Engineering Fundamentals News

Writing Professional E-Mails

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Professional e-mails (those going to a professor or to a prospective employer) are different from personal e-mails or text messages in several ways.

  • Include a descriptive and detailed subject line for the e-mail. See the following examples:
    • Poor: I have a question
    • Better: ENG1101 Homework
    • Best: ENG1101 Homework due 9/12/2013, Problem 3.5
  • Address the person you are e-mailing (e.g., Hello Dr. Smith,).
  • Use full sentences.
  • Use capitals and punctuation.
  • Do not shorten words (i.e., use “you” instead of “u”).
  • Spell check the e-mail.
  • Sign the e-mail.
    • Thank you,
    • Your Name
    • Your Contact Information
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First-Year Engineering Courses (what do I take next)

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The courses in which you enroll during your first 2-3 semesters at Michigan Tech will depend largely upon your initial math placement, and somewhat upon your intended major. For course descriptions, go to the Michigan Tech undergraduate course descriptions.

If you start out in Calculus I (MA1160) or higher,$ your approximate schedule for your first two semesters will be (see your academic advisor for any changes):

Fall 1 (15-17 credits) Spring 1 (15-17 credits)
MA1160 or higher$ – Calculus I (4-5) *
ENG1101 – Engineering Analysis & Problem Solving (3)*
PH1100 – Physics Lab (1)*
CH1150 – Chemistry I (3)**
CH1151 – Chemistry I Lab (1)
UN1015 – Composition (3) (English)		 MA2160 or higher$ – Calculus II (4)
ENG1102 – Engineering Modeling & Design (3)
PH2100 – Physics I (3)
Major Specific Elective (1-4)
UN1025 – Global Issues (3) (Social Studies)

* Learning community scheduled: Groups of 20-24 students are scheduled in the indicated classes.
** Chemistry readiness guidelines
$ Typical Math sequence: MA1160 or MA1161, MA2160, MA3160, (MA2321 and MA3521) or (MA2320, MA3520). NOTE: Electrical Engineering students typically take MA2320/1 and MA3520/1 before MA3160. Computer Engineering degree does not require MA3160.

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First-Year Engineering Learning Center

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Engineering Fundamentals has a First-Year Engineering Learning Center for students taking first-year ENG courses. If you have questions regarding your ENG course you can see your instructor or go to the First-Year Engineering Learning Center.

  • Room: 208 Dillman
  • Sunday – Thursday
  • 7-9pm
  • Staffed with Coaches

Dillman 208 is also open for students to do homework when there is not a class in the room.

If you need help with other classes, there are other learning centers available across campus.

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Important University Dates

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Each semester, Michigan Tech has important dates regarding course schedule changes. These are based on the week of the semester (i.e., Orientation week is Week 0, the first week of classes is Week 1,  etc.). After orientation all first-year students will need their advisor’s signature to drop or add a course. Below is a list of these important dates (Add and Drop refer to adding and dropping a course):

  • Last day to Add (without instructor’s signature): Friday, Week 1
  • Last day to Late Add (with instructor’s signature): Wednesday, Week 2
  • Last day to Drop with a refund: Wednesday, Week 2
  • Last day to Drop with no record: Friday, Week 3
  • Last day to Drop (Withdraw) with a W grade: Friday, Week 10

For a full list of university academic dates go to the following link.

http://www.mtu.edu/registrar/students/calendars/academic/

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Michigan Tech Receives $5 Million from Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation to Reform Middle-School Science Education

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Young children are naturally curious about everything around them. They want to know how and why things work. Then, around middle school age, many of them lose that natural attraction to science and engineering.

A team of university and public school educators in Michigan say they know what’s wrong with middle school science education. And, with a $5 million, three-year grant from the Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation, they intend to develop and test some solutions.

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Jon Sticklen to Chair Engineering Fundamentals

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image108602-rside2Jon Sticklen, the director of Applied Engineering Sciences at Michigan State University, has agreed to serve as chair of the Department of Engineering Fundamentals at Michigan Tech.

Sticklen, an associate professor of computer science and engineering at Michigan State, is also director of MSU’s Center for Engineering Education Research. In that position, he has promoted research on engineering education and curriculum revision. Led by Sticklen, the center has attracted over $8 million in external funding over the last five years, largely from the National Science Foundation.

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2014 Engineering Fundamentals Design Presentations & PACE Contest

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The 2014 Engineering Fundamentals Design Presentations were held on April 23. Over 50 student teams presented their projects in three classrooms; each team consists of three to four students. The eight finalist teams presented to judges from the PACE Partners for the Advancement of Collaborative Engineering Education Competition on April 24.

Photos of the winning teams and finalists are in the Photo Gallery, followed by photos of some of the other fifty teams.

PACE judges selected first place, second place, etc. presentations.

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Design Expo 2014

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The Design Expo highlights hands-on, discovery-based learning at Michigan Tech. More than 600 students in Enterprise and Senior Design teams showcase their work and compete for awards. A panel of judges, made up of corporate representatives and Michigan Tech staff and faculty members, critique the projects. Many of them are sponsored by industry, which allows students to gain valuable experience through competition at the Expo, as well as direct exposure to real industrial problems. The fourteenth annual Expo is a combined effort of the College of Engineering and the Institute for Leadership and Innovation. The event was held in the J. Robert Van Pelt and John and Ruanne Opie Library Third Floor exhibit area on Thursday April 17, 2014.

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Selecting a Major

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If you are still deciding on a major, there are several items you may want to consider.

1. Meet with an academic advisor before you leave for campus for the summer.

– Biomedical Mr. Mike Labeau (344 M&M, malabeau@mtu.edu))
– BSE & Engineering Undecided Ms. Amy Monte & Dr. AJ Hamlin (112C Dillman, efadvise@mtu.edu)
– Civil & Environmental Ms. Julie Ross (103 Dillman, jzross@mtu.edu)
– Chemical Ms. Katie Torrey (202M Chem Sci, cmadvise@mtu.edu)
– Computer Mr. Trever Hassell (131 EERC, tjhassel@mtu.edu)
– Electrical Ms. Judy Donahue (131 EERC, eceadvise@mtu.edu)
– Geological Ms. Kelly McLean (627 DOW, kelly@mtu.edu)
– Materials Dr. Daniel Seguin (U-101 M&M, mseadvise@mtu.edu)
– Mechanical Ms. Danise Jarvey & Mr. Ryan Towles (204AMEEM, dnjarvey@mtu.edu & 205A MEEM, ratowles@mtu.edu)

2. Take an engineering seminar course Fall 2014 to see if a particular major is right for you. The courses that are offered are listed below.

– Biomed BE2100 – Tue 4-5
– Chemical CM1000 – Tue 11-noon
– Civil CE1000 – Mon 2-3
– Environmental ENVE1501 – Tue 2-5
– Geological GE1100 – Wed 4-5 & Sat 9-11
– Sciences and Arts Undecided SA1000 – Tue & Th 10-11
– Career Development Foundations UN2525 – Tue 4-5

3. Meet with Career Services for career guidance, discuss your MyPlan results, or gain career development strategies.

4. Check out the information about different engineering fields at the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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