Building Your Future in Engineering 2015

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August 2015

Table of Contents Why Engineering Matters 4 Letter from Governor Nathan Deal 7 Educating Georgia’s Future Workforce 8 Building Your Future in Engineering: TCSG 10 Is Engineering Right for Me? 12 Engineering Georgia’s Future Workforce 14 Two Great Institutions Consolidate to Create One World-Class University 16 Architecture, Engineering, and Construction Management 18 Future City: Waste Not Want Not 22 Mathcounts 26 Redesigning Engineering Education at UGA 28 Greg Graves Talks about Science and Engineering Careers 30 NCCER Credentials - The Fast Track to a Rewarding Career 32 Engineering the Future 34 Meet the Challenge: Create Your Own Path 36 Auburn University 38 Georgia Tech 40 Georgia Southern 42 Engineering Ethics, Risk Management & You 44 Kennesaw State University 48 Mercer University 50 Middle Georgia State University 52 Salary Survey 54 Spelman College 56 University of Georgia 58 Vanderbilt University 60 Wiregrass Georgia Technical College 62

Advertisers in this book 4 9 5 29 17 15 6 14 24

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Georgia Engineer magazine Publisher : A4 Inc. | 1154 Lower Birmingham Road | Canton, Georgia 30115 (770) 521-8877 | e-mail: thegeorgiaengineer@a4inc.com Managing Editor: Roland Petersen-Frey e-mail: rfrey@a4inc.com

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Art Direction/Design Pamela S. Petersen-Frey e-mail: pfrey@a4inc.com

Why engineering matters: A statement by the Royal Academy of Engineering Engineering underpins human progress. Engineering is about the practical delivery of scientifically informed solutions for the great challenges and opportunities in a rapidly evolving world.

Engineers take scientific discoveries and apply them practically. eir work literally creates the fabric of society, whether the buildings we live and work in, the energy that powers our world or the transport networks that we use every day.

Engineering is so diverse, it is sometimes hard for the public to see a common thread between its feats. At one end of the scale, engineers are responsible for the massive scale design and build of the Large Hadron Collider and, at the other, to the many applications of nano-technology.

Engineering creates the breathtaking yet sustainable new buildings on the skylines of the world’s great cities as well as bringing clean water and sanitation to remote, impoverished villages. en there is the communications revolution, creating a growing sense of world community, enabling billions of people to access information and services and forging new business opportunities.

So what must an engineer know and do in order to be effective and successful? e bedrock of engineering is the application of mathematical and physical theory. But engineering is far more than just about knowledge: an engineer’s core business is to turn theory into practice. As with medicine, engineering expertise only comes with practice, by means of exposure to real-world dilemmas and techniques for addressing them.

It is practice that enables an engineer to learn another

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crucial core skill—to think strategically about the whole picture while keeping an eye on the detail. is whole systems thinking is what allows an engineer to juggle the competing demands of a project, managing risks, controlling costs, and keeping to time. v

August 2015

Building Your Future in Engineering

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August 2015

Letter from Governor Nathan Deal

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Educating Georgia’s Future Workforce

By Richard Woods | State School Superintendent

As Georgia’s School Superintendent, one of my regular tasks—and certainly the most enjoyable task on my calendar—is visiting public schools all over the state.

I have visited all sorts of different schools, from large high schools that draw students from multiple nearby communities to small rural schools that house kindergarten through 12th grade in the same building. All this visiting has given me the unusual chance to get a bird’seye view of Georgia education; to see what is working, what needs improvement, and what is being done exceptionally well.

As the result of all those visits, I’m able to say with confidence that while we face challenges, there are great things going on in Georgia’s schools.

Many students are being better prepared with real-world learning and the science, technology, engineering and math background they need to take Richard Woods on complex careers and pursue further education. I am confident I have met many future engineers in my travels.

The challenge as we move forward is making sure all of Georgia’s students have those opportunities – not many, not most, but all. We also need to ignite students’ interest in STEM and the STEM professions by providing out-of-the-box instruction that goes beyond the textbook and allows hands-on experimentation and innovation.

Students who participate in our Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education programs – particularly those who select a Career Pathway to follow throughout high school—are prepared for the future, wherever the

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future takes them. Their education is real and relevant, exposing them to rewarding future opportunities; it bolsters their practical skills and brings the traditional academic curriculum to life. Georgia’s CTAE offerings are aligned to workforce needs, so they impact regional economies as well as student outcomes.

Students are learning about potential careers as early as elementary school. By the time they are in high school, they are able to select a program of study that suits their interest (a Career Pathway). There are STEM Pathways in biotechnology, computer networking, engineering, engineering graphics and design, and a wide variety of other areas. The Pathways blend core academics and critical thinking with realworld application, made possible by strong business and industry partnerships.

Even in the early grades, students are learning about potential careers. As they get older, they have the opportunity to participate in professional organizations, earn college credit, and study in the field. Partnerships with a variety of businesses and organizations bring STEM to life for Georgia’s students, allowing them to experience everything from coding to robotics.

The Georgia Department of Education is also encouraging innovation through its STEM-certified schools program. To earn STEM certification, schools have to submit an application showing that they meet specific criteria, including evidence of teacher collaboration, business and industry partnerships, high levels of math and science instruction, and an integrated, proj-

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ect-based STEM curriculum. A team from the GADOE visits each school to observe its STEM program.

The schools currently certified are providing highlevel STEM instruction even in the early grades. Dunwoody Elementary School, for example, places a strong emphasis on the engineering design process. Students design engineering projects that allow them to apply the skills they’re learning in math and science classes, and have an extended work time each Friday during which they’re allowed to redesign and test prototypes again and again—exposing these elementary-aged students to the necessary trial-and-error process of real innovation.

At the STEM-certified Kennesaw Mountain High School, students are offered a unique STEM curriculum that begins with ninth-grade intensive research projects and presentations, and ends with senior-year internships. Relationships with more than 100 STEM business and industry partners offer every senior at Kennesaw Mountain the opportunity to conduct research and engage in real-world projects. These students are leaving high school prepared for STEM careers!

This is essential work—these are the opportunities we must provide for every one of Georgia’s students. I have said before and will say again that our students are not widgets; they are not manufactured parts. One size does not fit all. If our students are going to be prepared for challenging future careers, and if they are going to develop a real interest in STEM disciplines, we have to personalize education, rather than standardize it.

During my time as Georgia’s State School Superintendent, that’s what we have worked to do, and that work will continue.

We have to strengthen students’ understanding in math from the very beginning, changing the delivery of instruction where it’s necessary and providing a solid foundation of the fundamentals. We must ensure

Building Your Future in Engineering

that our standards are clear and understandable; both usable from a practitioner’s perspective and viable for the career paths our students will pursue. We must establish specific, challenging goals for academic achievement, and meanwhile, provide meaningful staff development and strong school- and district-level support so those goals are more than just words on paper.

A Georgia high-school graduate should be ready to obtain and sustain gainful employment. They should possess a readiness for multiple employment options, and an ability to mentor future leaders who will take this path after them. Our children need the opportunity to continue learning at a university-level institution, a technical college institution, a branch of the military, an apprenticeship setting, or their place of employment.

If we do our job right, students will graduate with the attitude, real and firmly entrenched, that learning is a journey and a lifelong process and experience—not something that ends on graduation day. They will realize that not everything works on the first try, that sometimes you have to dust yourself off, forget the original blueprint, and try in a new way.

In short, they will think like engineers. v

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Building Your Future in Engineering: The Technical College System of Georgia

By Gretchen Corbin | Commissioner

For some students, choosing a major can be a relatively easy decision, but for 34-year-old student Steven Lavin, the task took nearly 13 years before he realized his dream of becoming an engineer. Lavin, who has been a student on and off at Chattahoochee Technical College since 2001, tried more than ten majors before he finally settled on his niche: electrical and computer engineering technology.

“Chattahoochee Tech accepted me and gave me a chance,” said Lavin. “They worked with all my interests to finally find the major that I can say I love and will flourish in.”

With more than 1.6 million engineering jobs in the U.S., the engineering industry has grown 7 percent since 2010 and is among the most high-demand industries for skilled workers. At the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG), enrollment in engineering technology programs Gretchen Corbin has increased by 33 percent since 2012. Additionally, TCSG has also increased the number of awards given to students by 272 percent.

The 22 colleges of TCSG, including Chattahoochee Technical College, are Georgia’s top resource for training skilled employees. Currently, TCSG colleges offer more than 12 specialized majors for engineering technology programs. Depending on the program, a student can acquire a certificate, diploma or associate degree in as little as two years from one of the 17 colleges with engineering technology-related programs. In fact, some technical certificates can be earned in as little as one year.

At the Technical College System of Georgia, we be-

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lieve a quality education is for everyone, and no one is ever too young or too old to attend one of our colleges.

At 34 years of age, Steven finally discovered what he wanted to do, and we will do whatever it takes to help him achieve his dream. Although Steven attends school full-time, two-thirds of our students enjoy the flexibility and convenience of our part-time schedules to accommodate class with jobs and personal responsibilities.

For Steven, his TCSG education in engineering technology means small classes and more instructor attention. “My instructors have given me valuable information and insight into the real world, from setting up internship opportunities for me to hosting career fairs,” said Lavin. The low student-to-teacher ratios and hands-on learning using stateof-the-art equipment have further enhanced Steven’s strategic engineering skills. Specializing in electrical and computer engineering technology, Steven looks forward to his final “capstone” project, which will give him the opportunity to showcase all of his learned skills, from conceptualization to presentation, by constructing a product, circuit or mechanism of his choice.

As TCSG prepares students for Georgia’s workforce and strategic industries, engineering technology students like Steven can earn an average of over $30,000 a year at the entry level and well over $50,000 a year as they gain experience.

Through Georgia’s Strategic Industry Workforce Development Grant (SIWDG) program, we are investing in a world-class workforce for Georgia by providing free tuition for Georgia’s students in certain high-de-

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mand areas. Beginning in September 2015, a new certified engineer assistant category will be available to students. These grants supplement HOPE Grant funds to fully fund the cost of tuition for students entering these programs. Depending upon the hours taken, the SIWDG funding may also cover some or all mandatory fees. As of fall 2014, over 12,000 students were enrolled in SIWDG-eligible programs.

TCSG also has exciting opportunities for students like Steven to transition into a university to receive a bachelor’s degree. The direct transfer agreements between TCSG and select four-year programs allows students an easy path to reaching their educational goals.

One of those articulation agreements includes Southern Polytechnic State University, now part of Kennesaw State University, which works directly with TCSG graduates to help them achieve their Bachelor of Applied Science or Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology degree.

“My education with TCSG has taught me that lifelong learning is mandatory, and that’s why I’m hoping to further my education by pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering Technology,” said Steven.

TCSG is also collaborating with the University System to encourage Georgians who have an incomplete college education to return and finish their degree or certificate. About 1.1 million working-age adults, or 22 percent of the state’s population, attended college for some time but did not finish. The “Go Back. Move Ahead” campaign offers a simpler enrollment process, more flexible ways to transfer earned college credits, additional course schedule options and a personal academic advisor.

For high school students who are already focused on a career in engineering or another discipline, we offer dual enrollment, which allows them to acquire college-level credits and hands-on experience in their career of choice, accelerating their entry into the workforce and their desired career. In fact, the number of high school students who are simultaneously enrolled in Georgia’s technical colleges has now passed 11,000 and is climbing quickly.

The Technical College System supports economic development in a number of strategic industries: from bioscience to manufacturing to logistics—all of whom need engineering-related services. The services of our Quick Start program, a national model and the top-

Building Your Future in Engineering

ranked customized workforce development program in the U.S., is offered to qualified locating and expanding companies free of charge. Last year, Quick Start trained more than 53,000 workers in 123 customized workforce training programs, creating or retaining a total of 10,024 jobs.

In addition, our colleges work individually with businesses in their communities to train students for the needs of local industry. Central Georgia Tech’s Office of Economic Development, for instance, has established a great working relationship with ESG Operations in Macon, one of the top environmental firms in the nation, providing the company with leadership training and other services.

The Technical College system partners with the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) to support job growth in Georgia, not just through TCSG’s Quick Start program, but also through GDEcD’s Go Build Georgia campaign. Go Build Georgia was launched in 2012 to educate and inspire young people on the value of learning a trade and building a career as a skilled tradesperson.

Our students are highly employable. Today, 85 percent of TCSG graduates are employed in their field or a closely related field. When graduates who continue their education or are employed in an unrelated field are added, the successful transition rate is 98 percent.

When you realize that over the past seven years, TCSG has graduated an average of 31,000 students per year, you understand that Georgia’s Technical College System is a rich resource for the workforce Georgia needs.

In addition, Georgia’s technical college education comes with a guarantee: if a graduate educated under a standard program is found to be deficient in one or more competencies as defined in the standards, the technical college will retrain the employee at no instructional cost to the employee or the employer. The guarantee is in effect for two years after graduation. In testament to the high quality of education our students receive, last year TCSG re-trained just eight students under this guarantee.

Georgia employers seeking to hire that 20-year workforce need look no further than the 22 colleges and 85 campuses of the Technical College System of Georgia. You can find us on Facebook or Twitter, or just visit www.tcsg.edu to connect with the college nearest you. v 11

Is engineering right for me?

