Case studies in teaching and research mentorship for undergraduates in structural acoustics and vibration

A hybrid educational model that mixes classroom learning and individual mentoring is presented for junior and senior undergraduates interested in structural acoustics and vibration. In this activity, talented undergraduates take Duke’s first graduate level acoustics course and simultaneously take multiple semesters of independent study for academic credit. The independent studies are co-supervised by faculty members and graduate students. The student research projects are individualized and typically separate from ongoing graduate student research. This structure allows the undergraduate students to feel strong ownership, while giving graduate students teaching and mentoring experience, and providing faculty with a vehicle to explore new ideas. Projects typically have both analytical and experimental components that allow the students to develop their proficiency with visualization and computational tools while developing their physical insight. Several case studies are presented that show impressive results and substantial intellectual growth, including examples of long term commitment to a career in structural acoustics.