UT Engineers Going Global: Turkey International Sustainable Engineering Program 2013 (ISEP 2013)

UT Engineers Going Global: TurkeyInternational Sustainable Engineering Program 2013 (ISEP 2013) Dr. Derek Baker Center for Solar Energy Research and Applications (GÜNAM) Department of Mechanical Engineering Middle East Technical University (METU), Ankara, Turkey METU

I originally made this document to support an oral presentation and not as a stand alone document. Before posting to the web, I did add in some “Notes” of the main ideas I would discuss orally while giving this presentation that are not contained in the actual slides. Derek Baker N. Cyprus 10 Nov. 2012

Agenda • Introduction • ISEP 2012 Summary • Program of Study • Dates • Location • Costs • Scholarships • Application Requirements • Application Process

About Me: I was born in Virginia and grew up on the East Coast. I came to UT for graduate school. My Turkish wife Özgür also came to UT for graduate school which is where we met. We moved to Turkey in 2002 and both work at Middle East Technical University in Ankara, Turkey. I have been named “METU Educator of the Year” 3 times, an award given to ~1% of the METU Faculty each year. I have been running this summer program for the last 4-years.

About Middle East Technical University: METU = “Me Too” • Established in the 1950’s on the US Land Grant State University Model in collaboration with the US. None other than UT’s Dean Woolrich played a critical roll in establishing METU by serving as METU’s first Consulting and Intern Presidents. • Ranked 7th in the world among non-US universities in number of engineering graduates who obtain a PhD in the US (NSF, 2003). • Ranked in the top 100 Universities in the world based on reputation (Times Higher Education World U. Rankings, 2012) • The campus is a self-contained and gated community. Students live in dorms on campus. During the week there is no need to leave campus and is one of the easiest places for an American to live in Turkey. • METU is located in the capital city Ankara and is centrally located for exploring Turkey on the weekends.

METU ISEP 2012: UT Students (Except Kathryn)

METU ISEP 2012: Kick-off Cruise on Mediterranean

METU ISEP 2012: Tour of Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) System at METU’s Northern Cyprus Campus (METU NCC) that we reverse engineered in the class.

METU ISEP 2012: We went to the Izmir for the Int’l Ege Energy Symposium and Exhibition. Izmir is at the Northern end of Turkey’s Turquoise Coast. On free days, Texas and METU students rented a bus and saw the ruins of the Biblical City Ephesus (Book of Ephesians), the Last House of the Virgin Mary, and went to the beach.

In the class students develop mathematical models of the solar energy system, program these into a computer, run simulation , parametric and feasibility studies, and communicate their work in written reports.

Learning Objectives: The program is structured as a balanced 3-legged stool. • Computer Modeling and Scientific Communication: “Core” engineering skills important for any branch of engineering. • Solar Engineering: Specialized skills. • Global Competency: Includes the ability to live in a non-English speaking country, work in an international engineering environment, and place the impact of one’s work in a global context. While Computer Modeling, Scientific Communication, and Solar Engineering Skills can be gained at UT in Austin, gaining the depth of these Global Competency skills would be very difficult in Austin and is the main value-added educational component of this program.

ISEP 2013: PossibleFieldtrips (to be confirmed) • The METU Northern Cyprus Campus (METU NCC) on the Mediterranean Island of Cyprus to see the demonstration Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) system that is reversed engineered in the class. • Istanbul for a workshop on Socially Responsible Technology Leadership and Entrepreneurship and a tour of a Unilever facility to learn about their Sustainable Manufacturing Initiatives in collaboration with the Turkish leadership organization YGA. • Hybrid Solar-Geothermal Power Plant in the Aegean region.

Is Turkey Safe [for Americans]? • “People always asked me if Turkey was safe. I tell them I felt as safe as I do on 6th Street in Austin.” Dr. Gary Vliet from UT who joined us for the 1st three weeks of the 2012 program • “Maybe it was blissful ignorance, but I never felt concerned for my safety while in Turkey. Everyone was just so hospitable.” A 2012 Participant. • “I have lived in Turkey for almost 10 years, and I have never felt threatened nor the need to hide my citizenship. This included at the start of the Iraqi War when I heard stories of Americans being harassed in Western Europe.” Program Coordinator Derek Baker

Dates • 7 Week Program • ~1 week orientation • 6 week class • Starts ~ 20 June* • Ends 7 August • Official dates announced by Dec. 1 • Purchase ticket after first accepted student meeting on Dec. 5 *The start of the program will be coordinated with the end of the Delft Maymester Program on Nuclear Energy such that students can attend both. This means students can reduce plane tickets costs by combining both programs, and can complete 2 engineering classes and 1 free elective in the summer.

Program Details • Program is accessible to any motivated Engineering Student. CE’s, ChE’s, EE’s and ME’s have all participated in the past, worked hard, and done well. • 3 Credit Engineering Course and 3 Credit Turkish Language Course • Costs: • ~$2750* tuition paid to UT • $2500* Program Fee that includes accommodation and field trip transportation, but not food. • ~ $700 for food • ~$1800 plane ticket • ~$700 travel, incidentals and other costs ============================== • ~$9,000 total** * Can be covered by financial add. **The incremental cost relative to studying at UT-Austin for the summer  (Plane Ticket + Program Fee) - Summer Housing Costs in Austin

Scholarships • UT AUSTINONLINE APPLICATION PORTAL but different requirements/dates http://utdirect.utexas.edu/student/abroad/globalassist.WBX • ENGINEERING…………DUE JANUARY 25 • IEFS ……………………… DUE MARCH 1 • NATIONAL • GILMAN for Pell recipients only ………………………DUE MARCH 1

Deadline: DECEMBER 1 • Eligibility 2. 75 GPA and above preferred • All majors accepted • 1 reference - an online questionnaire • TA or Professor • FIG leader

If you are interested in applying for this program….. Make an individual appointment with Helena Wilkins Versalovic, Senior Program Coordinator for International Engineering Education at UT. Helena has found that every student is different and therefore it is best to work with students one-on-one. http://world.utexas.edu/abroad/programs/summer/application Online portal • Self authorize to apply • Write essays • Request reference • Send online Questionnaire • TA, professor or FIG mentor acceptable

If you want more information about this program, you can contact the following people: Dr. Derek Baker, ISEP 2013 Coordinator Department of Mechanical Engineering Middle East Technical University http://www.metu.edu.tr/~dbaker/ dbaker@metu.edu.tr ISEP 2012 Participants from Texas: There are 9 alumni from ISEP 2012 still at Texas who can give you a students’ perspective of the program. METU Alumni Now at Texas: At least 6 METU alumni are now in graduate school at Texas, and many of these students participated in or are a well aware of ISEP. These students can give you a Turkish perspective.

Conclusions The program is designed to be both academically rigorous and develop global competency skills. The main value-added educational component (i.e., what separates this program from most other international engineering programs) is the in-depth formal collaboration and informal interaction with METU students.

UT Engineers Going Global: Turkey International Sustainable Engineering Program 2013 (ISEP 2013)