By Gary S. May | Dean | College of Engineering | Dean and Southern Company Chair | College of Engineering | Georgia Institute of Technology

Have you ever •

Built a structure out of Lego blocks?

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Organized a group of people?

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Taken something apart to see how it works?

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Made a cake from scratch?

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Reprogrammed the features on your cell phone?

If you have, then you might be an engineer. Engineers are problems solvers, inventors, builders, designers, innovators, and game changers. Engineers have a unique opportunity to make our world a better place! They solve problems in innovative ways and create things that never existed before. The U.S. is in need of more engineers to remain competitive globally, as well as in need of more diverse engineering teams to create the best solutions possible.

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August 2015

I’ve been out of high school for a long time, but I know it’s still a challenging place to be. There’s a lot of pressure to do well in class, explore career paths, begin building your future. Sometimes that can be invigorating, but sometimes it’s frustrating. You might get a sense that you’re busying yourself with a lot more planning than actual doing.

Once you find a college acceptance letter in your mailbox, you start to feel like you’re finally nearing the finish line. But as you approach the end of your high school career, you may find yourself wondering if college will hold more of the same: four years of studying, reading, planning, and not enough actual doing.

I’m here to tell you it doesn’t have to be that way.

You can do big things right now.

I’m the dean of Georgia Tech’s College of Engineering, where we encourage students to begin tackling some of the world’s most pressing problems right as they begin their freshman year. Ever heard of the engineering Grand Challenges?

It’s a set of problems laid out by the National Academy of Gary S. May Engineering that ask us to grapple with some of the most critical needs facing the globe. Securing cyberspace, providing access to clean water, and preventing nuclear terror are just a few of the challenges listed.

At Georgia Tech, we take these issues seriously, and we get students acquainted with them early. Our Grand Challenges Living Learning Community houses students who want to address these problems head-on, right as they begin their college careers. Students live, learn, and work together to develop leadership skills and help solve the challenges—years before they ever receive their degrees.

You’ll find that in engineering, a hands-on approach is always welcome. I’m particularly proud of

Building Your Future in Engineering

Georgia Tech’s Learn-Make-Launch concept for innovation and entrepreneurship, which encompasses programs that encourage students to take their educations into their own hands – sometimes quite literally. Our Invention Studio, for example, is a maker space run entirely by Georgia Tech students. Then there are programs like the Capstone Design Expo, a showcase of senior projects, and the InVenture Prize, a televised competition in which undergraduates design their own inventions for a cash prize and a chance at a patent filing.

You may have heard there’s a lot of studying and hard work that come along with an engineering major, and that’s very true. But seeing the real-world applicability of what you’re doing makes it all worthwhile.

Look at the smartphone in your pocket. Recall the streets you drove down earlier today.

Think about the workout gear you wore last time you went for a run. All kinds of engineering —civil, computer, materials— went into the design and development of these things. As an engineer, you can create and build similar things too.

Wait a minute, you’re thinking—I’m still just a teenager. How am I supposed to settle on a career path right now when I haven’t even graduated high school yet? Fair argument. If you know you’re interested in a job as an engineer, that’s wonderful, but one of the beautiful things about studying engineering is that this field can take you anywhere. The skills you’ll learn while in classes can carry you to any career you want. Some of the most successful graduates from Georgia Tech’s College of Engineering aren’t engineers at all—they’re business leaders, doctors, teachers, attorneys, lawmakers.

This is an exciting, stimulating field, especially now that technology is a governing force in so many of our lives. If you want to do big things and open the door to an exciting future, I hope you’ll give engineering a try.v

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Engineering Georgia’s Future Workforce

By Ben Hames | Deputy Commissioner | Georgia Department of Economic Development

Each day in the Georgia Department of Economic Development’s Workforce Division, we work diligently to sustain a workforce infrastructure that supports business needs throughout our state. Our diligent focus on workforce and our connection to the state’s economic development efforts is one reason we are the Number One state in the nation for business. As we continue to focus on gearing Georgia’s workforce development efforts toward in-demand, well paying jobs, we are constantly working to forecast workforce trends in order to understand where the jobs are, today and tomorrow.

Industries such as engineering Ben Hames contribute to both our state’s workforce strength and overall economic stability. From the office buildings that we work in to the busy highways that we travel on, each day we are reminded of the important role engineering and the engineering workforce plays in our day-to-day existence. As modern technology continues to advance, so does the need for an educated, trained, and highly skilled workforce of engineers to help ensure that this industry continues to thrive.

Last year, we launched the Governor’s High Demand Career Initiative with the goal of facilitating dialogue between business leaders in key industries and state educators to discuss workforce needs. During the thirteen public meetings held across the state, businesses outlined their needs in terms of skills, both soft and hard, as well as education and professional credentials. Many companies ex-

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pressed the need for skilled laborers in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields.

HDCI highlighted the vital role that education plays in the preparation of job seekers statewide. With this in mind, we are preparing to launch a work-based learning (WBL) initiative designed to serve as a partner to Georgia businesses. This initiative will supply participating businesses with resources to develop WBL programs that meet their specific workforce needs, assisting in the recruitment, education, and training of workers. We are partnering with the Technical College System of Georgia which will manage the educational component of this initiative and assist in the design of custom curriculum that matches each company’s needs.

As we prepare for the launch of this work-based learning initiative, we invite engineering companies across the state to join this effort by allowing our team to assist your business. v

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Two Great Institutions Consolidate to Create One World-Class University

By Daniel S. Papp | President | Kennesaw State University

Kennesaw State University and Southern Polytechnic State University have consolidated to form a single institution, still named Kennesaw State. This dynamic transformation is exactly why we call ourselves ‘The New U.’ Two major actions by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia triggered Kennesaw State’s evolution and emergence as the New U. First, in August 2013, the Regents reclassified Kennesaw State as a ‘comprehensive’ university. For students, this means we offer a wide range of top-notch undergraduate, master’s and doctoral degrees that are in high demand. Second, in November 2013, the Regents initiated a 14-month consolidation process between Kennesaw State and Southern Daniel S. Papp Polytechnic, with final consolidation taking place in January of this year.

The consolidated Kennesaw State is now one of the nation’s 50 largest public universities, enrolling more than 32,000 students at campuses in Kennesaw and Marietta.

The New U has 13 academic colleges to serve our growing student population, including the Southern Polytechnic College of Engineering and Engineering Technology, the College of Computing and Software Engineering, and the College of Architecture and Construction Management. These three colleges offer some of the most advanced academic programs in the state.

For example, the Southern Polytechnic College of Engineering and Engineering Technology offers 15 different undergraduate and four master’s degree programs, all of which are accredited by their respective profes-

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sional groups.

We also boast one of only two systems engineering programs in Georgia. Our program blends engineering, systems thinking and management to address the business and technical needs of industry and institutions, which aligns perfectly with the resources of KSU’s Michael J. Coles College of Business.

Mechatronics, which combines computer, electrical and mechanical engineering with project management, is a growing new field of engineering.

One of only nine such programs in the U.S., the New U’s mechatronics program focuses on the design and enhancement of robotics and automated systems.

Understandably, it is a quite popular program among our students.

Students also find that with the New U’s Southern Polytechnic College of Engineering and Engineering Technology offering minors in nuclear engineering and aerospace engineering, career options are abundant within those industries in Georgia.

In addition to the innovative teaching and learning that’s taking place in our classrooms, 14 student organizations and competition teams are contributing to the excitement within our engineering programs. Several of them compete nationally and have brought home top awards. College of Engineering and Engineering Technology students also have the opportunity to work in state-of-the-art labs, study abroad, and work alongside engaged faculty members, many of whom are industrytrained educators.

Within the other two new colleges at KSU’s Mari-

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etta Campus, students can enroll in our highly respected architecture program, which is the only nationally accredited five-year bachelor’s degree in architecture in Georgia. And our computer game design and development degree program, one of the few in the state that blends computer programming and design, equips graduates to enter Georgia’s booming digital entertainment industry.

At Kennesaw State, students pursue academic excellence, get involved in the community, access profes-

Building Your Future in Engineering

sional networking opportunities, and experience a rich and vibrant campus life. And in September, students can add football to the many activities when the Division I Owls take the field for the first time.

These are exciting times to be a student at Kennesaw State, and we invite you to visit us to experience the University for yourself.

We think you will like what you see. v

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Architecture, Engineering, and Construction Management

By Darren Mickler | Executive Director | Georgia State Board of Architects and Interior Designers

What do they do? How do they work together? How can you build your future in one of these professions?

There are many overlaps in the areas of architecture, engineering, and construction management, but first let’s look at what part each profession plays in the construction industry and the requirements for making a future in them.

Architects design all kinds of structures, including homes, schools, hospitals, churches, skyscrapers and any other residential or commercial buildings. The architect must begin by determining what the structure will be used for and by how many people. They focus not only on the form and functionality of these structures, but also on their safety and efficiency. The architect works with the client to determine Darren Mickler the feasibility of a project and then the requirements. They determine how much the project is going to cost and sometimes on whether it will have an environmental impact. This is called a preconstruction assessment. The architect will then create final construction plans that include building details and how the final product will look. Sometimes an architect will create a model of the project made from cardboard or other material and may include landscaping, parking lots, and driveways. This model allows the client or potential client to see how the project and its surroundings will look upon completion. Architects must be able to design and detail buildings that look good as well as perform in the manner expected. This requires they be part artist and part scientist. So how do you become an architect in Georgia? The first step is

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to complete a professional degree in architecture from a school or college approved by the National Architectural Accrediting Board. The second step is to gain practical experience through the NCARB Intern Development Program (IDP). Currently, the intern must gain 5,600 hours to satisfy the IDP experience requirement.

As of July 1, 2015, this requirement will change to 3,740 hours. One hour equals one hour of acceptable experience in an IDP experience setting. IDP includes four categories in which interns must gain experience. These categories are: Pre-Design, Design, Project Management, and Practice Management. When the appropriate education and experience have been acquired, the applicant must then pass an examination prepared and graded by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB). Upon successfully completing the NCARB exam, the applicant is awarded a license by the Georgia State Board of Architects and Interior Designers. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the employment of architects will increase 17 percent from 2012 to 2022. This is higher than the average of all other jobs, though competition will be strong as the number of architects continues to outnumber the available jobs. This competition could drive some applicants into other jobs such as engineering or construction management.

What is engineering? Wikipedia says: “engineering is the discipline, art, and profession of acquiring and applying technical, scientific, and mathematical knowledge to design and implement materials, structures, machines,

August 2015

devices, systems, and processes that safely realize a desired objective or invention.” The Georgia Tech Web site says: “engineering is the practical application of science and math to solve problems.” The truth is, the field of engineering has become so diverse that it’s hard to put a label on it. Software engineers, biomedical engineers, and aerospace engineers are expanding the definition all the time. An engineer may also work in the more traditional fields. A mechanical engineer might determine the correct amount of heating and cooling while designing ductwork that disappears into the form of the building. An electrical engineer might be responsible for the design and layout of all the power and lighting requirements of a structure, while an industrial engineer determines the layout of office space and equipment, focusing on ergonomics and work flow. A civil engineer might be involved in the design of highways, parking lots, bridges, dams, water supply, and sewage systems. Civil engineers can also act as construction managers, either as a licensed General Contractor as discussed in the section on Construction managers below or as a project manager who makes sure the work is done to the design specifications. Structural engineering is a sub-discipline of civil engineering that involves the design of structures such as bridges and buildings. Structural engineers analyze and design the gravity support and lateral force resistance of structures to ensure they are strong enough not to fail when loaded to their capacity. They often work as consultants to architects or contractors. These are just samples of what’s in the toolbox of each of the traditional engineering disciplines or subdisciplines. The list of possible areas of practice for these and other disciplines or sub-disciplines are extensive.

The requirements to become an engineer are similar to those of the architect, requiring a combination of education, experience, and testing. In Georgia, there are four paths to licensure as a professional engineer. The first path requires that you graduate from an Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) accredited college or university, pass the Fundamentals of Engineering exam(FE), gain four years of acceptable experience and finally, pass the Principle and Practice of Engineering exam(PE). The second path requires that you graduate from an accredited program with an engineering technology degree or a related science. You will follow the same path of examination but you will be re-

Building Your Future in Engineering

quired to gain seven years of acceptable experience. The third path to licensure does not require a degree, but requires you first gain eight years of acceptable experience and take the FE exam, then gain another seven years of experience and take the PE exam. The final path to licensure requires the applicant to graduate in an accredited engineering program, acquire 16 years of acceptable experience, and pass the PE exam. When the NCEES PE exam is successfully completed, the applicant is awarded a Professional Engineers license by the Georgia Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the employment of civil engineers, including structural, will increase 20 percent from 2012 to 2022. This is higher than the average of all other jobs and higher than all other engineers except petroleum and biomedical. Civil engineers will be needed as the infrastructure of this country ages and roads, bridges, and dams are repaired, upgraded or replaced.

The construction manager may also work as a project manager or a general contractor. As a construction or project manager, he or she plans, coordinates, and supervises many of the processes involved in a building project. They insure that the project complies with all legal requirements and building codes. They often collaborate with architects and engineers during a construction project to solve difficult problems or to ensure that design specifications are accurate and being implemented correctly. As a licensed residential or general contractor, he or she may hire and direct subcontractors licensed under OCGA 43-14 in trades that include plumbing, electrical, conditioned air, low voltage, and utilities. They might also hire and direct subcontractors not requiring licensure, including framers, roofers, graders, pavers or any other specialty required to complete a project. These managers may work on residential homes, commercial buildings, highways, or bridges.

