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A high-school student team works on a solar racer for Engineers Day.

Engineers Day results are posted

On October 24, 2013, over 900 students from forty-two different high schools attended this year’s Engineers Day. The College of Engineering would like to thank all of the students, sponsors, judges, and organizations that made Engineers Day 2013 an incredibly successful event.
See the competition and exhibit results, plus more photos, here >>

The Pirates of Nuclear Engineering "capture" the bridge
to the John D. Tickle Engineering Building.

"Nuclear pirates" win Halloween Spirit Challenge

Faculty and staff from the Department of Nuclear Engineering (NE) won the inaugural UT COE Halloween Spirit Challenge on October 31. The challenge, also called the “Battle on the Bridge,” took place between NE and the occupants of the new John D. Tickle Building: the Department of Industrial Systems Engineering (ISE) and the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE).

The NE team's theme was “Pirates,” as they were attempting to "take over" the walkway bridge to the Tickle building. They were successful and were crowned “winners” by a team of COE staff judges, who presented them with a now-coveted Halloween trophy. CEE's costume theme featured characters from the animated film "Despicable Me" as a theme. ISE's costume theme was the "Industrial and Systems Engineering taming the evil forces that affect process efficiency."

Nuclear Engineering wishes to thank their able competitors and is planning on defending their title against all competitors next year.
See more photos >>

Get ready for the Big Orange Give!

Some well-known UT alumni—including some engineers—have pitched in to help spread the word about the Big Orange Give with a video that asks, "Are you ready?"
See who is ready for the Big Orange Give >>

FACULTY NEWS

Dr. Leon Tolbert

Tolbert speaks at IEEE workshop

Dr. Leon Tolbert, Min H. Kao Professor and the head of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, gave a keynote address, "Challenges in Switching Wide Bandgap Power Semiconductors" at the inaugural IEEE Workshop on Wide Bandgap Power Devices and Applications, held in Columbus, Ohio, October 27-29. His talk focused on gate drive, protection, and current balancing issues when using some of the latest silicon carbide power electronics in converters.

STAFF NEWS

Dr. Airton Kohls

CTR researcher featured in Brazilian journal

Dr. Airton Kohls is featured in the current issue of the Brazilian education journal Educação em Revista (Education in Review). The story compares university-level education in the United States to Brazil. Kohls, a native of Santa Cruz do Sul, RS, Brazil, teaches a traffic engineering class (CE 552), which he used to highlight differences.
View the journal >>

STUDENT NEWS

UT's Chem-E-Car design

Engineering students design chemically powered vehicle for competition

The skills of chemical engineering students at UT will be put to the test in an international competition that challenges them to build a specific type of car in record time. Thirteen students compose one of thirty-one teams to compete in the American Institute of Chemical Engineers’s 2013 International Student Chem-E-Car Competition at the institute’s Annual Student Conference. The competition will be held on Sunday, November 3.
Read more >>

UT SWE members at the National SWE Conference

UT SWE members attend national conference

The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) section at UT sent twelve members to the National SWE Conference in Baltimore, Maryland, in October. Among the conference activities, members participated in the career fair with more than 275 companies, volunteered at an outreach event with more than 350 middle school age girls, participated and placed second in a Subject Matter Expert Bowl sponsored by Exxon Mobil, and interacted with national leaders, such as SWE CEO Betty Shannahan.

SHPE Science Night

SHPE hosts Science Night for future engineers

The UT Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) Student Chapter celebrated a Science Night, or as it is referred to in Spanish, "la Noche de Ciencias," on Wednesday, October 23, 2013. The event involved a variety of science and engineering demonstrations with the goal of sparking curiosity for science and engineering at UT in a diverse group of students.

Activities included a "skyscraper" building contest and a food battery competition using supplies, meters, and scales provided on the table. No harmful chemicals were used in the making of the "in-situ" batteries; paper towel, polystyrene plates, coins, nails, clips, masking tape, etc. A winning trio was decided based on the best Power/Weight ratio.

The evening included an orientation and slide show about the college application process and financial aid. Several students shared their personal UT experiences. Attendees were mainly from McGavick High School near Nashville. One was from Farragut High School and another from Centro Latino here in Knoxville on Sutherland Avenue.

IEEE Robotics Team

Donate to IEEE Robotics Team

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), a professional society for those involved in the engineering electronics and related disciplines, has entered a national robotics team competition annually since 2004. This extremely competitive robotics team consists of students spanning a variety of academic disciplines. The team requests donations toward another successful year of competition and continued engineering outreach to local and state-wide schools.
Read more about the team and how to donate >>

EVENTS

ASME UT Chapter presents 3D Laser Scanning talk

The UT chapter of the American Society for Mechanical Engineering (ASME) will present a lunch talk by David Headrick, vice president of LandAir Surveying Company Inc., noon-2:00 p.m. Friday, November 8. Headrick will discuss 3D laser scanning and modeling. Lunch will be provided. RSVP to [log in to unmask].

