Faculty of Engineering

Report for VC’s STRATEGIC PLANNING RETREAT

AUGUST 2009© August 2009, Faculty of Engineering

Mission: To be the provider of a world class quality education in Engineering, Geoinformatics and Geosciences and Research and Development programmes in support of Caribbean business, industry and infrastructure, with its graduates, staff and facilities being at the forefront, propelling growth, development and innovation in the Region.

1. Priority Areas and Objectives

1. Curriculum and Pedagogical Reform (CPR) at all levels, i.e., UG as well as PG.

2. Effective Research and Innovation processes

3. Support Systemsa. Well defined, efficient and effective support

and enabling processesb. Infrastructure that supports educational thrustc. Environment that provokes creative thought

2. Actions 2K8

1. CPR Strategy completed in 3 Departments at UG & PG. Execution started. Completion by end 2009.

2. Faculty regulations overhauled. 3. All UG programmes in Surveying & Land Information re-

engineered.4. Progress at different rates, wide variations in objectives .

Use the Flying Geese approach5. R&I : Strategy completed. Some stakeholder

engagement – positive. Faculty presentation on 11/09/08

6. Graduate School: CPR strategies in 1 Department – proposed. Review required

2. Actions 2K8

7. R&I : Strategy completed. Some stakeholder engagement – positive. Faculty presentation on 11/09/08

8. Graduate School: CPR strategies in 1 Department – proposed. Review required.

9. Moving to establish a Caribbean-based Accreditation system with assistance from IEEE

CPR (T&L, GSR):STAFF

Staff on Courses/workshops on T&L = 28

COURSES/PROGRAMMES:Eliminated = 5New/market responsive = 10Inter-campus course accessibility = 0*Cross campus collaboration = 4*With online/elearning component = 58With OC = 1*

3. Actions 2K9

3. Actions 2K9

Significant CPR Highlights:1. UG Seminars: scholarly research, report writing, time

management and delivery of professional oral presentations to support project work

2. Orientation to Learning workshop, Mathematics Level 1 Support Programme

3. DECE Math syllabus redesigned - more closely reflect DECE & IET requirements & previously identified deficiencies. Courses removed, courses added. HR Requirements

4. Engineering practice overhauled to relate more with industrial practice: protocol, industry standards, codes of practice, IP control, planning & design, team dynamics,

3. Actions 2K9

Significant CPR Highlights:5. Faculty-wide transition to LO centric course structures6. Foundation Programme in Engineering* geared for those

deficient in qualifications for entry. 1. Mathematics (core), Technical Drawing and Communication

Skills. 2. Self-contained vocational training component for a Caribbean

Vocational Qualification (CVQ) certificate award at Level 1 at least. This component aims at lifting the technical competence of candidates for acceptability into the core engineering programme and uses the vocational component to facilitate academic learning through practical application.

3. Dual certification

3. Actions 2K9

Significant CPR Highlights:7. Caribbean Accreditation Council for Engineering &

Technology (CACET) 1. Draft Charter and Operations Manual completed2. Accreditation Manual and The Financial Manual in process3. November 2009 launch with a training session for the CACET

Accreditors. 4. CACET on CARICOM agenda for formal acceptance as for

CAAMS –HP

8. !! BSc Petroleum Geoscience reaccredited to 20169. Engineering Expansion to Mona campus through the

Department of Physics

3. Actions 2K9

Towards the ideal grad…1. Critical thinker: dedicated modules in CHNG 1008, ENGR

1001 and ECNG 10122. Problem solving: embedded. Poster presentations ,

redesigned lab & proj design suite3. Comm Skills: Specialised courses, communication “across

the curriculum”4. Knowledgeable & informed: Student chapters/IEEE & STLE,

new tutor/tutee structure in DECE, sponsored int’l seminars for UG & PG*

5. Competence: continuous accreditation, math curriculum overhaul (staff allocations needed!!!)

3. Actions 2K9

Towards the ideal grad…1. Leadership: team activity (Belbin test to assign roles), CSL2. IT skills: always embedded. Some Depts need to improve a

bit3. Socially and culturally responsive: Engineering Practice

Stream/DECE, FoE backed CSL4. Ethics: module in Y1 course, Engineering Practice Stream,

strict adherence to plagiarism/collusion rules5. Innovative/entrepreneurial: FoE Mission statement, DECE

