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Studying Engineering, Mathematics and Science at UTEP

Dr. Benjamin FloresAssociate Dean, - College of EngineeringPrincipal Investigator, - Model Institutions of Excellence

Dr. Helmut KnaustChair, - Department of Mathematical Sciences

October 21, 2006GEPCTM Conference

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• Overview– Studying Science and Engineering at

UTEP– Math Requirements– Student Profile– The CircLES Program– Math Placement: Accuplacer– College Readiness Initiative

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UTEP Undergraduate Science & Engineering Programs

• SCIENCE– Biology– Chemistry– Environmental Science– Geology– Geophysics– Microbiology– Mathematics– Physics– Psychology

• ENGINEERING– Civil Engineering– Computer Science– Electrical and Computer

Engineering– Industrial Engineering– Materials and

Metallurgical Engineering

– Mechanical Engineering

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Undergraduate Students

– Engineering: 2,151 – Science: 1,624– Total: 3,775

– At UTEP: 17,060

Fall 2006

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Undergraduate Enrollment Trends In Engineering, Math and Science

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Math Requirements – Three examples

Physics (22 hours)

• Calculus I• Calculus II• Calculus III• Differential

Equations• Applied

Analysis I• 2 more upper

division math courses

Electrical Engineering (16 hours)

• Calculus I• Calculus II• Calculus III• Differential

Equations• Matrix Algebra

Biology (11 hours)

• Calculus I• Statistical Methods I• Statistical Methods II

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UTEP Student Population Profile

• 24 years of age (undergraduate average)• 69% Hispanic• 55% female• 81% from El Paso County and commute

daily• 84% employed• 50% first generation university students

• 2001-2002 Facts, The University of Texas at El Paso

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Students and Teachers in El Paso: A “Closed Loop”

UTEP

Local School Districts

Close to 90% of all students

come from El Paso County

65% of all math teachers in El Paso

County get their college education

at UTEP

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Mathematics Placement of Students Entering UTEP- All Majors (Fall 2004) -

Pre-Algebra (EPCC), 39%

Beginning Algebra, 5%

Intermediate Algebra, 38%

College Algebra, 17%

Calculus, 1%

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UTEP’s Model for STEM* Student SuccessUTEP’s Model for STEM* Student Success

* STEM = Science, Technology, Engineering and Math

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Circles of Learning for Entering Students

UTEP’s entering student program for STEM students

CircLES provides: summer orientationplacement examspeer mentoringexpert advisingcourse clustering

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Timeline

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CONNECTIONS TO UNIVERSITY SERVICES

STUDY SKILLS

DEVELOPMENTAL MATH REVIEW AND PLACEMENT

RESEARCH MODULES (Science and Engineering)

CircLES - One Week-Long Orientation

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Mathematics Review

• Duration: 3 days, 2 hours each day• Students solve math problems in small groups of 4 or 5

students• Math review is led by peer facilitators• The accompanying text focuses on short explanations

and practice problems• After the math review is complete, students retake

UTEP’s math placement exam

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Placement Before and After Math Review 2001-03- STEM Students -

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• New Developments– Summer 2006: UTEP extends the Math

Review to all students.– Spring/Summer 2007: “College

Readiness Initiative”. Students take the Math Placement Test in High School, followed by Math Review activities at the local high schools, UTEP and EPCC.

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All Questions Answered,All Answers Questioned*

* Borrowed from Donald Knuth

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Benjamin Floresflores@ece.utep.edu

Helmut Knausthknaust@utep.edu