For the week of
April 1, 2011

@COE is published on a weekly basis. The next edition will be sent out on Friday, April 8. Please send submissions for @COE to Julie Stansberry in the Engineering Communications Office at [log in to unmask] by noon on Thursdays.

Engineering Professional Practice Student Feature

Featured student: Anna Bacon

Our featured student this week is Anna Bacon. She is a mechanical engineering major who accepted a co-op assignment with Duke Energy, located in Charlotte, N.C. She worked the Fall 2010 semester and had the following to say about her co-op experience:

“I worked in Generation Maintenance Services with the High Energy Piping Subject Matter Expert (SME). I was responsible for supporting outages at coal-fired power plants. I was involved with inspections of piping and hangers at the different stations. I did some AutoCAD work with piping layouts for two valve relocations and piping restraint plans. I had minimal AutoCAD experience before I had this position, but my manager allowed me to take the time on the job to learn it (using an AutoCAD for Dummies book, which was actually extremely useful and helpful).

“I assisted the Boiler SME with three different boiler inspections and had the opportunity to climb into the boiler and inspect the interworkings of the boilers. I performed an inspection of a precipitator, which is a device that purifies the steam before it is released to the environment through the flume.”

One of the challenges that Anna had to overcome during this assignment, she described as follows: “I had to learn how to read different types of drawings. It was a combination of having to figure it out on my own based on the knowledge I had gained walking around the different power plants and having my boss explain them to me.”

Her observations in this work assignment are as follows: “At Duke, everyone I was in contact with seemed very eager to help the co-ops succeed. I was really able to learn more than I ever expected.”

She said the most valuable benefit she received from accepting the co-op is “knowledge – I thought it would be experience, but that is just an added bonus!”

She advises other co-op applicants considering this employer to “go for it! Amazing company and amazing experience.”

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.

Student News

UT Wins First Place at ASCE Southeast Student Conference

The University of Tennessee took home first place at the 2011 ASCE Southeast Student Conference hosted by Tennessee Tech University on March 25-26. Approximately 50 undergraduate students from the UT's Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) took part in 15 competitions and prepared for these events most of the academic year. These competitions are designed to explore student creative thinking in extending their academic knowledge to solving practical civil and environmental engineering problems.

“This is a significant accomplishment for our department and the College of Engineering," said Dr. Dayakar Penumadu, CEE Department Head. "We competed and successfully won against 26 participating universities such as Florida, Vanderbilt, Auburn, etc. Many of our faculty and staff were involved in helping the student groups on related competitions. They provide an excellent opportunity to integrate classroom knowledge to practical aspects of our profession."

The event takes place every year, and the last time UTK brought home the 1st place overall trophy was in 2005. The UT Conference Chair is Marianne Hutson, and the faculty advisor is Dr. John Ma. 

UT’s steel bridge team, led by Chris Haynes and Matt Hart, won 3rd place overall and will be competing in Nationals at Texas A&M on May 20-21. Awards in Steel Bridge subcategories include 2nd in construction speed and 3rd in bridge economy.

Each year, UT invites Tongji University (Shanghai, China) to compete in the competition. The university’s students flew into Knoxville and traveled to Cookeville with UT students. Tongji University took home 3rd place at the overall event.

Following is a list of individual UT awards with the respective captains:

• Concrete Cubes – 1st: Patrick O’leary
• Mystery Competition – 1st: Caleb Williams
• Environmental Competition – 1st: Melissa Mckenzie and    Reese Deblois
• Surveying Competition – 2nd: Logan Johnson
• T-shirt Design – 2nd: Amanda Cruzen
• Transportation Competition – 2nd: Wesley Stokes

Both Tongji University and UTK CEE students had great cultural and educational experiences through this partnership, competition, and collaborations. Drs. Baoshan Huang, Lee Han, Greg Reed, and Ma were instrumental in developing this international partnership with Tongji over the past five years.

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Doctoral Students Win Dwight David Eisenhower Fellowships

Brian Casey Langford and Lawson Bordley, Ph.D. students in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) who are focusing on transportation, each won Dwight David Eisenhower Fellowships from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT). These fellowships will provide $5,000 each to support their research in Sustainable Transportation Systems and Rural Driver Safety, respectively. 

According to the USDOT website, the Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship Program (DDETFP) awards fellowships to students pursuing degrees in transportation-related disciplines. This program advances the transportation workforce by attracting the brightest minds to the field through education, research and workforce development. The DDETFP encompasses all modes of transportation.

Faculty News

Dr. Chris Cherry Receives NSF CAREER Award

Dr. Chris Cherry, assistant professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) is the recipient of the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award for his project "Sustainability Implications of Transportation Choice in China." The award is effective from April 1, 2011 through March 31, 2016.

The award supports junior faculty who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars through outstanding research, excellent education and the integration of education and research within the context of the mission of their organizations.

