Joint Effort Announced by Honors College and the College of Engineering

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March 2011 Honors College e newsletter

Beginning in August 2011, the Honors College and the College of Engineering will sponsor a new major effort to help engineering majors complete their Honors requirements by the time they graduate. The two colleges have agreed to jointly fund the new position of Honors Liaison in the College of Engineering, and Dr. Chris Dalton has been selected to fill this role.

Dr. Dalton received his Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from OU in 2004, also having completed the Honors curriculum and graduating magna cum laude. He continued to complete his Master’s and Ph.D. degrees, both at OU, in 2007 and 2010 respectively. Currently, he is also an affiliate instructor with the School of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering as well as a project director for a National Science Foundation GK-12 program operating out of the Sooner Engineering Education Center.

“I am very excited to begin this cooperation with the Honors College,” Dr. Dalton said. “Being a former OU Honors student, I think I have a good perspective on what the typical Honors experience is like, so I am hopeful I can provide a great amount of assistance to those students who have questions or concerns about the engineering curriculum.”

Dr. Dalton will serve many functions for the Honors engineering students. He will primarily serve as advisor for any students that elect to use the “Contract for Honors Credit” option, which is being revamped an attractive option for engineering students, who have a very rigid curriculum and would have some difficulty finding suitable Honors courses,” Dr. Dalton explained.

Dr. Dalton will also serve as an additional source of information for those engineering students that are confused about how their Honors requirements fit with their engineering curriculum. “It’s a long walk down to the Honors College from the engineering buildings if you want to ask questions" Dr. Dalton said. And while the engineers receive excellent advising from the college and their specific departments, most advisors are not aware of the students with Honors standing, so we wanted to have someone with a foot in both worlds that is aware of the requirements and rules from both sides.”

Dr. Dalton will be available to answer questions about the Honors curriculum, the “Contract for Honors Credit” option, Honors reading and research, and any other issues that arise. Dr. Dalton’s office is located in the Rawl Engineering Practice Facility, Room 114, and can be reached by email at cdalton@ou.edu.

“I am looking forward to working with and for the talented Honors students in the College of Engineering,” Dr. Dalton said. “It is my hope that we can provide as many options and opportunities for the students so that they can finish their Honors requirements along with their engineering degrees.”

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