Category Archives: Career

Information on jobs and careers in science and engineering.

Robots Renew Computer Science

Robots put the cool back in computer science (page deleted by CNN so I removed the link):

Georgia Tech, which has branded the robot the “new face of computing,” is hoping that the class can be a new national model to teach students computing. To Microsoft Corp., which is investing $1 million to jump-start the program at Georgia Tech and Bryn Mawr, it’s investment in what could become its work force.

Outside groups have applauded the effort, too. “In fact, computing is a tool that can be used for virtually every application — from entertainment to medicine,” said Virginia Gold of the Association for Computing Machinery. “And the Scribbler helps show how pervasive computers are in everything.” The computing industry has a reason to be concerned about the future.

The number of new computer science majors has steadily declined since 2000, falling from close to 16,000 students to only 7,798 in fall 2006, according to the Computing Research Association. And the downward trend isn’t expected to reverse soon. The association says about 1 percent of incoming freshmen have indicated computer science as a probable major, a 70 percent drop from the rate in 2000.

Related: Electrical Engineering vs. Computer Science – Computer Science Revolution – Donald Knuth – Computer Scientist – 2007 Draper Prize to Berners-Lee

International Student Collaboration

Contest links high school students worldwide:

During the school year, 58 teams of American students coupled with students from China, India and Japan tackled technological solutions to global warming. They chatted online, divided jobs based on skill, consulted with advisers, and in the final grueling weeks, wrote a professional business plan.

“The most important goal is to engage U.S. students in international collaboration using science and technology,” said David Gibson, executive director of the Global Challenge and a research assistant professor in computer sciences at the University of Vermont. The idea for the contest came to management consultant Craig DeLuca two years ago as one of his clients planned to outsource design and manufacturing, and his community in Stowe considered putting off buying science textbooks.

“I’ve got to do something so that our kids have a shot in the global economy,” he said then. He launched the contest in Vermont, and last fall it was awarded a $900,000 National Science Foundation Grant and expanded worldwide. Winners will be announced in June.

Not only does the contest encourage interaction between students across the globe to solve problems, it also exposes them to opportunities in science, technology, engineering and math, Gibson said. “We need projects like this across the nation, so we can scoop these kids up because schools don’t do it for them,” he said.

Diversity Efforts for the Life Science Work Force

Focus on Diversity: INCUBATING INNOVATION – Diversity Efforts Rejuvenate the Life Science Work Force by Alethea Hannemann:

Support for undergraduate and graduate programs that encourage African-American scientists also comes from industry leaders. Merck, in a partnership with the United Negro College Fund, awards at least 37 scholarships a year to African-American researchers at the undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral levels; to date, the program has trained more than 370 scientists.
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In the end, building a robust, diverse science work force will take vigorous effort from many camps. The good news is that a host of programs in government, academia, and industry are dedicated to increasing the numbers of African-Americans in science. With continued efforts, education and recruiting programs should soon bear fruit, bringing new power to the life sciences.

$10 Million for Engineering Education Scholarships

$10 million perk aims to help prove engineering is the profession to pursue (link broken)

Kao today will announce that his family foundation is donating $10 million to establish scholarship funds at six regional universities for students majoring in electrical and computer engineering. Kao, an electrical engineer who co-founded Garmin, said he decided to fund the program because he was concerned the United States was losing its edge in engineering and design.

“As a business leader of a company like Garmin, and as an immigrant, I feel it should be a real concern for this country,” Kao said. “I don’t think it’s good for a country to be a pure service business.” The education initiative is the somewhat private billionaire CEO’s first significant endowment in the Kansas City area. “Compared to Asian countries, the career of engineer is somewhat overlooked” in the United States, Kao said. “Young kids don’t aspire to be engineers.”
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The endowment from the Kao Family Foundation will be used to fund 100 scholarships a year, offering students $5,000 annually. It will be tied in with Garmin’s internship program, offering 75 or more summer jobs that include a furnished apartment and health and dental benefits.

