Brigham Young University
Faculty Center


Faculty Development Plan
Chemical Engineering
2006

Overview

This document serves as the Faculty Development Plan as suggested in the BYU “Policy on Faculty Rank and Status”.  This plan provides a self-assessment and specifies goals in the three areas of teaching, scholarship, and citizenship. 

Teaching

Self Assessment.  As an instructor, I value a student’s desire to maximize his/her education through positive experiences.  The educational experience is not only in the classroom, but also outside the classroom where teaching moments are enhanced.  Teaching with enthusiasm, commitment, and relevancy are aspects I regularly strive to emulate.  I enjoy seeing a student become enlightened in a subject.  Teaching includes conveying aspects that will help one in life, not just teaching the engineering content.  I share with students valuable thoughts regarding spiritual growth, human interaction, ethics, overcoming fear, having a positive outlook on life, etc.  I have developed several teaching aspects in the past while a professor at Oklahoma State University (OSU) that I will continue including 1) maintaining an “open door policy” where students have numerous opportunities to visit with me outside of the classroom, 2) learning the names of students, 3) preparing quality lecture notes, 4) using real-world examples, 5) giving a short break in the middle of class, 6) reading every formal evaluation and seeking to incorporate appropriate changes into the curriculum, 7) employing new material and instructional methods, and 8) bringing spiritual insight into the classroom through inspirational thoughts and stories.  I have also attended numerous conferences and workshops in teaching and will continue to pursue such opportunities.  In summary, education encompasses more than just knowledge of the textbook.  I look forwarded to continually expanding my teaching abilities to foster a great learning environment for the students.  It’s a great experience to see students grasp difficult concepts and work well with other students in solving engineering problems—and maintain a healthy philosophy of life in which joy is experienced.

Professional Goals. The following goals have been defined for the 2006-07 and 2007-08 academic years.  Although these goals are specified for the next two years, continuation of improving courses, publishing on a regular basis, attending conferences, working with the department on improving the overall educational experience, and participating at the national level in educational societies will be continued.

  1. Implement bioengineering through the chemical engineering curriculum.  This project was recently funded by the University through a mentoring grant.  The plan is to spend the Summer of 2006 training three undergraduate students in the bioengineering area.  The students will have projects with specified goals.  I currently have 3 undergraduate students working in the laboratory on several projects.  In Fall 2006, the students will help develop bioengineering modules and homework assignments to implement in the main chemical engineering courses.  Finally, the students will help implement a bioengineering experiment in the Unit Operations class for Winter 2007.  The students will have an opportunity to present their work at a regional conference and to prepare a manuscript for publication.  This goal will be assessed by faculty feedback on the modules, student feedback on the lab implementation, and presentations/peer-reviewed publications of the work.
  2. Re-establish the Unit Operations Advisory Committee in Summer 2006 to implement and assess changes and new opportunities in Ch En 475 and 477 (the senior laboratory courses).  The committee will be composed of faculty and students.  The changes and opportunities include writing throughout the curriculum, new experiments, statistical instruction, optimizing student time commitments, and identifying the structure and number of laboratory assignments.  This goal will be assessed via feedback from end-of-course evaluations.  
  3. Publish one peer-reviewed education article per year.  For the first year, the article will likely be related to the implementation of bioengineering throughout the curriculum.  I have consistently published one educational article for the past several years. 
  4. Institute a Biochemical Engineering Course at the senior/graduate level.  Implementation of this course will be conditional upon the teaching goals of the department.  The projected establishment of the course would be during the 2007-2008 academic year.  One possibility is to co-teach a course with the Microbiology department involving cell culture and bioreactor design.
  5. Continue to attend the annual American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE) Conference.  I have been active in ASEE conferences and have served as a reviewer, chair of sessions, session speaker, and I am currently serving as the program chair for the Chemical Engineering Division for the 2007 Conference.
  6. Continue to improve courses I teach by evaluating (self evaluation and student evaluation) recently completed courses and implementing changes that will continually provide a greater learning environment for the students.

Resources needed.  Implementing bioengineering throughout the curriculum has been funded through a BYU mentoring grant.  No other resources (besides time) are currently required other than the continuation of course TA’s and the yearly travel/supply stipend given to each faculty member.  Implementation of unit operations experiments will require monetary resources but these resources are part of the department budget and part of the plan will also include donations from industry.    

Scholarship

Self Assessment. I have been active in two primary areas of research- nitric oxide and biomass conversion.  The nitric oxide research is currently performed at OSU while the biomass conversion occurs at both BYU and OSU.  Research projects have led to many collaborations and significant funding.  In the past, I have received two awards:  1999 Outstanding Young Faculty Award at OSU and 2003 Outstanding Faculty Award at OSU.   I currently have funding in biomass conversion work from the USDA and BYU.  Currently, I am supervising 5 PhD students (3 at OSU) and 3 undergraduate students.  One PhD student will be completing her work this summer. 

I strongly believe that interdisciplinary teams are valuable for conducting research.  The collaborations have increased my understanding in several areas and enhanced many experimental skills.  Most of my research is applied, although theoretical aspects have been incorporated for modeling and explanation purposes.  I have consistently employed both graduate and undergraduate students in the research experience.  The undergraduate students benefit through increasing their understanding of Chemical Engineering principles and enhancing their desires to become more involved in research. 

Continual attendance at national and international conferences provides an opportunity to develop my research expertise and to seek new collaborations.  I have presented numerous times at technical conferences and have had an opportunity to associate with many individuals involved in my area of expertise.  In addition to American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) meetings, I regularly attend specialized conferences related to my research.  I also continually read journal articles, review journal manuscripts, and collaborate with co-investigators in academia and industry.  

Professional Goals.  The following goals have been defined for the 2006-07 and 2007-08 academic years.  Although these goals are specified for the next two years, continuation of developing a strong biochemical engineering lab, integrating undergraduate students into my research, developing interdisciplinary relationships, publishing on a regular basis, and writing grant proposals will be continued.

  1. Develop Biochemical engineering labs at BYU involving interdisciplinary work.  The labs will initially focus on conversion of biomass to products.  I have already developed the initial lab that includes bioreactors, cell preparation equipment, and analytical equipment.  I have recently established collaborations with XXX (Microbiology) and YYY (a private farmer in Oregon).  Research has also been funded in collaboration with OSU and U. Oklahoma.  Several undergraduate students are currently employed and will continue to be employed in the laboratory.
  2. Develop a biomass consortium in Utah.  The details of this goal are outlined in the Scholarship Strategies Proposal.  The basics of the proposal include 1) identifying research and industrial efforts in Utah that utilize biomass for product (energy, chemicals, etc.) development , 2) forming a group involving the participants in the above efforts to share findings and coordinate research efforts, and 3) developing a relationship with Utah government officials regarding the above efforts and to identify areas within Utah (food and processing waste streams, cellulosic residues, etc.) that can be utilized for developing products. 
  3. Obtain national funding through writing proposals.  The goal is to obtain approximately $100,000 per year in funding.  In addition to currently funded projects, I plan on writing proposals including 1) multiple syngas sources for ethanol production and 2) enhanced loading of syngas in liquid fermentations.  Additional proposal opportunities will be identified as the research progresses.  Preliminary studies are being performed in several areas that will provide strength to the proposals.  Proposal agencies include the USDA and NSF.  I will be integrating educational opportunities with the research.
  4. Publish two peer-reviewed research papers per year.

Resources needed. I need laboratory space.  My current space is insufficient to carry forth the bioengineering program.  Bioengineering requires significant equipment and experimental work that requires significant space.  I would eventually like to obtain funding for a warm-room, large autoclave, mass spectrometer, ion exchange chromatograph, and HPLC.  Ideally, it would be beneficial to create a core facility at BYU for bioengineering efforts (biomedical, biochemical, etc.)  Currently I have connections to the microbiology department that allows me to utilize equipment I do not have to pursue appropriate research. 

Citizenship

Self Assessment. While at OSU, I was heavily involved in the department accreditation process, serving on national chemical engineering committees, establishing the undergraduate advising program for chemical engineering, and working with the student chemical engineering chapter.  My recent involvement as an advisor for the BYU Chapter of AIChE has provided many opportunities for teaching students.  I continue to promote and encourage outstanding activities from the Chapter.  I recently encouraged students to present research or summer work at the regional conference paper competition- resulting in 4 students giving presentations.  I have also helped restructure the executive committee of the chapter and am promoting more attendance at the regional and national student conferences.    Advising is also an important tool I use to help a student begin their education in the right direction.  I encourage students to visit with me to discuss their college experience and I provide feedback to help them make the right decisions with regards to their course sequence. I continually advise students to maintain a balance in their lives.  I encourage them to diversify in their activities and become well-adjusted physically, mentally, and socially.  For as one great author stated, “The most rewarding path of investigation is the path of greatest external resistance in the path of the least internal resistance.”  Thus, as a student learns to find peace and happiness within his/her own life, the student can face any external challenges, conquer them, and be rewarded.  Outside of the university environment I am continuing my service in the ASEE and AIChE national organizations through organizing conferences, serving on national committees, and chairing technical sessions.  I am always looking for opportunities to serve the students, university, and profession.  

Professional Goals.  The following goals have been defined for the 2006-07 and 2007-08 academic years.  Although these goals are specified for the next two years, continuation of serving on national committees, advising students, advising the chemical engineering student society, and serving as an ABET evaluator will be continued.

Co-host the 2007 AIChE Student Conference in Salt Lake with the University of Utah.  I volunteered BYU and U of U to co-host the event in which up to 1000 chemical engineering students will attend.  Efforts will be initiated late summer 2006 to start planning the conference.  This opportunity is similar to the effort I initiated in hosting the 1999 Student Conference while at OSU.  I will also continue to serve on the National Student Chapter Committee of which I have been a participant for 11 years (serving as Chair at one time).

  1. Chair the Chemical Engineering technical program for the 2007 ASEE meeting in Honolulu.  I currently am well underway in this process.  I will also continue to serve as a session chair and present work at the annual conference. 
  2. Advise the AIChE Student Chapter at BYU.  Part of the advising includes implementation of a new volunteer structure, maintaining the Outstanding Student Chapter status, implementing national membership with the local chapter membership, increasing interaction with the local section and the U of U chapter, and increasing participation in the regional and national conferences. 
  3. Chair the College Building Committee.  This is an ongoing committee assignment through the college.  The primary responsibility will be providing direction and guidance to the Dean’s office on the key aspects of a new engineering building.
  4. Serve as an ABET evaluator.  I have already completed ABET training and have attended several ABET workshops.  I am scheduled to be an ABET observer this year, with following years serving as an ABET evaluator.  This service will be beneficial for providing input to the accreditation process of both the department and college.
  5. Serve on department committees as needed.  I currently serve on the undergraduate committee and will reinitiate the Unit Operations Lab Committee. 

Resources needed.  Continual support (with some financial) from the department and college are beneficial for maintaining a viable AIChE student chapter.  Financial support is provided by AIChE and associated universities for the accreditation visits.