Categories
Awards

Lyle School of Engineering Awards Description and Submission Guidelines

Extended Deadline: Wednesday, April 24 by 12:00PM.

Students may apply or be nominated for the following awards:

Excellence in Research and Innovation Award: Demonstrated the ability to conduct original research at Lyle and evidence of scholarly contributions. This award recognizes individual(s) who have made significant contributions to advancing knowledge and understanding through their research projects, publications, patents, or innovative solutions to engineering and computer science challenges.

Teaching and Academic Leadership Award: (PhD and MS students only) Demonstrated excellence in teaching effectiveness beyond normal expectation for a graduate student or demonstrated contributions and voluntary/ compensated initiatives to benefit Lyle School of Engineering and the SMU community, and/or demonstrated leadership and professional effectiveness in a manner that exceeds the normal expectation for a graduate student.

Community Engagement and Impact Award: Demonstrated excellence in active contributions to improving the lives of others through their involvement in community service projects, outreach initiatives, or leadership roles in student organizations. Awardee(s) exhibit a strong sense of social responsibility, empathy, and a desire to use their engineering skills to address real-world challenges and make a positive difference in society.

Engineering as Art Award: Open to all Lyle students to share visual images based on their scientific research. This should be a single visual image (e.g., image, photograph, illustration, informational graphics generated by computer programs). The student authors of the best arts will be announced during the event and will receive both certificate and cash prizes.

Eligibility Criteria and submission guidelines

Excellence in Research and Innovation Award 

  • Eligibility
    • To be a PhD, MS or BS student in good standing at Lyle.
    • Previous recipients of the same award are not eligible.
  • Application Materials
    • A summary of accomplishment related to the award’s type as well as all educational degrees and certificates received (maximum 2 pages)
    • Research Advisor’s letter(s) of support (maximum 1 page per letter)
  • Submission
    • Complete package containing above documents, for each category, must be combined into ONE PDF file and emailed to (insert email address) before midnight on Monday April 22, 2024.
    • Email all materials to this address: Excelle.x6gf7rwwelmzwc43@u.box.com
  • Rubric
    • See award rubric here.

Teaching and Academic Leadership Award

  • Eligibility
    • To be a PhD or MS student in good standing at Lyle.
    • Have served as graduate assistant or graders for at least 2 semesters within the last 2 academic years.
    • Previous recipients of the same award are not eligible.
  • Application Materials
    • A summary of accomplishment related to the award’s type as well as all educational degrees and certificates received (maximum 2 pages)
    • Research Advisor’s letter(s) of support (maximum 1 page per letter)
  • Submission
    • Complete package containing above documents, for each category, must be combined into ONE PDF file and emailed to (insert email address) before midnight on Monday April 22, 2024.
    • Email all materials to this address: Teachin.y7mfatdz83jocfpt@u.box.com.
  • Rubric
    • See award rubric here.

Community Engagement and Impact Award

  • Eligibility
    • To be PhD, MS or BS student in good standing at Lyle
    • Demonstrated involvement in student organizations, service in the community, Lyle, and/or SMU.
    • Previous recipients of the same award are not eligible.
  • Application Materials
    • A summary of accomplishment related to the award’s type as well as all educational degrees and certificates received (maximum 2 pages)
    • Research Advisor’s letter(s) of support (maximum 1 page per letter)
  • Submission
    • Complete package containing above documents, for each category, must be combined into ONE PDF file and emailed to (insert email address) before midnight on Monday April 22, 2024.
    • Email all materials to this address: Communi.xbe9omrfkm00eqqj@u.box.com.
  • Rubric
    • See awards rubric here.

