TU Mechanical Engineering Alumni Survey

The Mechanical Engineering faculty at The University of Tulsa request that you take a few moments to fill out this survey. This survey is being performed in part to fulfill the requirements of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), in preparation for the ABET's next visit to TU. Among other things, ABET requires TU to assess the effectiveness of its engineering programs. This survey is one way for us to accomplish that goal.

We realize that (a) this survey is long and (b) your time is valuable! But we also know that (c) the ABET evaluators are thorough, and (d) as a TU ME alum, no one is in a better position than you to evaluate us. So, please take a deep breath, and let us know what you think!

Thank you very much for participating in this survey. It is always good to hear from old friends!

First Name

Middle Initial

Last Name

Permanant address

 
 

Phone (xxx-xxx-xxxx)

e-mail

URL for personal Homepage

TU Graduation date (BSME)

 

Employer

 

Job Title

 

Address

 
   
 

phone

 

fax

 

e-mail

 

URL for Employer Homepage

2. Have you attended graduate school? If yes, please indicate which school(s), areas of study, and degree sought or obtained (if any).

University

Area(s) of Study

Degree(s) Obtained

 
 

 

 

3. Check one of the following in regards to the EIT (FE) exam.

4. Check one or more of the following in regards to the PE exam.

5.What are your favorite memories about your experiences as a mechanical engineering major at TU?

 

6. Can you think of any subjects we should add or emphasize more in our curriculum? Please name them.

 


7. Mathematics and basic science

(a) To what extent do you rely, in your current position, on a knowledge of mathematics and/or basic science?

no reliance on math, basic science

     

heavy reliance on math, basic science

 

(b) How well did your TU ME education prepare you in the area of mathematics and basic science?

poorly

     

extremely well

 

(c) Which of the following should we do to improve education in the area of math and basic science? Also, please select the item you feel is most important.

8. Experimentation and analysis

(a) In your current position, do you design and/or conduct experiments (tests, studies, prove-outs...)?

no, never

     

yes, very often

 

(b) How well did your TU ME education prepare you to design and conduct experiments?

poorly

     

extremely well

 

(c) Which of the following should we do to improve education in the area of designing and conducting experiments? Also, please select the item you feel is most important.

Most Important

Item

Recommend AGAINST

     

Recommend FOR

Require more lab as opposed to lecture courses

Require students to perform experiments of their own design

Other - Please add your suggestions to improve education in the area of designing and conducting experiments.
 

(d) In your current position, do you analyze and interpret data?

no, never

     

yes, very often

 

(e) How well did your TU ME education prepare you to analyze and interpret data?

poorly

     

extremely well

 

(f) Which of the following should we do to improve education in the area of analyzing and interpreting data? Also, please select the item you feel is most important.

Most Important

Item

Recommend AGAINST

     

Recommend FOR

Increase emphasis on these areas in engineering courses

Require/emphasize use of appropriate analysis software

Other - Please add your suggestions to improve education in the area of analyzing and interpreting data.

9. Design

(a) In your current position, do you design systems components, or processes?

no, never

     

yes, very often

 

(b) How well did your TU ME education prepare you for design work?

poorly

     

extremely well

(c) Which of the following should we do to improve education in the area of design? Also, please select the item you feel is most important.

Most Important

Item

Recommend AGAINST

     

Recommend FOR

Include more open-ended design projects early in the curriculum

Increase the interdisciplinary nature of our design projects

Other - Please add your suggestions to improve education in the area of design.

10. General problem solving skills

(a) How well did your TU ME education develop your engineering problem solving skills?

poorly

     

extremely well

 

 

(b) Which of the following should we do to improve our students' engineering problem solving skills? Also, please select the item you feel is most important.

Most Important

Item

Recommend AGAINST

     

Recommend FOR

Include more open-ended problems throughout the curriculum

Provide more problem-solving feedback to students - not just grades

Other - Please add your suggestions to improve our students' engineering problem solving skills.

11. Professional and ethical responsibilities

(a) When you finished your TU ME education, to what extent did you have an understanding of the professional and ethical responsibilities of an engineer?

poor understanding

     

excellent understanding

 

(b) Which of the following should we do to improve education in the area of professional and ethical responsibilities? Also, please select the item you feel is most important.

Most Important

Item

Recommend AGAINST

     

Recommend FOR

Include more discussion and/or assignments on ethics and professionalism

Cover case studies related to ethics and professionalism

Other - Please add your suggestions to improve education in the area of professional and ethical responsibilities.