They are usually involved from start to finish on a project. So how do you become a construction manager?

Education in engineering, architecture, building construction or construction management or an apprenticeship with a Residential or General Contracting company may lead to a career as a construction manager. While no license is required specifically to be a construction manager in Georgia, a license is required

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to coordinate all the activities of the licensed or unlicensed trades. Georgia offers a residential basic contractor, residential—light commercial contractor, general contractor limited tier, and general contractor. To qualify for one of these licenses, you will have to meet the educational, financial, and experiential requirements for the license you wish to hold. These requirements increase as you move up to higher license classifications.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the employment of construction managers will increase 16 percent from 2012 to 2022. This is higher than the average of all other jobs.

In any large building project, you will find all three of these professionals involved or you might see one or more people acting in multiple capacities. The consulting architect or engineer often works in a limited capacity as a project manager to insure that his or her design is being carried out properly. An engineer might work as an employee of a general contractor in the capacity of a construction manager to supervise an entire project.

In Georgia, they might act as the qualifying agent for a licensed general contractor. When an architect designs a building layout, they employ a structural engineer, who calculates the loads and determines the materials

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that will be used to create the building support. The project might then go to the construction manager of a general contractor to determine how much it’s going to cost to build. As we see all the different parts each profession plays in the creation of a structure, we also see how they can overlap. We also see that a career path can easily change as the needs of the building industry changes. Today’s architect or engineer could be tomorrow’s construction manager. v

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Future City: Waste Not Want Not

By Tony Rizzuto | Georgia Regional Coordinator | Future City Competition

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August 2015

In 2002, American architect William McDonough and German chemist Michael Braungart published the book Cradle to Cradle. In it they espoused a radical epistemological change to the industrial system, suggesting we needed to move beyond the cradle-to-grave model of the 3Rs, ‘reduce, reuse, and recycle’, replacing it with the concept of upcycling. This new model was based on a system of ‘lifecycle development’ initiated by Braungart and his colleagues at the Environmental Protection Encouragement Agency in the 1990s. In the lifecycle development model, after their useful life, products are designed to become either ‘biological’ or ‘technical’ nutrients. The former returned to the environment as natural elements, the latter contained within a closed-loop industrial cycle.

It is just this type of thinking that is behind the Zero Waste movement in cities across the globe. Zero Waste is an approach to waste that emphasizes prevention as opposed to waste management. It requires designing and managing products and processes in a way that systematically avoids and eliminates the volume and toxicity of waste materials.

Why is this so important? Because 42 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions produced in the U.S. come from our production, consumption, and disposal chain.

The goal of Zero Waste is an ethical, economical, and efficient approach that emulates sustainable natural cy-

Building Your Future in Engineering

cles where all discarded materials are designed to become resources for others to use.

This may seem like a visionary dream of the future, but cities like San Francisco, New York and Buenos Aires are already on their way to achieving this goal.

Today, San Francisco already diverts 80 percent of its waste from landfills. The small town of Capannori in Italy leads Europe with a completely financially self-sufficient Zero Waste program.

“Imagine a world in which all the things we make, use, and consume provide nutrition for nature and industry—a world in which growth is good and human activity generates a delightful, restorative ecological footprint.”

McDonough & Braungart The Cradle-to-Cradle Alternative, 2003

Canada has incorporated its own government mandated Zero Waste Hierarchy that is designed to help guide policy-makers, industry, and individuals. It is designed to encourage policy, activity, and investment at the top of the hierarchy and to introduce the fourth R, ‘Recovery,’ into the 3Rs. Sweden operates on a minus zero waste system. They use their waste to generate power and even import 800,000 tons of it from neighboring countries.

The toughest part of getting to zero waste is the last ten percent. To get to that vision, of a true lifecycle development model, requires a comprehensive approach, one that includes the public, engineers, architects, and planners. They will have to work with state and federal governments to develop regulations and laws in support of Zero Waste.

That is the goal of this year’s Future City Competition, ‘Waste Not Want Not,” to raise awareness of the possible social and economic benefits gained when we rethink waste, viewing it more as a systemic part of the way we design cities and to potentially see it as a resource.

Working with educators and professional mentors, teams of middle school students from around the state will use the Engineering Design Process to design an innovative city-wide solid waste system for their city that is safe, environmentally sound, and energy efficient.

And they’ll tackle that task with an eye on its integration into the larger built environment. Our students ex23

plore urban planning, look at city services and management, design transportation systems and infrastructure like power supply, renewable energy, water resources and treatment, and pollution control. And they do it with an eye on sustainable growth and development as they apply their knowledge and creativity in the design of a city 150 years into the future.

The only national engineering competition for middle school students, Future City has gained wide acclaim for its role in encouraging interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) through hands-on applications. The competition is designed to make students flex their skills in writing (a City Description Essay on the year’s theme), complex problem solving and design (a Virtual City design done using Simcity4 software), math and physics (a Physical Model), communication and public speaking (a Team Presentation), and project management (Project Plan).

A study by The Concord Evaluation Group conducted in May 2012 found significant improvement in STEM core subjects of students who participated in the competition. The survey found 86 percent of teachers said that they saw improvement in the problem solving skills of those who entered the competition. 85 percent of students claimed Future City helped them to learn and appreciate everything that goes into planning and maintaining a city. Equally high percentages stated the competition gave them an outlet for their creativity and imagination while teaching them the importance of working with others to solve problems. Recent segments on PBS, Voice of America, and Time-for Kids along

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with participation at the Whitehouse Science Fair two years running have showcased this success.

Now in its 23th year, Future City reaches over 33,000 middle school students across the U.S. each year. We are always looking for professional engineers, architects, and planners to become mentors for our students, judges or volunteers for this fun and educational project. To learn how you can be a part of the Future City team visit the national Web site at www.futurecity.org or the Georgia regional Web site at www.cacm.kennesaw.edu under programs in the Department of Architecture. v

August 2015

Building Your Future in Engineering

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There is a crucial problem that will impact America’s future. What is it you ask? MATH! Why will this impact America’s future? If America is not strong in Math, it will cause a decline in competitiveness and job growth. This means MATHCOUNTS can help shape the future.

What is MATHCOUNTS? MATHCOUNTS is a national competition that strives to engage students of all

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ability and interest levels in fun, challenging Math programs in order to expand their academic and professional opportunities. Middle school students exist at a critical juncture in which their love for mathematics must be nurtured, or their fear of mathematics must be overcome. MATHCOUNTS provides students with the kinds of experiences that foster growth and transcend fear to lay a foundation for future success.

August 2015

Why is America facing a Math problem? The Wall Street Journal reported that the United States National Academies, an influential advisory organization, issued a blue-ribbon report in 2005, called ‘Rising Above the Gathering Storm,’ warning that America was losing critical ground in Math and Science skills—“the scientific and technical building blocks of our economy.” Everyone in the world has heard of Apple. Apple and other American companies want to bring jobs back from overseas to the United States, producing the most popular American consumer items through American labor. This new trend, called ‘in-sourcing,’ promises to bring back hundreds of thousands of new jobs where they are needed most. There is just one problem: Americans do not have the skills these companies need in order to bring these jobs back home again. Consumer electronics companies like Apple in particular need workers with strong Math skills.

How can MATHCOUNTS strengthen American Math Skills?

MATHCOUNTS cultivates talent in the nation's brightest young minds through the MATHCOUNTS Competition Series. The program brings together students from all 50 states in a series of in-person contests—the only competition program of its kind.

MATHCOUNTS inspires curiosity and builds confidence in students of all levels through The National Math Club. The program helps create a space where learning math is fun, social, and supportive, so that every student becomes a lifelong math learner.

MATHCOUNTS engages students in team-based learning that is innovative, creative, and collaborative through the Math Video Challenge. The program enables students to connect and apply math to their own lives, and teach others in the process.

Does Georgia have a MATHCOUNTS program? Yes, as a matter of fact, Georgia is one of the initial states that launched the MATHCOUNTS program thirty years ago. The Georgia Society of Professional Engineers (GSPE) hosts the MATHCOUNTS program in Georgia.

The Atlanta Metro Chapter of GSPE has been recognized in the past for having the largest MATHCOUNTS competition in the nation with over 500 middle school students participating.

How can you get involved in MATHCOUNTS? Visit the national MATHCOUNTS Web site (www.math-

Building Your Future in Engineering

counts.org) to register for the program. Your information will be forwarded to the local chapter and state coordinators in Georgia. Georgia has thirteen local chapter competitions that are held from January through February. The local chapters advance their top Mathletes to the state competition. The Georgia MATHCOUNTS Competition is held the third week of March at the Georgia Tech Student Center—Monday, March 21, 2016. After the testing period, it is time for the Mathletes to have lunch and fun on the college campus in the TechRec Center. After scoring is completed, everyone gathers together for the Awards Program and the infamous CountDown Round. The top ten scoring Mathletes compete on stage in a game show style format answering Math questions. At the close of the event, Georgia’s top four Mathletes are named, forming the Georgia MATHCOUNTS Team that will compete at the National MATHCOUNTS Competition. The National Competition rotates between Orlando, Florida, and Washington, D.C. Help shape tomorrow’s future with MATH! Make sure you are participating or volunteering for the Georgia MATHCOUNTS Program. For additional information on this dynamic competition, contact Carolyn Jones at the Georgia Society of Professional Engineers at (404) 840-2542 or via e-mail at cjones@gspe.org.

Team MATHCOUNTS! v

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Redesigning Engineering Education at UGA

By Donald J. Leo, Dean | UGA College of Engineering and UGA Foundation Professor in Engineering

This spring, the University of Georgia Alumni Association presented its Friend of UGA Award to Georgia Institute of Technology alumnus Willis J. Potts, Jr. While it may seem a little out of the ordinary for UGA to bestow such an honor on a Georgia Tech graduate, Mr. Potts certainly deserves the accolade for his courageous commitment to expanding and improving engineering education in the state.

While serving as chair of the University System of Georgia Board of Regents in 2010, Potts co-authored a report endorsing new programs in civil engineering, electrical engineering, and mechanical engineering at UGA and Georgia Southern University. Potts argued the state not only needed more engineers, it could benefit from having more than one engineering school. In November 2010, the board narrowly approved the proposal with Potts casting the deciding vote.

Donald J. Leo While there may have been questions about the need or demand for new engineering programs at UGA in 2010, the data clearly shows Potts and other supporters were correct. Since its formation in 2012, enrollment in the UGA College of Engineering has tripled to more than 1,300 students. We’re now the sixth largest program at UGA. In addition, we’ve seen a 50 percent increase in annual research awards since 2012.

There’s no doubt Georgia and the United States need to produce more engineers to remain competitive globally. Engineers are the people who solve society’s greatest problems and create new technologies that change the way we live. Engineers turn ideas into reality.

Take a look at a few of the projects students and professors in the UGA College of Engineering are working on:

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•

designing new medical instruments that allow less invasive surgical procedures;

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researching ways robots can help engage and teach children with autism;

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finding new ways to regenerate human tissue and help people fighting diseases or recovering from injuries; • creating new harvesting methods and devices for fruit and vegetable crops; • producing a wireless system for charging electric vehicles; • designing methods to track and reduce the amount of plastic waste flowing into the world’s oceans.

As you can see from this small sample of our work, engineering is an incredibly diverse field. You may be surprised by the way engineering reaches into other disciplines, such as biology, chemistry, veterinary medicine, education, agricultural and environmental sciences, and many more. It’s not a stretch to say that engineering touches nearly every aspect of our lives.

One of the strengths of our college is our place at the University of Georgia. UGA is consistently ranked as one of the nation’s top 20 public comprehensive research institutions. Our students and faculty are able to partner with students and faculty in other schools and colleges across campus and work together on innovative projects to solve problems.

If engineering sounds like an interesting career to you, begin laying a strong foundation in high school.

Take the most challenging math and sciences offered in-

August 2015

Engineers’ Creed As a Professional Engineer, I dedicate my professional knowledge and skill to the advancement and betterment of human welfare.

I pledge: • To give the utmost of performance;

cluding algebra, calculus, chemistry, biology, and physics. And if the University of Georgia College of Engineering sounds like a place you’d like to study after high school, plan a visit and meet our faculty and students.

At the University of Georgia, we’re taking a fresh look at how engineering schools are designed. If you like being part of something new and exciting, and looking at challenges from a different angle, you’re exactly the kind of student we’re looking for. v

Building Your Future in Engineering

•

To participate in none but honest enterprise;

•

To live and work according to the laws of man and the highest standards of professional conduct;

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To place service before profit, the honor and standing of the profession before personal advantage, and the public welfare above all other considerations.

In humility and with need for Divine Guidance, I make this pledge.

Adopted by National Society of Professional Engineers June,1954

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Greg Graves Talks about Science and Engineering Careers On May 9, 2015, Greg Graves, chairman and CEO of Burns & McDonnell and South Dakota School of Mines & Technology alumnus, delivered the commencement address at the university’s 171st graduation ceremony.

GREG GRAVES: It was 39 years ago today; my most memorable day as a Miner. No, not my graduation.

This was back to my freshman year.

I ran sprints for the track team and as I was always a pretty quick starter. I led off the four by 100 relay team. I remember that day because three of my teammates and I set the all-time school record that day.

