Performing Engineering Performing Engineering Research at Non-Ph.D. Research at Non-Ph.D. Granting InstitutionsGranting Institutions

Eric LarsonEric Larson

Agnieszka MiguelAgnieszka Miguel

Seattle UniversitySeattle University

IntroductionIntroduction

Many non-Ph.D. granting institutions Many non-Ph.D. granting institutions require research or scholarship as part require research or scholarship as part of the professor’s responsibilitiesof the professor’s responsibilities Keep professor’s teaching (and mind) Keep professor’s teaching (and mind)

currentcurrent Provide undergraduate research Provide undergraduate research

opportunitiesopportunities Form a community of scholarsForm a community of scholars Prestige / promoting the departmentPrestige / promoting the department

Research at Non-Ph.D. InstitutionsResearch at Non-Ph.D. Institutions

Technical in natureTechnical in nature teaching publications not sufficientteaching publications not sufficient could be interdisciplinarycould be interdisciplinary

Publication requirement for tenure and Publication requirement for tenure and promotionpromotion

May involve undergraduate / Masters studentsMay involve undergraduate / Masters students Typically not expected to obtain grantsTypically not expected to obtain grants Many institutions have increased / added Many institutions have increased / added

research expectations in recent yearsresearch expectations in recent years

ChallengesChallenges

Higher teaching loadHigher teaching load No graduate assistantsNo graduate assistants Limited existing research facilitiesLimited existing research facilities Small research budgetsSmall research budgets Limited support and infrastructure for Limited support and infrastructure for

research activitiesresearch activities

Research TipsResearch Tips

Tips based on interviews done with faculty Tips based on interviews done with faculty in different disciplines and levels of in different disciplines and levels of experience.experience.

Some tips are geared towards untenured Some tips are geared towards untenured faculty trying to obtain tenure.faculty trying to obtain tenure.

Many tips are applicable to faculty at Ph.D. Many tips are applicable to faculty at Ph.D. granting institutions.granting institutions.

Main Areas of Tips Main Areas of Tips

Choosing a research projectChoosing a research project Time managementTime management Undergraduate researchUndergraduate research CollaborationCollaboration Obtaining resourcesObtaining resources

More tips appear in the paper!More tips appear in the paper!

Choosing a Research ProjectChoosing a Research Project Continue in an area closely related to what Continue in an area closely related to what

you already knowyou already know Not enough time or resources to change drasticallyNot enough time or resources to change drastically Easier to publish papersEasier to publish papers Established in research communityEstablished in research community

Understand the limitations of your institutionUnderstand the limitations of your institution Smaller research budgetsSmaller research budgets Less space for laboratoriesLess space for laboratories Very limited support for set upVery limited support for set up

Understand the factors used to judge Understand the factors used to judge scholarship / researchscholarship / research Especially important when submitting papers Especially important when submitting papers

Time ManagementTime Management Use summers for researchUse summers for research

Save long tasks for the summerSave long tasks for the summer One plan: do the research in the One plan: do the research in the

summer, write up the results during summer, write up the results during the school yearthe school year

Plan research activities during Plan research activities during the school yearthe school year Reserve a block of time just for Reserve a block of time just for

researchresearch Become an efficient teacherBecome an efficient teacher

Better yet, try to get the teaching Better yet, try to get the teaching load reducedload reduced

Undergraduate StudentsUndergraduate Students

Carefully select projectsCarefully select projects Well-defined problemWell-defined problem Small learning curveSmall learning curve

Have reasonable expectationsHave reasonable expectations Time is short (directed study, summer)Time is short (directed study, summer) Understand what the student wants out of the Understand what the student wants out of the

experienceexperience May only do a part of the research projectMay only do a part of the research project

Good mentoring is importantGood mentoring is important Avoid having students get stuck or side-trackedAvoid having students get stuck or side-tracked

CollaborationCollaboration Try to work together…Try to work together…

Other colleagues at your institutionOther colleagues at your institution Your Ph.D. advisor and/or former graduate Your Ph.D. advisor and/or former graduate

studentsstudents Industry contactsIndustry contacts Nearby research institutionsNearby research institutions Researchers in your fieldResearchers in your field

Understand how collaboration is Understand how collaboration is viewedviewed Don’t be a glorified graduate studentDon’t be a glorified graduate student Demonstrate that you can lead a research Demonstrate that you can lead a research

projectproject

Obtaining ResourcesObtaining Resources

Keep asking for resourcesKeep asking for resources No one is going to come to your office handing out No one is going to come to your office handing out

resourcesresources They want you to succeed at you researchThey want you to succeed at you research Be realistic about your goals / expectationsBe realistic about your goals / expectations

Write grant proposalsWrite grant proposals There are grants geared for smaller schoolsThere are grants geared for smaller schools Forces you to organize / focus your researchForces you to organize / focus your research

Questions and AnswersQuestions and Answers