12. Multi-disciplinary teams

(a) In your current position, do you work as part of multi-disciplinary teams?

no, never

     

yes, very often

 

(b) How well did your TU ME education prepare you for multi-disciplinary teamwork?

poorly

     

extremely well

(c) Which of the following should we do to improve education in the area of multi-disciplinary teamwork? Also, please select the item you feel is most important.

Most Important

Item

Recommend AGAINST

     

Recommend FOR

Include more team projects especially for freshmen and sophomores

Collaborate better with industry, including teaming with industry on student projects

Do a better job teaching basic project management skills

Other - Please add your suggestions to improve education in the area of multi-disciplinary teamwork.

13. Communication

How well did your TU ME education improve your communication skills in the following areas?

(a) Writing

poorly

     

extremely well

(b) Speaking

poorly

     

extremely well

(c) Graphical

poorly

     

extremely well

 

(d) Which of the following should we do to improve education in the area of communication? Also, please select the item you feel is most important.

Most Important

Item

Recommend AGAINST

     

Recommend FOR

Include more writing assignments, especially in engineering courses

Require more oral presentations, especially for freshmen and sophomores

Teach a high-level CAD language to freshmen

Require the use of CAD throughout the technical curriculum

Other - Please add your suggestions to improve education in the area of in the area of communication.
 

14. Engineering and society

(a) How well did your TU ME education foster your awareness and understanding of the global/societal impact of engineering solutions to problems?

poorly

     

extremely well

 

(b) Which of the following should we do to improve education in the area of the global and societal impact of engineering? Also, please select the item you feel is most important.

Most Important

Item

Recommend AGAINST

     

Recommend FOR

Include more discussion throughout the curriculum of relevant problems in these areas

Require a separate course dealing specifically with these areas

Other - Please add your suggestions to improve education in the area of the global and societal impact of engineering.

15. Life-long learning

(a) Do you feel you have done a good job keeping your education current and up to date?

no

     

yes

 

(b) Which of the following life-long learning activities have you taken advantage of?

(c) To what extent did your TU ME education foster your recognition of the need for and improve your ability to engage in life-long learning?

very little if any

     

helped a great deal

 

(d) Which of the following should we do to improve the extent to which we (1) foster in our students a recognition of the need for and (2) improve their ability to engage in life-long learning? Also, please select the item you feel is most important.

Most Important

Item

Recommend AGAINST

     

Recommend FOR

Formal discussion of opportunities and need for life-long learning

Case studies and statistics related to life-long learning

 Other - Please add your suggestions to improve the extent to which we (1) foster in our students a recognition of the need for and (2) improve their ability to engage in life-long learning.

16. Contemporary issues

(a) How well did your TU ME education improve your knowledge of the contemporary issues of the day (both technical and non-technical issues related to politics, the environment, etc.)?

poorly

     

extremely well

 

(b) Which of the following should we do to improve education in the area of knowledge of contemporary issues? Also, please select the item you feel is most important.

Most Important

Item

Recommend AGAINST

     

Recommend FOR

Include more discussion throughout the curriculum of relevant problems in these areas

Require a separate course dealing specifically with these areas

 Other - Please add your suggestions to improve education in the area of knowledge of contemporary issues.

17. Computer Skills

(a-b) How would you rate the CURRENTLY AVAILABLE computing and information resources at TU?

In the TU Mechanical Engineering Dept.

Don't Know

poor

     

excellent

Campus-wide at TU

Don't Know

poor

     

excellent

(c) Which programming languages did you receive instruction in while an undergraduate ME student at TU? (please list)

 

(d) Which programming language(s) should be a required part of the TU ME undergraduate curriculum?

Visual Basic

FORTRAN

C++

Visual C++

Other

None

 

18. Compare your engineering skills to those of others

(a-b) How would you rate your ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice? Rate your skills relative to others of the same experience level!

(a) At time of graduation with TU BSME

poor skills

     

excellent skills

 

(b) At the present time ( years of engineering experience)

poor skills

     

excellent skills

 

THANK YOU very much for your help!


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If you have any questions, please contact:

Carolyn Layne

Department of Mechanical Engineering

The University of Tulsa

600 S. College Ave.

Tulsa, OK 74104

918-631-2521

918-631-2397 (fax)

carolyn-layne@utulsa.edu