I'm ready to sell my Jeep. I pay $1000/yr to insure it, $2400/yr in gas, and that is not to mention 2 more years of $481/month payments. It is the middle of March and I can already ride my bike to work...yeah! I'm not convinced on the whole global warming thing, but the dependence on foreign oil cannot be denied and I'm ready to reduce my dependence. This morning at 5:30 the temp was 25F. Tomorrow morning I have to leave home at 4:30 and it will be 10F. Let's see if I am still gung ho 10 minutes into that ride!Wednesday, March 19, 2008
First Bike Commute of the Year
I'm ready to sell my Jeep. I pay $1000/yr to insure it, $2400/yr in gas, and that is not to mention 2 more years of $481/month payments. It is the middle of March and I can already ride my bike to work...yeah! I'm not convinced on the whole global warming thing, but the dependence on foreign oil cannot be denied and I'm ready to reduce my dependence. This morning at 5:30 the temp was 25F. Tomorrow morning I have to leave home at 4:30 and it will be 10F. Let's see if I am still gung ho 10 minutes into that ride!
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Reinventing The Bottom Line
Greetings! Hey-It has been a while since I have posted. To be honest, I just kind of got blah about posting. So I have decided to reinvent TBL for a change of pace. Angie has been undertaking a photography project where she takes a "picture of the day". I have decided to copy this idea and post 365 days of photos. So here is day 1! Angie and I went to see "The Boss". He is definitely the greatest rock and roll performer of all time. If you ever get a chance, go see him in concert!So, stay tuned for a picture a day for a year. When some engineering advice comes to mind, I will also include it....
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Dialogue North
This morning at the Sawmill Inn in Grand Rapids, 220 high school and college students interested in engineering assembled to listen to engineers talk about the future of engineering in northeastern Minnesota.
Joe Scipioni, President and CEO of Polymet Mining, captivated the group as he talked about the process his group will use to get copper, nickel, cobalt and more, as well as the fuel needed to power the mining, out of the ground. Joe showed all of the ways that engineers will be needed to startup and run this one plant.
Latisha Gietzen of Polymet, Mathew Pellinen of Landecker, Josh Skelton of MN Power, Lucas McLeod of Blandin, and Amber Mikulich, a current ICC Engineering student, then followed with a panel discussion of engineering in their industries and gave the future engineers lots of valuable advice.
The energy in the room was high. The future of engineering in this region is bright. To see hundreds of future engineers excited about this career was quite empowering.
Joe Scipioni, President and CEO of Polymet Mining, captivated the group as he talked about the process his group will use to get copper, nickel, cobalt and more, as well as the fuel needed to power the mining, out of the ground. Joe showed all of the ways that engineers will be needed to startup and run this one plant.
Latisha Gietzen of Polymet, Mathew Pellinen of Landecker, Josh Skelton of MN Power, Lucas McLeod of Blandin, and Amber Mikulich, a current ICC Engineering student, then followed with a panel discussion of engineering in their industries and gave the future engineers lots of valuable advice.
The energy in the room was high. The future of engineering in this region is bright. To see hundreds of future engineers excited about this career was quite empowering.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Catching Up
Greetings All,
I apologize for being absent of late. Sometimes things just get a little crazy. Last week I was in New Orleans for 5 days of Navy duty followed by a 3 day conference on college industry partnerships. Both events were exciting and productive. We are just now getting off the ground with our new partnerships with Cirrus, Schwartz Redi-mix, and the UMD Medical School. Our students are excited as are our partners. Getting students to work with faculty for industry is going to be productive.
The free time in life lately has been spent in my role as volunteer assistant coach for the Hill City Boys Basketball team. I go to their practices every day and sit at the end of the bench during games for the purpose of giving individual instruction to players. Coaching youth even as old as high school students is extremely rewarding.
So in summary, I've been busy, but busy doing things that I highly recommend to everyone - finding a way to serve our country, attending professional development conferences, and volunteering free time to make a difference in young peoples' lives.
Stay warm.
I apologize for being absent of late. Sometimes things just get a little crazy. Last week I was in New Orleans for 5 days of Navy duty followed by a 3 day conference on college industry partnerships. Both events were exciting and productive. We are just now getting off the ground with our new partnerships with Cirrus, Schwartz Redi-mix, and the UMD Medical School. Our students are excited as are our partners. Getting students to work with faculty for industry is going to be productive.
The free time in life lately has been spent in my role as volunteer assistant coach for the Hill City Boys Basketball team. I go to their practices every day and sit at the end of the bench during games for the purpose of giving individual instruction to players. Coaching youth even as old as high school students is extremely rewarding.
So in summary, I've been busy, but busy doing things that I highly recommend to everyone - finding a way to serve our country, attending professional development conferences, and volunteering free time to make a difference in young peoples' lives.