Good. Related: Increasing American Fellowship Support for Scientists and Engineers – Science and Engineering Scholarships and Fellowships – Engineering Internships – $35 million to the USC School of Engineering

Funding for Science and Engineering Researchers

To authorize programs for support of the early career development of science and engineering researchers, and for support of graduate fellowships, and for other purposes. passed the house on a vote of 397 – 20 and was forwarded to the senate. From the majority whips talking points:

supports outstanding researchers in the early stages of their careers through grants at the National Science Foundation (NSF)
and the Department of Energy of $80,000 per year for 5 years
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enlarges an existing program at NSF supporting graduate students in multidisciplinary fields of national importance

This bill started with the same name as the Sowing the Seeds Through Science and Engineering Research Act – though seems to be missing much on fellowships now.

Related: Increasing American Fellowship Support for Scientists and Engineers – Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers

$600 Million for Basic Biomedical Research

Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) will hold a national competition for investigators that will result in an investment of at least $600 million in basic biomedical research. Up to 50 new researchers will be selected by spring 2008. HHMI Announces New Open Competition:

HHMI seeks applications from outstanding scientists studying biomedical problems in a broad array of disciplines, including not only biology and medicine, but related areas of chemistry, physics, engineering and computational biology. This competition is open to early career stage scientists at approximately 200 eligible institutions.
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HHMI values innovation and encourages its investigators to extend the boundaries of science. By appointing scientists as Hughes investigators — rather than awarding research grants — HHMI is guided by the principle of “people, not projects.” HHMI investigators have the freedom to explore and, if necessary, to change direction in their research. Moreover, they have support to follow their ideas through to fruition — even if that process takes many years.
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This new competition represents the first time that HHMI has opened up a general competition to the direct application process. In the past, faculty members had to be nominated by their institutions for HHMI investigator positions.

More details and apply via: 2008 HHMI Investigator Competition.

What do Engineers Need To Know?

What do Engineers Need To Know? by Pradeep K. Khosla, dean of the College of Engineering, Carnegie Mellon:

In 1995, close to 40% of the world’s engineering work hours were based in the United States. By 2010, only 10% will be.
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The change has been accelerated by other nations’ massive investments in engineering and science education, first in Taiwan, Singapore, and South Korea, and now in India and China. They all understand what America already knows: Knowledge creation drives future economic growth, and an educated labor force is essential for participation in the global economy.

So true, the economic benefit of science investment is a big theme in our economic posts.

We also are revamping the engineering curriculum. We still will emphasize depth in engineering knowledge, of course, but our graduates also must understand innovation, entrepreneurship, product development, and systems integration. Those skills will enable our graduates to lead organizations and manage effective teams. Graduates also will require greater knowledge of the world outside the United States and have experiences in working effectively with individuals from other cultures.

A good plan and one repeating what has been discussed here before: Benefits of Engineering and Innovation Education – MIT Undergraduate Changes – Harvard Elevates Engineering Profile – Improving Engineering Education. Also remember more S&P 500 CEOs majored in Engineering than anything else. Tour the Carnegie Mellon Robotics Lab.

Report on Faculty Salaries

Report on Faculty Salaries:

Law professor’s top the pay charts, full professors averaging $121,301. Engineering full professors come in second averaging $102,954 (Business, management… was third at $98,384). More full professor averages: Computer Science $91,181; Math and Statistics $77,963. See report for more details. If I read the report right Engineering has the 3rd highest rate of full professors (full professors/all professors) at 45% – I find that surprising.

The figures are shown for what the report calls “un-weighted” average. Essentially this is an average by institution. Which are lower than the average for professors (as the big institution who have more professors also pay more on average). For Engineering he “weighted” average is $112,530. Others: Computer Science $102,427; Math and Statistics $87,281; Business $106,828.

Boeing CEO’s Speech to Engineering Students

Boeing CEO offers UM students advice about careers, innovation:

He explained the reality, as it applies to the corporate world today, is that innovation is a team sport, not a solo sport. It (innovation) depends on a culture of technical sharing and openness to others not a reclusive environment, innovation can and should occur in all areas of the business, incremental doesn’t mean insignificant, eureka moments are rare, and in a business environment, creativity cannot exist without discipline.

“It takes people working together across different groups, disciplines, and organizational arms to make it happen,” Mr. McNerney said. “It also takes real leadership to charter the course and (inspire) people to reach for the highest level of performance supported by a never ending focus on integrity.”

According to McNerney business has become focused on measuring value practically, which causes engineering-based companies like Boeing to innovate more frequently than they invent all-new products.