The very next week at Districts, I slightly pulled my hamstring in the 100 finals and had to sit out the relay. Our team was so small they actually had to pull a guy from pole vault to fill my spot. You guessed it they broke my school record.

It was alright, though. Seeing my name on the board just that Greg Graves one time really made me feel I did something that mattered.

That same lesson hit me again three years later just before graduation and has stuck with me ever since.

My favorite teacher at this school was easily my Calc and Differential Equations professor, Dr. Ronald Weger.

Doc Weger was nearly blind, was prone to losing his place on the chalk board, and had easily one of the worst looking wigs you have ever seen. If you saw him near the end of each teaching day, he would always, not sometimes, but always have chalk on the end of his nose

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from reading the board at close range. And yet, he was brilliant. He taught calculus like it was life and he cared more about his students than anything else.

I wanted to see Doc Weger before my wife Deanna and I moved to Kansas City. When I walked into his office he said “Well, Hi Greg.” And I couldn’t help but ask him how he knew it was me (it certainly wasn’t from seeing me). He told me he could recognize most of us from our shuffle coming down the hallway.

After about ten minutes, I said my goodbye, but he stopped me as I left. “Hey Greg, the only thing that matters in life, is to matter in life.”

Doc Weger was right.

I was a typical engineering graduate. I grew up the son of a science and math teacher and knew I wanted to be an engineer at 12. I would have never guessed that 35 years after graduating, I’d be running a $3 billion engineering and construction company working in all 50 states and 25 countries.

Based on that experience, I’m told by many that I should now be offering some sage advice. Here’s only one.

Science and Engineering careers are more like entropy than anything else. You haven’t forgotten entropy already have you? They are filled with random and expansive events that make too detailed a career plan a waste of your time and energy.

So I beg you…..just be you….you are the engineers, the designers, the creators.

In the early 1980s, America was graduating nearly

August 2015

100,000 engineering graduates yearly. By early this century, the numbers were as low as 60,000. India and China, however, have more than 300,000.

You don’t have to be managers, executives, sales reps on day one. Your planet, your country needs you to matter. You will, if you are you. Your country needs better transportation….that’s you. Cleaner drinking water….you. Your country needs to stop polluting its streams….that’s you. Better medical records…you.

Energy, process, computing, aviation….all you.

You’ve arrived just in time. We need you.

And as for you Tim, Tyler, Dustin, Devyn, and Dakotah who are coming to work for me in the next few weeks, don’t worry. You are going to be busy.

Let’s go back to entropy theory just one more time.

As things expand, they tend to expand more rapidly.

I graduated in 1980. You weren’t born yet. Some of your parents weren’t born yet. But, some pretty important events took place.

great engineers who get great jobs and make great money. It produces great thinkers, great leaders, great women, and great men. It makes a difference to this City and the people who live here. We are Ramblin Wrecks. We are from Rapid Tech and to this day, I do drink my whiskey clear.

One more thought and I’ll wrap up. A few years ago, I took a career success course from a Jesuit priest.

Sounds funny. I mean, after all what sort of business expertise are you going to learn from a Jesuit priest? I was wrong. I still remember one of his most important lessons.

He said there were three levels of happiness. The first is physical. You can achieve it pretty easy with a bag of potato chips and a beer.

The second level is likely for each of you and it comes with personal success. It can be achieved through wealth or notoriety or even through political power.

January

First HP Personal Computer

The final level - I turned around to see if Doc Weger

February

Trouble in the Middle East

March

Voyager I reaches Saturn

April

Americans taken hostage in Iran

May

CNN Launches 24 hour News Network

July

Saddam Hussein becomes President of

was in the room—and is achieved by only a few—it is to matter.

Now there is only one way for certain to matter in this life. That’s to be someone else’s mom. Then, well it’s guaranteed.

But as scientists and engineers, we do have a distinct advantage over almost any other profession. We have a learned ability to matter.

And as graduates of this great school, it is not just your advantage; it is what 130 years have created in this institution. It is your duty. You will build the first driverless transportation systems, the first virtual hospital suites, and the first eco-villages.

You, more than anyone else, will keep our nation safe.

You will achieve medical device advances that will not only make lives safer and longer, but better (in fact if you hustle a bit on that particular one, I would appreciate it.)

You will send man to Mars and next, quite frankly, I do not know…entropy will decide.

If Doc Weger were still alive today, he’d be proud.

Not just for the success of his shy and skinny calculus student, but because that student has always hoped to matter in a world where we need you to accept nothing less. v

Iraq September

Engineers open largest ever transportation tunnel in Switzerland

December

Fitch and Cronin win Nobel Prize for Physics discovery proving matter and anti-matter both do exist.

But also in December, Saddam Hussein begins executions using latest nerve gas technology.

You see, there’s good news and bad news in entropy. Our abilities are growing exponentially, but can our humanity keep up? And so I remind you at this young age, it is just as important that WE…YOU…THE DESIGNERS….take a leadership role in WHO we are, not just what we are capable of.

I believe in my heart, not to mention my gut, that one of the greatest things President Wilson has and will bring to this university is its obligation not just to learning, but to duty. Your university doesn’t just produce

Building Your Future in Engineering

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NCCER Credentials: The Fast Track to a Rewarding Career

By Amy Saxton | Communications Manager | NCCER

SkillsUSA masonry competitor at the 2014 SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Kansas City, Missouri

Industry recognition is a key component of a valuable credential, and credentials have proven to significantly increase earning potential and upward mobility. According to the Construction Industry Institute, craft professionals who become NCCER Certified Plus receive an average of $2 more per hour than uncertified workers in the same field. Contractors often times increase starting salaries for new craft professionals who produce NCCER credentials, and many contractors will even offer their craft professionals training through tuition reimbursements for coursework, paid craft training programs, and in-house training, which can lead to promotions or salary increases. It is also common for contractors to institute wage structures that reward craft professionals for reaching milestones in NCCER training, such as the helper and journey stages.

What is NCCER?

NCCER is a not-for-profit education foundation that was created in 1996 by more than 125 construction CEOs and various association and academic leaders.

Sharing the common goal of developing a safe and productive workforce, these companies created NCCER as

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a standardized training, assessment, and credentialing program. NCCER provides a consistent program of accreditation, instructor certification, standardized curricula, assessments, and certifications. As a result, NCCER has become industry’s trusted source for developing craft professionals. In fact, eight of the top ten contractors on Engineering News-Record’s Top 400 Contractor List for 2014 are NCCER Accredited Training Sponsors, and one-third of the top 100 contractors are affiliated with NCCER. The Need for Credentials

As the skills gap widens, industries that require skilled professionals are placing additional emphasis on credentials. This is particularly evident in the construction industry where the skilled workforce shortage is becoming more pronounced and employers are recognizing the increasing importance of credentials as a way to validate the training of craft professionals.

According to ManpowerGroup’s annual Talent Shortage Survey, which has 36,000 participants worldwide, skilled trades have been the hardest jobs to fill globally for the last three consecutive years. The inabil-

August 2015

ity of contractors to find qualified skilled workers only highlights the immediate need for craft professionals to receive training that provides industry-recognized and portable credentials. As America recovers from the economic recession, the right credentials and training provide graduates and job seekers successful career paths into the construction industry, which is poised for dramatic growth. The Construction Labor Market Analyzer forecasts that more than two million new craft professionals will be needed in our industry by 2018.

Credentialed craft professionals who are in high demand today will also be the frontrunners for the hottest jobs in the future.

Certification or formal training can put craft professionals on the fast track to upper management or ownership positions, and, in conjunction with work experience, is the best way to achieve advancement. The path to ownership is one that few industries can offer; however, in the construction industry, there are many stories of people who begin as an apprentice and become the owner or CEO of a company. NCCER’s recruitment and image enhancement initiative, Build Your Future, offers a graphic that shows the various career paths an individual can take within the industry, starting with a middle school student and ending with a CEO. After high school, students can go into an industry training program, receive a degree or certificate from a community or technical college or receive a university degree. All three of these avenues can lead to the top position in a company. However, there are multiple entry points regardless of what stage someone is in in their career. The best part about the construction industry is that it offers career paths that enable trainees to earn a paycheck while they learn and avoid high college debt.

construction and safety topics and complies with OSHA-10 training requirements.

Industry-Recognized Credentials

Contractors want to be certain that the craft professionals they employ on job sites have reached a standard level of competency. NCCER credentials validate the training individuals receive and provide proof that they have the proper training for their specific crafts.

NCCER credentials are industry recognized, which means they are accepted by contractors throughout the industry and therefore eliminate the need for individuals to get retrained for a certain craft each time they change employers.

Journey-level written assessments and Performance Verifications, which are based on NCCER curricula, are also provided by NCCER and lead to industry-recognized credentials and certification. Many craft professionals have never received official recognition for the knowledge and skills they possess. Therefore, a craft assessment and Performance Verification can quickly determine the knowledge and skills an employee has acquired through work experience or training and reward him or her with appropriate credentials. Candidates who pass both a written assessment and Performance Verification become Certified Plus, which is the highest NCCER credential available in most crafts.

The NCCER Registry System is the credentialing and certification system that assures portability of skills within the industry by providing transcripts, certificates, and wallet cards. After successful completion of training levels and/or assessments, individuals receive an NCCER wallet card with a specific identification number that allows employers to verify their training and/or assessment history.

Standardized Craft Curricula

In cooperation with publishing partner Pearson and subject matter experts representing contractors and schools from across the country, NCCER develops and publishes curricula for more than 70 craft areas.

NCCER’s comprehensive library of craft curricula is used worldwide by contractors, associations, construction users, and secondary and postsecondary schools.

The standardized curriculum offered by NCCER is comprised of training levels for each craft, and individuals receive credentials after successful completion of these levels. NCCER’s Core Curriculum covers basic

Building Your Future in Engineering

Unlimited Potential

It is clear that employers hold credentialed and certified individuals in high regard, and those credentials are critical to future success and career satisfaction for craft professionals. As more contractors recognize the value of standardized training and assessments, career prospects for credentialed craft professionals will only continue to grow.

Get the credentials you deserve. To find an NCCER training and assessment center near you, visit www.nccer.org/center-search. v

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Engineering the Future

By Wade H. Shaw, Ph.D., P.E. | Dean and Kaolin Chair of Engineering | Mercer University

Engineering is about turning ideas into reality. Some people like to think of ideas as ‘dreams’ and that reinforces the notion that engineers are innovators that build dreams to create the future. In this issue of Georgia Engineer, we are celebrating engineering excellence through the impact of projects led by organizations and through the leadership of education providers that prepare engineers for practice. It’s important to get the critical blend of knowledge and practice working together so that we recognize that engineering is about knowing and doing. I’ll share some thoughts on how we blend what we know and what we do.

From our earliest civilizations, we know that engineering is a vital profession that serves our need for life-giving shelter, security, and sustenance.

From the very beginning, engineers combined a mastery of the sciences with a creative appreciation of art and design to deliver problem-focused craftsmanship. As our basic needs are met, we can trace an ever-widening set of demands from a society that raises the bar for new knowledge and new methods. Even when engineers don’t know the science completely, we take calculated risks to advance technology and by building solutions we uncover knowledge. Think about it—airplanes came before we understood aerodynamics well; computers were built before we really appreciated computer science; and many structures have been built before we understood the forces at work or the material science.

What we know is expanded by what we learn to do.

The mastery of engineering knowledge (what we know) and the construction of products and systems (what we do) is often viewed by students as a very private and individual set of tasks. But the reality is that engineering practice is typically a very social process that leads to things used by people unfamiliar with the design steps. What we envision and design eventually must be shared with others and put to work in a physical world. In other words, engineers create things that are publically shared for the world to see—we are much like our colleagues in the arts and music in that we learn

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from practice to deliver a performance!

The social process that drives much of modern engineering uses a person’s individual mastery of knowledge and skills to link with other people to form teams. Educators have stressed for decades how teamwork is vital to engineering success and industry constantly emphasizes commu-

nication skills and teamwork in their recruiting efforts. Universities have made impressive progress in using teams early in the learning process to help our students master complex technology and to practice soft skills that will serve them well professionally.

ABET, the gold standard in engineering education accredita-

August 2015

tion, is considering refinement of graduating student attributes to focus on the technical, business, communication, professional, and individual skills needed for professional practice. It is likely that we will see new student outcomes from ABET that will add project planning, teamwork, and risk management to the technical requirements for undergraduate education.

Engineering has historically defined cultures and civilizations so that we appreciate ancient people by their technology. We see engineering in ancient agriculture, in weaponry, in structures and architecture, in materials, in tools, and in musical instruWade Shaw ments. These physical objects have survived time to reveal incredible engineering skills in the Sumerian, Mayan, Egyptian, Roman and many other civilizations. It is surely true that today’s engi-

Building Your Future in Engineering

neering skills that are applied to modern challenges will become landmarks to future generations that show how we managed our resources and influenced our culture. Likewise our future will surely be influenced by how we respond to the engineering challenges that we face. We can celebrate engineering past and present while we engineer the future with new students and improved educational systems.

