What is the factors to be considered in choosing either chemical or mechanical engineering?

Answer 1

Dr. Barry J. Farbrother, Dean,

Tagliatela College of Engineering, University of New Haven, CT.

Congratulations on your decision to continue your studies beyond high school level.

College will be an exciting and challenging experience. It is a place where you will meet new

friends - some of whom will be fellow students and some of them will be professors. I hope that you

decide to become part of the University of New Haven community. I can assure you that you will find

the faculty at this university to be among the most dedicated, hardworking and amiable people in higher

education today. Unlike their counterparts at any large university, as a student you will be able to meet

with them either personally or in small groups. I am sure, if you do chose to attend the University of

New Haven that you will come to regard them as your friends and find that above all else, they want you

to succeed.

You may have already decided upon a college. Others will have narrowed the choice to maybe

two or three possibilities. And a few will have not the slightest idea!!! Because this is a very important

decision, there are people here to help you to make that choice. I hope that I am correct in believing that

you have already decided to attend college somewhere, and to obtain that all-important Bachelor's

Degree. It is probably the most important decision affecting your career that you will have to make. It

determines that you are going to become a "professional" person - one who possesses knowledge, skills

and special training. It demonstrates your commitment to becoming a skilled contributor to society.

But what are the factors that need to be considered when choosing a college? I have worked in

several countries, at both large universities and small institutions, and I would like to share with you some

of my thoughts and experiences. The quality of the education you are going to receive is determined by

several factors - faculty to student ratio, laboratory facilities, faculty qualifications, computer facilities,

campus environment, management philosophy, accreditation status, etc. At the University of New Haven

undergraduate education is at the core of our programming. We also offer graduate programs in certain

fields but only at the Master's level. The graduate programs provide opportunities for students to study

beyond The Bachelor's level and for professors to maintain their professional expertise.

We want to let you know that we are very different from other institutions of higher learning, -

and we certainly are not a major research university. The focus of our educational activity is the

Bachelor's Degree. I strongly encourage you to visit any school you are considering and hope you will

AN OPEN LETTER TO PROSPECTIVE FRESHMEN

2

take a good look at us by visiting our campus in West Haven. After all, you are going to be spending four

years obtaining your bachelor's degree, and hopefully you will choose an environment in which you are

going to be happy.

As you embark upon the journey to find the right school for you, you need to build a frame of

reference that will enable you to make an informed decision. Make sure that you do not make the mistake

of being dazzled by facilities and equipment you will see on some campuses - to which you (as an

undergraduate student) will never have access. Ask questions about class size, who teaches class, and

which laboratories and equipment you will be able to use. Take a look at the educational facilities - the

computer center and the library, and the campus itself. Ask yourself if it is the sort of environment in

which you could work and be productive. Be curious!

Classes are UNH are kept to a size that supports professor-student interaction, - no larger than 30

students. The class will be taught by an experienced professor, not a graduate student. All of the

Tagliatela College's engineering professors at UNH have earned the Ph.D. (doctoral) degree. Your

professor will be available to meet with you either in a small group setting outside of the classroom (or

laboratory), or one-on-one if necessary. Our professors run laboratory classes. Some of our graduate

students do assist professors in the laboratory, providing additional access to help when you require it.

Because college is not all work, take a look at all of the campus. It is very important that you

understand that earning an engineering, computer science,information technology or chemistry degree is

not the only thing you will be doing while you are here. There is a broader aspect of the four-year

university experience. A university education is a preparation for life! One of the outstanding features of

UNH is that it is a comprehensive university comprising The College of Arts & Sciences, The College of

Business, The Henry C. Lee College of Criminal Justice and Forensic Sciences, and The Tagliatela

College of Engineering. This variety brings diversity to the campus and so you will have the opportunity

to meet other undergraduates who are studying communications arts, performance, mathematics, the

sciences, criminal justice and many other subjects. You will have the opportunity to explore your nontechnical

side! Perhaps you have an aptitude for radio, or perhaps you play a musical instrument or are an

aspiring actor or actress. If you are service minded there will be ample opportunity for you to participate

in food drives or service learning.

Look at the recreational facilities. Ask to speak with the Athletics staff about the facilities and

activities that are available. Although we do not offer sports scholarships, we do recognize the benefits of

extra-curricular activities, and we have some anecdotal data revealing that students who participate in

them do better (on average) than those who don't. A major new project is the new recreation center that is

planned for completion in December 2007 .

At the University of New Haven the first responsibility of the faculty is education, not research.

The university is not dependent upon funding from research contracts in order to maintain faculty

positions. Faculty advancement is determined by several factors, the professor's work in the classroom

and laboratory being the most important. All full-time faculty members in the Tagliatela College of

Engineering at the University of New Haven have doctoral degrees, and many have professional

qualifications, and/or industrial experience. Several are consultants to industry, and this work is usually

undertaken outside of school hours or during the summer. It is important to us that the faculty retain and

enhance it's professional skills as we enter an era where we are attempting to "parallel the workplace" in

our degree programs. If you wish to learn more about our degree programs then I suggest that you read

the UNH Catalog or look at our web page at http://www.newhaven.edu On the engineering web site you

will find a message from the dean where you will be able to access some links that will hopefully help you

with your decision making process. We recognize that some students have considerable difficulty in

3

choosing a career and so we do what we can to accommodate the decision making process even through

the end of the freshman year and beyond.