Stay warm.
Monday, February 4, 2008
Advice to a New Engineer
The following exchanges took place. I would be interested in any further comments.
FORMER STUDENT:
I have some frustrations at work that I don't know how to address in aprofessional/tactful manner, and I am hoping that you may have someadvice on how to approach the subject.I am aware that I am a young, entry level engineer and with that havepositive aspects as well as drawbacks. I have been working at thisfacility for about 8 months now, and I have yet to do, or at least whatI consider to do, anything really engineering related.
Once I finished some of the general training, which included 3 months of shift work, Ihave been working on an OSHA required program that is severely lackingat this location. I know that this program is very important to get inshape and implemented, but I feel as if I am sacrificing being able to work on projects/designs here. I have brought these concerns to my direct supervisor/mentor, which is the Plant Engineer, to no real success. The last time that this was discussed was at my 6 month review. No one has a problem with my job performance, but I do.
Within this company engineers move around the country or even overseas quite often.When a new engineer is hired out of college, two years is generally how long the stay is at the first location. At this rate, I am concerned about falling behind my peers. I am worried that I won't be competitivefor the next position as a process engineer at the next unknown location. As the pressure is on to get the before mentioned program into place by corporate, it is as though the real reason I was hired, to be an engineer, is falling to the far wayside. I really don't know how to broach this subject with my superiors and getthe desired outcome-being trained on and then allowed to work onprojects. If you have any suggestions on how to do this from your experience outin the field, please feel free to relay that to me. I am actually quite lost on how to proceed from this situation. Thank you in advance for any help that is given.
RON:
Great to hear from you! I hope I can offer a fresh perspective for you. Let me start by asking you a question. When will the OSHA project be completed?
FORMER STUDENT:
As I have come to understand it, this project is not a destination but a journey. But I think the ultimate timeline is to get all of the pieces into place by June. There is tons of documentation that needs to be in place prior to using the program to the full potential. And after it is in place, it still needs to be managed.
RON:
I have spent a long time contemplating this. Here is my advice: You should embrace the task you have. Do it to the best of your ability and even better. Have the project be a smashing success. This will put you ahead of your peers who are doing design. It certainly won't put you behind.
In anything, capable people produce results. I believe your best bet is to show you are a capable person.The other option is much less pretty. If you kind of force your hand and in a sense complain that you aren't being challenged or aren't doing real engineering, then the tagline that will follow you is that you area complainer or a trouble maker.
I would much rather have the reputation of being the person who can succeed than the person who complains.Then if after a year and a half, if you have still not been put in the type of work that you want to be doing, start looking for other work. I hope this helps.
FORMER STUDENT:
Thank you for earnest response. I do like the point that you made about having a reputation of being a person who will get the job done, and done well rather than being a complainer. Thank you once again for taking the time to consider what I have asked.
FORMER STUDENT:
I have some frustrations at work that I don't know how to address in aprofessional/tactful manner, and I am hoping that you may have someadvice on how to approach the subject.I am aware that I am a young, entry level engineer and with that havepositive aspects as well as drawbacks. I have been working at thisfacility for about 8 months now, and I have yet to do, or at least whatI consider to do, anything really engineering related.
Once I finished some of the general training, which included 3 months of shift work, Ihave been working on an OSHA required program that is severely lackingat this location. I know that this program is very important to get inshape and implemented, but I feel as if I am sacrificing being able to work on projects/designs here. I have brought these concerns to my direct supervisor/mentor, which is the Plant Engineer, to no real success. The last time that this was discussed was at my 6 month review. No one has a problem with my job performance, but I do.
Within this company engineers move around the country or even overseas quite often.When a new engineer is hired out of college, two years is generally how long the stay is at the first location. At this rate, I am concerned about falling behind my peers. I am worried that I won't be competitivefor the next position as a process engineer at the next unknown location. As the pressure is on to get the before mentioned program into place by corporate, it is as though the real reason I was hired, to be an engineer, is falling to the far wayside. I really don't know how to broach this subject with my superiors and getthe desired outcome-being trained on and then allowed to work onprojects. If you have any suggestions on how to do this from your experience outin the field, please feel free to relay that to me. I am actually quite lost on how to proceed from this situation. Thank you in advance for any help that is given.
RON:
Great to hear from you! I hope I can offer a fresh perspective for you. Let me start by asking you a question. When will the OSHA project be completed?
FORMER STUDENT:
As I have come to understand it, this project is not a destination but a journey. But I think the ultimate timeline is to get all of the pieces into place by June. There is tons of documentation that needs to be in place prior to using the program to the full potential. And after it is in place, it still needs to be managed.
