An Academic Career in Engineering

2020-02-27 272浏览

  • 1.An Academic Career in Engineering Roger T. Howe William E. Ayer Professor of Engineering Dept. of Electrical Engineering Stanford University
  • 2.Outline •  Graduate school in engineering –  What is it like? –  Knowing that, why apply? –  How to get in, how to survive? •  Graduate schools in EE and MEMS •  Life as an engineering professor
  • 3.The M.S. Degree •  The M.S. in engineering is highly sought after by industry and good programs are available at dozens of universities •  The “M” in M.S. means “Master” … and it really means that! M.S.-level recruiting is much more targeted; some companies view the M.S. degree as the de facto entry-level professional degree A co-terminal B.S./M.S. …
  • 4.M.S. Degrees Aren’t Standardized •Stanford:no report or thesis –  Why? 600 or more MSEE students and less than 50 professors! –  Many M.S.-level project courses provide the design experience; degree is highly valued by industry •  Berkeley,MIT:project is typically required –  M.S. is a way station on the way to the Ph.D. for most students, or a consolation prize after failing the Ph.D. qualifying exam –  M.S. isn’t even required for a Ph.D. in EECS at Berkeley
  • 5.Goals of Graduate Education •  Learn more core technical knowledge –  You take fewer, more intensive courses –  You actually learn (a.k.a. “master” the material) •  Learn how to discover new knowledge –  Can this be taught? Not clear! –  The proof that you’vearrived:a Ph.D.* thesis Ph.D. = doctor of philosophy … in EE?
  • 6.Why Ph.D.s are Valued by Industry •  Clear vision into the future and the ability to push the boundaries of technology •  Networked to fellow students and faculty •  Strong technical skills, including a deep knowledge of micro/nanofabrication •  “Proof-tested” in a high-stressenvironment:pre-screening by admission and oral exams –  The Ph.D. in engineering is excellent training for start-up or large company success in the specific field … and increasingly, is viewed by consulting firms and financial institutions in the same way
  • 7.Graduate School •  Can be a very tough time, depending on your research progress, group dynamics, •  Major contrast with medical and lawschool:–  Little in common with otherstudents:don’t take same course sequence, fragmented into research groups •  Can be the “best time of your life” … freedom to explore, no responsibilities, little or no money … but will likely be supported by research/teaching assistantships or fellowships at most schools (in the Ph.D. program)
  • 8.The Gauntlet, Step 1 •  The Ph.D. Oral Screening Exam a.k.a. the qualifying exam (Stanford) or prelim exam (Berkeley) –Stanford:10, one-on-one 10 minute oral exams by 10 different professors in one-day in four technical areas, offered once per year –Berkeley:1, 1 hour oral exam by three professors covering three technical areas offered twice per year •  The “experience” –  Lifetime stress peak (for most) –  Usually get two chances to pass, with second timers having the benefit from input from advisor (if they have one)
  • 9.The Gauntlet, Step 2 •  Thesis Defense (Stanford) –  Taken near filing the thesis as a “shake-down” –  4 professors, 3-5+ hours, first hour is open •  Qualifying Exam (Berkeley) –  Taken after the thesis is underway to verify that the research plan is doable –  3-4 professors, 1.5-3 hours (typically around 2 hrs) •  Failure happens occasionally and a second chance is usually given
  • 10.What is a Ph.D. Thesis? •  The product of “independent investigation under faculty supervision” •  Certified by a committee of professors •  Varies depending on field –  Length 80-450 pages –  Time required varies (experimental vs. theory): my students average around 5.5 years from B.S. to Ph.D.
  • 11.Is a Ph.D. for You? •  Just going to a “terminal point” in academic career … family expectations •  Want to (have to?) teach  Ph.D. is the “union card” for an academic career •  Highly motivated to explore new areas, want to “make your mark” on a field, have “your own agenda” … good signs
  • 12.Are Advisors Important? •  From Carnegie-Mellon’s “How to Survive as a Graduate Student” talk by Brian Noble, et al The three most important factors in your careerare:• Your Advisor • Your Advisor • Your Advisorhttp://www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs/user/bnoble/Web/survival/slides.pdf
  • 13.Selecting an Advisor •  Done at admissions (rarely), usually during the first year or two depending on many factors, some out of your (and the advisor’s) control •  Gathering information –  Visit the school and talk with several faculty AND their graduate students –  Where are their ex-students? –  Do a literaturesearch:read the papers!