Engineering is the combination of intellectual reasoning via the mind and physical rendering via the hands. We can learn by knowing and we can learn by doing. Perhaps the simplest and most elegant way of thinking about engineering our future is the motto at MIT: Mens et Manus, which is translated—‘Mind and Hand.’ We need both our minds and hands engaged as we prepare our future engineers. v

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Meet the Challenge: Create Your Own Path

By Dr. Ruth Middleton House & Wes House

This assignment is overwhelming, the deadline is unrealistic, and everyone on your team is edgy. Will every engineering assignment--whether in the classroom or on the job—be like this? You wonder if the only way out of this situation is just to quit. You don’t want to keep being the victim of a professor (or supervisor) who is unreasonable and team members who don’t pull their load. Maybe your friend will commiserate with you and either give you “the answer” or calm you down. Or maybe a bowl of Death by Chocolate will numb you.

When you cast yourself as Victim, someone or something else as Villain and a friend or a bowl of chocolate as Rescuer you are setting the stage for a slump. If you allow yourself to stay in that slump, over time it will become your permanent posture—the way you carry yourself through your career and your life. It will lock you into what the helping professions call The Dreaded Drama Triangle (DDT). And the drama goes on and on.

Better to straighten up now. David Emerald in The Power of TED (The Empowerment Dynamic) suggests a casting call for a different set of roles: you in the role of Creator, those previously known as villain in the role of Challenger, and someone you respect to replace the rescuer as Coach.

When you empower yourself as Creator you do what you can with what you have now. You have what you need to make things better. You can; you matter.

You don’t have to wait for the right break, the right amount of money, the right mentor, the right technology. You can rearrange the things around you to create a new situation.

About 14,000 years ago in the Cave of Altamira, Neanderthals carved life-sized reliefs of bison into the walls of the cave. They mixed natural pigments and painted the bison in stunning shades of brown, red, yellow and orange that would still take your breath away. They didn’t create the cave; they didn’t create the pigment; but they rearranged the things around them to make some-

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thing new. So can you. They didn’t need the latest app.

You don’t either.

After you have reset your own posture, take a look at that Challenger. Take a close look. Think critically without criticizing. You use well-informed reasoning processes daily in engineering. Now use them to understand this challenger and mindfully choose your behavior. You don’t have enough information to understand?

Then listening and observing are the your first steps.

Sometimes it’s better not to ask direct questions as they often trigger an emotional response. You may be able to learn more by just making “I statements”: “I was wondering about…” “I noticed…” Then be quiet and let the Challenger respond. Observe the Challenger in interaction with others. Observe the Challenger in interaction with you. What patterns do you notice? What inconsistencies do you see? What strong feeling do you recognize? The answers to these questions inform your reasoning as you decide what to do next.

Maybe the challenger isn’t a person at all. Maybe the challenger is an obstacle—a deadline, a setback, or a health problem. What then? First step back and observe patterns, inconsistencies and your own feelings.

Second, think the situation through and set your priorities. These should include your own physical health and your quality of life. Then put strategies in place to

August 2015

meet your goals. Focus on the things you can actually control. Manage the stress; take care of your physical health; maintain positive relationships. These things promote the upright posture you need to think clearly and face those challenges head on. Let go of the things you can’t control. They will keep you in a slump.

Next reach out to someone you respect to cast as Coach. Who handles difficult situations and people the way you would like to? Who can set an example? Provide reliable information? Give support? It can be hard to cast someone in this role. In fact, the role is demanding enough that it might take several people to handle it. You might be filling positions in your Personal Board of Directors rather than assigning one person alone to this role. Keep looking. In the meantime, reach inside yourself.

Think back to a time when you dealt with a difficult situation and a difficult person especially well. What did you do then? What can you learn from that situation to apply to this one? And reach up to the bookshelf (or video shelf ) as well. What historical or fictional character demonstrated the traits or the skills that would help you now? Mandela comes to mind.

When you feel overwhelmed, it’s tempting to shut down to protect your sanity or to ignore what you see right in front of you because facing it head on just seems like too

Building Your Future in Engineering

much. These choices will lead to a long-running role as Victim. Instead, start grooming yourself as Creator now.

• Focus on the one to three things you should do next. Your Inner Engineer probably quickly compiled a list of the top 213 things you need to do.

That’s fine. But you can do only one of those things at a time. At least 210 of those remaining will distract you from your important first steps. Copy the top three action items onto an index card and put the other 210 away for the time being.

As you finish one item on the card, you can add one item from the longer list.

•

Write out your feelings for your eyes only. It’s ideal to have a special person in your life that you can tell anything. But even if you are fortunate enough to have that person in your life, he or she might not be available at the moment. Write it out.

Some people keep a journal for this purpose alone and write in it regularly. You may want to write it out, then tell it to your Golden Retriever or other pet before you talk to a human.

•

Cultivate a creative culture around you. “Water the things you want to grow.” Treat the people, the processes and the symbols around you with care. Learn everything you can learn about them all. Know who needs extra encouragement, which processes need tweaking, which symbols inspire and which ones discourage. Earn the trust that you need to re-arrange the components that surround you into something new and better.

Whatever the challenge is, you can get through it. Meet it head on and create your own path forward. v

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August 2015

Auburn University Because This is Auburn is a $1 billion campaign to propel the university forward through a renewed commitment to the students, a continued promise to the state, and a shared responsibility to the world.

The Samuel Ginn College of Engineering has embraced a bold vision to become one of the nation’s premier engineering institutions by being the best student-centered engineering experience in America, a leader in providing research that improves the quality of life and fosters economic competitiveness, and building a dynamic faculty that exemplifies excellence and innovation. To accomplish these goals, the college is committed to raising $200 million as part of this campaign.

To meet this vision, the college has identified four key areas — student programmatic support, scholarships and fellowships, facilities, and faculty — to help provide students with the tools, skills, and competencies necessary to apply today’s engineering and business practices in order to become tomorrow’s leaders in developing and deploying the latest technologies.

The college will enhance the engineering experience for its students with improvements including the construction of a student achievement center that will consolidate a multitude of student support activities and services. This center is being made possible through a generous gift of $30 million from John and Rosemary Brown, who graduated from Auburn in 1957 with degrees in chemical engineering and chemistry, respectively. John was CEO and chairman of the board of Stryker Corporation, a leading medical device company with annual revenue exceeding $9 billion. Rosemary retired after serving as a mathematics teacher for almost 30 years. The Browns’ total gift of $57 million, which will also fund a new performing arts center, is the largest in university history.

Building Your Future in Engineering

“We are very happy to give back to Auburn,” John said. “Auburn was a transformative educational experience for us, preparing Rosemary for her career in teaching and laying the foundation for my various roles in industry.”

“We wanted to do something that not only impacted Auburn students, but also something that would impact the entire community,” Rosemary said. “That is why we decided to do both the student achievement center and the performing arts center.”

The state-of-the-art engineering achievement center will enhance a multitude of student support activities, including student recruitment, curriculum advising, tutoring, career mentoring, job placement, and an industrial relations center.

The center will also feature space for a student project incubator and an engineering international experience office.

The college will also designate $70 million in funds for excellence for student programmatic support, create 250 new endowed scholarships and fellowships, and create 40 new endowed professorships and chairs.

“To be successful in this campaign, we need your help,” said Christopher B. Roberts, dean of the College of Engineering. “We would like for our alumni to feel they are an integral part of this campaign, to recognize that together we’re all Auburn Engineering. It is important for us to support the next generation of engineers and to ensure that we continue to make our alumni proud. The support of our alumni is what distinguishes the Auburn experience from others.”

“We invite all of our alumni to be part of this campaign by pledging your support to ensure the college’s ability to provide students the same foundation for personal and professional growth that Auburn once afforded you.”v

39

Georgia Institute of Technology

40

August 2015

The College of Engineering (CoE) combines the resources of a major university with the benefits of an urban campus, giving students the tools they need to chase their ambitions. With dozens of degree programs across eight schools, the College has built a strong reputation in the United States and abroad, and graduates leave with skills, knowledge, and global savvy for a world increasingly dependent on engineering.

The College has a strong national and international reputation ranking near the top in both undergraduate and graduate programs, and as the nation’s largest and most diverse engineering program, consistently ranks high among the major producers of engineering degrees awarded to women and underrepresented minority students.

Degrees are offered in Aerospace Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Industrial and Systems Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Nuclear Engineering.

abroad, earning work experience and foreign-language skills that will stand out on resumes. Additionally, Georgia Tech boasts a satellite campus in France and several joint degree programs with other universities (some created just for engineers). Almost half of our students have been abroad by the time they graduate.

Giving the Best Return on Investment

Engineering is constantly ranked among the highest-paying college majors, and Georgia Tech is one of the best universities at which to study it. The Institute offers excellent returns on investment to all its students, whether they come from Georgia or elsewhere.v

GEORGIA TECH FACTS Median Starting Salary for Georgia Tech CoE Graduates with Bachelor’s Degree

Preparing Tomorrow’s Leaders

CoE prepares its students not just for jobs in engineering but for the responsibilities of leadership. Its focuses on innovation and entrepreneurship give students an edge, allowing them to create inventions, start businesses, and design solutions to global problems—all before graduation. Alumni go on to careers across all walks of engineering, as well as in professions like law, medicine, and business. Our students work hands-on alongside renowned faculty on meaningful research projects with real human benefits.

Educating Global Citizens

CoE students have dozens of opportunities for international travel. They can also pursue internships and co-ops

Building Your Future in Engineering

Aerospace Engineering Biomedical Engineering Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering Civil Engineering Computer Engineering Electrical Engineering Industrial Engineering Materials Science & Engineering Mechanical Engineering Nuclear Engineering All College of Engineering

$66,000 $66,000 $80,000 $55,000 $71,000 $68,000 $66,000 $63,000 $66,400 $66,000 $66,700

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Georgia Southern Your Future in Engineering at Georgia Southern

Manufacturing Engineering

Georgia consistently ranks among the top states for business. One of the reasons for that leadership is a keen and constant attentiveness to business trends. One of these fast-growing trends is ‘re-shoring’ manufacturing—bringing home production that was moved abroad in earlier decades.

And Georgia Southern is ideally situated geographically and experientially to establish a BS in Manufacturing Engineering program to address the current and future needs of manufacturers. The USG Board of Regents approved the new Manufacturing Engineering program at Georgia Southern to prepare students to use cutting-edge technologies, but also to develop new ones 42

as manufacturing adapts to global needs and advancements.

University President, Dr. Brooks A. Keel, stated “We asked industry, ‘what do you need’? And almost every person told us they need graduates with knowledge and experience in manufacturing. I believe you’re going to see the impact of our manufacturing engineering program almost immediately. And five or ten years down the road, our students will be helping make—and keep—Georgia an exceptionally competitive destination for manufacturing.”

“Georgia Southern is in a commanding position as manufacturing comes back to the United States,” says Dr. Mohammad Davoud, dean of the Allen E. Paulson Col-

August 2015

lege of Engineering and Information Technology at Georgia Southern. “Our students attain the theoretical knowledge and hands-on experience to work in a variety of manufacturing industries, including aerospace and automotive.”

Georgia Southern is also committed to establishing a center for applied research. Here, faculty, students and professionals will tackle real-world engineering challenges allowing the university to respond to frequent industry needs for ad hoc research and prepare future industry leaders by providing students with practical experience.

Service Learning

The Department of Civil Engineering and Construction Management employs community service projects, cooperative education, and study abroad opportunities as vehicles to engage students in preparation for professional practice. The department promotes community immersion and experiential, service learning projects as the central theme of a transformative educational experience.

Department faculty and students were instrumental in the construction of Habitat for Humanity project #48, aka the Palmer home, in Statesboro, which was dedicated on May 16, 2015. Our students’ next project for Habitat for Humanity (#51) continues as another family excitedly anticipates completion of their new home!

Student Competitions and Honors

Information Technology undergraduates Jordan Bacon, Chris Bergin, Michael Canter, and Matthew DeAngelis won the Best Paper Award in the Undergraduate Student Research track at the SouthEast Decisions Sciences Institute Conference held in Savannah February 25-27.

Under the direction of Cheryl Aasheim, professor of IT, these students authored a paper titled ‘Analysis of Georgia Southern University Student College Football Attendance’ that utilized data mining techniques to analyze factors that affect football attendance. The research was an extension of a semester-long project the students completed in the data mining course, part of the Information Management specialization in IT program.

SGA President and MSAE student Azell Francis (BS MechE ’13) was awarded the Regent Willis J. Potts Student Advisory Council Leadership Award. Each year, the Student Advisory Council, composed of SGA presidents from the 31 USG institutions, selects a member who has demonstrated leadership, openness, honesty, respect, and enthusiasm in the engagement of SAC activities and con-

Building Your Future in Engineering

ferences. Ms. Francis, from Trinidad and Tobago, is the first international student to serve as Georgia Southern’s SGA president.

Meaghan Thomson (IT) and James H. Shaw (MechE) served as keynote speakers at the Fourth Annual Georgia Scholarship of STEM Teaching and Learning Conference on March 6, 2015. The students spoke about their internship experiences in fall 2014—Ms. Thomson held an internship at Coca-Cola in Atlanta, and Mr. Shaw served as an intern at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Members of Georgia Southern’s student chapter of ASCE participated in the 2015 ASCE Southeast Student Conference and placed in the top three teams in many of the competitions held during the Conference, placing ninth overall. Second place finishes: Men’s Concrete Canoe Sprint, Professional Paper and Transportation competitions. Third place finishes: Geotechnical and Surveying competitions.

