Engineering Seminar Notes: Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration, Attendance Policy, and Program Structure

Intent and big-picture context

The speaker aims to help you see how engineering disciplines fit together and to highlight transferable skills (engineering skills, project management, programming, computer science) across disciplines.
When guest departments come in to speak, some presentations may feel like a sales pitch; the speaker emphasizes that the goal is not to push you into a specific major but to help you understand how different fields relate and how they fit into your future work.
The underlying purpose is to provide information you need to work with other majors later in your career, not to force a change of major.
Acknowledges that some students are uncertain about their path; stresses the importance of getting into the right spot to avoid wasted time and energy later on (references the experience of switching majors in junior year).

Some schools offer a full one-year, common first-year engineering curriculum to provide fluidity to move between programs; the speaker mentions this as a reference point.
The seminar aims to give students information earlier in the program to explore other programs and still have an opportunity to switch if needed.
If students realize they haven’t learned something by midterm or end of the semester, they can approach the instructor (Chris) to be connected with the right person.

Class size is large: about
- approximately \approx 230\ \text{students}.
The instructor will cover department visits and related activities; there will be some homework assigned.
Because of the large class size, the instructor prefers not to deal with handwritten submissions.

Homework will likely be submitted as questions on Canvas rather than handwritten work.
After a guest speaker (e.g., environmental engineering or geological engineering in the first week), students may have a quiz or small assignment on Canvas.
The assignments will require a bit more research, drawing on information that can be found on the department or program websites (e.g., tech website).
The example given: there won’t be a prompt like identifying a famous environmental engineer from 1946; the focus is on relevant, current material.

Attendance is a major part of the grade in this class: 60\% of the total grade.
By contrast, a related course (e.g., Gen Eng 101) had attendance as a much smaller portion (about 5\%).
There was a plan in the past (eight weeks of some activities) that was deemed not effective; changes were made with input from sophomores to improve the process.
The class will not require students to attend evening open houses; instead, department sessions remain as the required interaction.
Department sessions will include sessions conducted by each department for their students; the instructor has not yet coordinated with all department heads for a finalized schedule.
If a session is missed, the instructor plans to record the session and post it on Canvas once scheduled, to ensure students can access the information.
All communications will be primarily through Canvas.
Some departments may reach out directly via email in addition to Canvas communications.
There will be ongoing discussion about how attendance will be recorded; details will be provided shortly.

The instructor cautions against cheating and references a standard policy on integrity; there will be an emphasis on ethical conduct and proper collaboration.
The aim is to maintain a professional, information-sharing environment rather than encouraging shortcutting.

The plan includes running through all engineering disciplines to understand how they interrelate and what each department offers.
The discussion will cover the broader landscape of disciplines and their interconnections, rather than focusing on a single path.
The speaker anticipates potential questions or confusion and encourages students to ask for clarification when needed.

Emphasis on transferable skills and cross-disciplinary collaboration as essential for future engineering practice.
The approach supports practical, real-world problem-solving where multiple engineering disciplines must work together on projects.
The seminar is designed to help students anticipate how to collaborate with others in their careers and how to navigate departmental resources.

Expect heavy emphasis on attendance and engagement as core components of your grade.
Be prepared for guest speaker sessions to include short quizzes or research-based assignments on Canvas.
Use Canvas as the primary channel for announcements, recordings, and submission of assignments.
If unsure about a topic, reach out to the instructor (Chris) to be connected with the right department or contact.
Understand that the course is about building a holistic view of engineering disciplines and preparation for cross-department collaboration in your future career.

The instructor will work on coordinating with department heads and finalize the schedule for department sessions.
Recordings of sessions will be posted on Canvas for those who miss classes.
Expect ongoing communication and potential emails from departments in addition to Canvas updates.
The class will continue to explore the disciplines and their connections in subsequent sessions.