This award provides funding in FY 2010 to the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) to establish the Graduate Research Fellows Program (GRFP) Engineering Innovation Fellows program that will provide 40 2nd year and beyond GRFP fellows in engineering disciplines the opportunity to participate in research activities in an industrial setting during the summer of 2011. This project will be under the direction of Dr. Frank Huband.
Given the challenges that the country faces today, there is an urgent need to tranform the economy with science and technology. Research challenges include energy independence, climate control and the development of credible economic models for a successful and sustained recovery of our economy. It is very important to have engineers and scientists looking for the next great discovery, creating jobs in cutting-edge technologies and making informed investments that will help industries succeed in a global economy. Of primary importance is the development of industrial R&D opportunities for the next generation of technology leaders in an environment that will stimulate innovation and invention.
This pilot program will be a partnership between the federal government and various industrial sponsors. The program will aim to encourage the involvement of creative and highly trained engineers already participating in the NSF GRFP in areas of research that have a great interest and relevance to the nation as we face current economic challenges. The benefits of this program will include both the enhancement of the knowledge and skills of the GRFP Fellows through their corporate research experience and the enhancement of the entrepreneurial businesses' innovation capabilities through the infusion of the research capabilities of the Fellows. With the U.S. leadership focusing more on the potential contributions of academic research and development efforts to enhance the competitiveness of U.S. industries, this program provides a complement to their discipline specific training. Fellows are expected to gain an understanding of business value and an ability to work in multi-cultural environments on their journey to becoming innovators.
The Engineering Innovation Fellows Program was a partnership between the federal government and various industrial sponsors that allowed NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) fellows in engineering disciplines to participate in industrial research activities during the summer. Designed with future graduate studies and careers in mind, the EIFP offered research and development experiences in company laboratories, where fellows could learn how to apply their academic research skills toward desired business outcomes and to work within business constraints. EIFP began as a pilot in 2010 and ended in 2013, having served 52 EIFP fellows at 35 companies, with the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) as the grantee for the program, managing the solicitation, placement, and monitoring of fellows as well as other administrative activities. At the end of the grant period ASEE, received an extension to survey EIFP fellows on their experiences. Thirty-five fellows completed the survey. They represented 10 science and engineering disciplines, with biomedical engineering the most commonly reported field. The survey results were quite positive. Respondents expressed unequivocal satisfaction with the program, reporting that it had enhanced their qualifications and expanded their perspective and skills in innovation. Eighty percent of the respondents agreed that the program helped them gain valuable industry experience, such as working with teams on multidisciplinary projects, learning to write patent applications, and producing industry-focused research papers. About 50 percent of the respondents felt that the program had a profound impact on their future career paths, either by shifting their focus from academic to industrial research or by influencing the direction of their doctoral research. However, the follow-up interviews with the fellows revealed that their experiences varied widely. A number of factors, including the size of the research group, fellows’ expectations, level of engagement with mentors, and the nature of the project they worked on contributed to the quality of program experience. In general, we observed that working with a multidisciplinary research team, pursuing a structured research plan, gaining exposure to various aspects of product development, and having frequent interactions with colleagues all combined to yield a positive internship experience. Key outcomes or other achievements: • The respondents unequivocally expressed satisfaction with the program. • The respondents very much appreciated the opportunity and financial support to conduct research in an industry setting. • About 50 percent of the respondents reported that the experience influenced their career trajectory by changing their mindset about working in industry and cultivating entrepreneurial thinking. • Although not an outcome intended by NSF, three respondents turned the fellowship into a full-time position at their host companies. • A few respondents noted that the fellowship experience would have been better had the host companies provided structured work assignments for them. A better inclusion strategy by host companies and better supervision by NSF/ASEE could enrich the program experience further. • More than 60 percent of the respondents contended that the fellowship would be more beneficial if offered earlier in a graduate student’s career.