Eagle Motorsports’ Baja SAE team won big at the regional competitions in Auburn, Alabama. The Georgia Southern team came in first for Maneuverability, second in Endurance, and fifth place overall out of 100 teams!

Each year, the team designs and builds its own Baja vehicle using a Briggs & Stratton lawn mower engine for power. v

Georgia Southern University Facts University Facts • 124 degree programs-baccalaureate, masters’ and doctoral levels • Total Enrollment: 20,517 • Undergraduate Students: 18,004 • Graduate Students: 2,513 • Students from 48 U.S. states, District of Columbia, 88 countries • 200+ student organizations • 22:1 student-faculty ratio 2014-2015 academic year Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Information Technology Dean: Mohammad Davoud, Ph.D. • Seven Undergraduate programs, Two Graduate programs, Two Certificates • Undergraduate Students: 2,929 • Graduate Students: 110

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Engineering Ethics, Risk Management & You The topic of ethics in engineering has been covered in almost every conceivable manner.

Most engineers have taken ethics to satisfy a curriculum course requirement or as continuing education for licensure renewal. These courses often cover such items as ethical codes for engineers or ethical case studies. However, the topic of risk management, and specifically how it relates to ethics in the practice of engineering, is a topic seldom covered.

Any profession, especially the engineering profession, operates in a sea of uncertainty and risk. Successful engineers are the ones who are able to minimize the uncertainty and risk to avoid adverse consequences. With that said, minimizing risk and eliminating risk are two very different things. When the question is posed regarding whether an engineer can be sued for a certain action, an accurate response is always: “Anyone can be sued by anyone else at any time for any reason.� In the world of licensure law, the risk of being sued is replaced with the risk of having a complaint filed against an engineer’s license to practice engineering. This article is intended to provide guidance on how ethical engineering, or the lack thereof, can have serious risk management implications, which in turn can have an effect on your ability to practice.

By Edwin A. Bayo Esq. | Grossman, Furlow & Bayo LLC

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August 2015

As former counsel to the Florida Board of Professional Engineers, I have seen countless cases involving ethical issues that turn a disgruntled but passive client into a vociferous complainant, merely for a lack of simple risk management. For example, in Florida the term ‘misconduct’ is defined to include conduct that can be categorized as ethically improper or deficient. An engineer’s license can be disciplined under the rubric of ‘misconduct’ for acts such as performing an engineering assignment when not qualified by training or experience in the practice area involved; revealing facts, data or information obtained in a professional capacity without the consent of the client or employer; expressing an opinion publicly on an engineering subject without being informed as to the facts and being competent to form a sound opinion; soliciting or accepting gratuities without a client’s knowledge; failing to preserve a client’s confidence; failing to disclose a conflict of interest; and the list goes on.

Going above and beyond mere ethics, the risk implications to one’s engineering license stemming from the above actions are substantial. If any one of the above actions occur, a disgruntled client, who might not have taken any action at all, may file a complaint with the Board of Professional Engineers. This is especially true if the above actions occur in conjunction with below-standard work product.

Another commonly used term to describe improper conduct with ethical and risk management implications is ‘negligence.’ In regards to the practice of engineering, Florida (as do many other states) defines negligence as the failure by a professional engineer to utilize due care in performing in an engineering capacity or failing to have due regard for acceptable standards of engineering principles. Relating to risk management, the threat of negligence can be mitigated by clearly enumerating specific remedies or limitations in the initial contract with the client. In this way, the expectations on the engineer are clearly stated, with damages determined by the contract. Even though damages can also be determined based on the reasonable expectations of the parties, thereby making enumerated limitations in

Building Your Future in Engineering

the contract moot, courts will usually attempt to adjudicate within the four corners of the contract. Therefore, if remedies or limitations are clearly stated within a written contract, the risk for civil suits and complaints can be reduced.

In addition, the threat of negligence can be mitigated by clearly enumerating specific project parameters in the contract. This is important, as many clients who feel as though they were wronged by a contract ‘wrinkle’ or ‘loophole’ may also feel as though they have no available avenue of recompense, and in turn resort to filing a complaint against the engineer’s license. While it is important to be flexible in order to suit a client’s needs, clearly listing foundational project parameters will go a long way in avoiding a complaint, or even a civil suit, later.

Engineers have a fiduciary duty not only to their clients but also to the public at large, as an engineer’s work may have an effect on the health, safety, and welfare of the general public. As the saying goes, “with great power comes great responsibility” (not to mention a great need for risk management). Take for example a scenario where you, as a professional engineer, agree to take on a project on a pro-bono basis to help your church obtain a permit.

A similar scenario happens when, as a result of the state of the economy, engineers find themselves agreeing to undertake services at half what they would normally charge. Regardless of how much you are being paid (if anything), the obligations to your client (and to the public) remain the same. The standard of practice also remains the same, whether you charge one dollar or one million dollars. Cutting corners on a project simply because you weren’t paid as much as you are accustomed not only raises ethical issues (which may not result in a complaint), but also opens your license to discipline for negligence or incompetence. Do not let the fact that you are doing it for free or at a greatly reduced rate lull you into a false sense of immunity from a complaint. The old adage “no good deed goes unpunished” is very applicable to risk management. Sometimes those we try to help the most for very little turn out to be quite ungrateful, expect state of the art results, and complain 45

when the results are anything short of perfection.

Another violation with ethical and risk management implications is signing and sealing plans or specifications that were not prepared by the engineer or by someone under his or her responsible charge (‘plan stamping’). In addition to the professional implications of signing and sealing plans that you have not prepared or sufficiently reviewed, this violation carries with it other ethical concerns and risks. The law allows you to authenticate documents through your engineering seal, much like a notary. By sealing a set of plans or specifications, you are effectively stating that they are true and correct. When one considers that the lives, safety, health, and welfare of the general public are dependent upon engineering judgments, decisions, and practices incorporated into structures, machines, products, processes, and devices, ‘plan stamping’ takes on a far more sinister tone. As with the first example, this ethical issue opens you up to great risk, as you are now responsible for the plans you have rubberstamped.

Again, engineers have a fiduciary duty not only to their clients, but also to the public at large. Balancing the

46

interests of the client and the public can be tricky. For example, if your testimony or report is untruthful, deceptive, or intentionally misleading, or if you omit relevant and pertinent information, the risk of repercussions against your license skyrockets. Furthermore, if these actions occur in the context of a permitting decision, public repercussions are possible. While generally only damages caused by an engineer can be recovered, that limitation could be broadly expanded to include the effects of rubber-stamped plans or lackadaisical workmanship.

The golden rule is to conduct all your affairs with integrity and honor, and to approve and seal only those documents that conform to acceptable engineering standards and safeguard the life, health, property, and welfare of the public. In that way, you can be sure that you have practiced ethically, which in turn goes a long way in observing good risk management.

Edwin Bayó is a former Counsel to the Florida Board of Professional Engineers. He is Board Certified in State and Federal Government and Administrative Practice by the Florida Bar. v

August 2015

Building Your Future in Engineering

47

Kennesaw State University

In January 2015, Kennesaw State and Southern Polytechnic State University consolidated to create one of the 50 largest public universities in the country.

Bachelor’s degree programs: apparel textile technology, civil engineering, computer engineering technology, construction engineering, electrical engineering, environmental engineering technology, industrial engineering technology, manufacturing operations, mechanical engineering, mechanical engineering technology, mechatronics engineering, software engineering, supply chain logistics, surveying and mapping, systems engineering, and telecommunications engineering technology.

Choosing a career path in engineering is more than just enjoying calculus and physics. Students are usually drawn to the field because of their desire to solve problems, create innovative products or improve processes.

At Kennesaw State University’s Southern Polytechnic College of Engineering and Engineering Technology, students are attracted to the wide range of ABET-accredited engineering programs. Students learn disciplines such as mechatronics, systems engineering, nuclear engineering, mechanical engineering or civil and construction engineering.

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August 2015

Each year, thousands of students enroll at Kennesaw State’s Southern Polytechnic College, the second largest engineering school in Georgia. In January 2015, Kennesaw State and Southern Polytechnic State University consolidated to create one of the 50 largest public universities in the country.

The engineering and engineering technology programs, for which SPSU was known, continue to be offered at Kennesaw State’s Marietta campus.

Mechatronics—a blend of mechanical and electrical engineering—is one of only nine such academic degree programs in the nation, and the college’s systems engineering degree is one of only two undergraduate programs in Georgia.

Students are attracted to the Southern Polytechnic College of Engineering and Engineering Technology for its college affordability and ability to attract strong job prospects.

The return on investment for KSU’s engineering graduates is one of the highest in the country, according to a 2015 report by PayScale.com. Graduates of Kennesaw State’s engineering programs often find jobs with ease, with nearly 90 percent choosing to live and work in Georgia.

But there is more that makes Kennesaw State a great place to live and learn—it’s the bright students, dedicated faculty, and real-world approach to education.

Project-based learning is used extensively throughout every engineering degree program at Kennesaw State. Students learn from knowledgeable professors who are experienced practitioners and dedicated educators with strong connections with business and industry.

Because of these relationships with industry leaders, Kennesaw State faculty and students alike work on realworld projects and research with engineering firms around the country, where students apply their classroom knowledge of theory and practice to solve today’s global engineering challenges.

Kennesaw State engineering students have abundant opportunities to gain practical skills outside of the classroom, and their internships and co-ops have led them to work at global companies such as AT&T, Delta Airlines, Shaw Industries, and Disney’s Imagineering division.

Some of the most interesting and educational experiences students have while working on their undergraduate engineering degrees come from working alongside

Building Your Future in Engineering

industry-trained faculty in state-of-the-art laboratories, where they are diligently working to solve an underlying issue or create a proof of concept.

Laboratories in the College’s Engineering Technology Center provide the technology in areas such as 3D printing, manufacturing operations, and robotics.

Faculty and students have explored alternative sources of power generation that are clean and efficient, discovered ways to use robotic systems to accomplish tasks previously thought impossible, designed faster computers, made lighter concrete, and developed more environmentally friendly building techniques.

Students on Kennesaw State’s Marietta campus are also active as members of competition teams that work diligently throughout the year. The college offers more than a dozen teams that compete nationally in specialty areas such as civil engineering, robotics, and engineering design.

With faculty guidance, students learn how to apply classroom theory and pit their knowledge against other student teams around the world. Kennesaw State students design, build, and race a Formula car, build concrete canoes and steel bridges, and develop programmable helicopters and underwater vehicles.

With internships and research opportunities, as well as the option to serve on a student competition team, Kennesaw State engineering students gain practical knowledge to accompany the theory they’ve learned in the classroom and laboratory, which makes them ready for success in the workplace from day one. v

At-A-Glance Undergraduate Tuition & Fees (In-state): $3,663 for 15 credit hours Enrollment: 32,500 students from 130 countries Entrance Requirements for ACT and SAT scores: ACT: Composite, 20 SAT: Combined, 950 Master’s degree programs: civil engineering, engineering technology, quality assurance, and systems engineering Web site: www.kennesaw.edu/engineering

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Mercer University

Mercer Engineering is about changing the world through teaching, learning, creating, discovering, inspiring, empowering, and serving. Our graduates enter the work force equipped with real-world education and experience, and a commitment to serving their communities.

With a full-time faculty of 34 professors and over 750 students, the school prides itself on an environment where everyone matters and student success is priority one. î “e School of Engineering is one of twelve colleges and schools within Mercer University that also includes medicine, law, business, music, education, nursing, pharmacy, health professions, liberal arts, and theology.

In the early 1980s, engineering leaders from central Georgia and the U.S. Air Force approached Mercer University with an unusual request: create a school to help fill their

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need for engineers with a solid, multidisciplinary foundation. Bolstered by public and private support - financial generosity that continues to this day - the Mercer University School of Engineering opened its doors in 1985.

Teaching and Learning Mercer Engineering oers an ABET-accredited BS degree in engineering with six specialties: Biomedical, Computer, Electrical, Environmental, Industrial, and Mechanical. BS de-

August 2015

grees in Industrial Management and Technical Communication are also offered. e BS in Engineering features a core curriculum model where all students complete foundation courses in computer programming, technical communication, statics, dynamics, electronic circuits, probability and statistic, thermodynamics, engineering economics, and introduction to design. ese engineering courses are coupled with courses from science, mathematics, and our General Education Program in the first two years to prepare students for study in each of our specialization sequences. e junior and senior years are devoted to a combination of required and elective courses within the specialties to prepare students for professional practice as engineers.

Creating and Discovering As our engineering students complete their coursework, they become actively engaged in design and production of components and systems starting in the freshman year. We believe in hands-on learning and letting students create designs that can be tested. Students ‘discover’ engineering in numerous laboratory exercises, and seniors complete a full-year design project by working in teams to resolve a real client’s needs. Seniors are given private laboratory space for their projects and share their work publically in our annual Engineering Expo each April. Mercer Engineering students take advantage of the popular ‘5th Year Program’ where juniors can apply to our graduate school to complete their undergraduate and master's degree in engineering in a total of five years. Research is a vital component of Mercer's engineering program and its partner is the Mercer Engineering Research Center (MERC), an operating unit of Mercer University devoted to the performance of sponsored scientific and engineering research for governmental, industrial, and commercial markets.

Inspiring and Empowering Mercer Engineering uses case studies, simulations, course projects, field projects, senior design, and student organizations to tackle design challenges. We look for students who are willing and able to master modern engineering knowhow and then engage in efforts to design and test a solution.