Engineering as Art Award

  • Eligibility
    • To be PhD, MS or BS student in good standing at Lyle
    • Previous recipients of the same award are not eligible.
  • Application Materials
    • Please submit a visual image. This could be any real photo, image, computer graphics or illustration. The image must be 1024×768 pixels.
    • The visual art must not have any write-up, or annotations reference to the student’s name, their advisor, research group or even disciplines.
    • The visual art should have a short running title (not to exceed 60 letters) and a description (not to exceed 100 words) with the student’s name and affiliation.
  •  Submission
    • A final visual image (in JPEG, TIFF, or PPT) must be submitted before midnight on Wednesday April 24, 2024 to (insert email).
    • Both short running title and description must be included in the body of the email.
    • Email all materials to this address: Enginee.72i20sxh67wycziw@u.box.com.

If students have any trouble submitting via the email to Box, they can email their submission directly to Rachel Horton, with STUDENT AWARD SUBMISSION in the subject line, all caps.

Top finalists and their special guests will attend the awards luncheon where the winners will be announced.

Categories
Updates

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Questions? Contact us at SMULyleNews@smu.edu

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Categories
Departmental Updates

Updates from the OREM Department

SMU OREM: First Academic Equivalency in Texas

In May 2023, through SMU’s office of sponsored research, the Lyle School of Engineering’s Operations Research and Engineering Management (OREM) Department, led by Dr. Sila Cetinkaya, OREM Department Chair, and Dr. Diana Easton, OREM Associate Department Chair, entered into a formal Agreement with the International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE).  The purpose of this agreement is to promote a collaborative relationship in granting SMU’s engineering students a Systems Engineering Professional Certification.

INCOSE is the international authoritative body on systems engineering with more than 21,000 members and more than 70 chapters over 77 countries. Their mission is to “address complex societal and technical challenges by enabling, promoting, and advancing systems engineering and systems approaches”. INCOSE offers a Systems Engineering certification program that “provides a formal method for recognizing the experience and knowledge of systems engineers” from around the globe. This Systems Engineering Professional (SEP) certification recognizes and distinguishes professional engineers who have demonstrated competency in systems engineering, regardless of where they are in their careers.

OREM is now offering courses in Systems Engineering approved for academic equivalency! Please see the associated INCOSE Press Release. Under the terms of the agreement, Academic Equivalency allows qualified engineering students to bypass the Systems Engineering knowledge exam when applying for a Systems Engineering Professional certification at the level of Associate Systems Engineering Professional (ASEP) or Certified Systems Engineering Professional (CSEP). Also, as part of the Academic Equivalency Program, Lyle’s Engineering students have free access to an INCOSE affiliate membership, offering the student many professional benefits.

SMU is the first institution in the state of Texas to have received this academic equivalency, joining a select group of universities such as Cornell, George Mason, Colorado State, and Purdue.

The Systems Engineering body of knowledge is extensive and OREM’s Academic Equivalency program is a great way to learn it.  This program is available to 5xxx/7xxx level students from any Lyle engineering degree program! Students interested in taking OREM’s Academic Equivalency courses and/or joining INCOSE as an affiliate member should talk to OREM’s Systems Engineering Program Director, Dr. Diana Easton.

New Leadership Certificate from OREM, Hart Center

Engineers are uniquely well suited to be strong leaders through their mastery of analysis and problem-solving skills. Yet many lack formal management training in the “power skills” necessary to help teams and organizations reach their highest potential. Lyle’s OREM department, led by Dr. Diana Easton, OREM Associate Chair, has partnered with the Hart Center for Engineering Leadership, led by Dr. Robert Amponsah, Hart Center Assistant Director, to create an Integrated Leadership Certification Model that augments content from OREM’s graduate Engineering Management curriculum. This integrated model provides students the opportunity to analyze their own leadership attributes and decision-making styles, strengthen essential communication, motivation, and influencing skills, and ultimately plan for future personal growth and success in the management of technical organizations, project teams, and technologies.