Pre-Med Students - Important Information for You

Pre-Professional File Information

Please contact Arts & Sciences Advising Services as soon as possible (974-4481) to schedule an informational meeting if you have not set up your pre-professional file AND you are applying for the 2012 entering medical school class. This applies to juniors and seniors, although younger students are welcome to see what is required in the medical school admission packets as well.
 
Here are a few things you need to know:
 
1.  GPA Calculation: 
Undergraduate institutions do not follow a national standard for awarding credits and grades; therefore, GPA calculations differ from one institution to another according to internal standards and policies.  Because medical schools desire to compare applicants on a uniform scale, AMCAS “normalizes” grading systems to calculate an “AMCAS GPA.”  Medical schools use the AMCAS GPA in their admissions review, rather than the GPA reported on each undergraduate institution’s transcript. 
 
The AMCAS GPA calculation includes all attempted credits from all institutions attended.  AMCAS does not recognize UT’s repeat policy; therefore, grades that UT may exclude from the UT GPA calculation will be a part of the AMCAS GPA.
 
If you wish to calculate an approximate AMCAS GPA, you may use the grade conversion information available on the AMCAS website: https://www.aamc.org/students/advisors/ (scroll down to conversion chart near the bottom) or wait for AMCAS to process your AMCAS application.  Once processing is complete, AMCAS will notify you and provide the GPA that will be transmitted to the designated medical schools. 
 

2. Applying is a two-step process:

• Primary Application: The primary application is submitted directly to AMCAS.  AMCAS 2012 application opens on May 5, 2011.  You may begin entering data at that time.  In addition, AMCAS will begin accepting transcripts at that time.  The earliest you can submit the AMCAS 2012 application is June 1, 2011.
• Secondary Applications: Secondary applications are submitted directly to medical schools upon their request.  These applications are completed after the designated medical school receives your AMCAS application.

3. Letters of Evaluation:
Letters may be added to the AMCAS application any time after the application has been initiated. They do not need to be entered before submitting the application.
 
Letters of reference (letters from the non-academic arena, i.e. employers, clergy, physicians, etc.) are not a part of the pre-professional file housed in Arts & Sciences Advising Services.  If this office receives letters of this variety, they will return them to the sender and notify you of this action.
 
Letters can be received by AMCAS in a variety of ways:

• AMCAS Letter Writer Application - Arts & Sciences Advising Services will be utilizing the AMCAS Letter Writer Application for 124 of the 131 schools in the AAMC.  Through this application, the Arts & Sciences Advising Services office will forward your file to AMCAS, and AMCAS will then forward the file to schools you have designated on your AMCAS application. See list of participating schools: http://www.aamc.org/students/amcas/faq/amcasletters.htm#schools
• Interfolio (should not be necessary since all outside references can be routed to AMCAS through the AMCAS Letter Writer Application at no charge to the student)
• US Postal Service - Arts & Sciences Advising Services will use US Mail Service for students applying to the seven AAMC schools that are not participating in the AMCAS Letter Writer Application. 
• Virtual Evals - Arts & Sciences Advising Services will use this service to send your file to osteopathic medical schools.  Students applying to an osteopathic medical school will use that organization’s centralized application service, AACOMAS.

4. Faculty Letters in your Arts & Sciences Pre-Professional File routed to AMCAS

• Are considered a LETTER PACKET (not a committee letter and not individual letters).
• Should have only one primary contact/author (Mary Anne Hoskins, Associate Director, Arts & Sciences Advising Services, 1304 Circle Drive, 313 Ayres Hall, Knoxville, TN  37996-1335; [log in to unmask]; 865-974-4481)
• Should generate one, and only one, AAMC Letter ID 
  

5.  Requesting your pre-professional file from Arts & Sciences Advising Services

• You may request to have your completed pre-professional file sent any time, provided you have your AAMC ID and your AMCAS Letter ID. 
• Arts & Sciences Advising Services office must have a statement of release with your signature in order to release your file to a third party (third parties include any medical school or AMCAS).
• To release your file, come to A&S Advising Services (313 Ayres Hall) and fill out the request form.  They will need your printed name, your signature, your AAMC ID, your AMCAS Letter ID and/or AACOMAS ID, and where you want to have your file sent.   
• If you are away from Knoxville, and you need to have your file sent, supply the above information to Carol Phillips, the pre-health secretary, by way of a fax (865-946-1827).
• If you are applying to a school that is not participating in the AMCAS Letter Writer Application, include the address of the medical school (see list of participating schools in #3 above).

6.  Additional Letters
Students may submit up to 10 letters in AMCAS (the letter packet from Arts & Sciences is considered one letter). If you would like to use AMCAS to submit additional letters to medical schools, particularly non-faculty letters such as a physician or employer, you should:
1. List name of additional letter writer (these will be considered Individual Letters in AMCAS)
2. Include the contact information of each additional letter writer
3. Provide a copy of the letter request form to each additional letter writer

Most applicants do not submit more than three additional letters; however, in AMCAS, you may designate which schools receive which letters.

Please note that many medical schools require that the recommendations be on official letterhead with the signature of the author.
 
