Engineering Eagles | Georgia Southern Magazine

New program enhances the University’s national reputation

In a milestone event destined to dramatically reshape the future of Georgia Southern, the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia has approved the University’s proposal for a full stand-alone civil, electrical and mechanical engineering program.
The program creates new academic and economic potential that can significantly raise Georgia Southern’s national visibility. It opens new avenues of research and public service and also means that a greater number of prospective engineers can stay in their home state for training. The first classes of the new Georgia Southern engineering program begin this fall.

A ‘Defining Moment’

“There are defining moments in the life of every major university,” said Georgia Southern President Brooks Keel. “The approval to offer engineering degrees at Georgia Southern is definitely one of the most notable in our institution’s more than 100-year history. An adequate supply of engineers is critical not only to the goal of fostering a statewide environment that nurtures high-tech industry, but to the future prosperity of Georgia.”

Prior to the Regents’ approval, the System had only one engineering school and many in-state students were forced to explore out-of-state alternatives. “We are very grateful for the support that we have received from the Board of Regents, the chancellor and his staff during this entire process,” said Keel.

“When we got the vote I had this tremendous feeling of joy and satisfaction and personally felt fortunate to have had the opportunity to be a part of this.” – Mohammad Davoud

Preparing the Board of Regents proposal was a marathon process that extended from Statesboro to San Francisco, for Mohammad Davoud, chair of the Department of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, and Brian Vlcek, program coordinator of Mechanical Engineering. The final four days of drafting and tag-team editing across time zones occurred while Vlcek was in California for an engineering conference. He spent most of his time completing the proposal in his hotel room.

“I was extremely excited that the proposal had been approved,” said Vlcek. “This was truly the beginning of a new era in engineering education in Georgia, and in the long term, this is an extremely positive development for our graduates.”

“When we got the vote I had this tremendous feeling of joy and satisfaction and personally felt fortunate to have had the opportunity to be a part of this. South Georgia will benefit from this vote-students can attend engineering school in their hometown and regional companies could benefit by hiring our graduates,” said Davoud.

The Board’s decision came after an intense coordinated effort by University professors and administrators to propose, revise, resubmit the plan, and allay doubts as to the viability of an engineering program at Georgia Southern. The final vote came as an immense relief to all involved.

“At that moment, I was both elated and energized about the opportunities that vote unlocked for our students and faculty,” said Allen E. Paulson College of Science and Technology (COST) Dean Bret Danilowicz. “Every day since, I have felt honored and fortunate to be among the faculty and administrative team that worked for years to position the programs for a seamless transition to engineering.”

“My immediate reaction to the Board’s decision was one of relief and great accomplishment,” said Brian Moore, chair of the Department of Construction Management and Civil Engineering. “My second reaction was the realization that having the Board of Regent’s decision was only the beginning-work would now be needed. The decision signaled the start of a very serious effort to put all the pieces in place so that we can welcome our first class of civil engineering freshmen this fall. Once again, this will be a team effort that will draw on the proven dedication of the civil engineering faculty,” he said.

Building on a Tradition of Engineering Education

Georgia Southern has been offering nationally accredited baccalaureate degrees in civil, electrical and mechanical engineering technology for more than 30 years. In addition, Georgia Southern has offered the Regents Engineering Transfer Program and Georgia Tech Regional Engineering Program for nearly 20 years. The unique programs have offered students who successfully completed freshman and sophomore level University core and engineering science courses the opportunity to transfer to Georgia Tech to complete their engineering studies.

Georgia Southern’s existing engineering technology programs have seen a steady increase in enrollment in stark contrast to national trends. In addition, the in-state work retention percentage (the number of graduates who begin their professional careers in-state following graduation) at Georgia Southern is estimated at 78.9 percent, far above other competing institutions.

The new program allows students to study at Georgia Southern all four years of college and leave campus with a Georgia Southern University engineering degree.

“Georgia Southern’s new engineering degrees will retain the applied nature of their engineering technology roots, but will allow the University to fulfill its evolving mission of teaching and research,” said Danilowicz. “These new programs will enable Georgia Southern to not only train engineering graduates that will be in high demand by employers, but it will also allow us to significantly increase our ability to promote and develop the economy of Georgia.”

