Procure Appropriate Resources To Facilitate The Academic Mission Of The Department
The department will monitor the classroom, laboratory, research, and out-reach (service) needs of the unit. Budget requests will reflect these needs.
Objective
Recruitment Of Graduate Assistants
The department diligently recruits graduate assistants in an effort to reduce the number of undergraduates teaching laboratory sections.
KPI
Number Of Graduate Assistants
In an effort to lower the number of undergraduate assistants in the lab, there is a need for an increase in graduate assistants.
Result
Increase In Number Of Graduate Assistants
In the Fall 2014 semester, there were 23 graduate assistants (Md Nure Alam, Udana Ariyaratne, Matthew Danker, Xinmei Dong, Sobiya George, Sajini Hettiarchchi, Md Sarowar Hossain, Harshani Jayabahu, Nilan Kamethewatta, Manpinder Kaur, Chathuri Kombala Nanayakkara, Sanjaya Lokugama Widanelage, Nicholas Pandorf, Chamila Priyardashani, Nuwan Punchi Naide Acharige, Nuwan Rammawadu, Harshani Rathnaweera, Thiwanka Ratnayake, Reny Jacob Roy, Hemantha Siyambalagoda, Victoria Spenn, Prajwol Tuladhar, Shadi Yavari). There were 21 graduate assistants (Md Nure Alam, Udana Ariyaratne, Matthew Danker, Xinmei Dong, Sobiya George, Sajini Hettiarchchi, Md Sarowar Hossain, Harshani Jayabahu, Manpinder Kaur, Chathuri Kombala Nanayakkara, Sanjaya Lokugama Widanelage, Nicholas Pandorf, Chamila Priyardashani, Nuwan Punchi Naide Acharige, Harshani Rathnaweera, Thiwanka Ratnayake, Reny Jacob Roy, Hemantha Siyambalagoda, Victoria Spenn, Prajwol Tuladhar, Shadi Yavari) during the spring 2015 semester. Nilan Kamethewatta and Nuwan Rammawadu graduated at the end of the fall semester. Compared to last fall, this was a gain of 6 graduate students and compared to last spring, this was a gain of 3 graduate students. This increase over previous years needs to be maintained.
Action
Make Offers To New Students
Ten of our graduate students completed their degrees this past year (2 in the fall semester and 8 during the summer). We have made a few offers of admisson, but are being restricted in the number of offers we can make. Further, some of the offers have been rejected. We hope to have 5 to 7 new students in the fall which will mean that our total number of students will drop.
Goal
Provide Appropriate Personnel Resources For The Unit
The department will assess the personnel (staff and faculty) needs of the unit on an annual basis. Annual funding requests will reflect these needs and hiring decisions will be based on these needs. The department office will provide appropriate resources and encourage faculty and staff to participate in development opportunities.
Objective
Request Additional Faculty Lines
The department is still in need of additional faculty lines to meet the demands for upper level and core courses. A request will be submitted through the PBR process for new lines.
KPI
New Faculty Line(s)
While we requested new positions last year, none were forthcoming. The need still exists, so new faculty lines will be sought even in economically bleak times.
Result
No New Positions
Not only were we not given a position to fill this year but Ozcan Gulacar decided to move to California for personal reasons and Paul Loeffler decided to retire effective at the end of the summer term.
Action
Visiting Professor Hired
We have hired Dr. Julio Valladares for the coming year. This will help a bit with our increased load. The gains that we had made in appropriate student/faculty ratio in general chemistry have been lost. We will search for two tenure-track positions in the coming year.
Goal
Mentor Graduate Students In Research Publications
Faculty researchers will mentor graduate students in research publications.
Objective
Graduate Students Will Demonstrate Skills In Publishing Research
During the master's program, graduate students will demonstrate the research skills to publish their research findings.
KPI
Research Publications
The number of research publications with graduate student authors or co-authors will indicate departmental success in preparing students to report research findings in written form. We expect that all graduate students who complete their M.S. degrees will have one or more publications, and most will have more than one presentation.
Result
Graduate Research Publications
In this cycle, there were three peer-reviewed publications and one graduate student co-author. As always it is appropriate to remind the reader that publication often lags behind student completion. The number of presentations with graduate co-authors is much larger (13 graduate students on 20 presentations).
Action
Research Communication
We will evaluate and direct our graduate students' progress in communicating their research results both at scientific meetings and in the peer-reviewed literature during 2015-2016.
Goal
Encourage Graduate Student Presentations At Professional Meetings
Mentoring graduate students in professional conference presentations is the goal.
Objective
Graduate Students Will Demonstrate Skills In Conference Presentations Of Research
During the master's program, graduate students will demonstrate the presentation skills to present their research findings at professional conferences.
KPI
Student Presentations
The number of presentations by graduate students at professional meetings will indicate the success of the department in preparing students to orally present their research results. We expect that every graduate student who completes their M.S. degree will have one or more publication, and most will have more than one presentation.
Result
Graduate Research Presentations
The number of presentations with graduate co-authors was 14.
Action
Research Presentations
We will evaluate and direct our graduate students' progress in communicating their research results both at scientific meetings and in the peer-reviewed literature during 2015-2016.
Goal
Chemistry-Related Careers Or Advanced Graduate Studies
The success of any program is whether its graduates find related work or pursue further graduate education.
Objective
After Degree Placement
Upon completion of the BS or MS program graduates will either find a chemistry-related job upon graduation (such as working in a research or analytical lab) or will go for graduate or advanced graduate studies.
KPI
Job Or Advanced Program Placement
The indicator will be the proportion of our graduating MS students who either find a chemistry-related job or go for advanced graduate studies.
Result
Successful Graduate Placement
Ten students completed their M.S. degrees this year. Eight of these are going on to Ph.D. programs (at the University of Kansas, the University of Miami, the University of Georgia, Oregon State University, two at Wayne State University and two at the University of Arizona) and two have jobs in government/industry.
KPI
Job Or Graduate Program Place For BS Graduates
The indicator will be the proportion of our graduating BS students who either find a chemistry-related job or go for graduate studies.
Result
Undergraduate Placement
This past academic year, 12 students graduated with chemistry majors and 16 students graduated with forensic chemistry majors. Of the 12, 7 are continuing their education, 1 is actively looking for a job and we don't have any information on 4 of them. Of the 16, 4 are continuing their education, 2 are employed in chemically related jobs, 2 are actively looking for jobs, and we don't have any information on 8 of them.
Action
Follow Former Students
We will continue to follow our former students as they seek employment and admission to graduate programs. This is a continuous process.