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Shila Garg is Dean of the Faculty and professor of physics at The College of Wooster. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Madras in India, her master’s degree at the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom, and her Ph.D. at the University of Kent, also in the United Kingdom. A leader in promoting research for undergraduates, Garg served as the chair of the physics and astronomy division of the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR). In addition, she has received three Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) site grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF), which have enabled students to conduct research on campus each summer. A member of the American Physical Society (APS) and the International Liquid Crystal Society, Garg has co-authored a number of scholarly articles and served in leadership positions with CUR and APS.  Past Q&A's
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For the past 55 years, every student at The College of Wooster has been given an opportunity to create – to conduct original research, write a collection of stories, compose a piece of music, produce a play – through the Independent Study (I.S.) program. The hallmark of a Wooster education, I.S. pairs every student with a faculty mentor for a yearlong project. On Monday afternoon, seniors will celebrate the conclusion of their projects with the annual I.S. parade across campus. Shila Garg, Dean of the Faculty and professor of physics at the College, discusses the history and value of Independent Study. What is Independent Study and how did it come to be? Wooster students complete two courses in the senior year and one course in the junior year as part of Independent Study (I.S.). Introduced in 1947 by President Howard Lowry, I.S. was the core of the curriculum that he called "Adventure in Education." Wooster was way ahead of its time, and its I.S. program was held up as a national model. We were one of only four or five schools across the nation to offer Independent Study to every student on campus. A senior from the class of ’48 referred to Wooster as "...the school with that fascinating, progressive upper-class program." Is Independent Study unique at the undergraduate level? It is unique the way we do it at Wooster. Many schools have a senior honors project of one kind or the other, but ours is different for three reasons: (1) Every student at Wooster does it. As President Lowry said more than 40 years ago, "…it invites all students to come to their best in terms of their own talents." It is also a community building experience; seniors ‘bond’ together as they go through the home stretch of this challenging experience. This is one part of their entire Wooster Education that the students will not forget. We have a ‘Culture of I.S.’ on campus with strong traditions that are built around this common experience – starting with the Tootsie Roll, the "I did it" buttons, the I.S. March from the Arch, and the Senior Independent Study dinner and ending with commencement. Students value these traditions. (2) At Wooster, I.S. is worth three academic credits, including the Junior Independent Study. (3) The Independent Study is an integral part of Wooster Education. Where does Independent Study fit into a Wooster education? We describe a Wooster Education as "FYS to I.S.," in reference to the two cornerstones of our curriculum: First-Year Seminar and the Independent Study. The structure of our curriculum is sometimes referred to as a "path to independence," the idea being that the academic preparation our students receive is aimed at producing independent learners. The entire curriculum is designed to provide intellectual and disciplinary tools, opportunities, challenges, breadth, and depth along with the love for lifelong learning. I.S. is the culmination of a student’s learning in the discipline, as well as the capstone of Wooster education. What is the role of the faculty in the Independent Study process? Faculty members are key to the process and play the role of mentors. Students work closely with a faculty adviser and meet regularly to conceive, implement, and disseminate the research plan. Often, they form a collaborative partnership in the creation of new knowledge, which, in some cases, result in students being co-authors with their advisers on papers and in presentations at national conferences. The faculty member guides the student along the disciplinary channels and methodologies and introduces him/her to the professional practices and ethics of the field. What is the significance of recent recognition for Independent Study by U.S. News and World Report? Wooster has always recognized its unique I.S. program to be a rigorous academic experience for our students. The Wooster faculty spend extraordinary amounts of time helping students successfully complete the program. The U.S. News and World Report ranking acknowledges our excellence and leadership in this innovative program and the achievements of our students through the one-on-one guidance of our faculty. The honor is every bit well deserved. Does the I.S. experience give Wooster students an edge? Without a doubt. I.S. gives our students the confidence that they can take on a problem and know how to proceed in solving it. Utilizing a strong background in their own disciplines, our students are trained to apply their research skills, knowledge, and independent thinking to: (1) identify or pose a specific question for investigation based on published material in the field, (2) design a research strategy, (3) collect data, analyze, and interpret, (4) relate results to the bigger picture in the field, (5) write a thesis or create an art work or performance, and (5) defend their work to their peers and/or national audience. Some of our graduates have walked into competitive jobs simply by showing their finished I.S. to potential employers. At the same time, our students who go on to graduate school take off on their research project without much assistance, while their cohorts who have never done an I.S. like project require significant assistance. |
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