Theresa A., Maldonado, Ph.D., P.E.
Division Director
Engineering Education & Centers
Directorate for Engineering
“Transforming Cyber-Physical Systems Education
with Emphasis on the Power Grid”
Workshop
Westin Arlington Gateway Hotel
July 26-27, 2014
Engineering Education & Centers:
An Integrative Role

ALL disciplines

ENGINEERING-wide roles (annual solicitations and program
descriptions):
o
o
o
o
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Engineering Education Research
Broadening Participation in Engineering
Research Experiences for Undergraduates
Research Experiences for Teachers
Program clusters
◦ Centers & Networks
◦ Engineering Education Research
◦ Engineering Workforce Development
History: 1985 National Academies
charged federal agencies to…
• Focus on fields to strengthen US competitiveness
• Increase engineering faculty committed to
cross-disciplinary teams
• Focus on engineered systems
• Prepare creative, innovative engineers to influence
US productivity
• Include industrial engineers as partners to stimulate
technology transfer
NSF Response: Create the Engineering
Research Centers program with the GOAL…
to “further the development of fundamental
knowledge in engineering fields that will
•
Enhance the competitiveness of the U.S. and
•
Prepare engineers to contribute through
better engineering practice.”
New ERC competition is underway…
Interdisciplinar
y Research
Education
Innovation
Ecosystem
Engineered
Systems
Vision
Infrastructure
•
188 pre-proposals
received
•
18 invited for full
proposals
•
Deadline: June 2014
•
Awards in FY15
What will the future of the program
look like? What role will it serve?
ERC Key Features
Engineered Systems
Enabling Technology
Fundamental Research
Interdisciplinary Research
Engineered
Systems Vision
Education
Infrastructure
Strategic Planning
Innovation Ecosystem
ERC (Research) Strategic Framework:
Barriers
Testbed(s)
QoLT 3-plane
chart
Systems
Research
Requirements
Testbed(s)
Stakeholders
Systems Research
Testbed(s)
Systems
Products & Outcomes
Technology Integration
Technology
Elements
Technology
Elements
INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
& VALLEY OF DEATH
Barriers
Testbeds
Enabling Technology Research
System Requirements
Testbeds
Testbeds
Enabling Technology Research
Enabling Technologies
Technology Base
Fundamental Insights
Fundamental Research
Fundamental Research
Fundamental Research
Fundamental Knowledge
Fundamental Research
Barriers
Fundamental Research
Fundamental Research
Knowledge Base
7
Professional Formation of Engineers*
PhD Degree
Public Values
Industry
MS Degree
Faculty
Development
Research-toPractice
Internships
Licensure
Senior
“The Core”
Junior
Sophomore
Freshman
Other Employment
Sectors
Community
Colleges
Maker
Spaces
K-12
* Y. A. Alexeichenko, “The Professional Formation of a Contemporary Engineer:
Between Paradigms of Technocracy and Democracy, University of Warwick, 1995.
ERC Education Goals

Develop engineers ready for the workforce

Move ERC knowledge into the classroom

Develop creativity, entrepreneurship,
global experiences in students

Address the entire pipeline

Encourage talent from all sources

Assess effectiveness of programs
Graphic Credit: Center for
Biorenewable Chemicals,
CBiRC, Iowa State University
University Level Elements

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Interdisciplinary environment
with systems-level goals
Interactions with industry
Educational experiences with
entrepreneurship
Course development based on
ERC research results
Research Experiences for
Undergraduates
Student Leadership Council
Smart Grid and ERCs
Future Renewable Electric Energy
Delivery and Management
• “Energy Internet” concept
to enable every citizen to
participate in energy
production, conservation
and utilization
Energy Router
• Develop plug-and-play
infrastructure to enable the
use of distributed
Plug & Play Interface
renewable energy resources
Established 2008
Exemplar FREEDM Programs



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


ERC Graduate Student Portfolio Program
Master of Science in Electric Power Systems Engineering
Program
Expert Classroom Visitor Program
ERC Undergraduate Research Scholars Program
Innovation Bootcamp/Roundtables
Education Working Group
Renewable Energy camp for Middle School
Master of Science in Electric Power
Systems Engineering Program



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Developed under ARRA Workforce Training Grant with
DOE/OE
Comprehensive power curriculum for Smart Grid
Access to FREEDM Labs and industry partners
Seven courses plus capstone project
Professional Skills component
Undergraduate Research Scholars
Program


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Year long ERC research and
education experience
Monthly meetings, develop writing
and presentation skills
Industry involvement
◦ Mentorship, summer internships
Outreach
First cohort of 15 students-Spring
2012
Second cohort 11 students 2013
Innovation Training

Innovation Bootcamp
◦ Basic entrepreneurship
◦ Technology transfer process
◦ How to present IP to industry

Innovation Roundtables: Industry
lead discussion
◦ Focus on market challenges
◦ Audience discusses issues to
understand core market needs
Slide 1 - Vision
Monitoring and Sensing
Communication
Control and Actuation
Computation
RTO
Regional Transmission Organization
credit: NPR & UTK
Proposal 1041877
1-17
Established 2011
Co-funded NSF/DOE

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Graduate Student IMPACT
Undergraduate Retention
Ambassador program
Outreach
◦ Parents nights
◦ Summer camps


Power and Energy Systems certificate
programs
CURENT team-taught course
18

Strategy to develop skill sets in students to be
◦ Creative, adaptive and innovative engineers
◦ Ready for industrial practice

The IMPACT program stands for
Innovation
Mentorship
Professionalism
Adaptation
Creativity
Technology
1-19
Mentorship
Social Support
Industry
Connectivity
Professional
Development
Engineering
Knowledge
External Factors
or Demographics
Interest
Self-Efficacy
Attitudes
Persistence in
Engineering
Career Choice
ENG Broadening Participation


Broadening Participation Program: May 1
NSF Community
◦ NSF employees
◦ Panelists

PI Community
◦ Education
◦ Building Relationships

ERC
◦ Formal review for education,
diversity and outreach

Implicit Bias
Dr. Bev Watford
http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=504870&org=EEC&from=home
Sustainable Grid
Integration of
Distributed &
Renewable
Resources
Smart Grid
Complex Systems
In Summary: ERC Education
A multi-disciplinary, systemsoriented experience within a
diverse community supported
by a partnership of academia,
government and industry