The reason we are able to accommodate this indecision is because our degree programs have a

unique characteristic. The freshmen year is common to most of our engineering bachelor's degrees. This

means that when you are admitted to the Tagliatela College of Engineering, you will have at least another

year in which to decide which particular engineering discipline you wish to study. This is because we have

developed a unique curriculum known as the Multidisciplinary Engineering Foundation Spiral Curriculum. The

National Science Foundation decided that the concept of this new curriculum was so innovative that they

chose to support its development with a grant of $100,000! We taught the freshman curriculum in pilot

form and then implemented it in 2004. A major feature of the freshman curriculum is that it provides an

opportunity to experience engineering in your very first year at UNH. Yes - you will design, build and test

an engineering artifact before you are a sophomore! In 2005, we taught the sophomore courses for the first

time, and in May 2008, the first "spiral curriculum" students will graduate.

But let me return to the topic of careers in engineering, computer science and chemistry. The

workplace has changed! What I mean by this is that two developments have occurred, which have caused

major changes in the way the professions of engineering, computer science and chemistry are practiced.

The first development relates to technology - the advent of the computer and specialized software tools

that have increased productivity. The second is the shear complexity of engineering and science projects.

Engineers and scientists now have to work in teams in order to bring new products to market, or to solve

the problems facing mankind and his environment. As technology forges ahead at an ever-increasing

pace, these professionals have to be career-long learners, adaptable, capable of assimilating new

techniques and able to communicate new ideas and concepts to others, and to lay people. I am going to

overview some of the opportunities open to holders of engineering and/or applied science degrees.

Chemistry: Chemists find employment throughout industry - not solely in the pharmaceutical industry,

which is probably the first one that comes to mind. Computer software now helps chemists design new

compounds that are necessary for products found in virtually every other industry from packaging to

construction.

Chemical Engineering: Chemical Engineers take the discoveries of the chemist and design processes that

make it possible to efficiently manufacture these products. They are also responsible for operating and

managing the complex plants that produce these products from raw materials.

Civil Engineering: Civil Engineers are responsible for the elements of our surroundings - buildings,

highways, and bridges. However, increasingly a new branch of the discipline involves them in wetlands,

and other aspects of our environment, namely the discipline of environmental engineering.

Computer Scientists: The practice of computer science relates predominantly to the software components

of computing systems. Software design is becoming increasingly complex and the number of languages

is increasing. Computer scientists also find employment managing computer systems and networks.

Computer Engineering: Computers are ubiquitous! Basically, where there are computers, there also will

you find computer engineers. They have expertise in both hardware and software components and also

find excellent opportunities in the design of systems utilizing computing elements and in the

administration of computer systems and networks.

Electrical Engineering: Electrical Engineering is a really broad subject area that spans everything from

transistors and integrated circuits to huge power generators and power distribution systems. It also covers

control systems and communications - a booming industry.

4

Mechanical Engineering: The discipline of Mechanical Engineering is based upon energy conversion.

Machines take energy in one form and covert it to our use - a lathe, and an automatic transmission are

two examples. But mechanical engineers also design structures - aircraft, automobiles, railroads and a

huge variety of consumer products.

Multidisciplinary Engineering Systems: This Division's mission is to provide a multidisciplinary

engineering foundation for a variety of programs, to administer engineering programs that cross

traditional engineering boundaries, and to promote scholarship and excellence in engineering education.

The program includes the First Year Engineering Program, and the Multidisciplinary Engineering

Foundation Spiral Curriculum, which is a four-semester sequence of engineering courses (EAS) matched

closely with the development of students' mathematical sophistication and analytical capabilities and

integrated with coursework in the sciences.

System Engineering: System engineering, as a formal engineering discipline, is one of the most flexible

and broad-based disciplines in engineering and is poised to provide balanced solutions to diverse and

complex problems primarily related to product development and commercialization processes. Our

program combines strong theoretical foundations in science, mathematics, and the UNH spiral

engineering science curriculum with system engineering-related topics, integrated with computer

applications.

This has been a very brief introduction to these professions. I hope that I have given you one or

two things to think about - but more importantly - that you will follow-up in your own time. You will find

more information in the packet we have provided you and I have also given phone numbers and email

addresses at the end of this letter so that you can contact me. Please use the resources at your disposal to

find out more about the profession of engineering. It is your responsibility to take ownership of this

process!

I would like to use the remaining space to whet your appetite with regard to the degree programs

that are offered at UNH. You need to know that our bachelor's degree programs in Chemical Engineering,

Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering and Mechanical

Engineering are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of the Accreditation

Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) - that is, they have the stamp of approval from the

national accrediting body. Presently, we are not accepting applications for enrollment in the program in

industrial engineering as the program is being phased out to make way for new programs in the future.

