Developing a Culture of Scholarship : Recent Directions in Multi-Disciplinary Education and Research Prof. Tarek Sobh Senior Vice President for Graduate Studies & Research Dean of the School of Engineering Distinguished Professor of Engineering and Computer Science University of Bridgeport, U.S.A. University of Sharjah May 12 th / 13 th, 2015

University of Sharjah Outline Central issues in Education and Research New directions Education/Scholarship Problems and a plan Making the “Right” Graduate / Professional New disciplines / challenges and our signature areas Mechanisms for supporting scholarship Research strategies and techniques Projects

University of Sharjah Central Issues In Education / Research – Manufacturing and linkages with Design: Concurrency and the Product Realization Process –Growing Role of the Computer and Software Tools Simulation, Visualization, Design –Growing Importance of Information Technologies in All Disciplines Incipience of Multidisciplinary Education –Comprehensive University / Industry Relations Some Thoughts from the Late Eighties

University of Sharjah Central Issues in Education / Research The Twenty-First Century Design in Micro and Nano Scales Growing importance of Biological Sciences Increasing Pressure to Transcend Traditional Academic Boundaries: Multidisciplinary Education –Reduce rigidity of curriculum requirements and increase flexibility: Programs of study that meld previously disparate disciplines Ever Expanding Impact of Information Technologies: The Internet and Wireless Communication Technologies –Asynchronous and Synchronous Distance Learning –The Virtual University –The Virtual Laboratory Experience –e-learning Courses

University of Sharjah Central Issues in Education / Research The Twenty-First Century (continued) Socialization of Learning –Student Centered Learning Activities Relations with Industry: An Alternative Model –Innovation and Entrepreneurship The Research / Business Interface Globalization –International Study and Work Experience

University of Sharjah Some New Directions First-Year Courses on Introduction to Systems –Multidisciplinary, Experiential and Contextual Faculty participation from all disciplines Projects involve analysis, design, build and test activities that cross disciplinary boundaries and involve real applications –Interactive and Collaborative Shift from faculty- and lecture-centered activities to student- centered activities Numerous team-based activities

University of Sharjah New Directions (continued) A Prototype Learning Center –Computing Clusters / Clouds for Collaborative Simulation and Design Activities –Prototype Design, “Making” and Test Equipment –Facilities for Conducting Experiments –Group Work and Study Spaces –Multimedia Presentation and Demonstration Areas

University of Sharjah New Directions (continued) Learning Center in New Building

University of Sharjah The Problem(s) (and a Plan) K-12 Science, Math, Reading and Writing Weakness Curriculum / Research based (partially) on constituents’ feedback, needs, vision, aspirations, problems (local, regional, national and global) Leading versus following ? “Functional” body of knowledge for leading edge technology development and to produce competent and interdisciplinary professionals. New programs (outcome-based) utilizing outstanding and unique human and technology resources (let’s not fall into the.com trap again).

University of Sharjah The Problem(s) and Plan (contd.) Traditional degrees (what does that mean ?) versus new interdisciplinary goal-oriented programs that cater to new complex real-world 21 st century areas of interest and potential dominance. Global competition (in what ?) Should we be scared ? 500K jobs to India , is this a problem ? How to solve it ? China ! New programs and collaborations (degree / within degree) driven by our vision of what the future “should be like”, not by what is the current state of the art. NO LIMITS (time to completion, etc.), example: ABET, AACSB and NASAD are making it easy at the undergraduate and graduate levels.. Really!

University of Sharjah The Problem and Plan (Contd.) Quasi-Reverse brain drain (politics / Economics) Europe, Asia, Canada, Australia very serious competition for brain power. Continuing to attract international talent (remember K-12 problem) and need for aggressive recruiting at all levels and international cooperation / programs. Profession Respectability / licensure, lobbying issues.