RON:
I have spent a long time contemplating this. Here is my advice: You should embrace the task you have. Do it to the best of your ability and even better. Have the project be a smashing success. This will put you ahead of your peers who are doing design. It certainly won't put you behind.
In anything, capable people produce results. I believe your best bet is to show you are a capable person.The other option is much less pretty. If you kind of force your hand and in a sense complain that you aren't being challenged or aren't doing real engineering, then the tagline that will follow you is that you area complainer or a trouble maker.
I would much rather have the reputation of being the person who can succeed than the person who complains.Then if after a year and a half, if you have still not been put in the type of work that you want to be doing, start looking for other work. I hope this helps.
FORMER STUDENT:
Thank you for earnest response. I do like the point that you made about having a reputation of being a person who will get the job done, and done well rather than being a complainer. Thank you once again for taking the time to consider what I have asked.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Question Behind Question QBQ
This is a book I highly recommend: The Question Behind the Question by John G. Miller. It is a quick read and has a powerful message that we should present to ourselves on a regular basis. I first read the book last spring when Glen lent it to me. One of my classes (professional development 4) is now reading it for a class assignment. I brought it with me to the Y tonight and re-read the first 8 chapters and BAM! the message hit straight home again.
What is the message you ask?
It is quite simple. Practice personal accountability.
Here is an exerpt:
" Ever heard these questions?
'Why don't others work harder?'
'Why is this happening to me?'
'Why do they make it so difficult for me to do my job?'
Say them aloud. How do they make you feel? When I say them, I feel powerless, like a victim. Questions with a 'Why me?' tone to them say, 'I'm a victim of the environment and the people around me.' Not a very productive thought is it? But we ask them all the time!
....
The first QBQ guideline says all QBQ's begin with What or How, not Why, When, or Who. Rather than asking the questions above, how about:
'How can I do my job better today?'
'What can I do to improve the situation?'
'How can I support others?' "
I think you get the picture. The whole book is an excellent eye opener. I am ashamed to look back over the last week and see how many places I could have approached issues in a much more proactive and productive manner.
Go get a copy today!
What is the message you ask?
It is quite simple. Practice personal accountability.
Here is an exerpt:
" Ever heard these questions?
'Why don't others work harder?'
'Why is this happening to me?'
'Why do they make it so difficult for me to do my job?'
Say them aloud. How do they make you feel? When I say them, I feel powerless, like a victim. Questions with a 'Why me?' tone to them say, 'I'm a victim of the environment and the people around me.' Not a very productive thought is it? But we ask them all the time!
....
The first QBQ guideline says all QBQ's begin with What or How, not Why, When, or Who. Rather than asking the questions above, how about:
'How can I do my job better today?'
'What can I do to improve the situation?'
'How can I support others?' "
I think you get the picture. The whole book is an excellent eye opener. I am ashamed to look back over the last week and see how many places I could have approached issues in a much more proactive and productive manner.
Go get a copy today!
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Faculty Student Intern Teams
Through two new grants, one from the Blandin Foundation ($2.5 million) and the Minnesota Center of Engineering and Manufacturing Excellence ($50,000), the ICC Engineering program is starting a new internship program.
Here is how it will work:
*A company will hire a team to complete a research, testing, drafting, design, or whatever project.
*The cost to the company will be $10/hr for each student. Let's say the team has four students who work 10 hours per week, the cost to the company is $400 per week.
*The grant pays the faculty member to be part of the team. In other words, the company will get a PE to manage and take part in a project for free.
Look at the advantages:
*The students get an opportunity to learn about engineering in the actual environment and they get paid!
*The company gets 40 hours of student time and 5 hours of PE time per week for $400. And they have the opportunity to get exposure to potential future employees.
*The faculty member gets to have many teachable moments as they connect the student learning with actual engineering.
This project will last for five years. It starts this spring with us doing projects with Barr Engineering, Cirrus Design, Schwartz Redi-Mix, and UMD Medical School.
Do you have any projects that might work?
Here is how it will work:
*A company will hire a team to complete a research, testing, drafting, design, or whatever project.
*The cost to the company will be $10/hr for each student. Let's say the team has four students who work 10 hours per week, the cost to the company is $400 per week.
*The grant pays the faculty member to be part of the team. In other words, the company will get a PE to manage and take part in a project for free.
Look at the advantages:
*The students get an opportunity to learn about engineering in the actual environment and they get paid!
*The company gets 40 hours of student time and 5 hours of PE time per week for $400. And they have the opportunity to get exposure to potential future employees.
*The faculty member gets to have many teachable moments as they connect the student learning with actual engineering.
This project will last for five years. It starts this spring with us doing projects with Barr Engineering, Cirrus Design, Schwartz Redi-Mix, and UMD Medical School.
Do you have any projects that might work?
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