Christopher D. Pionke

Fabrication of an 8:1 ellipsoidal mirror for a synchrotron x-ray microprobe

The fabrication of an R:1 demagnifying ellipsoidal mirror to be used for an x-ray microprobe at the National Synchrotron Light Source X-26 beam port. The design aim was to produce a mirror that could be used over the photon energy range from about I to 17 keV. The 300-mm long mirror was required to operate at a grazing angle of 5 mr. The semimaior axis was 4500 mm and the semiminor axis 14.142 mm. Surface roughness of 1 nm or less and slope errors of 1 arc second parallel to the long axis and 2nn arc seconds parallel to the short direction were specified. Production of the first electroless nickel-coated aluminum mirror using a diamond-turning technique has been completed. The mirror meets the 1 arc sec surface figure specification except for areas near the ends of the mirror. The reasons for these deviations arise from subtle details of the diamond-turning process which have not been fully incorporated into the computer program that controls the diamond-turning machines. Further work in computer correction of repeatable errors of the diamond-turning machine can eliminate the waviness at the ends of the mirror. The diamond-turned mirror surface was not fully polished under this effort and therefore does not meet the roughness specification; however, surface smoothness of a fully polished cylindrical mirror manufactured using the same techniques does meet the specification. It can be concluded that it is now technically feasible to meet the required specifications for the mirror and that the x-ray microprobe based on its use can be achieved.

The engage program: results from renovating the first year experience at the University of Tennessee

An innovative new freshman engineering initiative called engage has been fully implemented at the University of Tennessee. This is a comprehensive approach to meeting the educational and developmental needs of our freshmen. Extensive data on student performance was collected during the two-year phase in of this new program. Results presented include retention rates (engineering college and university), progression through the program, performance on common final exams and performance in sophomore courses. Comparisons are also made between the engage program and nationally administered surveys, i.e. Pittsburgh survey on engineering student attitudes. In all these areas students in the new program did as well or better than those in the traditional curriculum.

The Engage program: renovating the first year experience at the University of Tennessee

A new initiative is being implemented at the University of Tennessee (USA) called the Engage program. This initiative is a comprehensive approach to the educational needs of entering freshmen, from personal development and socialisation needs to a new first year curriculum based on the educational lessons learned in the last eight years by the NSF Coalitions. The program establishes an environment of collaborative learning with faculty as mentors, it integrates the subject matter of the freshman year and teaches problem solving by application, and it also seeks to address the increased retention of engineering students with an emphasis on under-represented groups. Faculty approval has been obtained and the College of Engineering is in the process of implementing these changes.

Work in progress — A grand challenge leadership course for engineering students

At the University of Tennessee, The Grand Challenge Scholar program operates in conjunction with the Honors Engineering Leadership minor (HELM) and emphasizes leadership training as part of interdisciplinary coursework preparing engineering students to work at the boundaries of their profession with business, entrepreneurship, ethics, and human behavior. We have formed a partnership with the Department of Management, College of Business Administration, to assist in developing this interdisciplinary leadership training for engineering students. In response to the question of how Leadership Development could be customized based on student differences by major, a brief analysis of leadership skills was conducted. This analysis includes comparison of the overall reported Master and Needs Work skills between UT-CBA and UT-COE students. Observable differences and similarities in Management and Engineering student leadership skills are discussed as well as implications for designing leadership activities for engineering students.