R&D Projects
CCLI – USE – ICE: Undergraduate STEM Initiative in Creative Educational Innovation for Electrical Engineering Students
PI: Vaklizadian, Hamid, Prof. Dr., University of Nebraska-Lincoln, U.S.A.; Co-PI: Möller, Dietmar, Prof. Dr.-Ing., University of Hamburg, Germany
Project Duration
01.01.2008 – 31.12.2009
Funding Body:
National Science Foundation (NSF) U.S.A.
Project Description:
Project Summary
In the today’s complex and competitive world of technological innovation, determining the accuracy, financial viability, and utility of new discoveries is increasingly dependent on modeling and simulation (M&S). Providing an inexpensive and safe method to design for unavailable physical circumstances, M&S details the design issues, verifies and validates the model, and analyzes the results obtained from the model— critical research elements needed in industry and government. Recognizing the importance of the M&S field, the 2006 NSF Blue Ribbon Panel reported that continued advancement in the field is critical for resolving a multitude of scientific and technological problems facing the United States. In addition, the White House American Competitive Initiative [1] report identified M&S as a key enabling technology of the 21st century. With pressure to cut costs while also increasing technological development, researchers will necessarily turn to M&S in order to increase the development and understanding of systems, interactions within systems, and interactions with other systems.
In order to develop a well-trained student cadre in the field of M&S, the Department of Electrical Engineering in the College of Engineering at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) proposes a course, curriculum, and laboratory improvement project called the Undergraduate STEM Education Initiative in Creative Educational Innovations for Electrical Engineering Students (USE-ICE). The goal of the project is to embed an M&S training program in the undergraduate program in order to stimulate educational innovations as well as to develop skilled graduates for the public and private sectors. In order to meet this goal, the USE-ICE project will develop a program, based on the following objectives: 1) develop the M&S program's criteria qualifications, responsibilities, educational requirements, certification and training standards; 2) introduce a new M&S curriculum jointly by departments at UNL; 3) develop educational modules in areas such as Discrete Event Simulation and Continuous System Simulation; 4) implement an undergraduate M&S program in the Department of Electrical Engineering at UNL; 5) develop the evaluation criteria for accreditation of the M&S programs for the engineering accreditation board; and 6) implement an externally-reviewed evaluation plan.
Intellectual Merit. Currently, extensive research is conducted in the field of M&S; however, a gap exists between this research and the development of a coordinating curriculum and undergraduate program. This project will initiate a pilot program to train students in modeling and simulation with an innovative curriculum in computational modeling, algorithms, and networking. The project coordinators have extensive experience developing academic courses and research programs, planning and managing summer research programs for high school and undergraduate students, and advising undergraduate students in the classroom and lab. The proposed program has the institutional and departmental support to succeed.
Broader Impacts. Using predictive models and simulation, this project will impact areas such as medicine, homeland security, emergency response units in evacuation plans, manufacturing and industrial designs, and real-time control of simulations and computer predictions. The project will also promote teaching and learning through innovative program elements such as research projects evaluating the accuracy and validity of new designs to determine the performance metrics. The results of the project will be disseminated at the IEEE and SCS conferences, in engineering journals and through a website to encourage the development of similar projects in multiple engineering programs.