7.  Letters DO NOT have to be entered before submission of the application, BUT once the application is submitted with letter information, it canNOT be edited or deleted.  You may, however, contact AMCAS to report that a letter will not be received by AMCAS.  If you add a letter to your AMCAS application, you need to resubmit.
 
The AMCAS 2012 instructions booklet is located here. If you encounter questions along the way, be sure to refer to this information or visit the Arts & Sciences Advising Services office in 313 Ayres Hall.

Advising Reminders

Make Note of These Important Dates!

Spring 2011: Last day to WP/WF for full term courses is April 5.

Graduate students: last day to defend thesis/dissertation/take final exams is April 8.

Graduate students: electronic thesis/dissertation and Report of Final Examination Submission deadline is April 21.

Summer and Fall semester timetables are available on MyUTK now. Remember to schedule your advising appointment so you can register for classes on your assigned date/time.

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Senior Leadership Capstone Course

Beginning in the Fall of 2011, the Student Orientation and Leadership Development Office will be offering a 2 credit-hour (Credit/No Credit) leadership course for seniors graduating during the Fall of 2011 or the Spring of 2012. The course will be a discussion based course in which campus leaders share their leadership knowledge and experiences from their time at the University of Tennessee and prepare to apply it to their life after college in their career, graduate school or workplace teams.
 
The course is open to all student leaders at the University of Tennessee who will be graduating during the 2011-2012 academic year. Applications will be available online now until April 11, 2011. Please consider applying today, or share with eligible students.
 
Topics to be covered during the course include:

• Casting and leading a vision
• Leading people of different generations
• Resume and interviewing seminar
• Making complex decisions
• Team dynamics
• Leading social change
• Leadership vs. Management
• Strengths based leadership

The course will be offered to 20 selected students on Tuesdays from 3:40 - 5:30 p.m. All applicants must sign up for an interview. Interviews will be held April 12-14, 2011.

For more information, please email [log in to unmask].

Career Services Announcements

Career Services Events & Workshops

• Graduate School Admissions 101
  Learn the basics of the graduate school admissions process, including how to identify schools, what goes into a successful application, timelines and other important information. Open to all students considering graduate or professional school.
  Tuesday, April 5, 2011
  4-5 p.m.
  Career Services Office
  100 Dunford Hall
• Networking 101
  It is often said..."It's who you know" that's important in getting a job. This workshop will help you learn what networking really means and how to identify your own network of people that might be a great resource in your job search. Topics covered include where to find contacts, how to connect with them, and how they can help you in any internship or job search.
  Tuesday, April 12, 2011
  4-5 p.m.
  Career Services Office
  100 Dunford Hall

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Looking for a Job? Want to win a Nano? Be Green, Be Virtual, Be Recruited Online

Students and alumni are invited to attend the Virtual Career Fair, a unique virtual event that helps job seekers meet employers in an efficient, environmentally-conscious way.

A student participant from the fall 2010 Virtual Career Fair had the following to say about the event: "The university's commitment to sustainability is clear by providing a more sustainable recruiting strategy that leverages the power of the internet to help employers connect with technology-efficient job seekers and a greener generation."

Why Participate?
-Get interviews without ever leaving your computer
-Avoid waiting in long lines
-Save your valuable time by searching for a job online
-Meet employers that may not attend on-site all day events
-Upload your resume and register for the event and you will be automatically entered into the Nano drawing

Register at www.Techfairs.Careereco.net.

Students with questions are encouraged to contact Career Services at 865-974-5435.

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EF 301 – Career Services for Engineers

Planning your class schedule for Fall 2011?  Don’t forget to register for EF 301 – Engineering Career Planning!

This class is offered each Spring and Fall semester and is taught at Career Services, 100 Dunford Hall on Mondays, 1:25 – 2:15 p.m.  This class is a perfect fit for all juniors and seniors and will equip students with the right tools to land that great job. Sophomores and graduate students may also register for the course. The class is offered on a 1-hour Satisfactory/No Credit basis and is taught by Career Services Consultant for the College of Engineering, April Gonzalez.  Expect visits from company representatives, tips and tricks from HR Recruiters, advice on resumes, cover letters, interviewing and salary negotiation, and learn the ways you can stand out and get noticed at the job fairs. 

Here’s what students are saying about the class:

• “This is the most useful non-engineering class I have ever taken.  It gave me insider information about what employers are looking for during interviews, and I have a resume that I feel great about!”
• “I felt that I knew exactly what the companies were looking for at the job fair and on my interviews.  The tips we got in class really helped me feel comfortable talking to the employers.”
• “This class exceeded all my expectations – it really works!”

Don’t wait to sign up as space is limited, and the class will fill up fast!

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Students who need an appointment to review their resume, discuss their job search or who have any career-related questions are encouraged to contact the College of Engineering Career Consultant, April Gonzalez at 865-974-5435 or via e-mail at [log in to unmask].

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For more information, visit the Career Services Web site.

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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.