1 Strategic Plan Update Oleh Tretiak Drexel ECE Advisory Council Meeting December 3, 2002

2 Contents Mission and Vision Benchmark School Update Doctoral Program Initiatives ECE Faculty Fellowship

3 ECE Mission The ECE Department prepares men and women to lead productive and rewarding professional lives at the forefront of Engineering in the 21st century and pursues research to advance the state-of-the-art in Electrical and Computer Engineering and Engineering Education.

4 ECE Vision The ECE Department aspires to be ranked first in the Delaware Valley and among the top 25 national departments.

6 Benchmark Institution Update

7 Goals for 2004 PhD Enrollment per Faculty –1999: 0.4; 2001: 1.3; Goal 5. Goal Valid PhD Awards per Faculty –1999: 0.3; 2001: 0.1; Goal 0.5. Goal Valid Research Expenditures per Faculty –1999: $118k; 2001: $269k; Goal 350k; Goal Valid

8 Comments About Statistics Three types of statistics –Department –College –University Thinking outside the box: –Reputation, reputation, reputation –Clever ploy?

10 Doctoral Initiatives Senior Engineer PhD Initiative The ECE Department proposes an initiative to encourage senior engineers to pursue PhD degree studies and research. This initiative is aimed at individuals who have achieved research, patent or publication records. The program to be completed are no different from that pursued by other students. The initiative is to consist of: A committee to publicize this program and to recruit candidates. Additional oversight for mentoring candidates in this program. Next step: Recruit candidates

11 Doctoral Initiatives Entrepreneurial PhD initiative The ECE Department proposes an initiative to facilitate integration of business and “entrepreneurial” studies with a PhD degree. Targeted student populations are professionally younger people who have recently finished their BS and/or MS degree and who wish to pursue a combined technical/business oriented PhD. To develop of this initiative we will pursue contacts with the Baiada Center, the Engineering Management program, and with professionals in technology companies in the area. Next step: Establish planning board.

12 PhD Requirements Formal requirements –Candidacy Exam –Thesis research and Thesis Defense –45 credits post Masters (can be Research, Independent Study) Substantive requirement –Research accomplished while pursuing PhD studies

13 What They Don’t Say Not a diploma mill –Could hurt our reputation Productive work relationship –Mentoring –Transfer credit for senior engineers Who will pay the bill?

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15 The Need Outstanding doctoral candidates with BS degrees from US universities Potential leaders of our profession –Top researchers –Outstanding teachers –Individuals who would be sought by universities

16 Why Fellowships? Fellowships convey an honor and recognition not present in Teaching or Research assistantship Fellowships provide flexibility for aggressive recruiting

17 Logistics Goal: Two fellowships at $30 K per year. Endowment needed $1.2 M Funds can attract more than two students, since highly qualified individuals can obtain NASA, NSF, DOD fellowships once in house

18 First Steps Fellowship fund has been started through pledges from ECE Faculty Plan: solicit further funds from other sources Need: contacts for fundraising

20 Rating Game Rating bodies and criteria Some data Questions

21 Rating Bodies and Criteria US News & World Report – Categories –Best universities –Top undergraduate engineering schools –Top graduate engineering schools

22 Best Universities Drexel in 3rd tier – MCP-Hahnemann was 2nd tier One fewer competitor

23 Top Undergraduate Engineering Criterion: Opinion of Engineering Educators Drexel: –1999: 46; –2001: 53 More later

24 Top 50 Graduate Engineering Programs Criteria: 11criteria. Highest weights: –Peer opinion—25% –Opinion of recruiters—15% –Total research funding—15% –Research/faculty—10% –PhD students/faculty—7.5% –%NAE members—7.5% –Number of PhD’s granted—6.25%

25 Top 50 Drexel in 99: 59 Drexel in 01: 64 Comparison: Top 50 UG vs top 50 Grad –7 UG not on grad list: Dartmouth College, University of Notre Dame, Vanderbilt University, Yale University, Colorado School of Mines, University of California–Irvine, Worcester Polytechnic Inst. –5 Grad not on UG list: University of New Mexico, University of Delaware, Univ. of Massachusetts–Amherst, University of Rochester, Rutgers–New Brunswick

26 Prognoses Our UG rating will improve this year –Eli Fromm’s Gordon Award Graduate rating will go up over the years –Ayre Rosen’s Election to NAS –MCP/Hahnemann merger –Increases in funding –Increase in graduate enrollment

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