OREM Faculty Representing Lyle on Global Stage

Lyle’s Operations Research and Engineering Management’s Systems Engineering Program Director, Dr. Diana Easton, will represent SMU on INCOSE’s Corporate Advisory Board (CAB) and Academic Council (AC).  The INCOSE CAB “provides strategic guidance to technical leadership, leading to the development of Systems Engineering products and standards to meet their needs.”  The Academic Council members “form the branch of the Corporate Advisory Board facilitating discussion and exploration of issues relevant to academia and setting a path for achievement with strategic collaborations within INCOSE.”

This is an internationally recognized achievement for Dr. Easton, Lyle, and SMU. She has been publicly congratulated by Provost Loboa in her newsletter, stating “We are pleased that you will be representing SMU and Lyle School of Engineering in Systems Engineering and the larger field of Operations Research and Engineering Management on the global stage.”

OREM Chair Served at INFORMS Annual Conference

Dr. Sila Cetinkaya of SMU Lyle OREM served in the role of Program Co-chair for the 2023 INFORMS Annual Meeting in Phoenix, AZ, Oct 14-18.  The theme for the meeting engaged professionals to find new ways to tackle one of the National Science Foundation’s 10 Big Ideas: “Harnessing the data revolution” with the power of expertise of INFORMS membership! With more than 12,500 members from around the world, INFORMS is the leading international association for professionals in operations research, analytics, and data science among other relevant fields. This year’s annual conference attracted over 6,000 participants and offered a rich program engaging students, researchers, practitioners, and industry leaders. The OREM department sponsored the conference at the Bronze level targeting events that engage student members.

 

Categories
Updates

SMU Lyle Status Report

In this section, we offer a succinct overview of the current status of the Lyle School of Engineering.

In a testament to our commitment to research innovation and progress, SMU Lyle is proud to announce a transformative era of research excellence. This recent surge in funding stands as a compelling testament to the significance and profound impact of our research endeavors. It firmly situates Lyle as a powerhouse in the pursuit of cutting-edge solutions to real-world challenges. Notably, our esteemed SMU Lyle professors in Civil and Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, in collaboration with their partners, have secured an impressive array of research grants, amounting to over $9 million. This achievement underscores our commitment to pushing the boundaries of knowledge and applying it to create meaningful change in the world.

Fall 2023 New Undergraduate Student Profile
Our latest cohort of undergraduate students exemplifies the growing diversity and inclusivity at SMU Lyle. In this intake, 35% of our students belong to underrepresented populations, while an impressive 36.5% are female. Additionally, our undergraduate community includes 25% Hispanic or Latino students, 10% black students, 14% Asian students, and 14% transfer students. This dynamic mix of backgrounds and experiences enriches our learning environment and reinforces our commitment to fostering an inclusive community.

Fall 2023 New Graduate Student Profile
In line with our commitment to growth and inclusivity, our recent cohort of 305 graduate students represents a remarkable achievement, marked by an aggressive 11% increase when compared to the preceding five years of negative growth. Among this cohort, we are delighted to note that 29% are female, and 23% belong to underrepresented populations. This upswing in graduate student numbers underscores our dedication to expanding opportunities and enhancing diversity within our academic community.

Categories
From the Dean

Five Key Aspects of My Vision and Coming Innovations

SMU Lyle is poised to provide an education that prepares students for the challenges of today and equips them with the skills and knowledge to excel in the engineering world of tomorrow. As we look ahead, here are some ways we will differentiate Lyle with offerings to our students.

1: Empowering Student Leadership
Our goal is to provide leadership training for every student. Employers consistently highlight the readiness of Lyle graduates to engage with customers and lead teams early in their careers. It’s a testament to our commitment to cultivating leadership skills from day one. Through personalized leadership assessments, one-on-one mentorship, and immersive entrepreneurial experiences, every student at Lyle is afforded the opportunity to develop the leadership skills that are essential for their success.

2: Leading Digital Innovation in both Teaching and Research
Technologies like artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and data science are fundamentally reshaping the way engineers work. Lyle is at the forefront of this transformation. We distinguish ourselves by offering students the flexibility to engage in classes both in-person and remotely, in real time and asynchronously. This adaptability ensures that our graduates are well-versed in the latest technologies and teaching methods. Furthermore, we foster innovation by providing students with opportunities to actively participate in research projects, allowing them to gain hands-on experience with cutting-edge technologies.

