‘Broader Impact’ through Mentoring

1. Lily M. Wang, PhD, PE, FASA Architectural Engineering Program University of Nebraska – Lincoln May 26, 2009 ‘Broader Impact’ throughMentoring

2. NSF ‘Broader Impacts’ Criteria • How well does the activity advance discovery and understanding while promoting teaching, training, and learning? • How well does the proposed activity broaden the participationof underrepresented groups (e.g., gender, ethnicity, disability, geographic, etc.)? • To what extent will it enhance theinfrastructurefor research and education, such as facilities, instrumentation, networks, and partnerships? Will the results bedisseminatedbroadly to enhance scientific and technological understanding? What may be the benefits of the proposed activity to society?

3. NSF ‘Broader Impacts’ Criteria • One of the principal strategies in support of NSF's goals is to foster integration of research and educationthrough the programs, projects and activities it supports at academic and research institutions. • These institutions provide abundant opportunities where individuals may concurrently assume responsibilities as researchers, educators, and students, and where all can engage in joint efforts that infuse education with the excitement of discovery and enrich research through the diversity of learning perspectives.

4. Brainstorming Moment • Do you buy into it? Do you see the need? • Will you take as much pride in the ‘broader impact’ of your work as you do for its ‘intellectual merit’? • Ideas for Broader Impact Activities?

5. Lily’s CAREER Proposal “To reach my educational objective of building a thriving undergraduate and graduate program in architectural acoustics, I plan to focus on the following goals: 1. Teaching architectural acoustics at a significant level of technical depth to undergraduate students receiving the BS/MAE degrees 2. Integrating current research, both methods and results, into senior and graduate level design courses 3. Inspiring graduate students to become skilled educators and ambassadors of architectural acoustics 4. Participating in or all-girl schools by outreach with teachers and students from local public schools having them aid in making acoustic measurements from real spaces (i.e. their classrooms or auditorium) for research purposes “ A large part of my success has been due to mentoring activities

6. Students Mentored – PhD • Erica Bowden Ryherd (2001-2006) • Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Tech • INCE Martin Hirschorn Award • ASHRAE Graduate Grant-in-Aid • ASA Student Paper Award in Architectural Acoustics • Started 1st ASA Student Chapter at Univ. of Nebraska • ASA Hunt Postdoctoral Research Fellowship • ASA Committees: Regional Chapters • David Bradley (2001-2006) • Assistant Professor of Physics, Vassar College • ASA Graduate Fellowship for Minorities • Ford Foundation Pre-doctoral Fellowship • ASA Student Paper Award in Architectural Acoustics • ASA National Student Council President • ASA Committees: Education in Acoustics, Diversity in Acoustics

7. Students Mentored – PhD • Jonathan Rathsam (2003-2008) • NSF IRFP Postdoctoral Fellow at Ben-Gurion University, Israel • INCE Martin Hirschorn Award • ASA Student Paper Award in Architectural Acoustics • Michelle Vigeant (2003-2008) • Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Univ. of Hartford • ASHRAE Graduate Grant-in-Aid • NSERC Graduate Research Fellow • ASA Student Paper Award in Architectural Acoustics • ASA Committees: International Research and Education

8. Students Mentored – MS and MAE • 13 MS and MAE (2005-present) • Fulbright Scholar to Sweden • PhD student in Mechanical Engineering, Texas A&M Univ. • ASA Graduate Fellowship for Minorities • 100% job placement

9. Students Mentored – Undergraduates • 21 undergraduate research assistants • 15 supported by UNL UCARE Program • Additional support from other grants (NSF REU Supplement)

10. What are mentors? • Advisers, who have career experience and are willing to share their knowledge • Supporters, who give emotional and moral encouragement • Tutors, who give specific feedback on one's performance • Masters, who serve as "employers" to graduate student "apprentices" • Sponsors, who are sources of information and opportunities • Models of identity, who serve as academic role models From (Zelditch, 1990) in “How to Mentor Graduate Students” http://www.unl.edu/gradstudies/facstaff/mentoring/index.shtml

11. “Embrace the Basics of Good Mentoring” • Engage students in ongoing conversations • Demystify graduate school for students • Provide constructive and supportive feedback • Provide encouragement • Foster networks and multiple mentors • Look out for students' interests • Treat students with respect • Provide a personal touch http://www.unl.edu/gradstudies/facstaff/mentoring/needs/basics.shtml

12. Individual Student Advising • Meet individually once every two weeks • 1 hr for MS/PhD • ½ hr for BS/MAE • Alternate meeting times with another student • Schedule on days when most other teaching/service activities are planned • Guidelines for research assistants + mentoring forms • Student must bring agenda to each meeting • Helps their organizational skills • Helps me to keep track

