Steve and Tim talk with Dr. Ellen Solomon, one of the program managers of the Multidisciplinary Design Program (MDP) at the University of Michigan. Ellen graduated with an MS&E degree from Michigan and worked in industry before coming back to Michigan to run the research program side of MDP. She talked to us about this very unique program that incorporates not only research projects, but projects from industry as well.

About Ellen: https://mdp.engin.umich.edu/staff/ellen-solomon/
UM MDP: https://mdp.engin.umich.edu
UM MDP research projects for 2025: https://mdp.engin.umich.edu/all-projects/?_project_type=research_teams
UM MDP industry projects for 2025: https://mdp.engin.umich.edu/all-projects/?_project_type=sponsor_teams

There are still openings to join MDP industry teams in 2025! Axalta, PPG, and Donaldson are recruiting MSE students to join these projects. Please reach out to jjcarl@umich.edu with your interest and submit an application to the waitlist

You can find the YouTube video here:
https://youtu.be/8YfPRyAVsoQ

This episode is sponsored by the North American Materials Education Symposium (https://java.engin.umich.edu/NAMES24/) a gift from Prof. Ron Gibala, and the University of Michigan Materials Science and Engineering department (https://mse.engin.umich.edu).

Steve and Tim talk with Professor Tresa Pollock from UC Santa Barbara, the 2024 Van Vlack Lecturer in the MS&E department at U. Michigan. Tresa has had a very long and distinguished career in Materials Science and Engineering and has mentored many many graduate students. We had a discussion about graduate student mentoring amongst other things. You can find her website here:
https://materials.ucsb.edu/people/faculty/tresa-pollock

You can find the YouTube video here:
https://youtu.be/MfANbEKmRUw

This episode is sponsored by the North American Materials Education Symposium (https://java.engin.umich.edu/NAMES24/) a gift from Prof. Ron Gibala, and the University of Michigan Materials Science and Engineering department (https://mse.engin.umich.edu).

Steve and Tim talk with Dr. Tershia Pinder-Grover, the director of the Center for Research on Learning and Teaching in Engineering (CRLT-Engin) in the College of Engineering at the University of Michigan. This year marks the 20th anniversary of CRLT-Engin, a focused teaching center where the consultants all have degrees in engineering as well as engineering education. CRLT of University of Michigan is the first University teaching center in the nation.

CRLT Engin: https://crlte.engin.umich.edu/
CRLT UM: https://crlt.umich.edu/

You can find the YouTube video here:
https://youtu.be/ut1tDdGSVYI?si=ombDy8tPVPznUppZ

This episode is sponsored by the North American Materials Education Symposium (https://java.engin.umich.edu/NAMES24/) a gift from Prof. Ron Gibala, and the University of Michigan Materials Science and Engineering department (https://mse.engin.umich.edu).

Steve talks to Tim about his new math course. He explains how it is going, what is challenging, and what is better than expected. He also discusses his grading, student input, and other aspects of this new course.

You can find the YouTube video here:
https://youtu.be/3AUgS8cGLhE

This episode is sponsored by the North American Materials Education Symposium (https://java.engin.umich.edu/NAMES24/) and the University of Michigan Materials Science and Engineering department (https://mse.engin.umich.edu).

Tim talks with Micah Gendich, the University of Michigan MSE student association president. UM has an organization called the Michigan Materials Society (MMS) that is run by undergraduate students with a little help from the graduate students. They organize weekly luncheons, social events, and also professional development events. They also engage with outreach and recruiting activities for our department.

You can find the YouTube video here:
https://youtu.be/X-SCX86XVjE

This episode is sponsored by the North American Materials Education Symposium (https://java.engin.umich.edu/NAMES24/) and the University of Michigan Materials Science and Engineering department (https://mse.engin.umich.edu).

Tim and Steve talk about how they are getting ready for classes - which start next week!
Tim is creating a completely new class that has never been taught before - Math for MS&E students at the second year undergraduate level.
Steve is making some major changes in his team based intro to materials course by adding in components of Grading for Growth methods.

some links:
Get the book Grading for Growth:
https://www.amazon.com/Grading-Growth-Alternative-Practices-Engagement/dp/1642673811

You can find the YouTube video here:
https://youtu.be/zTsrnLmKUb4

This episode is sponsored by the North American Materials Education Symposium (https://java.engin.umich.edu/NAMES24/) and the University of Michigan Materials Science and Engineering department (https://mse.engin.umich.edu).

Cindy talks with Tim and Steve about Engineering for One Planet and how she worked with the Lemelson Foundation to launch it.

You can find the information talked about in the podcast here:
https://engineeringforoneplanet.org/resources/

https://engineeringforoneplanet.org

You can find the YouTube video here:
https://youtu.be/CzjC52iytcQ

This episode is sponsored by the University of Michigan Materials Science and Engineering department (https://mse.engin.umich.edu).

Summary

In this conversation, Steve, Tim and Marcus discuss the challenges of attracting students to material science and engineering (MSE) programs. They explore the concept of jobs to be done, which includes the functional, emotional, and social aspects of a product or service. Marcus suggests that MSE programs should focus on the emotional and social jobs that potential students want to fulfill, such as their interests in fashion, sneakers, and tangible experiences. They also discuss the importance of conducting netnography to understand the cultural context and language of potential students. By engaging with influencers and communities in relevant subcultures, MSE programs can better communicate their value and attract students. In this conversation, Marcus Collins discusses how to analyze Reddit subcultures and apply those insights to marketing strategies. He explains the process of observing and translating conversations in subreddits to identify common themes and insights. Collins also emphasizes the importance of understanding the language, behaviors, and cultural production of a subculture to effectively engage with them. The conversation then shifts to the topic of education and how instructors can approach teaching from a psychological and cognitive science perspective. Collins suggests creating a classroom environment that allows students to bring their full identities and interests into the learning process. The conversation concludes with a discussion on bridging the gap between art and engineering and the potential for interdisciplinary courses that combine marketing and material science.

Takeaways

MSE programs should focus on fulfilling the emotional and social jobs that potential students want to achieve.
Understanding the cultural context and language of potential students is crucial for effective communication.
Engaging with influencers and communities in relevant subcultures can help MSE programs attract students.
Netnography, or online ethnography, can provide valuable insights into the interests and preferences of potential students. Analyzing Reddit subcultures can provide valuable insights for marketing strategies.
Observing and translating conversations in subreddits can help identify common themes and insights.
Understanding the language, behaviors, and cultural production of a subculture is crucial for effective engagement.
Creating a classroom environment that allows students to bring their full identities and interests can enhance the learning experience.
Bridging the gap between art and engineering can lead to innovative and interdisciplinary approaches in education.

Links:
You can find the YouTube video here:
https://youtu.be/cVey7AJydfs

You can buy Marcus's book: "For the Culture"
Here: https://www.amazon.com/Culture-Power-Behind-What-Want/dp/1541700961?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

You can learn more about Marcus here:
https://michiganross.umich.edu/faculty-research/faculty/marcus-collins
and here:
https://www.marctothec.com/

You can find out more about the North American Materials Education Symposium this coming summer in Ann Arbor here:
https://java.engin.umich.edu/NAMES24/

This episode is sponsored by the University of Michigan Materials Science and Engineering department (https://mse.engin.umich.edu).