Nanotechnology Now

Our NanoNews Digest Sponsors
Heifer International



Home > Press > NSF funds NJIT's participation in program to retain engineering students: NJIT has been selected by NSF to participate as 1 of 20 universities and colleges in a new 5-year program to keep students enrolled in engineering programs

Abstract:
The Newark College of Engineering (NCE) at NJIT has been selected by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to participate as one of 20 universities and colleges across the nation in a new five-year program to keep students enrolled in engineering programs. This selection is the culmination of a two-year long effort led by NCE Dean Sunil Saigal and Associate Dean Lisa Axe.

NSF funds NJIT's participation in program to retain engineering students: NJIT has been selected by NSF to participate as 1 of 20 universities and colleges in a new 5-year program to keep students enrolled in engineering programs

Newark, NJ | Posted on September 2nd, 2011

Currently, some 43 percent of engineering undergraduates switch to other majors. The ENGAGE program (Engaging Students in Engineering) has awarded NJIT a grant valued at $100,000 which includes NJIT matching funds.

The program is based on the successful Cooperative Extension Service model at state land-grant institutions. It will provide resources and expertise to engineering schools, enabling them to create successful academic and social environments.

"In higher education circles, many people talk about the need in the U.S. for well-trained engineers, if the nation is to remain an innovation leader in fields ranging from energy to nanotechnology," said Priscilla P. Nelson, professor in the department of civil engineering and ENGAGE project lead at NJIT. "Although the number of engineering jobs here is expected to grow by 11 percent in the decade spanning 2008 to 2018, what most people don't realize is that the nation's colleges won't be able to keep pace with that demand unless something radically changes in the way engineers are educated."

Susan Metz, ENGAGE's principal investigator, said that the program advocates and teachers should use three proven and time-honored research-based strategies in the first two years of schooling. This is the key period in which engineering students are most at risk to change majors. The strategies are improving and increasing interaction between faculty and students; illustrating engineering concepts in courses by using everyday familiar objects; and improving students' spatial visualization skills.

"Although these strategies may sound obvious, the research supporting their implementation has been sitting on the shelves for years," said Metz.

At NJIT the project is supported by NCE Dean Saigal and Fadi Deek, Dean of the College of Science and Liberal Arts. Nelson's team includes three experienced and key teachers: David Lubliner, PhD, and university lecturer, department of engineering technology; Ravi Ravindra, PhD, chair and professor, department of physics; and Denis Blackmore, PhD, professor, department of mathematical sciences. Supported by ENGAGE professional development workshops, expertise and resources, the team will design a unique plan to implement the three strategies at NJIT.

"One aspect of our efforts will be to harness the tremendous power and influence faculty exert in making a critical difference in the undergraduate experience of our students," said Saigal. Nelson will lead an effort working with faculty to improve student-faculty interaction through various methods of communication that take some thought, but very little time. "The effort is win-win. Research indicates that course evaluations are better if a professor is perceived as approachable," adds Nelson.

NJIT is one of 20 initial participating colleges. By year four, a total of 30 colleges and universities will participate.

Trail blazers with NJIT include Arizona State University; California State University, Fullerton; Kettering University; Louisiana Tech University; North Carolina State University; Ohio State University; Purdue University; Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology; Santa Clara University; Stevens Institute of Technology; University of Colorado at Boulder; University of Dayton; University of Illinois at Chicago; University of Louisville; University of Maryland; University of New Mexico; University of South Carolina; University of Texas at Austin; Virginia Tech.

####

About New Jersey Institute of Technology
NJIT, New Jersey's science and technology university, enrolls more than 8,900 students pursuing bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in 120 programs. The university consists of six colleges: Newark College of Engineering, College of Architecture and Design, College of Science and Liberal Arts, School of Management, College of Computing Sciences and Albert Dorman Honors College. U.S. News & World Report's 2010 Annual Guide to America's Best Colleges ranked NJIT in the top tier of national research universities. NJIT is internationally recognized for being at the edge in knowledge in architecture, applied mathematics, wireless communications and networking, solar physics, advanced engineered particulate materials, nanotechnology, neural engineering and e-learning. Many courses and certificate programs, as well as graduate degrees, are available online through the Office of Continuing Professional Education.

For more information, please click here

Contacts:
Sheryl Weinstein

973-596-3436

Copyright © New Jersey Institute of Technology

If you have a comment, please Contact us.

Issuers of news releases, not 7th Wave, Inc. or Nanotechnology Now, are solely responsible for the accuracy of the content.

Bookmark:
Delicious Digg Newsvine Google Yahoo Reddit Magnoliacom Furl Facebook

Related News Press

News and information

Researchers develop artificial building blocks of life March 8th, 2024

How surface roughness influences the adhesion of soft materials: Research team discovers universal mechanism that leads to adhesion hysteresis in soft materials March 8th, 2024

Two-dimensional bimetallic selenium-containing metal-organic frameworks and their calcinated derivatives as electrocatalysts for overall water splitting March 8th, 2024

Curcumin nanoemulsion is tested for treatment of intestinal inflammation: A formulation developed by Brazilian researchers proved effective in tests involving mice March 8th, 2024

Govt.-Legislation/Regulation/Funding/Policy

What heat can tell us about battery chemistry: using the Peltier effect to study lithium-ion cells March 8th, 2024

Researchers’ approach may protect quantum computers from attacks March 8th, 2024

The Access to Advanced Health Institute receives up to $12.7 million to develop novel nanoalum adjuvant formulation for better protection against tuberculosis and pandemic influenza March 8th, 2024

Optically trapped quantum droplets of light can bind together to form macroscopic complexes March 8th, 2024

Academic/Education

Rice University launches Rice Synthetic Biology Institute to improve lives January 12th, 2024

Multi-institution, $4.6 million NSF grant to fund nanotechnology training September 9th, 2022

National Space Society Helps Fund Expanding Frontier’s Brownsville Summer Entrepreneur Academy: National Space Society and Club for the Future to Support Youth Development Program in South Texas June 24th, 2022

How a physicist aims to reduce the noise in quantum computing: NAU assistant professor Ryan Behunin received an NSF CAREER grant to study how to reduce the noise produced in the process of quantum computing, which will make it better and more practical April 1st, 2022

Announcements

What heat can tell us about battery chemistry: using the Peltier effect to study lithium-ion cells March 8th, 2024

Curcumin nanoemulsion is tested for treatment of intestinal inflammation: A formulation developed by Brazilian researchers proved effective in tests involving mice March 8th, 2024

The Access to Advanced Health Institute receives up to $12.7 million to develop novel nanoalum adjuvant formulation for better protection against tuberculosis and pandemic influenza March 8th, 2024

Nanoscale CL thermometry with lanthanide-doped heavy-metal oxide in TEM March 8th, 2024

NanoNews-Digest
The latest news from around the world, FREE




  Premium Products
NanoNews-Custom
Only the news you want to read!
 Learn More
NanoStrategies
Full-service, expert consulting
 Learn More











ASP
Nanotechnology Now Featured Books




NNN

The Hunger Project