UT MBA program holds open house

The University of Tennessee Full-Time MBA Program will host an Open House for prospective MBA candidates from 6:00-8:00 p.m. on Monday, November 11, 2013, in Room 402 of the Haslam Business Building. Registration begins at 5:45 p.m.

Representatives from this innovative, seventeen-month program will present information on the structure of its integrated, team-based curriculum, the application and admissions process, financial aid, and career opportunities. Admission is free and pre-registration is not required. Guests may park in the Volunteer Hall Garage located on White Avenue (please bring your parking ticket to registration for validation).

For further information, contact the UT MBA Program Office at 865-974-5033 or email [log in to unmask].

OPPORTUNITIES

Volunteers needed for FIRST robotics event

The College of Engineering will be involved again this coming year with the national high school FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) robotics competition next semester. Volunteers are needed to help with this large and prestigious competition.

A kick-off event will be on Saturday, January 4, 2014, in which area high school teams will watch a video about the competition's rules and receive their kit of materials. This year organizers are expanding kick-off activities to include a Robot Quick Build event and a demonstration practice field. In March, the college will co-sponsor a FIRST regional competition to be held at the Knoxville Convention Center.

Volunteers are needed to help with the kick-off in January. Please note that this event is the Saturday before classes start for the Spring semester, school is not in session, and organizers will also need some volunteer help to set up on Friday afternoon. If you would like to be involved please send an e-mail to Roger Parsons, [log in to unmask]. Organizers are especially interested in hearing from students or staff who volunteered last year, that have been involved with this competition in the past, and student engineering organizations looking for a service activity.

Engineering Study Abroad open for summer 2014

An information session for the 2014 Faculty–led Study Abroad Programs will be held at 4:00 p.m. Monday, November 11, in Room 108 of Estabrook Hall.

• Engineering in London– Dr. Roger Parsons, Dr. Mike Berry, Dr. Paul Crilly
  May 30-July 1, 2014, London, England
  
• Sustainable Energy– Dr. Madhu Madhukar
  May 8-28, 2014, Dublin Ireland, 
  
• Water Resources and Climate Change in the European Alps– Dr. Glenn Tootle
  May 6-28, 2014, Innsbruck Austria
  
• New! Lean, Reliability, and Maintainability Engineering in Germany– Dr. Klaus Blache
  June 1-21, 2014, Munich, Germany
  
• Nuclear Engineering in Prague– Dr. Eric Lukosi
  May, 2014, exact dates TBD, Prague, Czech Republic
  

Faculty and students who have been on these trips will be available to answer your questions at the information session.
Read students' study-abroad experiences from past summers >>

DOE Scholars Program is accepting applications for 2014

The Department of Energy (DOE) Scholars Program offers unique opportunities that introduce students or post-graduates to the agency’s mission and operations. Participants in the DOE Scholars Program gain a competitive edge as they apply their education, talent and skills in a variety of scientific research settings within the DOE complex. Appointments are available in a variety of disciplines at participating DOE facilities nationwide. Applicants must be US Citizens and undergraduates, graduates, or post-graduates of an accredited college or university. For application information and questions contact: Leslie Fox, Project Manager, 865-241-3319 or [log in to unmask].
Read more >>

Scholarship application deadlines soon for CLS, Boren

The Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) institutes provide fully-funded group-based intensive language instruction and structured cultural enrichment experiences for seven to ten weeks for US citizen undergraduate, Master’s and PhD students. The CLS Program is part of a US government effort to expand the number of Americans studying and mastering critical need foreign languages. Students of diverse disciplines and majors are encouraged to apply. Deadline for applications is November 15, 2013. Read more >>

Boren Scholarships provide up to $20,000 to US undergraduate students to study abroad in areas of the world that are critical to US interests and underrepresented in study abroad, including Africa, Asia, Central & Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin America, and the Middle East. The countries of Western Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand are excluded. Boren Scholars represent a variety of academic backgrounds, but all are interested in studying less commonly taught languages, including but not limited to Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, and Swahili. Read more >>

Stay up-to-date with Engineering Professional Practice information and events by clicking the “Like” button on the program’s Facebook page, following the program on Twitter, visiting its website at www.coop.utk.edu, or calling 865-974-5323.

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.

Featured co-op student: Austin Fullbright

This week's student is Austin Fullbright, an electrical engineering major who accepted a co-op at Eastman Chemical Company located in Kingsport, Tennessee.

Fullbright describes the department he worked in and what his main responsibilities were.

“I worked in the Power Distribution Department, a part of the Utilities Division at Eastman Chemical Company," he said. "Since Eastman produces their own power, it’s almost like there is a power company inside the plant as well. The group I was a part of maintained existing capital and was responsible for new installations. My project was primarily focused on improving the supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) capabilities so that substation metering could be monitored remotely. This required me to inspect substation installation drawings to find the outdated communication device, program the new Eaton Power Xpert Gateway (PXG), and go with a member of the high voltage crew to do the install.”

The most valuable benefit Fullbright received during his co-op assignment was experiencing the different roles of an electrical engineer in industry, and specifically in a manufacturing environment.

