Developing The Next Generation Of Technology Leaders In Challenging Times: The Us Nsf Asee Industry Research Fellows Program

This paper describes the motivation, steps and description to establish an industry research fellow pilot program for US engineering post docs. The idea was conceived and brought to the attention of the National Science Foundation Engineering Directorate Engineering Education and Research Centers and established August 2009 with US ARRA stimulus funds. The program will sponsor forty (40) one-year fellowships for engineering post-doctoral students in corporate research labs. For the first time, the engineering post-docs in the program are jointly supported by NSF and corporate hosts labs. By providing collaborative research programs to faculty and post-doctoral students, participants can experience real-life industry entrepreneurial experiences for turning inventions into products and services as well as understanding the skills needed to practice the engineering profession.