Engineering Practice Stream, modules in selected crses6. Lifelong, self-motivated, self-directed learners: Group &

individual projects, Online student centre (DECE)

3. Actions 2K9

1. UG Enrolment Target:400 intake, no increase due to limited academic staff and lab resources.

2. Taught Master’s programme intake (enrolment) for 2008/2009: = 253 (636)

3. Projected programme intake for 2009/2010: ≈ 253 +30 = 283

4. Research methodology adopted by all depts5. Int’l collaborations re PG supervision6. 7 research grants*

3. Actions 2K9

2007 2008 2009 (proj)

MPhil programme intake 13 14(33) 15

PhD programme intake (enrolment) 3 5 (17) 6

7. PG Intake

8. International research collaboration with McGill University, Trinity College/Dublin, University of Calgary, Lund Universitet

3. Actions 2K9

Cross campus or Int’l University Research Collaboration

1. Transport Mechanism & Thermodynamics in biofilms2. Sediment Transport in rivers/ McGill University3. School of Architecture at MIT: development of new building

blocks for home construction.4. Trinity College: Semantic Presentation and Access for Cricket5. Spectrum Sensing in Cognitive Radio Networks6. Developing a Contemporary Casebook for the Teaching of

Industrial Engineering (City University of Hong Kong)7. Brain/Computer Interface research and laboratory development

4. Outstanding issues of note

1. Clustering for an effective research portfolio:Research cluster development across the Faculty still grossly

premature … stymied by the traditional academic paradigm where everyone seeks to explore his/her own interest.

DO Have clusters (¿units/centres?) at FoE level (Eng. Institute (e.g. Steelpan Dev Centre), and at Department level.

HOWEVER, overall R&D output remains low and little collaborative effort across the FoE.

4. Outstanding issues of note

2. Increasing calls for 4-Year UG – e.g. comments from Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering QA review. NB: Step 1 in providing a good basis for FoE research portfolio & PG is strengthening the UG programmes.

3. A&P policy for FoE – penultimate stage at staff meeting of August 25th.to determine and agree upon the Faculty role model a la Arreola.

5. Activities and achievements of note

Broadening student experience:The FoE has been actively supporting UG & PG student participation in international conferences and symposia.

E.g. Year 3 DECE student Purdy Mohammed, won the 2009 Clayton Griffin Student paper award sponsored by the Georgia Power Company. Presented her paper, a summary of her final year project work, at the 2009 Georgia Tech Protective Relaying Conference .

STAN April 2009

5. Activities and achievements of note

Community Service Learning experience:1. Online Tutorials - St. Mary’s Home2. Installation of an Intercom System - Curepe Presbyterian School3. Promoting Eco-Tourism in the Valencia Area Through Web-Based

Technology4. Web Based Skills Database Application: Skill Joy – Penal5. Replacement of Lighting System - Arunodai Presbyterian Church,

Couva6. Lights of Hope – St. Dominic’s Children Home7. Installation of an Emergency Light Backup System at the St.

Vincent DePaul Home for the Aged.8. The SMS Based Community Messaging System - Chaguanas

5. Activities and achievements of note

“It was one of my proudest moments in life thus far..."

Mr. Yohan Seepersad – Year 2 student and former representative for Trinidad and Tobago at the Mathematics Olympiad in Mexico and Viet Nam:

5. Activities and achievements of note

Internal CSL: FoE employed‘09 graduates Jayanatee Ramkissoon and Avinash Gookool to conduct acoustic tests and speaker placement studies on the Engineering Auditorium

5. Activities and achievements of note

PHI: Working with the Community Security Programme of Min of National Security – working with youth in high risk areas of TnT

One PHI plays bass on the road at the St James We Beat Festival 2009

Project status: written GORTT for commercialization capital. Shareholdings with UWI, GORTT upcoming

“Like a bolt of lightning …rocket man from the Caribbean” Edwin “Crazy” Ayoung, 2009