If you are having problems viewing this message, click here.
For the week of October 22, 2010
@COE is published on a weekly basis. The next edition will be sent out on Friday, Oct. 29.
Please send your submissions for @COE to Julie Stansberry in the Engineering Communications Office at [log in to unmask] by noon on Thursdays.
Engineer's Day Announcement
Engineers Day 2010
Don't forget! The 2010 Engineers Day will be held on Thursday, Oct. 28. Activities kick off at 10 a.m. in the Cox Auditorium at the Alumni Memorial Building (AMB) and will continue throughout the day on The Hill. For more information and a schedule of events, click here.
Outreach News
Calling All Volunteers
The College of Engineering is launching its involvement with the national high school FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Competition next semester. This is a very large and prestigious competition -- the 2010 national winners were invited to the White House this week for the President’s national science fair. More information can be found at http://www.usfirst.org/. The college will host a kick-off event on Jan. 8 in which area high school teams will watch a video telling them the rules for this year’s competition, and they'll receive their kit of materials. From March 31 to April 2, the college will co-sponsor a FIRST regional competition to be held at the Knoxville Convention Center. This is a first (pun intended) call for volunteers. If you would like to be involved, please send an e-mail to Roger Parsons at [log in to unmask]. They are especially interested in hearing from students or staff who have been involved with this competition in the past.
On Oct. 4, Margie Russell and Lisa Byrd of Engineering Advising Services attended the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) annual meeting and delivered a workshop entitled, “Fast Pass to Study Abroad - It's a Small World after All." 
This presentation centered on the University of Tennessee COE’s experience in promoting study abroad opportunities for engineering students and was attended by representatives of many engineering schools from the SEC and around the country.
This is the last call for applications for COE Study Abroad Fellowships for Spring 2011 programs! The deadline has been extended to Oct. 29. Click here for more information.
Engineering Professional Practice Announcement
Students, please note: If you receive a co-op or internship offer, please contact Engineering Professional Practice for help with paperwork and any preparations you may need – [log in to unmask], 865-974-5323 or 310 Perkins Hall.
Engineering Professional Practice Student Feature
Featured student: Garrett Smith
Garrett Smith is a senior in civil and environmental engineering. He spent the Summer 2010 semester on his second co-op rotation with Turner Universal in Brentwood, Tenn. During the term, he wrote the following about his experience:
“I worked in the pre-construction department as an estimating engineer using different software to help pricing of multiple aspects of construction. This entails labor, heavy equipment, parts and materials; all can be configured well beyond the actual construction phase.”
Smith said new technical skills he learned on the job included estimating software called On-Screen, as well as introduction to BIM and Sharepoint, and from company meetings he learned about “leadership roles, the value of communication, and new software on the market.”
On a challenge he had to overcome, Smith said the following: “CAD drawings were incomplete. I had to communicate with co-workers and the architect to come up with quick solutions so I could price certain aspects of the job site and not provide the owner with wrong assumptions.”
Smith advises other students considering this employer to “be ready to ask questions...the employees are very patient and helpful.” He said the most valuable benefit he received by accepting the co-op was learning to “listen to those above [him] and absorb their wisdom.”
Students may read more about their peers’ co-op/internship experiences by logging into their Engineering Professional Practice profile via www.coop.utk.edu, clicking “Resource Library” (on the left margin) and selecting “Students at Work – In Their Own Words.”
For information on engineering co-op and internships, contact Engineering Professional Practice at [log in to unmask] or 865-974-5323.
Career Mentoring Program Announcement
The UT Office of Alumni Affairs is coordinating an excellent career mentoring program for UT students. The Tennessee Apprentice Program is in its third year and is currently recruiting students for the 2011 program. Student applications are due Friday, Jan. 21, 2011, and a signed UT faculty or staff reference form is due Friday, Jan. 28, 2011.
An apprenticeship allows students to explore potential future careers and engage with alumni at their place of work for a half-day or full-day experience. Through this experience, students may broaden their network and gain a better understanding of their prospective career interest.
Students must be at least in their second year in order to apply to the program. Application materials and information related to the program may be found at the Tennessee Apprentice Program Web site.
Faculty News
Dr. Dave Icove (third from the right on the first row), PE, Research Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, just returned from Malaysia where he taught a two-week advanced training course in "Forensic Fire Engineering Analysis" to the senior officers of the Malaysia Fire Service. Mirroring their European counterparts, Malaysian fire services officers are frequently either graduate engineers or scientists. Part of the course included computer fire modeling techniques developed and taught at UT.
Workshop for UT Faculty, Lecturers and GTAs
The TENN TLC is pleased to announce an upcoming workshop on different ways of employing visual images in your teaching. The workshop will take place on Nov. 2 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Baker Center Room 204. This workshop will be highly interactive and participants will:
- Be provided with a definition of visual literacy and media literacy
-
Understand and be able to state why visual literacy is critical in today's society
-
Practice techniques of integrating visuals into class
-
Connect use of visuals to student learning outcomes to deepen learning
Please see the flyer below, and RSVP to [log in to unmask].
