Polymer Science Ranking - USM Forum -- Message Board

Date: Jun 19, 2004

Polymer Science Ranking

Date: Jun 19, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: ranker
"I have been trying to locate a source that provides rankings for Polymer Science programs with little success. I really want a national ranking -- it appears that there are relatively few such programs (compared to say English, Engineering, Law, etc.) Are we still ranked in the top 10% of polymer science programs? "

Maybe if you try Chemical Engineering programs. Poly. Sci. is really specialized Cem. Eng.

Date: Jun 19, 2004

the only place i've seen a ranking for it is in the US News and World Reports rankings.

Date: Jun 19, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: ranker
"I have been trying to locate a source that provides rankings for Polymer Science programs with little success. . ."

I, too, have searched unsuccessfully for such a ranking. I can't even determine how many doctoral programs exist in that particular field. That information would be essential in judging the meaning of such a ranking, whether in polymer science or in any other discipline. To say that one's department ranks #3 in the nation is totally meaningless unless one knows how many departments are being ranked. If a department says it is ranked #3 in the nation, that might impress a prospective student, or even the media. That figure takes on new meaning when it is discovered that there are only 4 departments in that particular discipline.

Date: Jun 19, 2004

there aren't a lot that are separate entities. in many chemistry departments it is a sub-area. One guy in polymer science here (who won a presidential medal) left (in disgust i might add) and went to the university of iowa's chemistry department.

Date: Jun 19, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Mr. Wonderful
"I, too, have searched unsuccessfully for such a ranking. I can't even determine how many doctoral programs exist in that particular field. That information would be essential in judging the meaning of such a ranking, whether in polymer science or in any other discipline. To say that one's department ranks #3 in the nation is totally meaningless unless one knows how many departments are being ranked. If a department says it is ranked #3 in the nation, that might impress a prospective student, or even the media. That figure takes on new meaning when it is discovered that there are only 4 departments in that particular discipline. "

Mr. Wonderful now understands SFT and his PR program over all of these years. SFT impresses the media, board and public, but the faculty know better.

Date: Jun 19, 2004

Organic Chemistry & Polymer Science:
High-Impact U.S. Universities, 1998-2002

Ranked by average citations per paper, among the top 100 federally funded U.S. universities that published at least 100 papers in ISI-indexed journals of organic chemistry and polymer science between 1998 and 2002.

Rank
University
Number of papers,
1998-2002

Citations per paper

1
Caltech
127
21.44

2
Carnegie Mellon University
177
14.55

3
MIT
354
10.18

4
University of Pittsburgh
164
10.02

5
Harvard University
175
9.42

University of Southern Mississippi: ???

Date: Jun 19, 2004

Reputational rankings:

POLYMER

1. University of Massachusetts–Amherst

2. University of Akron (OH)

3. California Institute of Technology

4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

5. Virginia Tech

6. Case Western Reserve University (OH)

7. University of Southern Mississippi

8. University of Minnesota–Minneapolis

9. Penn State University–University Park

10. University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill

Date: Jun 19, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Mr. Wonderful
"Reputational rankings:

POLYMER

1. University of Massachusetts–Amherst

2. University of Akron (OH)

3. California Institute of Technology

4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

5. Virginia Tech

6. Case Western Reserve University (OH)

7. University of Southern Mississippi

8. University of Minnesota–Minneapolis

9. Penn State University–University Park

10. University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill
"

Where did you locate this info Mr Wonderful?

Date: Jun 19, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: LeavingASAP
" Where did you locate this info Mr Wonderful?"

This is where I located the information:

http://www.cofc.edu/~chem/seminar/gradsch.html#Polymer

Date: Jun 19, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Mr. Wonderful
"
This is where I located the information:
http://www.cofc.edu/~chem/seminar/gradsch.html#Polymer"

Thanks. You are Mr Wonderful!