We look for outstanding high schools seniors across the US and invite them to compete for valuable scholarships each fall in our annual Scholarship Challenge event. We offer an Honors Program to our top students where they can begin design projects as freshmen using laboratories, tools, and

Building Your Future in Engineering

equipment supplied by faculty advisors. An internship with industry is a popular option for our students so that they experience engineering in a real industrial environment.

Serving Frequently, our design projects are focused on meeting the needs of people in our community or developing countries.

Providing core engineering skills to help communities with housing, drinking water, electric power, prosthetics, and similar needs gives our students an opportunity to serve and grow as individuals. Our popular ‘Mercer on Mission’ program sponsors service trips to locations around the world each summer where groups of students team up with faculty to meet the needs of a developing community.

Looking Forward It is an exciting time to study engineering, and the last three years brought the largest freshman classes in our history. Students want to master technology and then use it to establish themselves professionally as well as to serve their communities. Mercer Engineering has the key ingredients—faculty, staff, and students—who translate the needs of clients into design problems that challenge our skills as engineers. v

MERCER UNIVERSITY FACTS

Faculty: 34 Dean: Wade H. Shaw, Ph.D, P.E. (478) 301-2459 Undergraduate Engineering Students: 600 Graduate Engineering Students: 150 Distance Learning: Yes Estimated undergraduate costs: Tuition, Housing & Meals: $45,348 Books & Supplies: $1,200 Transportation & Personal Expenses: $2,775 Scholarships: Mercer offers scholarships that can cover up to full tuition. Over 95 percent of our students receive scholarships each year.

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Middle Georgia State University

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August 2015

No way would Michael Decker’s high school classmates guess what career path he’d end up on.

A self-described ‘less than mediocre’ student who graduated from Warner Robins High with no distinction, Decker worked a job for a while until his father “strong armed” him into enrolling at Georgia Military College. He later transferred to Middle Georgia State, where he impressed nobody with his grades or enthusiasm. en he took an introductory physics class.

“I loved it,” he said. “at’s when I really started getting into school and thinking about a career.”

Today, Decker’s goal is to transfer to Georgia Tech to become an aerospace engineer. And he has a real shot at it, thanks to his participation in the Regents’ Engineering Transfer Program (RETP) at Middle Georgia State University. e RETP is a curriculum of pre-engineering courses (hello, calculus) that gives students a chance to transfer to Georgia Tech to complete bachelor’s degrees. “ere’s no way I could go to Tech without being in this program,” Decker, 24, said. “I needed an intermediary step. is worked out nicely.”

RETP is a University System of Georgia initiative that’s been around since 1986. e idea behind it is that students complete two or more years’ worth of pre-engineering courses at certain other state institutions and then, if successful, automatically transfer to Georgia Tech to finish a four-year engineering degree. Among other advantages, RETP students can save money by taking their core classes at a lower-cost institution.

Dr. Roger Purcell, RETP coordinator on the Cochran Campus, said some of his current participants have parents who were in the program, although that’s not the case for Kyle Brantley, who learned of the program when he first enrolled at Middle Georgia State.

“Since sixth or seventh grade I’ve been interested in mechanical engineering,” said Brantley, 19, a sophomore from Cochran. “I thought it was a great idea to get all my core classes done on a smaller campus before I get thrown into the big world of Atlanta. is will set a good foundation for me for Tech.”

Because it’s a package of courses and not a degree proBuilding Your Future in Engineering

gram, it’s hard to know exactly how many Middle Georgia State students total are involved in RETP, but Dr. Chris Hornung, program coordinator on the Macon Campus, estimated it at about 50.

Middle Georgia State’s success rate in the RETP is impressive. Of students who have completed the program, 84 percent successfully earned a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Georgia Tech, according to MGA’s Department of Natural Sciences. About 30 percent of those students graduated with honors.

For years, the RETP agreement has been between Tech and about a dozen other USG institutions, but plans are underway to expand the program so students can transfer to other Georgia schools with engineering programs.

MGA student Joshua Vinson of Yatesville, for example, wants to complete his civil engineering degree at Georgia Southern University. Vinson, 22, got into the RETP at Middle Georgia State to save money, as did Blayne Robertson of Warner Robins, who wanted to go to Georgia Tech right out of high school.

“I couldn’t afford it and I didn’t want to take out a lot of student loans,” said Robertson, 19, who aspires to be a computer engineer. “I’m living at home with my parents and saving money. I just knew I wanted to go to Tech, and this makes it easier financially.”

As for Decker, given his earlier academic history, he’s marveling that a bachelor’s degree is even within his reach, much less one from Georgia Tech.

“I actually have a chance to be an aerospace engineer,” he said. “I just think that’s cool.” v MIDDLE GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY INFORMATION For more information about RETP at Middle Georgia State University, contact: MGA Department of Natural Sciences: 478-471-2751 Dr. Roger Purcell, Cochran Campus: roger.purcell@mga.edu Dr. Chris Hornung, Macon Campus: chris.hornung@mga.edu mga.edu/RETP

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2015 Salary Survey of Northeast & South Atlantic Engineering Firms Welcome to the sixth edition of Zweig Group’s Salary Survey of Northeast & South Atlantic Engineering Firms, which combines what previously consisted of two reports on salary trends in the Northeast and South Atlantic regions. is report shows base salaries for employees in engineering firms throughout Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, District of Columbia, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and Puerto Rico. e Salary Survey of Northeast & South Atlantic Engineering Firms has been prepared in partnership with the Florida Institute of Consulting Engineers (FICE). mean

median

lower quartile

upper quartile

Civil Engineer Entry-level Project engineer Project manager Department manager Principal

$53,424 $73,795 $97,408 $122,964 $149,372

$54,167 $72,616 $96,921 $121,181 $142,251

$48,447 $65,520 $85,000 $103,000 $121,100

$58,220 $80,679 $109,110 $140,000 $170,000

Structural Engineer Entry-level Project engineer Project manager Department manager Principal

$54,957 $75,472 $99,617 $120,709 $154,525

$55,000 $75,000 $97,375 $117,603 $158,000

$52,000 $67,083 $84,344 $99,245 $124,904

$59,000 $82,191 $110,000 $140,400 $180,000

Electrical Engineer Entry-level Project engineer Project manager Department manager Principal

$55,641 $77,939 $98,191 $118,975 $139,308

$55,074 $75,000 $99,788 $115,000 $134,160

$51,740 $68,744 $85,300 $98,000 $120,000

$61,006 $86,250 $109,460 $127,504 $156,000

Mechanical Engineer Entry-level Project engineer Project manager Department manager Principal

$57,878 $75,395 $97,927 $113,611 $138,176

$57,694 $74,000 $97,672 $110,000 $132,000

$55,000 $68,100 $83,574 $95,000 $119,600

$61,859 $80,205 $108,000 $126,476 $156,960

Geotechnical Engineer/Scientist Entry-level Project engineer Project manager Department manager Principal

$51,476 $72,367 $92,527 $114,609 $153,097

$55,000 $71,613 $90,376 $112,599 $152,818

$47,713 $66,500 $82,000 $100,000 $123,864

$57,340 $78,000 $102,167 $126,881 $162,689

Environmental Engineer/Scientist Entry-level Project engineer Project manager Department manager Principal

$46,976 $67,637 $89,740 $116,960 $148,140

$47,500 $66,289 $87,871 $112,382 $136,000

$41,600 $59,249 $80,018 $99,085 $120,000

$52,357 $75,000 $101,234 $136,154 $165,700

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August 2015

mean

median

lower quartile

upper quartile

Traffic/Transportation Engineer Entry-level Project engineer Project manager Department manager Principal

$52,617 $75,954 $103,291 $127,698 $149,573

$53,000 $73,641 $97,566 $128,877 $145,000

$48,006 $67,825 $86,000 $110,618 $131,747

$56,004 $86,045 $115,190 $143,010 $177,174

Planner Entry-level Project engineer Project manager Department manager Principal

$48,563 $73,585 $88,687 $127,179 $130,860

$47,507 $73,705 $90,626 $119,808 $125,008

$41,600 $59,083 $80,746 $115,000 $118,500

$55,000 $83,000 $96,493 $144,157 $139,381

GIS Professional Entry-level Project engineer Project manager Department manager Principal

$41,192 $63,239 $72,410 $90,333 $118,364

$41,600 $57,346 $72,450 $90,000 $140,000

$35,504 $55,500 $63,000 $85,000 $121,056

$43,680 $75,005 $81,723 $93,000 $150,000

Land Surveyors Instrument Person I Survey Technician Field Survey Party Chief Project Surveyor Survey Department Manager

$35,152 $49,090 $53,337 $68,230 $95,454

$35,360 $45,760 $53,500 $68,560 $93,600

$28,860 $40,700 $47,617 $61,350 $85,000

$40,000 $55,744 $59,107 $76,960 $105,000

Civil Engineering Technician Entry-level Mid-level Senior-level

$40,139 $51,258 $66,369

$38,000 $48,942 $64,600

$34,209 $42,716 $56,570

$46,997 $57,333 $75,000

Mechanical Engineering Technician Entry-level Mid-level Senior-level

$40,222 $54,897 $62,754

$38,646 $52,000 $60,000

$35,000 $47,000 $58,240

$42,000 $62,400 $67,449

CADD Operator Entry-level Mid-level Senior-level

$39,871 $53,559 $63,672

$39,250 $53,922 $62,420

$32,240 $45,240 $54,000

$45,000 $61,643 $71,989

Field Technician Entry-level Mid-level Senior-level

$37,982 $49,407 $62,274

$32,760 $45,000 $57,065

$29,363 $37,679 $49,162

$47,500 $60,600 $77,279

* Based on a sample too small to yield meaningful values.

For more information about our other publications, newsletters, seminars, and/or consulting services, please contact us.

Zweig Group | 38 West Trenton Blvd, | Suite 101 | Fayetteville, Arkansas 72702-1528 Tel: 508-651-1559 | Fax: 508-653-6522 | E-mail: info@zweiggroup.com | Web: www.zweiggroup.com

Building Your Future in Engineering

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Spelman Engineering That Matters

By Jennifer Stanford Johnson | Spelman College STEM Education Outreach

This past June, five Spelman College computer science and dual degree engineering majors showcased their InnoCase design in our nation’s capital during the historically black colleges and universities (HBCU) Making for Change Showcase which preceded the National Maker Faire held June 12-13, 2015 on the campus of the University of the District of Columbia. The goal of the HBCU Making for Change Showcase is to catalyze making on HBCU campuses and to increase participation in making and engagement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) students of color. The Showcase was sponsored by the HBCU Innovation, Commercialization, Entrepreneur Platform (HBCU ICE), which is a collaboration between the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), Association for Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU), and White House Initiative on HBCUs. The Showcase featured teams of undergraduates and graduate students from nine HBCUs: Bethune-Cookman University, Bowie State University, Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University, Jackson State University, Morehouse College, North Carolina Central University, Spelman College, Tuskegee University, and University of the District of Columbia. Each of the teams identified challenges within their local communities for which they designed innovative solutions to address these needs. Teams were each given a SparkFun Inventor’s Kit and tools to facilitate making (i.e., soldering iron, multimeter, screwdriver set, etc.). Two simple rules were set forth. Additional materials could be purchased by each team (not to exceed $500), and all final designs must use a minimum of one of the materials from the kit.

The five members of Spelman’s ‘Dream Team’ (a selfselected moniker) began working on their design immediately after the HBCU Making for Change Showcase kickoff meeting in March 2015. During weekly spring semester meetings, the all-female, African-American team developed the InnoCase design as a solution to create “sustainable strides for minority groups to approach health is-

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sues.” The InnoCase design is an active ‘health-on-the-go’ device that monitors the user’s vital signs (e.g., pulse and body temperature). Wellness being paramount at Spelman College, InnoCase provides yet another opportunity to empower the African-American community to make healthy and sustainable lifestyle choices by espousing health consciousness with this ‘at your fingertips’ health monitoring tool.

The InnoCase design developed over multiple iterations of hardware, software, and packaging design considerations. During the initial phase, pulse sensor, temperature sensor, and pedometer circuits were each configured on separate boards in order to establish baseline functionality. In addition, development began on the mobile application (using Google App Inventor) to display the data output from the sensors. In Phase I, the initial packaging was conceptualized using paper to conceptualize the structure of the case. Phase II incorpo-

August 2015

rated changes to the packaging only; a larger iPad form factor was constructed using layers of acrylic to allow for more space for the InnoCase circuitry. In Phase III, the pulse sensor and temperature sensor circuits were combined on one SparkFun Red Board to compact the electronic components. By condensing these components, a smaller case (compatible with the HTC Desire 610 device) was designed and fabricated.

For their commitment to innovation and their participation in the HBCU Making for Change Showcase, the Spelman College team received a Presidential Proclamation from the White House. In actuality, the benefits to the Spelman team began occurring months prior to this culminating showcase. During a team brainstorm meeting, second-year Computer Science major Ropa Denga expressed the desire to develop and execute on each of the ideas presented in lieu of taking classes. Not taken literally, her quip reveals the desire for creative outlets in which undergraduates can explore beyond the classroom environment. This Showcase and similar service-learning projects enable Spelman undergraduates to succeed at both ideation of new technologies and support her coursework through experiential learning. In ad-

Building Your Future in Engineering

dition, soft skill building such as problem solving, motivating, delegating, and team building are as valuable to the Spelman Dream Team as their technical accomplishments.

