Academic Development
Becoming a scholar
All scholars must read widely, both within their fields of specialization and outside, but it is especially important for chemical and biomedical engineers to read widely in other areas, because of the broad base of machanical engineering.
Reading comprehensively
At no time is comprehensive reading across engineering sciences more important than during the first year in graduate school (though it continues to be important throughout an academic career). This is the time when the student needs to discover which outstanding engineering and scientific problems most capture their interest, so that a field of study can be identified and made the focus of subsequent research. A good choice of specialization -- one that is right for a particular student -- is critical to academic success in later years, and so time spent in making this choice is time well invested. Recommended journals include American Scientist, Nature, Science, and Scientific American. For book recommendations, consult individual members of the faculty.
Broadening Professional Horizons
Joining a Professional Society
Membership in a professional society, particularly American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), will boost career prospects by keeping the student abreast of trends in the field and the employment opportunities that accompany them. Membership can be of especially good value of graduate students, whose membership rate is typically much less than the regular one. Subscriptions from ASME include journals and newsletters to keep students up to date. Other relevant societies include the Society of Automotive Engineering (SAE) and the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE)
Attendance at Conferences
Attending conferences (and presenting papers at those conferences) are an excellent way to develop a good knowledge of what is happening in the field and to meet the people who are making it happen. It doesn't have to be expensive (especially if one belongs to a professional society): greatly reduced conference fees are the norm for graduate students, and travel and accommodation costs can be kept to a minimum by sharing. Consult the major professor for conference suggestions.