The new degree programs will initially be housed within COST, but it is envisioned that Georgia Southern will create a new College of Engineering to accommodate expected increases in student interest. Georgia Southern’s existing engineering technology programs will be phased out as the three new engineering programs become established, allowing students currently enrolled in those degree programs to complete their programs of study.

Supply vs. Demand

During the past 20 years, the U.S. has not produced enough engineering graduates to meet employment demands. The Engineering Workforce Commission found a 19.8 percent decrease in the number of engineering degrees awarded between 1986 and 1998. During the same period, the total number of college degrees awarded in the U.S. increased by 20 percent.

Similarly, the historic shortfall of engineers within the state of Georgia is projected to continue, as the overall number of engineering graduates has decreased, and the aging engineering workforce continues to retire at a faster rate than can be replaced. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, during the 2008-18 decade, overall engineering employment is expected to grow by 11 percent.

“There is definitely a demand for well-trained engineers with hands-on experience and Georgia Southern University is the perfect place to offer engineering programs,” said State Sen. Jack Hill. “Georgia companies and those considering Georgia for their manufacturing operations or high-tech businesses continue to need well-trained engineers and supply continues to be an issue. Georgia Southern now joins a select few universities to offer engineering in the state and will help support not only one of the fastest-growing areas in Georgia, but in the country.”

Supporting Economic Development

The addition of engineering programs at Georgia Southern will make an immediate impact on economic development activities in the state. By creating an increased supply of qualified engineering graduates, Georgia companies will have the opportunity to attract, hire and retain entry-level engineers that meet their requirements without having to recruit out of state.state, and fewer than half the number of public engineering schools found in even the nation’s poorest states.

Today, a number of Georgia Southern’s students come from coastal and rural areas of Georgia and are expected to return to those areas as engineers, supporting the economic development of these fast-growing regions. The Bureau of Business Research and Economic Development (BBRED) at Georgia Southern recently performed an Economic Impact Analysis of the benefits of transitioning the University’s existing engineering technology programs to engineering programs. In just a five-year span of time, the counties surrounding Georgia Southern are expected to experience an additional economic impact of more than $7 million.

The program does not seek to compete with Georgia Tech. Rather, it will complement Georgia Tech’s research strengths and graduate programs with a regional program at Georgia Southern. COST and the proposed College of Engineering will continue to develop collaborative research projects with the Georgia Tech Savannah campus, according to the BBRED study.

Additionally, a review of U.S. Census records reveals that the more engineers working in a state, the wealthier the state. Prior to the Board of Regents’ vote, Georgia had less than a third of the number of public engineering schools found in a typical state, and fewer than half the number of public engineering schools found in even the nation’s poorest states.

Engineering explained

The addition of engineering degree programs to the Allen E. Paulson College of Science and Technology in Fall 2011 will build on the solid foundation of the existing Engineering Studies Program, streamlining the courses of study that have been in place for more than two decades.Graduates of the new mechanical, electrical and civil engineering programs of study on campus will discover that positions in those specialties are near limitless, ranging from small companies to global corporations.

Mechanical and electrical engineers are heavily involved in technology and the introduction of new products and devices, which includes the areas of research, design, manufacturing and the testing process. Mechanical engineers work with devices that require the usage of power, seek ways to problem-solve equipment and make improvements and updates to a products’ efficiency.

Careers in this field range from small scale-such as working on the design and manufacture of tools, air conditioners or car engines-to a much larger scale, like aircraft. Other industry sectors consistently hiring mechanical engineers vary from oil companies to transportation and even scientific research.

The career of an electrical engineer revolves around the design and development of countless electronic devices such as power generators, computer and lighting systems and even satellites. Some job opportunities in the field are found in the areas of design, research and software for chemical, power and telephone companies, and computer technology corporations.

Civil engineers design, construct, develop and manage society’s infrastructure. This includes transportation systems like airports, subways, roads and bridges. Civil engineers might also work with buildings, dams, water supply and waste management systems, canals or irrigation systems.Civil engineering requires an advanced level of expertise and engineers within this specialty have to consider economical methods of construction, safe construction practices, environmental concerns such as controlling and reducing pollution and hazardous wastes and allowable levels of technology that can be used.

Industrial Potential

Area industries expect Georgia Southern’s engineering program to give them access to additional talent for strengthening their companies.