The 2011 HERS Institutes
Chancellor Jimmy Cheek and the Commission for Women would like to sponsor an outstanding woman to attend a Higher Education Resource Services (HERS) Institute in 2011. Women faculty members or administrators who have a proven record of professional growth and responsibility, and who have a keen interest in campus administration and the challenges of growing a university rich in international and intercultural diversity, are encouraged to review the institutes and apply for the one that best suits individual circumstances. Visit the HERS Web site for more information.
HERS Summer Institutes have earned sterling reputations for expanding horizons, providing exposure to new and exciting ideas, fostering enduring mentoring relationships and preparing women for institutional leadership roles.
The campus selection process will require that each applicant submit three items: a current CV; a letter describing the applicant's reasons for application and how she will contribute to our international and intercultural initiatives; and a letter of support from her dean, director, department head, or supervisor. Send these items to:
Pamela F. Hindle, Commission for Women; 218 Student Services Building; Campus 37996-0230; [log in to unmask].
Application materials must arrive at the Institutes by Dec. 1, 2010; therefore, the UT application deadline is Nov. 12, 2010. Outstanding applicants will be recommended to Chancellor Cheek for review of campus materials and selection of this year's candidate. The candidate must then apply to her chosen Institute and provide required documents by the Institute's deadline. Please contact Pam Hindle ([log in to unmask]) if you have questions.
Faculty and Student News
From L to R: Dr. Tom Attard, Rose Dortch, Dr. Baoshan Huang, Jeremy Mefford
Civil and Environmental Engineering faculty Drs. Baoshan Huang and Thomas Attard let UT students from Volunteer without Border (VWB), Rose Dortch (CheEng Undergraduate), Jeremy Mefford (CEE Undergraduate) and Wyn Miller (Architecture graduate) visit Fond-des-Blancs, Haiti during Fall Break (Oct. 7 - Oct. 10, 2010).
The visit was at the request of and partially supported by the Haiti Christian Development Foundation (HCDF). The purpose of the visit was for on-site investigation towards the design of a local road to help communities have access to the only hospital in the region, and to have access to more international aids. The Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, College of Architecture and Design, and Volunteer without Border provided additional funding for the trip.
Engineering Advising Office Updates
| Juniors (60-89 hours) | Oct. 25 at 7 a.m. and 1 p.m. |
| Sophomores (30-59 hours) | Nov. 5 at 7 a.m., 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. |
| Freshmen (Less than 30 hours) | Nov. 19 at 7 a.m., 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. |
Career Services Announcements
Career Services would like to thank the faculty and staff within the College of Engineering for their efforts to refer students to the Fall 2010 Job Fair on Sept. 27. More than 170 organizations were in attendance recruiting for full-time post-graduation positions and internships, and more than 270 engineering students participated. Thank you for all your efforts to encourage students to attend.
Spring Job Fair dates include:
Summer Job & Internship Fair -- Feb. 9
Diversity Job Fair -- March 1
Spring Job Fair -- March 2
Additional information regarding the spring job fairs and events may be found online at www.career.utk.edu.
Looking for a job? Career fairs with less hassle... Be efficient. Be virtual. Be recruited online.
Students and Alumni are invited to attend the Virtual Career Fair for Engineering, Technical and Logistics jobs. Sponsored by the University of Tennessee Knoxville's Career Services office, Mississippi State, Auburn University and CareerEco, the Virtual Career Fair provides a unique event for job seekers to meet employers in an efficient, environmentally-conscious way.
• Explore full-time jobs and internships and register to win a new iPod Nano (must be registered with an uploaded resume)
• Interact via chat sessions from the comfort of your computer
• Learn about employers which may not attend onsite all day events
• Save your valuable time by searching for a job online
Virtual Career Fair Dates: Nov. 9 & 10, 2010. Register at www.Techfairs.CareerEco.net.
For more information, contact the Career Services Office at 974-5435.
An Inside Peak Into TVA: A Panel Discussion with TVA Engineers
Come hear from a variety of chemical, civil, mechanical, nuclear and electrical engineering managers discussing their experiences working with TVA.
Event Info: Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2010, 5:45 p.m. - 7 p.m., UC 221
Light Refreshments will be served.
Sponsored by Career Services, TVA, ASME and Theta Tau.
10 Tips to a Successful Networking Event
• Be prepared and research who will be in attendance prior to the event.
• Set a goal (I will meet five contacts), and size up the room to identify individuals to meet.
• Research current trends and have a few prepared conversation starters.
• Learn more about the guest speaker as a means to introduce yourself to new contacts.
• Dress for the event.
• Take initiative and introduce yourself. Prepare your 30-second intro commercial.
• Ask questions and be engaged in the conversation.
• Provide your business card or contact information to contacts that you would like to follow up with.
• Get to know the event hosts in order to follow up with a thank-you.
• Remember the purpose is to network, so focus on making new contacts in lieu of the food/drinks.
To schedule an appointment to discuss how to be better prepared for networking events or additional career related topics, call 974-5435 and ask to make an appointment with April Gonzalez, Engineering Career Consultant. Career Services is located in 100 Dunford Hall on Volunteer Boulevard.
For more information, visit the Career Services Web site.
If you have submissions for @COE, the college's electronic newsletter, please send them to Julie Stansberry at [log in to unmask] by noon on Thursdays.