As the team leader, a major pride point was hearing second-year, Computer Science/Dual Degree Engineering major Elizabeth Sengoba reflect on her ‘lessons learned’ and the personal impact of this unique experience. Where service learning, innovation, and social impact converge is engineering that matters for these five Spelman undergraduates.

For information about project described, please contact Jennifer S. Johnson, jjohn134@spelman.edu.

Spelman College, a historically Black college and a global leader in the education of women of African descent, is dedicated to academic excellence in the liberal arts and sciences and the intellectual, creative, ethical, and leadership development of its students. Spelman empowers the whole person to engage the many cultures of the world and inspires a commitment to positive social change.

Spelman College’s STEM Education Outreach efforts are funded by Department of Education Title III, Part F (SAFRA) to increase the number of students enrolling, graduating, and pursuing careers in STEM disciplines.v

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University of Georgia

FIRST YEAR CLASS PROFILE 2014 410 STUDENTS

• Male • Female

302 (74%) 108 (26%)

• Asian 59 (14.4%) • African American 38 (9.3%) • American Indian or Alaska Native 2 (0.5%) • Hispanic/Latino/a Ethnicity 23 (5.6%) • Multiracial 19 (4.6%) • White 258 (62.9%) • Not Identified 11 (2.7%) • Georgia Residents 370 (90%) • Out of State Students 36 (9%) • International Students 4 (1%) • Average High School GPA 3.89 • Average SAT Score 1260

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Total Enrollment

1317 Students

• Undergraduates ’ Freshmen • 3 Dual Enrollment • 1 Post Baccalaureate ’ Continuing ’ Transfers

1239 410

• Graduate Students ’ Doctoral ’ Masters

77 49 28

764 66

August 2015

Founded in 1785, the University of Georgia is the nation’s first state chartered university and the birthplace of American public higher education. e College of Engineering is a proud part of UGA’s distinguished heritage as well as a dynamic part of the University’s future.

Engineering + Liberal Arts e College of Engineering is one of the fastest growing programs at UGA and one of the fastest growing public colleges of engineering in the nation. Since its founding in 2012, enrollment has tripled to more than 1,300 students. Students and faculty alike are attracted to the college’s setting in a comprehensive, land-grant, research institution that’s consistently ranked among the 20 best public universities in the nation.

Creating a new college has allowed the UGA College of Engineering to re-imagine how engineering education and research works. For example, the college doesn’t have traditional academic departments. is vision of a ‘college without boundaries’ means students experience a truly interdisciplinary education. ey attend classes and work on projects with students interested in diverse areas of engineering. e UGA College of Engineering offers eight undergraduate and seven graduate degree programs. ese programs include the state’s only degrees in agricultural, biochemical, and biological engineering. Beginning in fall 2015, UGA will offer a unique dual degree in German and engineering. is program will include a year of study abroad at a leading engineering college in Germany and an internship with a German company.

A robust experiential learning program is a key component of the UGA Engineering experience. With more than 300 co-op and internships partners, study abroad options across the globe, and unlimited undergraduate research opportunities, Bulldog Engineers aren’t simply prepared for the workplace, they’re prepared to lead.

UGA College of Engineering is building an impressive body of research in areas including health care, agriculture, energy, the environment, education, and many others. Annual research awards have increased 50 percent since the college’s founding in 2012.

Examples of research underway in the college include a NASA-funded project to ensure a critical component of the space agency’s new engines can withstand the rigors of the next generation of space exploration. UGA Engineering researchers are working to re-generate human tissue to help people recovering from disease or traumatic injury. ey’re also designing wireless charging technology for electric vehicles, developing new harvesting methods for crops, and exploring new bio-fuels.

Engineers + Bulldogs Despite the UGA College of Engineering’s incredible growth, the college has maintained and nurtured a close-knit environment. It’s like being part of a small village of creators and entrepreneurs within the big city of UGA. Students get to know their classmates and professors, building real relationships that pay off as graduates begin their careers or pursue post-graduate scholarship and research.

Finally, there’s the UGA College of Engineering’s hometown. Consistently rated as one of the best college towns in America, Athens is home to a world-renowned music scene, distinctive local restaurants and shops, a thriving arts community, a bustling Victorian-era downtown, and plenty of outdoor recreations options.

Given its combination of rigorous academics, gamechanging research, experiential learning options, and setting in one of the nation’s best public universities, it’s easy to see why UGA Engineering is rapidly becoming a popular destination for highly-qualified students.v

Innovation + Discovery Built around a model that ignores traditional academic boundaries, research at the UGA College of Engineering is centered in three Innovation and Discovery Clusters. is flexible model brings together faculty and students from a wide variety of disciplines. rough seamless collaboration among academic disciplines, as well as partnerships with industry and government, researchers are able to advance fundamental discovery and spawn innovations that positively impact people’s lives. e

Building Your Future in Engineering

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Vanderbilt University

School of Engineering

Vanderbilt is an internationally recognized, privately supported research university and its hometown of Nashville, Tennessee is ‘Music City U.S.A.’ The university’s students frequently cite Nashville as one of the perks of Vanderbilt, with its 330-acre campus located a little more than a mile from downtown.

Engineering is a particularly tough choice to make for students about to enter college since preparation at the high school level seldom gives the opportunity to study engineering subjects, or even to see what engineers do.

The School of Engineering’s unique first-year program allows students to examine various engineering majors from multiple perspectives before declaring a specific major.

Beginning its third year, the School’s Alumni Mentor Program creates productive one-on-one or one-to-small group relationships between alumni and students. Mentoring relationships involve an initial year-long commitment that may be renewed throughout the student’s undergraduate career.

“At the onset of their career in the School of Engineering, undergraduate students are assigned a faculty member who serves as their primary academic adviser. We believe our students also could benefit from a complementary form of support offered through our talented and loyal alumni network,” says Dean Philippe Fauchet.

Vanderbilt engineering students enjoy a rich quality of life on campus. With more than 450 campus student organizations, choices are plenty for extracurricular involvement. In the School of Engineering, students can participate in the Vanderbilt Aerospace Club, which won the NASA Student Launch Competition an unprecedented three times in the past three years. The student chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers also is very active, and the Vanderbilt Motorsports team is increasing its competitiveness with innovations in Formula Racecar design.

Many engineering and technology employers choose

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managers from their ranks of technical personnel. The decision to promote someone from a technical post into management is based on more than technical abilities.

Oral and written communication skills, leadership abilities, and familiarity with subjects beyond the borders of engineering are often factors in a promotion decision.

These attributes are central to the educational experience students receive at Vanderbilt’s School of Engineering.

We offer bachelor of engineering degrees in biomedical, chemical, civil, computer, electrical, and mechanical engineering. A bachelor of science degree is offered in computer science and engineering science. Many engineering students choose double majors, minors, or concentrations in complementary disciplines.

Minors in engineering management, computer science, scientific computing, materials science and engineering, nanoscience and nanotechnology, environmental engineering, and energy and environmental systems may be combined with majors, as can minors offered through the Blair School of Music, College of Arts and Science, and Peabody College of Education and Human Development.

August 2015

In addition to training in engineering, mathematics, physics, and chemistry, students explore the opportunity to round out their undergraduate academic experience with an honors program or an accelerated degree program through which both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in engineering are earned in five years. Many engineering students find study abroad to be an integral part of their undergraduate experience. This year, nearly 25 percent of engineering seniors will have had at least one study abroad experience at more than 30 international program locations.

The School offers the master of engineering (M.Eng.) degree, with emphasis on engineering design and practice, in most areas of study. The Vanderbilt Graduate School, through the School’s departments, offers the research-oriented master of science and Ph.D. degrees in eight major fields: biomedical, chemical, civil, computer science, electrical, environmental, interdisciplinary materials science, and mechanical engineering.

All engineering students study in state-of-the-art classrooms and labs in Vanderbilt’s multimillion dollar engineering complex—in a student-centered environment.

Featheringill Hall, the centerpiece of the complex, features a three-story atrium that serves as a gathering place for all in the School. Featheringill Hall also contains more than 50 teaching and research labs, a design studio, model shop, and a project room to showcase student ideas from concept to prototype to final product.

Under construction is a 220,000 square foot facility designed to encourage collaboration and entrepreneurship.

It will contain a clean room, academic immersion center, innovation center, and commons space in addition to instructional and research space. It is expected to open in the summer of 2016.

All full-time faculty members hold terminal degrees in their fields and teach undergraduate students. And, all programs leading to the bachelor of engineering degree at Vanderbilt are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET. The program leading to the bachelor of science degree in computer science is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET. Faculty and students collaborate across disciplines to address four critical research initiatives that characterize the school’s commitment to help solve real-world challenges with worldwide impact. They are health and medicine, energy and natural resources, security, and entertainment.

Critical health care research initiatives are ongoing in

Building Your Future in Engineering

cellular dynamics in immunology, cardiology, cancer, as well as MRI and imaging systems to guide surgery. Other research efforts include laser-tissue interaction, biomedical optics, bionanotechnology, and robotics.

The School of Engineering is recognized as an international research leader in the areas of nuclear waste management, structural reliability and risk, and teaching assessment approaches to environmental decision making.

A large number of faculty and students engage in leading-edge research of significant importance to critical commercial and government systems. Our Institute for Software Integrated Systems was the first academic member of the Industrial Internet Consortium created to write the security standards for the Internet of Things.

A particular strength of the School is the depth and breadth of its multidisciplinary capability. Through programs funded by the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, and others, the School participates in collaborations with many top-25 universities and national laboratories.

Vanderbilt engineering graduates are valued for their expertise, intellectual independence, communication skills, and leadership ability. Graduates are actively recruited not only for engineering careers but also for careers as diverse as consulting, medicine, law, and finance.

At Vanderbilt, engineering students learn to be creative thinkers and problem solvers—skills that are valuable throughout life, not only when they are solving engineering problems.v VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING FACTS engineering.vanderbilt.edu (As of May 2015. Numbers finalized on official census day each Sept.)

For Class of 2019: 7,363 applicants, 320 slots Average admitted SAT score: 1552 (99th percentile) Undergraduates (Spring 2015): 1,364 Graduate students (Spring 2015): 500 Percent of female undergraduates: 32% Percent of minority undergraduates: 22% Undergraduates receiving financial aid: <61% Tenure/tenure-track faculty: 90 Research expenditures (FY2014): $74 Million Tuition: admissions.vanderbilt.edu/financial-aid/

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Blake Revell graduated from Wiregrass with his diploma in Telecommunications and Security Technology. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s now working as a sub-contractor and loving what he does.

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August 2015

Wiregrass Georgia Tech The words ‘workforce development’ are two words that are mentioned often at Wiregrass Georgia Technical College. The Telecommunications and Security program on the Ben Hill-Irwin campus is attracting the eyes of area telecommunication businesses. “We have had a couple of our graduates hired immediately after graduating along with another student who had one semester to complete his degree,” shared Ira Smith, Telecommunication and Security Program Coordinator, “and waiting for us to graduate more.” Blake Revell, who graduated in December 2014 with his diploma in Telecommunications and Security Technology, and Cody Riddle were all hired by a local contractor as sub-contractor. Blake is currently doing fiber splicing and working on peds. His current job assignment will be ending in a couple of months and then he’ll travel to the next town or state on the next project. “This is an opportunity of a lifetime,” shared Roy Warren, Dean of Academic Affairs- Technical & Industrial. “These guys will work for a set amount of weeks on a job site and then return home for about a week, and then head back out.”

Wiregrass’ Telecommunications program was recently recognized on a national level. Several students from Wiregrass attended the 51st Annual SkillsUSA in Louisville, Kentucky. Two students from the Telecommunications program placed tops in the nation. Chadwick Clements, a retired veteran, won gold in the Residential System Installation competition, while Michael Ricks, also a retired veteran, won silver in the Telecommunications Cabling event. Wiregrass is extremely proud of the work skills learned by these guys and proud to be the top in the nation in this field.

Wiregrass offers an Associate of Applied Science Degree, a Diploma in Telecommunications and Security, and a Technical Certificate in Cable Installation Specialist.

Revell has decided to continue his education in this field

Building Your Future in Engineering

and is currently working to get his Associate of Applied Science Degree in Telecommunications. The program is designed to give students the knowledge and skills to work in diverse fields associated with the telecommunications industry. This includes broadband to wire line technologies, as well as other low voltage type systems. As fiber becomes more of the norm, companies are looking for a skilled educated workforce to fill these jobs.

To learn more about the program, please visit wiregrass.edu or come by the college.

Chadwick Clements was the top in the nation at SKillsUSA in Residential System Installation and Michael Ricks was the Silver award winner for Telecommunications Cabling!

Wiregrass Georgia Technical College Fast Facts Faculty: Program Areas:

Campuses:

230 part-time and full-time Allied Health, Arts & Sciences, Business & Computer Sciences, Professional Services, Technical and Industrial Ben-Hill Irwin Campus (Fitzgerald), Coffee Campus (Douglas), Cook County WDC (Sparks), Valdosta Campus

Average Enrollment: 6000 annually Average Cost for a Full Time Student: Tuition for 12 Credit Hours = $1068.00 Fees = $249 (some programs have additional fees)

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