  • 14.Selecting an Advisor (Cont.) •  Academicage:Pre-Tenure Plus:energy, enthusiasm, bright ideas, and has time for you Minus:may not make tenure, may move to another school (see my c.v.), may be too involved in your project … can be a real problem, relatively unknown (lacks connections), possibly unstable funding
  • 15.Selecting an Advisor (Cont.) •  Academicage:senior professor Plus:well-known, relatively stable funding, well-connected, has no time to look over your shoulder Minus:less time for you, may manage group through postdocs or senior student (s); often incredibly busy with campus and outside commitments; is he/she burnt out? in good health?
  • 16.Research Group Culture •Organization:–  Ph.D. students as “sub-group leaders” in charge of several M.S. students? –  Check ratio of Ph.D./M.S. students –  Postdocs? Industrial visitors? •  Range ofprojects:narrow or broad •  Fundingsources:industry, government mix – consortium funds?
  • 17.Risk Factors •  Start-up Companies –  Does your advisor have a spin-off company? Does the company have any on-going ties with the university group? How are conflicts of interest handled? –  Will your advisor go on leave to a start-up and leave you neglected or even an orphan? –Note:large groups can cover for a missing faculty member much better •  “Promotion” –  Could your advisor end up Dept. Chair … or Lab Director … or Dean … or the Faculty Director of a Nanofab?
  • 18.Yes, I’ve Co-Founded a Start-Up •  Silicon Clocks, Inc., Fremont, California •  Based on UC Berkeley research on MEMS resonators for timing (i.e., clock) applications •  Founded 2004; funded Feb. 2006 •  Acquired by Silicon Labs, April 2010 In Dec. 2009, I became Faculty Director of the SNF, an anchor node of the NNIN, and have spent many, many hours working to improve its performance. I will serve until 2014 and have reduced the size of my research group to accommodate the time commitment.
  • 19.The Stanford Nanofabrication Facility •  10,500 ft2 of class 100 cleanroom space with separate floors for fan deck and support equipment. •  100, 150, and 200 mm wafer processing •  250 active users in any given month. 175 Stanford academic users 25 non-Stanford academic users 50 industrial users. •  industrial users are primarily from small, local startups, but also several large companies (Intel, HP, IBM, Applied Materials, Bosch, and others).
  • 20.SNF Milestones 1965 Integrated Circuits Lab is established in the McCullough Building. 1985 IC Lab moves to the newly completed CIS building (now the Paul G. Allen Building). 1994 Stanford is a founding member and co-prime institution (with Cornell) of the five university cooperative National Nanofabrication Users Network (NNUN). 2004 Stanford is a founding member and co-prime institution (with Cornell) of the 14-university cooperative National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network (NNIN). 2010 The Stanford Nano Center opens with characterization tools and nanopatterning labs facilities complementary to SNF. 2010 Stanford is awarded a National Science Foundation ARI-R2 grant for renovation and expansion of the SNF during 2010 - 2013.
  • 21.My Experience •  B.S. physics from Harvey Mudd College •  Appliedto:Berkeley, Stanford, UCLA, USC … for a M.S. degree in communication theory with intention to work for Hewlett-Packard (I interned there) •  Chose Berkeley over Stanford by calling “Mudders” who’d gone to each school; offered a one-year fellowship •  TA’ed a lab class (electronics for non-majors … E40) and found out I loved teaching •  Discovered that the professor I wanted to work with had terminal cancer, took a class from Richard S. Muller in device physics, was invited into his group •  Changed my mind about the Ph.D. and switched into solid-state devices and decided to go for prelim exam … and passed!
  • 22.My Academic Geneology –  Richard S. Muller, Ph.D., Caltech 1962 Professor, UC Berkeley 1962 - –  R. David Middlebrook, Ph.D. Stanford 1955 Professor, Caltech, 1960 - –  Joseph M. Pettit, Ph.D., Stanford 1942 (Dean of Engineering, Stanford, 1958-1972, President of Georgia Tech, 1972-1986) –  Frederick E. Terman, Ph.D., MIT 1920 (Dean of Engineering, Stanford, 1944-1958) –  Vannevar Bush, Ph.D., MIT 1916 (Chairman, NACA 1939-1941, Director, OSRD, 1941-1945, helped establish the U.S. National Science Foundation) –  Arthur E. Kennelly, Chief Electrical Asst., Edison Lab, Menlo Park, NJ, 1887-94 (no Ph.D.) later Professor at Harvard and MIT –  Thomas A. Edison (1847-1931) … no degree!
