Author: cem183

In class this week we presented final research talks.  No blog posts are required.  If you see your blog grad and wish to update any posts, you have until Monday 4/29 at 12:00 noon to make updates.  (You also must email Erin or comment in canvas to confirm you have made edits.)

This week we toured the Millenium Science Complex.  Comment with one thing you took away from the tour.

In class today, we heard from a current student who joined research as a first-year student.  We also heard from a member of the ELD program.  Finally, we did an activity around problem-solving.

What is one takeaway from class today?

 

This week, we looked at some case studies that included ethical questions in research.

In class, we talked briefly about this quote: “The great secret of science:  it proceeds by the formalities of rational thought, but its success is driven by human values.” Nobel Laureate Michael Bishop, 1990

What does this quote mean to you?

This week is a critical week of the semester, and as such we will take a moment to make sure we are ready for the final push!

No blog post is required this week.  But you should check through our current posts and add your comment if you have missed a week.

You work as an engineering intern in an international engineering company.  The company has five branches; one is in Philadelphia, US, one is in Lagos, Nigeria, one is in Mumbai, India, one is in Lima, Peru, and the other is in Hangzhou, China.

Comment on one of the following:

With consideration of your field knowledge, which place would be your top choice to work? Why?

What would you need to know to work successfully at this internship site?

This week we read an article that looked on college students through a research study on how they felt about procrastination.  One takeaway I found from the study was that the guilt associated with procrastination was the part that was bad for students.  But if you remove guilt, and when someone actively procrastinates and makes that choice, and they plan their schedule for such procrastination and it is a successful strategy.

Please comment on the prompts below:

The study identified three categories for active procrastinators: I’m good at it, I’ve learned I can, It’s worth it.  What do you think about these three categories?  Did they miss any?  Do you see these as valid reasons to actively procrastinate? Could this inform your time management?

 

This week in class we looked at academic presentations and had an activity on oral presentations.

What is your favorite style of sharing your learning?  Do you prefer writing, creating a poster, performance, oral presentations, group presentations, or other?

As we have an assignment due this Friday (2/22) to write a research article reflection.  This coming assignment, paired with the impending snow and ice storm headed our way, I want to cancel class in advance.  We will not meet tomorrow, Wednesday 2/20.  Instead, use the time to complete the assignment due this coming Friday.  There will also be no blog assignment due this week.

In place of class, I shared a very short reading that can give you some good tips for writing a reflection article on a scholarly journal article.  You can find this article in the files section of the class.  It is titled “2.20 Reflection Tips”.  The article was written by staff at the University of Vermont and shares some good questions to ask yourself and perhaps answer in your reflection.

If you have any questions about the assignment, feel free to reach me by email (ErinH@psu.edu) or send me a message in canvas.

I look forward to reading your reflections over the weekend.  Have a great and safe week!

~Erin

In class this week we looked at the new identity for Penn State Engineering.  We looked at ways engineers can make the world a better place.  What is one thing you hope to do with a future in the field of engineering?