Utilizing Biorenewable Materials for the
Production of Bio-Based Products in Sustainable
Ways: Learning Its Opportunities and Challenges
Justinus A. Satrio, Ph.D.
Biomass Resources & Conversion Technologies Laboratory and
Department of Chemical Engineering
Presented at
Faculty of Agricultural Technologies Brawijaya University
Lecture Outline
1. Introduction
–
About Villanova University
2. Graduate studies in the U.S.
• Villanova is located in a suburban community 12 miles (20 km) west of Philadelphia, easily accessible by train.
• Philadelphia is the first capital of USA and the 5th largest city in the
country.
• Two hours drive south of New York City and north of Washington D.C.
• Villanova University, founded in 1842, is the oldest and largest Catholic university in the State of Pennsylvania.
• Over 10,000 undergraduate, graduate, and law students, take part in a wide variety of degree programs throughout the
University's five colleges – 1) College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, 2) College of Engineering, 2) College of Nursing, 4) School of
Business and 5) Villanova School of Law.
• Villanova has 583 full-time faculty, nearly 90% of whom hold the highest degree in their fields.
• Endowment: US $ 425 millions (2013)
• Motto: Veritas, Unitas, Caritas (Truth, Unity, Love)
Academic Quality
• #1 University (Regional Universities—North), U.S.News & World Report
• Top U.S. Producer of Fulbright Students (Master’s Institutions), The Chronicle of Higher Education
• Villanova School of Business: #7 Nationwide, Best Undergraduate Business Schools, Bloomberg Businessweek
• College of Engineering: #9 Nationwide, Best Undergraduate
Engineering Programs (Bachelor’s/Master’s Category), U.S.News & World Report
• College of Nursing: Designated a Center of Excellence in Nursing Education by the National League for Nursing
Student Life
Villanova students actively participate in charitable and philanthropic activities and organizations:
• Special Olympics – Largest student run event in the world
• Habitat for Humanity
• Engineers Without Borders - non-profit organization that focuses on helping to improve the living conditions of communities
worldwide
• Rays of Sunshine – Caring for the elderly, sick and disabled people
Department of Chemical Engineering
• Faculty members: 12 and growing
• Size of undergraduate classes: 50-60
• Increasing enrollments of graduate
• Biomaterials and Drug Delivery Designs
• Biotechnology/Biochemical Engineering
Faculty Research Areas
• Supercritical Fluid Applications
• Heterogeneous catalysis
• Biomass Resources and Conversion Technologies
• Industrial Wastewater Treatment Processes
• Nanomaterials
Biomass Resources and Conversion Technologies
BRCT Laboratory
• Graduate school in the U.S. provide strong background for those who are becoming university teachers.
• A big portion of program include graduate level courses
• Research is a partial requirement in graduate program
• MS Degree:
- 36 course credits, including 6-18 credit from research - Completed in 2 years
• PhD degree : 72 course credits, including 30-36 credits from research
- 72 course credits, including 30-36 credit from research - Completed in 3-5 years
• Study in the U.S.A. is expensive, but most graduate schools provide financial aids for selected students.
• Research and development is a very important role for universities.
• Graduate students are employed to work with faculty on various research projects.
• Tuition scholarship
• Full scholarship - pay for tuition and monthly stipend
• Stipend ranges from $1,500 to $2,500 monthly
• Most universities admit new graduate students based on the number of scholarships that they can provide yearly
• Funding comes from yearly allocation from university and from external grants obtained from individual faculty
members
• Very competitive, but chances are good.
• High percentage of the number of graduate students in the U.S.A. are foreign students (> 50% in many places)
• Large number of graduate foreign graduate students are from China and India.
• Opportunities for university teachers in Indonesia to pursue advanced degrees.
• Occupation as university faculty distinguish you from other applicants.
• Find out what are your interests in research
• You will spend 2-5 years doing research.
• You better like the research!
• Do research to find universities and faculty researchers who do research that you are interested in.
• Ask around through your network connections.
• Find out from journal articles
• Primary authors and their affiliation
• Find their contact information,
• Do internet search
• Check out university websites
• What to look for about individual faculty researchers:
• Research area
• Years of graduation,
• Where they are in professorships:
• Assistant professor
• Associate professor
• Professor
• Emeritus professor
• Publications
• Size of their research groups
• Do research thoroughly.
• Contact the individual faculty members directly.
• Many university professors have research projects with grant money and need researchers to work on their
projects.
• Write a brief E-mail explaining your interest in doing research with the faculty members:
• Letter should be professional, i.e. concise and to the point:
• Introduce yourself and background
• Where/how your find out about them and their research
• Why you are interested to work for them
• Make sure to use proper English grammar
• Check and re-check the letter to make sure it is free of grammatical errors and/or spelling.
• Write a brief E-mail … (Cont’d) :
• Attached a 2-page resume .
• In the letter, invite the faculty researcher to review your resume.
• Your 2-page Resume :
• Should be brief and concise and professional.
• Interests, educational background, work experiences, publications, skills and knowledge, awards received
• Show of your accomplishments. Don’t exagerate, but
don’t be bashful either.
• Do not provide personal information. This includes your photograph of you, date of birth, and gender information
• You may/may not get a response from the faculty researchers
• They may not be interested in you
• They may not have funding support
• When they respond they are likely:
• Want to know more about you if they have funding support
• Will respond by telling you to submit application
forward your E-mail to the Graduate Program Director
• Start preparing your applications.
• Prepare yourself for taking GRE and TOEFL
• Sharpen your English language skills and knowledge, in both speaking and writing.
• Content:
• Completed application
• Application fee (varies)
• Resume (can be longer than 2 pages)
• Official transcripts of previous degrees
• Test scores (GRE and TOEFL)
• Reference letters (typically 3)
• Personal statement (500-700 words)
• Financial aid application
• Successful application:
• Show evidence that applicant is a distinguish individual
• Demonstrate that the interests of the applicant match the program the applicant is applying to.
• Not contain obvious mistakes or exaggeration
• Easily readable.
• TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)
• Standardized test of English language proficiency for non-native English speakers used by most U.S. universities for evaluating foreign student applicants.
• Tests: Internet Based Test (IBT) and Paper Based Test (PBT)
• Knowledge/skills tested: Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing
• Scoring/grading:
• IBT: 0 – 30 for each of the 4 sections. Total: 0-120
• PBT: 310 – 677 (Listening, structure and reading). Writing: 0- 6
• Minimum score requirement varies for different universities.
• At Villanova University: 80 for IBT or 550 for PBT
• Scores valid for 2 years
• GRE (Graduate Record Examination)
• Standardized test used by most graduate schools in the U.S.
• Tests: Internet Based Test (IBT) and Paper Based Test (PBT)
• Knowledge/skills tested: Analytical writing, quantitative reasoning, and verbal reasoning
• Minimum score requirement varies for different universities.
• Scores valid for 5 years
• When to take TOEFL and GRE?
• Ideally 6-12 months before application to make sure the best scores are submitted for the application.
• Can take TOEFL and GRE after application is submitted, but this is risky.
http://www3.villanova.edu/biomass/
Biomass Resources and Conversion Technologies BRCT Laboratory
Questions/Comments?
Contact:
Dr. Justinus A. Satrio, Ph.D. Villanova University
Dept of Chemical Engineering 800 E. Lancaster Avenue
Villanova, PA 19085
E-mail: [email protected]
