Students enhance learning by assisting faculty with research

Learning is accomplished in many ways, and Purdue University Calumet is working hard to distinguish itself by enhancing learning through a growing array of opportunities available to students.

One such opportunity is that of assisting faculty members with their scholarly research. While it is true that Purdue Calumet is considered primarily a teaching university with each faculty member having teaching responsibilities, it also is true that Purdue Calumet faculty engages in scholarly research—some which is nationally and internationally prominent..

Opportunities to assist professors with such research that advances new knowledge and discoveries enables students to apply, enrich and expand their learning in ways that go beyond classroom and textbook lessons.

For example. . .

• Students assist Professor of Mechanical Engineering Chenn Zhou with her steel manufacturing technologies research by creating geometrical domains, running computational fluid dynamics models, and analyzing fluid flow and heat transfer.
• Students working with Professor of Biological Sciences Charles Tseng in research projects relating to water quality and E. coli contamination, as well as the effects of radio frequency on human and bacterial gene activities conduct laboratory experiments.
• Graduate students studying to be marriage and family therapists assist faculty members of our Couple and Family Therapy Center by actually seeing patients and providing therapy under the watchful eye of their professors.
• Associate Professor of Physics Neeti Parashar, who is part of an international team of colleagues to have earned acclaim earlier this summer for discovering a new heavy particle that has advanced understanding of the building blocks of nature, engages students in data monitoring and filtering.
• Associate Professor of Manufacturing Engineering Technology Lash Mapa also involves students in his research to improve tracking through radio frequency identification technology. Through the experience, a former student assistant who graduated last spring landed a job with a New York company.

Society and students alike benefit from the scholarly research Purdue Calumet professors conduct. Through the successful experience of their research, our faculty members bring their teaching to life in real world ways for our students. Those students who take advantage of opportunities to assist our faculty with their research activities apply and increase their learning.

It’s higher education at its best—a win-win for everyone.

Sincerely,

Howard Cohen
Chancellor