Engineering Q&A
A look into one of Ouachita's newest programs
November 13, 2024
- Anna RousselI recently had the chance to sit down with Dr. Norm Pumphrey, one of the professors in our physics and engineering department, to hear what he’s excited about in the engineering program. Dr. Pumphrey joined Ouachita’s faculty in 2022 and brought with him nearly 40 years of experience in engineering and education. His expertise lies in civil engineering, including work for the Federal Highway Administration.
Dr. Norm Pumphrey
Q: I know our engineering program has some different emphasis areas. Could you explain those to me?
A: We offer two emphasis areas: mechanical and civil. All our majors take the same chemistry, math and physics classes – we designed our program so students could actually get a minor in physics. Both emphases take fundamental engineering courses, but deviate in four classes, usually starting in their junior year.
Mechanical engineering tends to emphasize the building of machines and their parts, as well as things that involve heat transfer. Civil engineers do more infrastructure type projects, like designing buildings, bridges, highways, treatment plants and water distribution systems.
Q: What kind of jobs could I get with each of those?
A: I’ll talk general first. There are a lot of big companies that tend to hire the best engineers they can find, whether it’s mechanical or civil, and then give them the professional development they need to help do a specific project. A lot of times, just having an engineering degree can help you get a job.
If you go to work for a typical civil engineering company, the kind of jobs you might get are government jobs like those in the department of transportation and environmental protection projects or private practice jobs like general consulting and structural design projects. Mechanical engineering jobs get into the manufacturing area and machine design. They design things like car engines, machines and parts and refrigeration/heating systems.
Q: What does it mean for an engineering program to be accredited? Are we on our way to that status?
A: A lot of engineering master’s or doctorate programs require you to have graduated from an ABET accredited program, so that would allow our students to pursue graduate degrees at other universities. Another thing, especially in civil engineering, is that many companies and governmental agencies requires that engineers graduate from an accredited program before they can get internships or employment. So accreditation is very important for our students.
We’ve begun the first part of the process to become ABET accredited. It’s a long process, but we feel confident about our work and will hear officially in late spring or early summer of 2026. It’ll be retroactive for our students who graduate before the process is complete, including those first three students who graduate this spring.
Q: Are there any new updates you’re excited about in the engineering program?
A: Yes! We recently hired a new faculty member, Mike Pannell, who’s bringing in around 30 years of experience in the mechanical engineering sphere. He retired early after a successful career working for companies like Hewlett-Packard, General Electric and Exxon, and is excited about teaching. He has a lot of industry experience in addition to his mechanical degrees, and having a teacher with that knowledge can really help bring real world experiences to the classroom. Mike also has a son at Ouachita, so he and his wife are familiar with our campus. He’s starting in January teaching manufacturing processes and dynamics.
Q: What’s your favorite part about working with engineering students at Ouachita?
A: I really enjoy working with them one-on-one and just getting to know the students. Giving them advice, helping them find internships or just helping them work through a homework problem is the best part.
If you’re looking for a tight-knit department whose priority is your success, I suggest you consider Ouachita’s engineering degree. Come take a tour of campus, visit their new lab space and talk with a professor – you may find your home for the next four years.
Anna Roussel, a 2022 graduate, serves as Digital Content Coordinator in the Office
of Communications & Marketing.
Lead photo: Dr. Kevin Cornelius talks with students in Ouachita's new engineering lab.
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