“This will give us access to a broader range of engineering talent.” – Rick Mullininx

Already, Georgia Southern engineering technology graduates are employed by companies across the nation and locally at Great Dane Trailers and the Georgia Ports Authority. One of the two Georgia Ports Authority’s engineers is a Georgia Southern grad, said Danica Grone, manager of port relations. “He manages and implements engineering and construction activities relating to infrastructure improvements required to support the authority’s facilities within the state of Georgia,” said Grone. Other duties include providing engineering support to other staff elements as needed.

Port officials are positive about the possibility of hiring additional University graduates from its new engineering program.

Great Dane Trailers, a national company which has begun site work for a new manufacturing facility in Statesboro, is especially pleased about the University’s new engineering programs.

“This will give us access to a broader range of engineering talent,” said Rick Mullininx, vice president of engineering at Great Dane. “We employ 77 engineers within the company in such areas as production engineering, structural design and evaluation and manufacturing engineering.” Georgia Southern employees work in design engineering and CATIA software implementation, he added.

Mullininx also noted that his company will take a closer look at hiring Georgia Southern graduates in all engineering areas and will consider internships, too, given continued growth in the industry.

Research: Engineering a solid future

In recent years, Georgia Southern has found its niche in research that yields advanced, yet practical results. Faculty and students-including those at the undergraduate level-engage in projects that offer hands-on learning and produce real world applications that positively impact the economy at state and regional levels and beyond.

The pursuit for external funding is highly competitive, but close partnerships with nearby industries, such as small engine manufacturer Briggs & Stratton and heavy equipment manufacturer JCB, have provided Georgia Southern unique opportunities that are essential to building a renowned applied engineering program. Vice President for Research Charles Patterson said the University System of Georgia’s approval to offer baccalaureate degrees in civil, electrical and mechanical engineering will bring greater visibility to the University’s research mission.

“Like any research initiative, external funding will take cultivation and effort, but the approval of these programs provides the foundation and demonstrated institutional commitment that federal agencies and other sponsors of external funding for research expect from universities,” said Patterson, who also serves as dean for the Jack N. Averitt College of Graduate Studies. “The immediate impact of these programs, however, will be the benefits afforded our students, economic development for the region and the workforce development for industries within the state of Georgia. These programs will enhance our ability to produce highly skilled and work-ready students in fields of engineering.”

Bret Danilowicz, dean of the Allen E. Paulson College of Science and Technology, said as the degree offerings grow, he also anticipates growth in research will be primarily through strengthening existing partnerships and establishing new collaborative agreements with Georgia industries.
“Engineering is an applied discipline, so collaboration is essential to providing opportunities for student learning and faculty research,” he said. “The benefit is two-fold: we are not only providing companies with practical solutions to problems they may not have the manpower to solve, but also supplying the workforce with more skilled engineers.”

Existing labs offer students a unique opportunity to be involved in the entire research process. They are testing biofuels, building solar panels, working with industry representatives, and publishing peer-reviewed articles.

“Our students are involved in intense research with cutting-edge equipment. When they graduate, they are not only able to recognize instrumentation-they have probably worked with more advanced technology than most manufacturers possess,” said Valentin Soloiu, head of Georgia Southern’s Renewable Energy and Engines Lab.

Many students spend more than four hours per day on research alone-in addition to class, tests and studying-but they say being immersed in the process is what they appreciate most about Georgia Southern’s programs. Spencer Harp (’08) was one of the first teaching assistants in Soloiu’s lab, where students test the effectiveness of biofuels in various types of engines generously provided by Briggs & Stratton and JCB. The lab-a perfect example of collaborative research-utilizes cutting-edge technology and yields solutions that positively impact both students and industry.

A master’s student studying engineering management, Harp has participated in every aspect of research, from building equipment and taking measurements to managing project budgets and supervising undergraduates. The Thomaston, Ga., native said his experience has been invaluable because good engineers should do more than just design-they should be able to speak the same language as the users.

“The best engineer can talk to the user, examine the equipment and produce a solution. My experience here at Georgia Southern will make me more prepared for my career,” he said. “What we do in the labs here at Georgia Southern bridges the gap between blackboard engineering and real-world engineering.”