Do graduate students overshadow the undergrads?

hopingforbetter
Sat, 14 May 2016 03:54:46 +0000

Here comes the student input. I am a ChE and EE double major and I just got done with my 3rd year here.

Research Opportunities: I wouldn’t say that there are plenty of opportunities, but a passionate student can always get one! Let me be very honest here. Armour R&D is a paid research program for undergraduates of the College of Engineering. The university is currently going through issues with finances and it has affected most, if not all, the departments and offices. Until two semesters ago, the research program had taken around 25 students. Last fall, the number fell to 19 (I think) and it went further down to 12 in the spring. Since they are taking a limited number of students, they tend to fill most of the spots with new students every semester. As far as engineering undergraduates getting paid research opportunities, it is safe to say that this program is the only one.

There are many professors who have no issue taking undergraduates as research volunteers, though some of them prefer the student to complete certain amount of coursework before being able to work for them. It is indeed a great experience working alongside grad students, PhD students and post docs. Most of them are wonderful people and they are usually willing to help the undergrads.

What qualifications do I have to make these comments? I have been working in a professor’s lab for over a year now. I was funded by Armour R&D for one semester and now I am being paid under “REU” (Research Experienvce for Undergraduates) program. As I said, I study ChE and EE. I work for a MMAE professor in an energy lab (batteries and supercapacitors). I had previously worked for a ChE professor who’s work is focused on the interface of ChE and EE (smart grids, Hybrid Plug-in Electric Vehicles, fuel cells, etc)

Course Load/Difficult and Competitiveness in Armour College: I personally have never found anything too difficult here, but many do say that the curriculum is very difficult. It definitely depends on the individual. And again, I can’t comment on the “heavy course load” topic either because I have been taking course overload (over 18 credit hours per semester) for two years now and I am totally fine with it, though most students find it hard to get by with 15-18 credit hours per semester.

I don’t think that people here want their peers to suffer. Most people help each other and work together. There’s also the TAs, ARC (Academic Resource Center) and other official ways of getting help. And then there are good people like me who are always willing to help out anyone in need ( ). On a serious note, I do enjoy helping others learn. The more people who understand the concepts, the wider the scope of intellectual discussion – this is what I strive for in college. In my experience, there is plenty of help available for EE students than ChE students. That’s just how it is.

I hope to see your daughter here before I leave, though I am not sure whether I am going to be here by the time she gets in. I will be studying in Denmark for the next academic year. Oh, there’s just one more thing I need to say. It’s more of a plea than anything. We need more smart women here! Please.