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Dr.
Richard Davis Professor of Chemical Engineering Office: 225 Engineering Building Phone: 6162 Email: rdavis |
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To the optimist, the glass
is half full. |
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Academic advising at UMD involves more
than simply planning a schedule for each term. It offers the opportunity
for students to develop short and long range life goals, to understand
themselves, to explore the world of work, to understand their decision
making process, and to engage in academic planning. In these processes,
faculty advisers serve as experts in their fields, and providers
of general and specific program information. The integration of
student growth through these experiences and the formal academic
curriculum develops mature, self- directed students who are capable
of thinking and acting rationally with their own communities and
society at large in mind. Academic
Advisor - what can I do for you? | Top
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| "It is a rule of our financial and economic life in all the world that "I have never let my schooling interfere
with my education. " - Mark Twain (1835-1910) "Learning is what most adults will
do for a living in the 21st century. " - Perelman "The reasonable man adapts himself
to the world; the unreasonable man persists to adapt the world to
himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable." "If I had thought about it, I wouldn't
have done the experiment. The literature was full of examples that
said you can't do this." "If the only tool you have is a hammer,
every problem begins to look like a nail." "We haven't much money so we must use
our brains." "Every technological product has to
be designed and its fabrication overseen, and this is what engineers
DO." -- Samuel Florman, The Civilized Engineer "Engineering is the art of directing
the great sources of power in nature for the use and convenience
of man." -- Thomas Tredgold, 1828 "The ability to compute separates the
engineer from the technician. An education in engineering mathematics
generates an insight into...physical things which cannot be attained
in any other way and...the generation of new QUALITATIVE ideas which
will work. "This process iterates around three
elements: -- from Kamm, Real-World Engineering A good scientist is a person with original
ideas. A good engineer is a person who makes a design that works
with as few original ideas as possible. -- Freeman Dyson "Scientists solve the problems
they can. Engineers solve the problems they have to." - P.V.
Danckwerts Genius is one percent inspiration I have not failed. General questions about ChE at UMD
are answered on the ChE
Departments web pages. "Normal people ... believe that if
it ain't broke, don't fix it. Engineers believe that if it ain't
broke, it doesn't have enough features yet." "Decide what your priorities are and
how much time you'll spend on them. If you don't, someone else will." "The world is endless, the universe
inexaustible, and the human brain will never be threatened with
unemployment." One business executive to another:"I
accidentally sat on my PalmPilot and bought a house on the internet."
"It takes a lot of courage to show
your dream to someone else." | Top
| University of Minnesota Student Conduct Code Many of you have no doubt heard of
recent alcohol-related deaths of students at the University of Minnesota,
LSU, MIT, University of Virginia, University of Massachusetts and
Virginia Tech. Dedicated staff in departments such as Health Service,
Housing and Residential Life, and the University Police, are working
diligently to prevent similar occurrences among our student body.
However, it is not just their responsibility. All members of the
University community have a role to play in preventing excessive
alcohol use among students and assisting those who experience alcohol-related
consequences. Excessive alcohol use among students
is a barrier to fulfilling the University's primary missions: All of us should be aware of some of
the warning signs of a student who is experiencing problems due
to their alcohol use. These warning signs include declining academic
performance, changes in personality, frequent late arrivals for
work or class, and frequently talking about alcohol use. You should
also be aware that there are resources on campus, such as UMD
Health Services, which can help students
who are in trouble. The University of Minnesota is committed
to ensuring that our students succeed both academically and personally--excessive
alcohol use can hinder their success. | Top
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What the Scientist wants: What the Engineer
wants: |
Top
| Help
On-line for Chemistry, Math, Physics, etc. Critical Thinking "Critical thinkers
are clear as to the purpose at hand and the question at issue. They
question information, conclusions, and points of view. They strive
to be clear, accurate, precise, and relevant. They seek to think
beneath the surface, to be logical, and fair. They apply these skills
to their reading and writing as well as to their speaking and listening.
They apply them in history, science, math, philosophy, and the arts;
in professional and personal life." -
www.criticalthinking.org 10 Team Study
Habits for Learning & Problem Solving (Adapted
from D&C 88:122-125) | Top
| All
About Chemical Engineering The following links are good places
to get more information about the wonderful world of Chemical Engineering:
who we are, what we study, what we do after graduation, career information,
our contributions to society, etc. Electronic newsletters are a great,
convenient, way to keep up with the current trends in Chemical Engineering.
Sign-up for free e-mail subscriptions: | FAQ
| Get involved! Make friends, lifelong
networking, learn about internship, COOP and job opportunities,
insustry tours and presentations, service opportunities: | FAQ
| Calculators are an engineering student's
best friend. The minimum specifications should include algebraic
& trigonometric functions. High-end calculators even perform
symbolic math. Talk to the juniors and seniors in EB 270 to find
out what others are using. Be sure to ask them what features they
use and what they never need. Don't pay for features that are not
useful. I recommend Hewlett Packard calculators
for their robustness and engineering features. Many students also
like Texas Instruments calculators. You can find a wide range of
calculators at the UMD Bookstore. After you learn how to use the spreadsheet
sofwtare, Excel, you will probably only need you calculator for
exams or quick homework solutions. The National Council of Examiners for Engineering and UMD students pay access fees for using
campus computers. All of the software required for Chemical Engineering
courses is available on the student lab servers. Unless you can
afford the luxery, I recommend waiting until graduation to buy your
first computer. The Engineering Lab is conveniently
located in EB 204 across the hall from EB 270. You may need to manage
your time more carefully to ensure you complete your assignments
on time. If you do decide to purchase a personal
computer, I recommend you visit UMD's
ITSS web pages for the minimum specifications
for this campus. The minimum software includes MS Excel,
MS Word, MS Powerpoint, & a math package, such as my favorite,
Mathcad. Dr.
