43

44

45

46

47

48

49

Publications