13. Nebraska Acoustics Group (NAG) • Currently 13 members, with PhD, MS, MAE and BS students (3 UCARE students) • Meet every two weeks to share information on acoustics

14. Nebraska Acoustics Group (NAG) • NAG benefits • Acoustics family and identity • Undergrads see what grad students are doing • Grad students have opportunities to mentor undergrads • Quickly disseminate acoustics-related info • Upcoming conference and student group activities • Discuss acoustics in community • Review resources (Interlibrary Loan, how to become PE, new equipment, research interests) • Research projects • Web identity … helps to maintain link with alumni • www.ae.unl.edu/acoustics • Facebook group • Picasa photo page

15. Nebraska Acoustics Group (NAG) • Social events • Winter Party • End-of-the-Year Party with certificates of achievement • NAG Game Night at ASA meetings • NAG swag • Letter opener • Pens • Clappers • Keychain

16. Identify/Create Opportunities • UNL opportunities • Grant Writing Workshop • “Preparing Future Faculty” program • Grad Studies Office resources • Funding/Scholarship opportunities • UNL, College of Engineering • Professional societies (ASA, ASHRAE, INCE) • Other organizations (NSF, Ford, AAUW, etc.)

17. Identify/Create Opportunities • Teaching opportunities • GTA… visit their class to give feedback • AE 9300 “Current Topics in Architectural Acoustics” • Students lead class on recent journal article for three sessions (lecture, study guide, quiz) • Peer review and instructor review • Grant-writing assignment, peer-reviewed article assignment

18. Identify/Create Opportunities • Research opportunities • Boystown National Research Hospital (1 PhD student, Layman Award) • National Research Council of Canada (1 PhD student) • Boston University (1 PhD student) • International opportunities • International research collaborations • Technical University of Denmark (2 PhD students) • RWTH Institute of Acoustics, Aachen, Germany (NSF IREE Supplement) (1 PhD student) • International conferences • Joint ASA conferences: Paris (2008); Hawaii (2005); Cancun (2001) • International Congress on Acoustics: Japan (2004); Spain (2007)

19. Identify/Create Opportunities • Professional contact opportunities • Boystown National Research Hospital Weekly Journal Group • Roundtable with Industry at Acentech (Boston) – Spring Break 2004 and 2007 • Industry mentors for certain classes (e.g. Sp. Topics: Acoustic Design Competition) • Host distinguished speakers lunch with students… in 2008-09: • Dr. Jim West, Johns Hopkins University • Doug Sturz, Acentech (Boston) • Elliott Berger, E-A-R Institute (Indiana)

20. Identify/Create Opportunities • Service opportunities • Consulting on community projects • Involve students in “Central Acoustics” consulting work • Professional Society service • ASA national student councils (2 presidents out of ~8 total) • Attendance at Technical Committee meetings • Involvement with other standing committees • Encourage your professional societies to give breaks to students and early career • Free registration for students • Reduced registration for early career

21. More on Professional Conferences and Publishing • Professional Conferences • Have students present at professional conferences • Set up practice session to go over presentation (1 hr practice for 15 minute presentation) … invite other students • Give helpful hints (memorize first few slides, give axes labels, 1 slide per minute) • Let them answer the questions at the conference! • Introduce them to network at professional conferences • Publishing • Lily’s minimum guidelines to students: MS = one paper; PhD = two additional • Lily = first author on 1st peer-reviewed paper on research • Student = first author on all subsequent peer-reviewed papers on research

22. Costs of Mentoring • Extra Time • Scheduling meetings each semester • Organizing NAG agendas, social events, swag, certificates • Upkeep of websites+ • Multiple recommendation letters • Helps to be a very organized person… • Extra Money • End-of-the-Year Party ($300) • NAG Game Night ($100) • Assorted meals with distinguished speakers • Set a budget... • But be generous … mentoring is very rewarding and definitely worth it!

23. Measures of Success + Reward • 3 out of 4 PhD graduates have academic positions • All 4 were at last week’s ASA meeting • Presenting their own research • Had their own students presenting research • Chairing special sessions • On committees planning future technical activities • Industry colleague complimented me on quality of our graduates: “You have really put Nebraska on the (Architectural Acoustics) map internationally!”

24. Questions? Discussion? Thanks for listening! Feel free to contact me with questions. Lily M. Wang, PhD, PE, FASA Architectural Engineering Program Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction University of Nebraska – Lincoln Email: LWang4@UNL.edu