University of Sharjah Making the RIGHT Professional Example: Future Engineers (Joe Bordogna, COO NSF): –Holistic designer –Astute maker –Trusted innovator –Harm avoider –Change agent –Master integrator –Enterprise enabler –Knowledge handler –Technology steward Model for education suitable to the a new world in which change and complexity are the rule, a globally linked world that needs integration in many ways. The Aftermath (Sam Florman, 2001), Prey (Crichton, 2002)

University of Sharjah New? “Disciplines” / Trends or our signature areas “BIO”: Deliberate strategic response versus a natural evolutionary process (no definitive mandate ?) Terascale: tera operations / compute power, terabyte storage, terabyte networking. Fascinating (for now) infrastructure. Applications: Communications, simulations / visualizations, real-time capabilities, etc. Nanoscale: nano technologies / nano photonics, new materials / machines / living cells interface, precise control and manipulation at that scale [femto scale !] Also, MEMS and “smart dust” for agent detection, temperature, motion, vision sensing, etc.,

University of Sharjah New Trends / Challenge Areas Cognition: above areas + neurosciences, perception, sensing, machine vision, agent-based systems, linguistics, psychologists, mathematics, robotics, automation, and many others interact. Complexity, integration (traffic, weather, intelligent infrastructure and control systems, aerospace, aviation, large systems). Advanced Materials and Manufacturing. Information, communications and perception technologies (not only for defense, but many other applications) Renewable energy and power systems. We should not abandon all we know, but rather complement what we do with emerging paradigms

University of Sharjah n A term with multiple meanings and implications âMedical Engineering  Prostheses  Diagnostic and Surgical Tools âBiotechnology  Bioinformatics  Biosensors  Tissue Engineering âEnvironmental Engineering/Science  Remediation of organic wastes  Biological destruction of carcinogens and toxic chemicals  Required molecular and cellular biology course for all engineering students n Departmental elective courses New Directions (continued) Example : Bioengineering

University of Sharjah Integrated Research/Business Practice Courses Fundamentals:  The Corporation and it Financial Processes  Human Resources and Management Processes  Innovation Processes  Supply Chain Processes and Quality Advanced Topics:  e-Business, Globalization, Outsourcing  Entrepreneurship, Logistics  Business Plans and Business Simulations New Directions (continued)

University of Sharjah Mechanisms for Supporting Scholarship Periodic Programs Review Periodic Research Review –SWOT Analysis Identification of “Centers of Excellence” –Potential groups / individuals / student work. –Existing opportunities Yearly / Periodic Goals (Change and Maintenance) Faculty Development Funds, Seed grants Making scholarship embedded in the culture Professional review Develop Web, training/workshops, grant writ(ers)/(ing)

University of Sharjah Scholarship Strategies Sponsorship: Industry, Federal, Foundations, State, Local – Multi-Disciplinary Across departments, schools, campuses –SWOT again Joint work / proposal writing: Partner with Industry Centers, Other Universities, School Districts, etc. Identification / Listing of resources / agencies (projects) Recommendations regarding potential project resources

University of Sharjah Some Techniques IAB role –Student Centered Activities –Startup co-ops, internships, GA’s, low overhead. –As a constituent, advise (and be advised) on emerging trends. Relations with Industry / University Clients Model Complete Involvement Joint Work (research and curricular) Interfacing: VC’s (connecting), Incubator(s) Overhead % back to group / dept. / school. Seed funding / ID of potential, extending resources.

University of Sharjah Interdisciplinary Project Examples: Glove (Chiro, Eng and Business (law)) Robotic Musicians (A&S, Music, Eng) E-Assessment (Education, Eng) ConnCap (Education, Eng) Biometrics / Face ID (Bus, Eng, art (law)) Tire changing (Bus, Eng) Reverse Engineering in Dentistry, Film Making (Eng, Art, Health sciences) Robotics prototyping based on task specification (R.E. of Maths, statics, dynamics, E.E) Traffic Control (vision, GPS, wireless). Across dept., school, campus, joint with Univ., school districts, industry, VC’s.