As the oldest of the 6 undergraduate Robotics Engineering degree programs in the United States, we reflect on some program-level observations and lessons learned since we modernized our curriculum a decade ago. In that time frame, the number of by-name robotics degree programs at both the undergraduate and graduate levels has steadily grown. We discuss changes in the software eco-system, updates to the accreditation process, challenges in hiring faculty, considerations for project based learning and gateway sequences. It is our hope that others may learn from our experiences.
Authors
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Joel Esposito is a Professor in the Robotics and Control Engineering Department and the inaugural Director of Innovation at the United States Naval Academy. He teaches courses in Robotics, Unmanned Vehicles, Computer Vision and most recently undergraduate research methods. He is the recipient of the 2010 USNA Rauoff Award for Excellence in Engineering Education, the 2015 Class of 1951 Faculty Research Excellence Award and the Navy's Civilian Meritorious Service Medal. He is the former editor-in-chief of ASEE's Computers in Education Journal; and a trained ABET Program Evaluator. He is the author of over 75 peer reviewed articles, has appeared as a guest on NPR, and served on advisory panels for NSF, ONR, DoT, NASA, Office of the Secretary of Defense and the Marine Corps Intelligence Agency.
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Dr. Jenelle Piepmeier earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from LeTourneau University. She went on to earn a Master of Science and Ph.D. from Georgia Institute of Technology, also in Mechanical Engineering. For over 20 years she has taught robotics, computer vision, and control systems to the future leaders of the Navy and Marine Corps at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. The 2014 recipient of the Raouf Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching Engineering award, Jenelle currently serves as the chair of the Weapons, Robotics, and Control Engineering Department. Her research interests included vision-based robotic control at both the micro and macro scales. She is thankful that her father, a computer science professor, brought his “portable” computer home and taught his young daughter how to write a for loop.
Note
The full paper will be available to logged in and registered conference attendees once the conference starts on
June 22, 2025, and to all visitors after the conference ends on June 25, 2025
