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T348·Exploring Systems-Focused Engineering Education
Panel Systems Engineering Division (SYS)
Tue. June 25, 2024 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM
C120, Oregon Convention Center
Session Description

Systems Engineering is one of recognized disciplines accredited by ABET, a category in the US News Best Graduate School Rankings, and the professional society (INCOSE) has over 20,000 members. Yet, many schools offer systems engineering through programs with a variety of names including System and Control Engineering, Systems Engineering and Design, Industrial and Systems Engineering, Systems Science and Engineering, and Robotics and Controls Engineering. Systems Engineering is offered at several institutions as a major, a minor, a master’s, and a Ph.D. program (with various combinations of the four). This panel brings together chairs and key decision makers to discuss and explore the following. First, how is Systems Engineering manifested at their institution (i.e. major, minor; what type of students; program size)? What are the core tenets of Systems Engineering that they want their graduates to leave the program with? What industries or fields do they see their graduates entering? What are the innovative approaches their university uses in Systems Engineering Education? How does their program interact with various professional societies, other than ASEE, including INCOSE, PMI, ASME, IISE, and IEEE? Finally, how do they envision the future of Systems Engineering Education? Attendees to this panel will provide a broader view of how Systems Engineering Education is implemented as well as its future.

For those interested in: Academia-Industry Connections and New Members

Moderated by
  1. Bryan Watson
Speakers
  1. Dr. Jenelle L. Piepmeier
    United States Naval Academy

    Jennelle Piepmeier, Professor and Chair, Robotics and Controls Engineering, United States Naval Academy. Dr. Piepmeier joined the United States Naval Academy faculty in 1999 and has been serving as chair since 2020. The Robotics and Controls Engineering department is accredited under Systems Engineering. Her department focuses on preparing future Naval Officers for a fleet that is increasingly autonomous. Courses focus on the art and science of interfacing with sensors and actuators, how to both simulate, design, and implement controllers. Application domains range from mobile robotics to biosystems, from cyber physical to power systems and everything in-between.

  2. Dr. Ricardo Valerdi
    The University of Arizona

    Ricardo Valerdi, Professor and Chair, Systems and Industrial Engineering, University of Arizona. Dr. Valerdi was the Founder and co-Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Enterprise Transformation and was the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Cost Analysis and Parametrics. He is a Fellow of the International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE) and a foreign member of the Mexican Academy of Engineering. He served on the Board of Directors of the International Council on Systems Engineering, and is a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. He joined Arizona University in 2011.

  3. Dr. William T. Scherer
    University of Virginia

    Bill Scherer, Professor and Chair, Systems and Information Engineering, University of Virginia. His co-authored book, How To Do Systems Analysis, was published by Wiley in 2007, and a follow-on book, How to Do Systems Analysis: Primer and Casebook, was also published by Wiley in 2016. He is the Editor-in-Chief of the Systems Journal, published by MDPI. He has served as Chair of Systems and Information Engineering since early 2023 and as director of the accelerated masters degree in Systems Engineering since 1999.

  4. Dr. Jon Patrick Wade
    University of California, San Diego

    Jon Wade is a Professor of Practice at the Jacobs School of Engineering at the University of California at San Diego. He is the director of Convergent Systems Engineering Program and Institute for Supply Chain Excellence. Previously he served as the chief technology officer of the Systems Engineering Research Center (SERC) UARC. His industrial experience includes serving as executive vice president of Engineering at International Game Technology (IGT), senior director of Enterprise Server Development at Sun Microsystems and director of Advanced System Development at Thinking Machines Corporation. Jon is a fellow of INCOSE.

  5. Beth A Plale

    Beth Plale, Professor and Chair, Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University Bloomington. Dr. Plale leads the Pervasive Technology Institute at Indiana University, served at the National Science Foundation from 2017-2020, and is the director of the Data to Insight Center. She also participated in the founding of the Research Data Alliance. The department of Intelligent Systems Engineering focuses on using data, artificial intelligence, and computing to design everything from smart devices, robots, and medical intervention.