Insights into S&T Graduate Student Fast Facts and Psyche Venkat Allada Office of Graduate Studies Graduate education is a strategic national asset*. “Graduate students really drive the research enterprise.” (Former UC President Atkinson, Sept. 2010)** * Future of Graduate Education in the US (ETS & CGS report 2010) ** Full report:

CampusFS04FS05FS06FS07FS08FS09FS10 CT Female Male MS Female Male PHD Female Male Campus Total DistanceFS04FS05FS06FS07FS08FS09FS10 CT Female Male *234 MS Female Male PHD Female Male Distance Total Total Enrollment Note: Total enrollment does not include non-degree students.

FS10 Male to Female Ratios FS10 MS Campus Total 663 Female 149 (22%) Distance Total 250 Female 38 (15%) PhD Campus Total 440 Female 107 (24%) Distance Total 35 Female 8 (23%) Updated with FS10 census #s

Campus Students by Level and Program FS2010 (as of Sept 13, 2010) ProgramMSPhDGrand Total Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Aerospace Eng Mechanical Eng Manufacturing Eng 14 Biological Science Applied Biology130 Business and Information Technology MBA 34 IST 57 Chemistry Chemical Engineering Chem Eng Civil Architectural and Environmental Engineering Civil Eng Env Eng140 Computer and Electrical Engineering Comp Eng Elec Eng Computer Science Comp Sci Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Eng Mgt Systems Eng9514

FS2010 cont. 09/13/10 ProgramMSPhDGrand Total Geological Science & Engineering Geol Eng16925 Geol/Geophys Petroleum Eng Materials Science and Engineering Materials Eng Ceramic Eng178 Met Eng6814 Mathematics and Statistics Math12122 Applied Math150 Mining and Nuclear Engineering Mining Eng10 20 Nuclear Eng15621 Explosives Eng606 Physics English and Technical Communication Tech Comm100 Grand Total

Note: Put any program with fewer than 20 MS students in "other." Note: Put any program with few than 10 PHD students in "other."

Note: Countries with less than 4 students were removed from the lists.

Incoming Graduate Student Profile Fall 2010

When They Were Born

A Little About Them… When they were kids… Pac-Man was introduced Cable was born Personal Computers (PC) Introduced by IBM Hole in the Ozone Layer Discovered Mikhail Gorbachev Calls for Glasnost and Perestroika New Coke Hits the Market Wreck of the Titanic Found Challenger Space Shuttle Explodes U.S.S.R. Launches Mir Space Station DNA First Used to Convict Criminals Berlin Wall Falls U.S. President Bush announces that he doesn't like broccoli Sources:

Frequently Asked Questions – Prospective Students Prospective Student FAQ’s are based on the questions we have received from: 18 Webinars in the past year 32 Grad Chat Sessions 24 Chinese Grad Chat Sessions

Top Question Categories Life in Rolla (cost of living, weather, sport facilities, etc.) Funding (how can I get funding?) Admissions Process Job Placement After Graduation What Research Specializations are Available in Various Programs Frequently Asked Questions – Prospective Students (contd.)

Frequently Asked Questions – Current Students Top Question Categories Graduate Forms Thesis/Dissertation Specs Deadlines Transferring credits from another university Reduced enrollment for the final semester

Feedback from S&T Admitted Graduate Students Source of Survey: Enrollment Verification Survey sent by Office of Graduate Studies. Received by: 663 students. Source: Office of Graduate Studies 2010 Enrollment Prediction Report (As of 6/24/2010)

Why They Came

FS10 Chancellor’s Fellows Survey Analysis Funding 11 have.25 FTE funding 34 have.5 FTE funding 14 have another level of funding Why They Came# of Stu Reputation of University36 Reputation of Program32 Funding48 Other17 Their Post-Grad School Plans # of Students Academia 14 Federal Lab 17 Company 39 Pursue PhD 4 Other 4 Of the 64 Surveys Currently Received…

Top Things on Grad Students’ Minds Funding – Multi-year commitment – Tuition fees – Work expectations and evaluation Selection of Thesis/Dissertation advisor Selection of Thesis/Dissertation topic Time-to-degree Perceptions of past students Career opportunities (WIIFM)

Top Things Grad Students’ may need help on How to write a thesis/dissertation? How to acknowledge works of others? Motivation to complete the degree Time management Career choices Present their research succinctly ideas to diverse audience groups Engage in a constructive dialog with advisors without fear (and learn that it’s sometimes okay to disagree w/ other people’s viewpoints)

Typical reasons for advisor-advisee conflicts Implicit or not clearly stated expectations of one or both parties – Research work and time-line – Publications – Office/Lab. Hours – Professional service – Attendance to research meetings Fear that advisor may get mad if work is not delivered on time (which in some cases may lead the student to take short-cuts) Change of plans Authorship issues Personality issues; Work style issues Advisor/student interests not congruent

Thanks for your time and attention.