Davis' Elective Course Recommendations The following tables list my recommendations
& those of former students. Electives give you some flexibility
in tailoring your degree program. Ultimately, you are responsible
for your choices - so pick topics that interest you based on your
own needs, preferences, or experiences. Please
provide me with feedback on these recommendations
or other courses not listed here; I would like to share your ideas
with future students. Required
Elective Recommended
Course Why? Computer Science
Programming CS
1121 Introduction to Programming in Visual Basic - Program
Macros in Excel, set-up data acquisition, create graphical
user interfaces. Once you have learned one programming language,
uou should be able to learn other languages on your own. Advanced Chemistry Chem 2522 Organic Chemistry II - easy to continue after taking OChem I Chem
3322 Biochemistry - Biotechnology is an emmerging area
of Chemical Engineering - more industries are using bioprocessing
to meet their technological needs. Advanced Composition Comp
5220 Document Design and Graphics - Make good looking
reports, learn about the WWW, etc. You will get advanced
technical writing experience in ChE Lab and Design. Chemical Engineering All of our electives
are excellent - find ones that interest you. Lib. Ed. Cat
6 Econ
1022 Principles of Economics: Macro Econ 1023 Principles of
Economics: Micro - Learn the fundamentals of marketing,
supply & demand. Engineering is ultimately about making
a profit. Lib. Ed. Cat
7 Hist 2245 Science and
Society Lib. Ed. Cat
8 Phil 1003* Ethics & Society - Learn how decisions in science & technology affect society LSBE
1101 The Buisness Environment - Learn the basics of
business. Useful for iteracting with your companies sales & marketing people. Econ 1003 Economics and
Society - Learn how the chemical industry fits into
the global economy. Comm 1500 Media & Society
- Answers questions of how society perceives advances in
science & technology. Geog 1202** World Regional
Geography - Engineering projects are global. Learn about
the various reqions & how science & technology fit
in. Acct 2005 Survey of
Accounting - Learn how to read a financial statement BLaw 2001 The legal
environment - Are you considering law school? Maybe
becoming a patent attorney? Phil 3242 Values and
technology - Are you concerned about how technology
and engineering impact society Lib. Ed. Cat
9 (need two courses with different prefix, or
one from Cat 9 & one from Cat 10) Mu 1005 Jazz Studies - fun, easy class, and you get to listen to Jazz. (I think everyone at UMD takes this course ... it should be required.) Otherwise, pick a couple of fun classes (remember
your cultural diversity, international relations, &
advanced lib ed course requirement) Lib Ed Cat 10 Do something fun with ceramics or photography or drawing - Join a choir or band ... Elective Courses Math
3298 Calculus III - Excellent if you are going on for
advanced degrees, also satisfies the advanced technical
elective. Math 4820 Applied Mathematics:
Numerical Methods - Great for graduate school or research
positions. Stat 3411 Engineering Statistics - Compliments our DOE course - more statistics is always a good idea. | FAQ
| You may apply for UMD
Engineering Scholarships each year.
Pick up applications in the Student Affairs office of the College
of Science and Engineering, EB 140. Other Opportunities | FAQ
| Internships are summer work experience
in industries that use chemical engineering. Co-op's (Cooperative
Work/School opportunity) are generally longer than internships,
and involve working in industry during the Fall Semester and Summer,
or an entire year. Although interhships or co-op's are
not required for the degree, the UMD Chemical Engineering Department
strongly recommends that students consider summer internship or
academic year COOP positions in engineering companies between the
junior and senior level courses. Students with industrial experience
are better able to relate coursework to real world problems and
find better employment opportunities upon graduation. Upon securing a co-op position, you
need not take co-op credits unless you need to maintain your student
status. This might be necessary if you need to continue deferring
the repayment of student loans, or if you are insured under your
parent's policy and need to maintain a "student" status. Since a
co-op is not a condition of graduation, we do not require that you
take the credits. We provide them as a service only. Here are the top 10 things you learn
in an internship, or COOP, that can help you make a successful transition
into a full-time job. You learn ... Internship/COOP
Opportunities MnTapp
- Minnesota Technical Assistance Program Imation Stora Enso SAPPI 3M Cargill ADM | FAQ
| Begin now to network with classmates,
friends of the family, and acquaintances. Keep your eyes and ears
open for internship/job opportunities. Campus recruiters, internship/COOP
opportunities, and job listings are often posted on the board across
from the department's office at 207 EB. The local AIChE
student chapter meetings are a great place to get early information
about employment opportunities! Follow these steps: | FAQ
| Is an advanced degree in your future?
Yes, if you enjoy research & want to know more engineering science.
Graduates from UMD are prepared for excellent employment opportunities
right out of school with a BS degree. However, several UMD grads
have gone on to earn MS and PhD degrees at graduate schools, such
as Minnesota TC, Rice, Notre Dame, Kentucky, Michigan Tech, North
Dakota, to name a few. To help you make your decision, consider
the following issues. Follow these links for suggestions
and information about graduate school: | FAQ
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