A reverse order life cycle approach to enhance systems engineering education at undergraduate level

The advances of Industry 4.0 lead the transition into the era of complex systems, requiring systems solutions for complex problems, increasing the interest in the development of systems engineers. However, traditional systems thinking may lose its effectiveness in this new context, which leads to a challenge in systems engineering education. This research aims to better prepare systems engineers of the future by addressing the disconnect which exist between systems engineering education at undergraduate level, and the real-life complex systems seen in society today though the implementation of a reverse order life cycle approach. By following the reverse order life cycle approach with a familiar electrical appliance, such as the electric kettle, in the classroom, undergraduate systems engineering students were able to gain the necessary insight and understanding regarding the dynamics of complex systems the underlying systems engineering concepts.Institute for Science and Technology Education (ISTE

The importance of understanding computer analyses in civil engineering

Sophisticated computer modelling systems are widely used in civil engineering analysis. This paper takes examples from structural engineering, environmental engineering, flood management and geotechnical engineering to illustrate the need for civil engineers to be competent in the use of computer tools. An understanding of a model's scientific basis, appropriateness, numerical limitations, validation, verification and propagation of uncertainty is required before applying its results. A review of education and training is also suggested to ensure engineers are competent at using computer modelling systems, particularly in the context of risk management. 1. Introductio

A reverse order life cycle approach to enhance systems engineering education at undergraduate level

Abstract: The advances of Industry 4.0 lead the transition into the era of complex systems, requiring systems solutions for complex problems, increasing the interest in the development of systems engineers. However, traditional systems thinking may lose its effectiveness in this new context, which leads to a challenge in systems engineering education. This research aims to better prepare systems engineers of the future by addressing the disconnect which exist between systems engineering education at undergraduate level, and the real-life complex systems seen in society today though the implementation of a reverse order life cycle approach. By following the reverse order life cycle approach with a familiar electrical appliance, such as the electric kettle, in the classroom, undergraduate systems engineering students were able to gain the necessary insight and understanding regarding the dynamics of complex systems the underlying systems engineering concepts

Design of sustainable energy systems : a new challenge for Engineering Education

This paper presents the main features of the master-level programme in “EcoEnergy” offered as a full-time one year course at “Institut National Polytechnique of Toulouse” in order to provide engineers with a state-of-the-art education in the area of advanced energy technologies and systems. It is based on an original and equilibrated combination of process systems engineering and electrical engineering disciplines, with an interdisciplinary problem-solving approach necessary for identifying sustainable solutions in the energy sector. More precisely, the students learn how to design, develop and implement energy systems and technologies in various industrial sectors for which efficient management of energy issues is vital to remain competitive

Practitioner Interview

Phone interview with David Ford from Ford Consulting Engineers; Chris Dunn from US Army Corps of Engineers, Hydrologic Engineering Center; and Leon Basdekas from Colorado Spring Water Utility by David Rosenberg and David Watkins, Jr. Interview questions asked inquired about (i) practitioner’s professional background, (ii) practitioner’s personal experience with systems analysis techniques and software in their job, (iii) role, benefits, and challenges in using systems analysis concepts in the water resources engineering profession, and (iv) recommendations for improving education of environmental and water resources systems analysis in universities

Validating Intelligent Power and Energy Systems { A Discussion of Educational Needs

Traditional power systems education and training is flanked by the demand for coping with the rising complexity of energy systems, like the integration of renewable and distributed generation, communication, control and information technology. A broad understanding of these topics by the current/future researchers and engineers is becoming more and more necessary. This paper identifies educational and training needs addressing the higher complexity of intelligent energy systems. Education needs and requirements are discussed, such as the development of systems-oriented skills and cross-disciplinary learning. Education and training possibilities and necessary tools are described focusing on classroom but also on laboratory-based learning methods. In this context, experiences of using notebooks, co-simulation approaches, hardware-in-the-loop methods and remote labs experiments are discussed.Comment: 8th International Conference on Industrial Applications of Holonic and Multi-Agent Systems (HoloMAS 2017

Imparting Systems Engineering Experience via Interactive Fiction Serious Games

Serious games for education are becoming increasing popular. Interactive fiction games are some of the most popular in app stores and are also beginning to be heavily used in education to teach analysis and decision-making. Noting that it is difficult for systems engineers to experience all necessary situations which prepare them for the role of a chief engineer, in this paper, we explore the use of interactive fiction serious games to impart systems engineering experience and to teach systems engineering principles. The results of a cognitive viability, qualitative viability, and replayability analysis of 14 systems engineering serious games developed in the interactive fiction genre are presented. The analysis demonstrates that students with a systems engineering background are able to learn the Twine gaming engine and create a serious game aligned to the Apply level of Bloom’s Taxonomy which conveys a systems engineering experience and teaches a systems engineering principle within a four-week period of time. These quickly generated games cognitive, quality, and replayability scores indicate they provide some opportunity for high-level thinking, are of high quality, and with above average replayability, are likely to be played multiple times and/or recommended to others

Biomechanics

Biomechanics is a vast discipline within the field of Biomedical Engineering. It explores the underlying mechanics of how biological and physiological systems move. It encompasses important clinical applications to address questions related to medicine using engineering mechanics principles. Biomechanics includes interdisciplinary concepts from engineers, physicians, therapists, biologists, physicists, and mathematicians. Through their collaborative efforts, biomechanics research is ever changing and expanding, explaining new mechanisms and principles for dynamic human systems. Biomechanics is used to describe how the human body moves, walks, and breathes, in addition to how it responds to injury and rehabilitation. Advanced biomechanical modeling methods, such as inverse dynamics, finite element analysis, and musculoskeletal modeling are used to simulate and investigate human situations in regard to movement and injury. Biomechanical technologies are progressing to answer contemporary medical questions. The future of biomechanics is dependent on interdisciplinary research efforts and the education of tomorrow’s scientists

Education on cyber security issues under European Union law. A standard of personal data protection

The computer information systems that are applied in business marketing or in public agencies (e.g. for fiscal or national health insurance purposes) are complex products developed by specialized software engineers and accompanied by lots of documentation, tutorials and user manuals. These systems act in a comparatively complex environment of hardware devices and network infrastructure, often coexisting with other systems. No software product is 100% errorless and user-proof, so education of end users is critical for the security of the whole system in terms of preventing an unauthorized access that could expose data to the risk of loss or theft. The article presents threats connected with the use of complex computer information systems as well the related EU legal framework concerning cyber security. The purpose of the article is to highlight the current EU legal standard for cyber security and to indicate the urgent need for specialized education of the digital society members in this area

A Systematic Review of Developing Team Competencies in Information Systems Education

The ability to work effectively in teams has been a key competence for information systems engineers for a long time. Gradually, more attention is being paid to developing this generic competence as part of academic curricula, resulting in two questions: how to best promote team competencies and how to implement team projects successfully. These questions are closely interwoven and need to be looked at together. To address these questions, this paper identifies relevant studies and approaches, best practices, and key findings in the field of information systems education and related fields such as computer science and business, and examines them together to develop a systematic framework. The framework is intended to categorize existing research on teams and team competencies in information systems education and to guide information systems educators in supporting teamwork and promoting team competencies in students at the course and curricular level in the context of teaching in tertiary education