3. Pioneering Digital Innovation in Education and Research
We are committed to fostering a culture of innovation that transcends the boundaries of traditional disciplines. Company-backed research fuels progress and connects exceptional students with industry insights. In line with this commitment, we are dedicated to establishing a new center focused on Digital and Human-Augmented Manufacturing. This center will further enhance our capacity to drive innovation and empower our students to shape the future of engineering.

    • Our proposed Lyle Digital Innovation Initiative, generously supported by a $15 million gift from The O’Donnell Foundation, is designed to attract distinguished faculty, postdoctoral researchers, and promising PhD students. This dynamic synergy harnesses the potential of artificial intelligence and human-augmented systems to shape a smarter future. Through digital transformation and innovation, we are preparing both Lyle and the Dallas-Fort Worth tech landscape for the future.
    • Lyle AnywhereTM: Our vision extends to pioneering digital transformation in engineering education through our innovative approach, Lyle AnywhereTM. This overarching brand encompasses various SMU Lyle graduate learning modalities, offering students the flexibility to learn in-person or remotely, in real time or asynchronously. This adaptability caters to diverse learning styles and personal circumstances. Beyond the classroom, our students actively engage in impactful research projects, often in collaboration with industry, providing them with hands-on experience with cutting-edge technologies.

4. Formation of a New Leadership Team
Reimagining our leadership structure was a critical component of our vision for the future of SMU Lyle. Effective June 1, 2023, this structure introduces a diverse team of experts who bring a wealth of experience and innovation to our school. Our Lyle Reimagined structure features a diverse group of individuals who collectively enrich our school with their expertise and innovation. This team includes the following roles: Associate Dean for Research Innovation and Industry Partnerships, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Curriculum Innovation, Assistant Dean for Student Success and Inclusive Excellence, Assistant Dean for Recruitment and Strategic Enrollment, Assistant Dean for Brand Marketing and Strategic Communications, and Directorates for Learning Innovation and Digital Education, as well as Student Experience and Scholarship.

Our Dean’s Senior Leadership team has been diligently working  to shape and refine our organizational structure.

5. Implementation of an Aggressive Faculty Hiring Plan Lyle is on an ambitious journey with a remarkable faculty recruitment campaign, opening nearly 20 new faculty positions for academic year 2023-24. We strongly believe in the power of externally funded, industry-supported research to drive progress and provide exceptional students with valuable industry insights. Our mission is to lead the way in digital transformation within engineering education, all while ensuring that every student graduates as a confident leader. See the details of these positions at our dedicated site: https://www.smu.edu/Lyle/Departments/Faculty–Openings.

Our faculty recruitment campaign comprises the establishment of three new Endowed department chairs in Computer Science (CS), Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE), and Mechanical Engineering (ME). Additionally, we are adding six tenured/tenure-track positions aligned with strategic themes such as Sustainable Energy and the Environment, AI-Powered Digital Engineering Systems, and Quantum Science and Engineering.

Moreover, we are appointing several faculty Executive Directors to drive strategic initiatives, foster interdisciplinary collaboration, and position our institutes and centers as leaders in technological advancement and innovation. These include: Endowed Associate/Full Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Executive Director for Research Innovation in the Center for Digital and Human-Augmented Manufacturing; Endowed Associate/Full Professor and Executive Director of the Hart Center for Leadership in Lyle School of Engineering; Endowed Co-Executive Director of the Hart Institute for Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship; Inaugural Walden and Paula Rhines Endowed Quantum Informatics Associate/Full Professor in Computer Science or Electrical & Computer Engineering. To complete our offerings, we are seeking multiple cross-disciplinary renewable-contract (Non Tenure-Track) Assistant and Associate professors.