Date: Jul 14, 2004

Kick for the skepticism of jkl;

Date: Jul 14, 2004

Mr. Wonderful is concerned only with the evaluation of statements for the weekly le citation de la semaine award - not with the evaluation of academic programs. But it does seem appropriate to call attention to the National Research Council (NRC) study which ranks programs in a variety of disciplines every ten years. The NRC data are much more carefully collected and more highly regarded than those from U.S. News. The most recent data, somewhat dated by now but nonetheless quite interesting, may be found at www.phds.org/rankings

Date: Jul 14, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Kickback
"Kick for the skepticism of jkl;"

Please let me reproduce my post from the Polymer High School thread:

By whose reckoning is the polymer science program at USM still ranked in the top 10 in this expanded category? Top 20? When, if ever, did it obtain such distinction? Failing your citation of a current ranking by an agency of good repute, I'll have to conclude, in light of your authoritative tone, that you are attempting to mislead us.

Kickback, please note my references to an "expanded area" and to a "current ranking". As Mr. Wonderful points out, without some idea of the number of polymer science graduate programs in the US it is impossible to assess the importance of the rank of the USM program in this highly specialized category. By the way, the US News & World Report rankings cited are from 1999. If memory serves me correctly, the current issue of the US News & World Report guide to graduate programs does not provide a ranking of polymer science programs. (They may, however, provide an online listing.) Perhaps the folks at USN&WR have concluded that the category of polymer science programs should rightfully be subsumed into the broader discipline of materials science. If so, I would agree. To be clear, the “expanded category” in my original post does refer to materials science.

The high ranking of the USM polymer science program in the older surveys, including in particular, the USN&WR data, was a public relations windfall. However, with collapse of the old paradigm, which held polymer science as a specialty worthy of being called a category, this will pass.

I still consider my questions to be open ones. And “kick” to you, my friend.

Date: Jul 14, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: jkl;
" And “kick” to you, my friend. "

I have but one lowly (and self-appointed) purpose on this board and that is to raise topics that have been discussed before for the benefit of all. For misunderstanding the nuances of your original post, I humbly apologize. I made the assumption that you had not read the old thread. Further, I commented (which is something I normally don't do) solely to distinguish myself from the troll kicker of a few weeks back. I have absolutely no knowledge of polymer science rankings, only of past board discussions.

Date: Jul 14, 2004

jkl;

I replied to you on the Polymer HS thread and didn't see this one. I knew there had been a past thread (good job Kickback, how do find these old things) and was merely reporting to the US News and World report ranking in 1999. I know we dropped from 3rd to 7th by their polls because of an expanded definition.

I don't know what category the current rankings are under since I don't have an online subscription to US News (maybe material engineering since that is the direction of the field now...remember how USM fought to have engineering added to the degree name). People do take this ranking seriously and many schools will do what ever it take to make it to the top of the list (how often do you hear people talk about what tier a school is in...that is US News).

Date: Jul 15, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: asdf
"jkl;
I replied to you on the Polymer HS thread and didn't see this one. I knew there had been a past thread (good job Kickback, how do find these old things) and was merely reporting to the US News and World report ranking in 1999. I know we dropped from 3rd to 7th by their polls because of an expanded definition.
"

asdf,

Thanks for your response.

I believe the 1999 USN&WR ranking to which you refer is limited to departments of polymer science. If I’m correct, then the drop from 3rd place to 7th does not reflect a broadening of the “universe” of programs to include all programs in materials science, though it may suggest an increase in the number of universities granting doctorates in polymer science. If I’m wrong here, I sincerely want (and need) to be corrected.

At the risk of belaboring my point, my guess is that the prestige accorded to being ranked the 7th best materials science program is much higher than that of being ranked the 7th best polymer science program. Of course this is contingent upon a belief that these rankings are accurate and meaningful. If you’re the #4 heavyweight contender according to the World Boxing Commission, then you probably have more “bragging rights” than the 4th best heavyweight in Great Britain. But if you’re a real world contender, you don’t need to brag. Other people will be singing your praises.