  • 23.Richard S. Muller Ph.D. (Caltech, 1962) •  Born in New Jersey and educated in New Jersey and California –  Mechanical Engineer (Stevens Institute of Technology, 1955) –  M.S. in Electrical Engineering (Caltech, 1957) –  Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering (Caltech, 1962) •  Professor at the University of California at Berkeley (1962 - ) •  Co-wrote Device Electronics for Integrated Circuits with Ted Kamins of HP Labs •  Co-founded BSAC with Prof. White and helped found the MEMS field •  Received manyawards:UC Berkeley Citation (1994), IEEE Cledo Brunetti Award with Roger Howe (1998), IEEE Millennium Medal (2000), NAE, Life Fellow of IEEE, IEEE/ASME Journal of MEMS Editor in Chief, …
  • 24.Outline •  Graduate school in engineering –  What is it like? –  Knowing that, why apply? –  How to get in, how to survive? •  Graduate schools in EE and MEMS •  Life as an engineering professor
  • 25.Where to Go? •  The graduate schoolrankings:a first cut with the usual qualifications •  Narrowing down yourlist:–  Your specific interests –  Geography and connections to specific industry (e.g., the Ohio EE grad schools (e.g., Case, OSU, Cincinnati) and their strong ties to Midwest high-tech industry) •  Going international –  Many grad programs are now in English in Asia and Europe and they’re looking for Americans* … but can’t get them * Definted as “graduates of U.S. schools”
  • 26.“Ivys” 2007 US News Graduate Schools of Engineering rankings !
  • 27.2006 Ranking of World Universities*! World Rank Institution Region Regional Rank Country National Score on Score on Score on Score on Score on Score on Rank Alumni Award HiCi N&S SCI Size Total Score 1 Harvard Univ Americas 1 USA 1 2 Univ Cambridge Europe 1 UK 1 3 Stanford Univ Americas 2 USA 2 4 Univ California - Berkeley Americas 3 USA 3 5 Massachusetts Inst Tech (MIT) Americas 4 USA 4 6 California Inst Tech Americas 5 USA 5 7 Columbia Univ Americas 6 USA 6 8 Princeton Univ Americas 7 USA 7 8 Univ Chicago Americas 7 USA 7 10 Univ Oxford Europe 2 UK 2 11 Yale Univ Americas 9 USA 9 12 Cornell Univ Americas 10 USA 10 13 Univ California - San Diego Americas 11 USA 11 14 Univ California - Los Angeles Americas 12 USA 12 15 Univ Pennsylvania Americas 13 USA 13 16 Univ Wisconsin - Madison Americas 14 USA 14 17 Univ Washington - Seattle Americas 15 USA 15 18 Univ California - San Francisco Americas 16 USA 16 19 Tokyo Univ Asia/Pac 1 Japan 1 20 Johns Hopkins Univ Americas 17 USA 17 21 Univ Michigan - Ann Arbor Americas 18 USA 18 22 Kyoto Univ Asia/Pac 2 Japan 2 23 Imperial Coll London Europe 3 UK 3 24 Univ Toronto Americas 19 Canada 1 25 Univ Illinois - Urbana Champaign Americas 20 USA 19 100 100 100 100 100 73.6 100 96.3 91.5 53.8 59.5 67.1 66.5 72.6 39.7 70.7 88.4 70 71.4 65.3 72.5 70.6 74.5 70.5 72.2 71.9 53.1 72.1 72.9 80.6 66.6 66.4 62.2 53.6 69.7 57.1 69.1 59.1 64.5 50.1 100 66 78.2 59.4 56 53.6 69.8 45.8 61.8 61.1 75.3 59.6 43.5 47.3 58 58.6 72.9 80.2 49.9 43.7 54.1 41.8 58.6 62 57.9 48 54.3 66 46 57.6 50.3 43.6 59.1 56.6 63 49.3 55.9 44.9 51.3 56 48.4 65.2 40.1 54.1 17.1 34 59.6 54.8 65.6 47.1 50.5 26.4 32.1 57.6 47.5 77.3 34.9 50.4 34.2 34.4 57 41.7 73.6 40 50.1 41.5 35.5 53.3 45.1 68.3 29.3 48.8 27.7 31.8 53.3 47.6 75.5 27.8 48.5 0 36.8 55.5 54.8 61.1 48.2 47.7 34.8 14.1 41.4 51.5 85.5 35.2 46.7 49.5 27.8 40.7 52.2 68.8 25.3 46.6 41.5 0 61.5 41.6 76.9 31.2 44.5 38.3 33.4 36.9 36.2 72.4 31.7 43.9 20.1 37.4 40 39.7 64.2 40.2 43.4 27.1 19.3 38.5 36.5 78.3 44.8 42.8 40.1 36.6 45.5 33.6 57.7 26.3 42.5 * Compiled by Shanghai Jiao Tong University !
