eStudio offers resources for engineering majors

%C2%A0

 

By Melissa Patrick

[email protected]

The Elbert C. Ray eStudio is a studio that offers free tutoring in written, oral, visual and digital communication to students in the College of Engineering.

“We can help students in the quality of the work they produce and the way they professionalize themselves. We can make them better students now and better engineers later,” said Emily Dotson, assistant director of the eStudio.

The eStudio offers free tutoring for engineers in written communication tailored specifically to the technical writing, scientific reports and lab reports these students must master.

It also helps with everything from emails to grant proposals.

Tutors at eStudio, primarily upper-level Honors students from all fields of engineering, are available to help engineering students with their presentations.

“We have rehearsal spaces with white boards, cameras to tape presentations, and well-trained tutors to offer tips and feedback to improve presentations,” said Amber Troxell, acting director of the eStudio.

The eStudio also provides a state-of-the-art digital media lab.

Its sound booth is the same one used by Lady Gaga.

Video-editing software, digital video cameras, green screens, video and audio conversion software and photography equipment are available to all engineering students.

Tutors are trained on all the equipment an expert is always there to help.

The eStudio allows engineering students to check out most of the equipment to help with their projects and presentations.

Flip cameras, professional photography equipment and audio-recording equipment are all available for checkout.

Macs and personal computers are available for checkout for use in the studio only.

Whether used for drop-in tutoring or as part of EGR199, a class which provides a one-on-one, scheduled meeting time between a tutor and a student, eStudio provides an informal, friendly place for ESL students to get assistance with written and oral communication skills.

“This is a great tool for us to improve writing and speaking skills,” said Cedric Lukonga, an ESL senior in mining engineering.

While 80 percent of the services offered at eStudio are for engineering students, 20 percent are for faculty.

“We do workshops on any type of communication issue for engineering faculty and can customize them for the specific needs of the class,” Dotson said.

The eStudio is at Room 108A of the Ralph G. Anderson Building and is open Mondays through Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Fridays from 10 a.m. to noon.

Engineering students can drop in for tutoring or make an appointment through eStudio’s online scheduling program, available on its website: www.engr.uky.edu/estudio.

Although the eStudio has been open to engineering students since September, it will host a grand opening at 3:30 p.m. Nov. 28 to promote it for engineering students and to honor Elbert C. Ray and Charles Scroggins, whose funding helped its creation.

Students, faculty and staff in the College of Engineering are invited to attend.