Special Programs
GRADUATE TEACHING FELLOWS
The
Graduate Teaching Fellows (GTF) Program
is designed for students who are
seriously considering a career in academe. The program provides an opportunity
to gain real-world university teaching experience and opportunities to learn more
about an academic career. GTFs are assigned to teach a regular undergraduate
Mechanical Engineering course and work with a faculty mentor. The fellow has
the same academic freedom as a regular faculty member in structuring the course
and is responsible for the course syllabus, quizzes, and examinations as well as
maintaining appropriate commonality among sections in the same course. The faculty
mentor provides guidance as desired by the fellow.
The second component of the program is the GTF Seminar Series. Within this seminar
series, faculty members and administrators share their insights on a variety of topics
including how faculty balance teaching, research, service, and family life; how
to obtain research funding; how the tenure process works; how a major university is
organized and the various services provided by faculty members; and others. The
seminars are designed to permit frank and open discussion.
BENEFITS OF PARTICIPATION:
The program allows students contemplating academic
careers a chance to see first hand what is involved in university teaching,
giving them valuable additional information to help in making a career choice.
Furthermore, the program gives the fellows an edge on the competition in obtaining
a faculty position. Several recent fellows have reported that their participation
in the GTF program was instrumental in obtaining an academic appointment.
REQUIREMENTS:
The prospective fellow must have passed the Ph.D. comprehensive
examination prior to the semester of the GTF appointment and have a sincere
interest in a faculty career involving teaching and research.
STIPEND:
A one-half time, graduate assistant stipend at Grade 16 will be provided.
The department will also pay tuition for ME 600/601 and the insurance co-payment.
OTHER SUPPORT:
In addition to guidance from the faculty mentor, the fellow will be
provided with assistance of up to 20 hours per week from a grader.
APPLICATION:
Fill out the Application
for Graduate Teaching Fellow (pdf).
SELECTION PROCEDURE:
Candidates must be nominated by Mechanical Engineering faculty
members.
Nomination forms
(pdf) for participation during Fall Semester must be received by the
end of the prior May. Selections will be announced during June.
PEER RECRUITING
Each fall the Department will fund up to five current graduate students
to return to their respective undergraduate institutions and meet with prospective
engineering students who may be considering graduate study at Penn State.
This program is designed to maintain recruiting pipelines to the best
engineering schools whence our graduate students typically come.
BENEFITS OF PARTICIPATION:
Benefits to our current graduate students are a fun trip back to their
alma mater and the opportunity to recruit their former colleagues. The
Department will pay for one night (reasonable) hotel accommodation and
mileage for automobile travel.
REQUIREMENTS:
The recruiter must meet with a recognized student organization
(e.g. ASME, SAE, Pi Tau Sigma, Tau Beta Pi, SWE, NSBE) at their
alma mater and provide a flyer
from that organization advertising the recruiting meeting. The recruiter
must also provide a receipt for hotel accommodations in accordance
with Penn State travel reimbursement procedures.
SELECTION PROCEDURE:
Recruiters must apply to the M&NE Graduate Programs Office
at least two weeks in advance of the planned recruiting
visit. At that time, the recruiter must provide the name
and department of the engineering school; contact names and
Email addresses for an officer and faculty advisor of the
student organization to be visited; and, an estimate for
mileage.
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