  • 28.2006 Ranking of World Engineering Schools*! World ARWU Rank in 2006 ENG 1 2 3 3 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 22 24 25 Rank 5 3 25 21 4 42 102-150 39 13 73 35 47 37 56 12 2 76 6 24 33 16 102-150 17 8 22 Institution* Massachusetts Inst Tech (MIT) Stanford Univ Univ Illinois - Urbana Champaign Univ Michigan - Ann Arbor Univ California - Berkeley Pennsylvania State Univ - Univ Park Georgia Inst Tech Univ Texas - Austin Univ California - San Diego Purdue Univ - West Lafayette Univ California - Santa Barbara Univ Southern California Univ Maryland - Coll Park Carnegie Mellon Univ Cornell Univ Univ Cambridge Tohoku Univ California Inst Tech Univ Toronto Northwestern Univ Univ Wisconsin - Madison North Carolina State Univ - Raleigh Univ Washington - Seattle Princeton Univ Kyoto Univ Score on Score on Score on Score on Total Country Fund HiCi PUB TOP Score USA 100 100 71 USA 78 98 58 USA 91 68 66 USA 87 64 61 USA 74 71 69 USA 74 71 63 USA 97 29 73 USA 68 76 60 USA 80 67 52 USA 95 48 59 USA 53 82 47 USA 83 58 46 USA 78 58 57 USA 76 55 56 USA 72 58 47 UK 53 61 Japan 48 76 USA 43 75 46 Canada 55 60 62 USA 51 68 44 USA 69 51 52 USA 63 53 50 USA 61 55 48 USA 49 65 41 Japan 36 74 91 100 90 89.6 82 84.9 95 84.9 86 83.2 84 80.8 91 80.4 86 80 83 78 79 77.9 97 76.9 87 75.4 78 75.1 83 74.3 92 74.2 85 73.2 74 73.1 96 71.8 82 71.6 95 71.2 81 70 86 69.4 87 69.4 95 69.2 77 69 * Compiled by Shanghai Jiao Tong University !
  • 29.A Few Top EE Grad Schools (US) 1.  MIT 2.  Stanford 3.  UC Berkeley 4.  Illinois 5.  Michigan 6.  Georgia Tech 7.  Caltech 8.  Cornell 9.  UT Austin 10.  Carnegie Mellon 11.  Purdue USN&WR EE Grad School Rankings For MEMS, strength in Mechancial Engineering, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, and Bioengineering are also very important There are at least another 12 U.S. schools where you could earn a Ph.D. in MEMS and have your initial career trajectory more or less the same …
  • 30.Beyond the Rankings •  The Ivys –  Harvard (big push in engineering), Princeton, Penn, Columbia, Yale, Duke … especially for an academic career but industry has heard of these schools, too •  Look at the up-and-coming campuses in the top state universitysystems:–  UT Dallas and UTArlington:pushing nano –  UC San Diego, Santa Barbara, Irvine, and Santa Cruz –  University ofFlorida:new fab early 2008 •  Look at schools in high-tech areas with strong industry ties –  Arizona State in Tempe (Phoenix) –  Univ. of Washington
  • 31.How Can You Distinguish Yourself? 1.  Your undergrad degree … and work experience 2.  US undergrad education and background (even without residency or citizenship) is a major plus 3.  Internships, undergrad research opportunities •  National labs, research universities, companies •  Letters from these places are important! 4.Projects:these lead to content-rich letters of recommendation, which are critically important 5.  Familybackground:engineering? farming? college/university education? 6.  Workexperience:1-2 years after B.S. is not unusual for engineering applicants
  • 32.Outline •  Graduate school in engineering –  What is it like? –  Knowing that, why apply? –  How to get in, how to survive? •  Graduate schools in EE and MEMS •  Life as an engineering professor
  • 33.To Be an Engineering Professor •  Gettinghired:the postdoc (or industrial equivalent) as a preliminary step is becoming a the norm in the MEMS/nano fields •  The tenuretrack:(slightly) less stressful in engineering vs. sciences; depends on the schol •  Fundraising:more challenging since early 2000’s –  NSF engineering research budget is 1/3 of what it was when I started at CMU in 1985 (real dollars) –  DoDfunding:'>funding: