Back to the Future

Professional Development

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Dr. Michael West
Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering
501 E Saint Joseph St,
Rapid City, SD 57701
Tel: (605) 394-1283
Fax: (605) 394-3369
michael.west@sdsmt.edu

The main objective of the REU Site is to increase student appreciation of and entrance into graduate research programs. This objective will be met by increasing student abilities with those tools that make them competitive in a research environment, namely, technical communication and overall research acumen. Professional development activities include weekly seminars and workshops in the following areas: Technical Seminars - Students participated technical seminars designed to educate students on the nature and context of research in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering. Past keynote technical seminars have included:

  • Dr. Patrick Taylor (Ansell Chair and Distinguished Professor of Chemical Metallurgy, Director of Kroll Institute for Extractive Metallurgy) Presentation: "Minerals Processing and Extractive Metallurgy in Recycling"
  • Dr. Kenneth Han (National Academy of Engineering, Distinguished Lecturer and Professor of Metallurgy) Presentation: "Metallurgy from a Global and Historical Perspective"
  • Mr. Thomas Durkin (Director NASA South Dakota Space Grant Consortium) Presentation: "Research Opportunities and Materials Science in the Space Program"
Succeeding in Research - Students participate in weekly workshops to develop tools that will help them understand and succeed in a research environment. Activities include workshops in the following areas :
  • Succeeding in Graduate School
  • Using Library Resources Effectively in Research
  • Success Habits for Leadership
  • Developing Career Goals
Communications Skills - Students are led through workshops focused on technical communication of their research activities. Participants completed these specific activities as a part of their research topics through classroom lectures, demonstrations, conferences, and assessment activities.
  • Writing - A step-by-step rewriting of reports was conducted as a reflection of student research. All students were required to write two drafts and one final technical report.
  • Speaking - A formal oral poster presentation was recorded and is archived.
  • Poster Session - Students develop professional research poster.
The end of program activities culminate with a campus-wide poster session attended by the campus and local community.