Each of our degree programs has been carefully designed to produce graduates who are able to

immediately contribute to the profession. In fact our faculty is continually looking for ways to improve

our degree offerings. This is all part of a continuous improvement methodology to provide the very best

experience for students. You may wonder why we continue to change our degree programs. After all, if

the "old" programs were accredited, why should it be necessary to alter them? Well, the truthful answer

is that, from the viewpoint of accreditation status, it was not necessary! However, we have made

significant changes because of the changes that have occurred in the workplace, and in order that our

graduates will be prepared for the challenges of the twenty-first century. The changes in the workplace

have been of such a magnitude that you may hear them referred to as a paradigm shift. History is littered

with such events - events that have a dramatic effect on our lives. Examples of three such events are the

invention of the steam engine, which facilitated the industrial revolution, the transistor that virtually

ended the thermionic tube era, and later the microprocessor, which changed the nature of digital systems

design and led to the era of distributed computing.

5

Because the way the engineers and computer scientists work has changed, so must the way in

which these professionals are trained. Indeed there has been a call from the National Academy of

Engineering and from ABET (the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology) for a new era in

engineering education. This is why several of our professors decided to design the Multidisciplinary

Engineering Foundation Spiral Curriculum. Our degree programs, we believe, are designed to produce a

new breed of professional - the Engineer or Scientist of the 21st. Century - Renaissance professionals.

All of our computers are networked to permit access to university computing resources, and provide

access to the internet. Buckman Hall, home of the Tagliatela College of Engineering, is a wireless facility.

Our programs still produce the technically competent graduates sought by industry, but they also utilize

technology and enable you to develop what we refer to as "professional skills". We will also broaden

your experience by making you aware of your social, environmental and ethical responsibilities. We

believe our new degree programs will provide you with an exceptional preparation for life in the 21st

century.

Our degree programs require you to have a thorough understanding of mathematics and science,

which you gain in your freshman year. As you enhance your mathematical skills you will be increasing

your knowledge in the areas of engineering and science - in a coordinated manner, and learning how to

work effectively as a member of a team. To solve complex problems you must understand team dynamics

and what it takes to be an effective team member. You will learn about the engineering method and

project management so that you are better able to manage your time. In the Sophomore year, you will

begin to "learn how the world works" by studying a core of Engineering Science topics including

electrical, fluid, mechanical and thermal systems and relate them to more advanced mathematical topics

including statistics and differential equations. We also begin to expose you to some of the wider issues

you will need to understand as a practicing engineer - Total Quality Management (TQM), Professional

Ethics, Economics, Project Management and Team Dynamics.

Our computer science program provides a solid foundation in mathematics and an exposure to

several high- and low-level programming languages. It also provides good breadth in computer topics

including compilers, computer architecture, data structures, digital electronics, networking, operating

systems, and software engineering. Students broaden their education through electives in fine arts, life

skills, philosophy, science, and social science and have additional flexibility to tailor their program

through free electives.

All programs require students to develop good written and oral presentation skills. We require

you to demonstrate these professional skills throughout the curriculum thereby allowing you to hone them

here on campus so that you enter the workforce with a head start over your peers. When you enter the

junior year you have all the tools you need to begin to specialize in your chosen major. The junior year is

a "breadth" year enabling you to gain a good understanding of all the essential areas of your chosen

major. Unlike the truly great artists (masters), who were born and not trained; now it is possible to learn

the art of design as a process. This will provide you with the tools to enable you to embark upon your

senior year. This allows you to tailor course work, so that you may specialize in a particular area, or

retain breadth if preferred. An essential component of engineering work is the ability to perform design.

Engineers are people who work to improve the environment in which we all live.

We are working to increase the number of opportunities for student engineers to work on realworld

projects and to undertake internship placements with some of the top companies located within the

region and elsewhere. We are particularly keen to place students with entrepreneurial (start-up)

organizations in addition to the large multi-national corporations, which have traditionally been the

training ground for newly graduated engineers and scientists. We are finding that the business and

corporate community in the New Haven region is keen to partner with the University of New Haven by

providing internship opportunities for our students. They are also partnering with us in new ways by providing corporate scholarships for our students. Please stay tuned to the media for more news in this

regard!

I hope that I have been able to help you in your decision making process with regard to your

career and choice of college. I encourage you to give it careful and considered thought because these are

very important choices. Please accept my best wishes for your future. I hope that you will choose

University of New Haven as your "first choice" and decide to study Chemistry, Chemical Engineering,

Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Information

Technology, Mechanical Engineering, and System Engineering. But, even if you do not, I wish you every

success in your chosen profession.

For helpful links about career options check out: http://www.newhaven.edu/engineering

Please contact me if you have questions about engineering careers, or our programs. I can be

reached by telephone at: 203 932-7167 (Office Voice) 203 932-7394 (Office Fax)

or by E-mail at: bfarbrother@newhaven.edu

HOPE THIS HELPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!