"By the end of my three terms I will know which, if any, opportunities for EEs here interest me," said Fullbright. "Further, I love the company culture at Eastman and being a part of it has made me realize how important a positive work environment is to employee satisfaction and productivity. When I graduate and apply for full time jobs I will have a clear vision of the kind of company I would enjoy working for.”

Students may read more about their peers' co-op 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 [log in to unmask] or 865-974-5323.

What else can you do with your major? You can now receive your degree and a secondary education teaching license with VolsTeach. The VolsTeach program is available to Math and Science majors who wish to expand their career options by earning a secondary education teaching license. Given the current economy VolsTeach offers one degree with two career paths which will make you more competitive in the future job market.

VolsTeach provides:

• early and frequent field experiences
• personal guidance by Master Teachers and program advisors
• the opportunity to have paid exclusive internships during regular and summer terms
• a comfortable learning environment that will further enhance your professional skill set

This is your opportunity to be a part of the program. VolsTeach is open to freshmen, sophomores and juniors who are ready to start a journey that will give them a chance to connect with the community. Become a part of this exciting venture by signing up for the Fall Step 1 course now.

Click on the flier to the right for registration information.

For more information contact VolsTeach Coach, Jada Johnson at [log in to unmask] or visit the program's Facebook page, VolsTeach, for current events, and the program's website, http://volsteach.utk.edu.

Engineering Advising Services

Engineering Advising Reminder:
Be sure to schedule your advising appointment now to be cleared for registration for Spring 2014. Second Session classes (mainly FYS 129 and Physical Education) begin on October 10.

Spring 2014 Undergraduate Advising and Registration Reminders
The Spring timetable is available for viewing on MyUTK.

Spring 2014 Undergraduate Registration Dates:
November 4 & 5 Sophomores (30 to 59 hours earned)
November 25 & 26 Freshmen (less than 30 hours earned)

Students taking EF 151-152 (Honors EF 157-158) or Physics 135-136 (Honors 137-138) and Math 141-142 (Honors Math147-148) are advised in the Engineering Advising Office located in Room 202 of Estabrook Hall. Come by or call (865)974-4008 to schedule your advising appointment.

Students who have completed EF151-152/Physics 135-136 and Math 141-142 are advised by their major department. Contact your major department to schedule an appointment with your faculty advisor.

Career Services News

Networking at Neyland—November 5, 2013
Are you a junior or senior interested in networking with some of UT's top alumni? Join the UT Knoxville Career Services Office, the UT Alumni Association, and the UT Athletics Department at our Networking at Neyland event. Students will learn the art of networking while gaining superior advice from professionals in various fields. Prepare for an exclusive opportunity to help grow your networks!
When: 6:00-8:00 p.m. Tuesday, November 5, 2013
(Students please arrive at 5:45 p.m. for registration)
Where: West Club Skybox, Neyland Stadium (Enter at Gate 15)
Attire: Business Casual
There is no cost to attend and heavy hors d'ouerves will be served.

CDM Smith Information Session—November 6, 2013
CDM Smith will hold an information session 6:00-7:30 p.m. November 6, 2013, in Room 225 of the University Center.

Lockheed Martin Information Tables and Session—November 12, 2013
Lockheed Martin will host two information tables on 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. at the fourth-floor entrance to the Min Kao Building and at the Pasqua Nuclear Engineering Building directly inside the main entrance closest to the department office.  They are recruiting for electrical, computer, mechanical, industrial, aerospace, and nuclear engineers and computer science majors.

Lockheed Martin will host an information session 5:00-7:00 p.m. on November 12, 2013, in the Executive Dining Room of the University Center.

EF 301 – Career Services for Engineers
Planning your class schedule for Spring 2013?  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, 1:25-2:15 p.m. on Mondays. 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 as well.  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/Justin Rice.  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!”

“Well thought out and put together course. I feel much more confident about job searching.”

“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.

For more information, contact April Gonzalez , Career Services Consultant, College of Engineering at [log in to unmask] or 865-974-5435.

Check out www.career.utk.edu for a list of all upcoming events.

The Office of Multicultural Student Life offers these academic services. For information, call 865-974-6861.

Free Tutoring in Math, Chemistry, Biology, and Spanish: 7:00-10:00 p.m. Mondays & Wednesdays in the Clement Hall basement.

Free Tutoring in Math, English, Engineering, Accounting, French, Chemistry, Biology, and more: Appointment and walk-in tutoring available for all students.

Late-Night Study Session (tutoring available): 8:00 a.m.-midnight Wednesday, December 4, and Thursday, Dec. 5, 2013, at the Black Cultural Center. Games, crafts, stress relief activities. Snacks both days 3:00-10:00 p.m.

Vols Success Seminars: During the Fall semester, in collaboration with the Student Success Center and other campus departments, Vols Success Seminars will be offered to all UT students. This series of workshops is designed to equip all students with the knowledge and resources to be successful, inside and outside of the classroom at the UT. Students can register in advance for each workshop at multicultural.utk.edu or studentsuccess.utk.edu. View the Vols Success Seminars Fall 2013 calendar >>