Dean's Community Message

May 15, 2020

Dear College of Engineering Community,

Recently on LinkedIn (I welcome connecting with you personally!) a friend and colleague shared some tips from the book Becoming Leaders: A Practical Handbook for Women in Engineering, Science, and Technology (F. Mary Williams and Carolyn J. Emerson), which is relevant for everyone at all times, but especially now:

  • When avoiding tasks or making decisions, remember to have courage.
  • When you get bogged down in details, remember your vision.
  • When you need direction, remember your values.

As we head into Penn State’s first summer session next week, and continue to make plans for the future during these uncertain times, I intend to keep these tips close at hand. I hope you find them useful, too, as you continue forward.

Here are some updates to conclude the week:

Lab Access

We are expecting guidance very soon from the University on how and when labs will be accessible. Please note that they remain closed at this time, except to essential activities. Once University guidance is provided, we anticipate that a detailed planning phase within departments and in the college will proceed prior to the controlled reopening of labs — to ensure that occupancy limits will be respected and that personnel are scheduled accordingly, appropriate PPE and disinfecting supplies are available, and signage is posted. The university will also need to confirm readiness of and support for individual buildings prior to the controlled reopening of labs. We will share additional information as soon as it is available.

Summer Internships and Research Experiences

Internships and research experiences are a vital part of the educational experience in engineering. For students within the college who had their internships cancelled in response to COVID-19, the Learning Factory will host a 10-week internship program this summer, pairing students with sponsors to work remotely on projects. Students will complete supplemental training in areas such as financial literacy, ethics, professional communications, leadership, and report writing. Please visit sites.psu.edu/learningfactoryshowcase/interns for more information. Additionally, for students affected by the cancellation of a summer research experience for undergraduates (REU) program in which they were planning to participate, a limited number of funded scholarship opportunities are available. Please visit www.engr.psu.edu/ceri to learn more about the program and application process.

Student Emergency Grants

As part of its allocation from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act that was signed into law on March 27, Penn State will be distributing emergency cash grants to students via two rounds of funding.

  • First Round: The University will award grants up to $1,000 to more than 25,000 students, based on family income and other data from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
  • Second Round: The University will utilize an application process to support students with eligible expenses who were not identified to receive funding during the first round.

For answers to more frequently asked questions about the emergency grants, visit virusinfo.psu.edu/faq/topic/federal-funding.

Important Dates and Reminders

The University’s coronavirus information site summarizes a list of important dates and reminders:

Monday Deadline to Register to Vote in PA Primary

For Pennsylvania residents, remember that the commonwealth’s primary election was rescheduled from April 28 to June 2. The last day to register to vote is this Monday, May 18. Voters have the option to vote by mail-in ballot rather than going to their polling place on election day, with mail-in ballot applications being accepted through Tuesday, May 26.

Please continue to submit your appreciation for members of the engineering community. Penn State updates are available on the University’s coronavirus information site. Remember to follow the college on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Have a great weekend!

Justin Schwartz
Harold and Inge Marcus Dean, College of Engineering