Advanced Computing and Programming in the Mechanical Engineering Curriculum

本提案的目标是将先进的计算知识和技术有意义地整合到本科机械工程课程中。这种整合的载体是为机械工程专业的学生创建一个创新的、引人入胜的高级计算轨道或专业化。第一个项目将在伊利诺伊大学芝加哥分校实施；然而，该项目将为可移植性而开发，因此交付的成果，特别是一个新的顶点课程，将极大地帮助其他学校根据其特定需求实施课程改革。因此，它将影响到UIC校园以外的学生。该项目的动机是计算和信息技术在机械工程中所扮演的持久角色：嵌入式微处理器在工程系统中已经变得司空见惯，工程设计和测试企业已经迁移到虚拟和模拟环境。这些趋势强调了这样一个事实：对于工程师来说，良好的计算实践正变得与良好的实验室实践和可靠的数学一样重要。该提案解决了这样一个事实，即在过去的几十年里，本科工程师在编程方面的培训几乎没有发展。而且，当学生们越来越多地接触到强大的商业软件工具时，潜在的基本计算原理通常被忽视了。建议的项目可以总结为以下结果列表，这些结果将由独立评估人员评估，以确定该活动是否成功：结果# 1：灌输先进的计算和编程技能。机械工程专业的学生将学习通常只教给计算机科学家的技能和概念：面向对象编程、数据结构、算法设计、图形界面、大规模科学计算等等。一门顶点课程将整合计算机科学主题、机械工程科学和机械工程设计，构成本计画的核心。结果2：培养更优秀的工程师。虽然学生将学习计算机科学，但目标是使他们成为更好的工程师。由于工程师只能使用他们所知道的，研究人员假设这些学生将更好地为信息时代做好准备，认识到如何在机械和热/流体设备和系统的设计中使用和利用IT工具和概念。成果3：吸引少数民族中学生。研究者利用中学生以一种有意义的方式参与该项目的大好机会：作为虚拟飞机的飞行员，本科生设计。学生们接触到令人兴奋的工程世界，学习高级数学和物理的重要作用。结果4：创造便携式产品。该项目的最终目标是创建一个可交付的成果：其他机构的机械工程部门可以采用和调整先进计算轨道的基础，以相对容易和低成本适应自己的目的。特别是顶点课程，可以用于此目的。我们将制作相当数量的软件基础设施和教育材料，在网络上免费分发，我们有一个宣传它的策略。调查人员的专业领域涵盖了机械工程这一广泛的学科。该团队由一名计算机科学家补充，他是软件工程方面的专家。他们有能力为UIC和其他大学的机械工程本科生创造宝贵的教育经验

The objective of this proposal is the meaningful integration of advanced computing knowledge and techniques into the undergraduate mechanical engineering curriculum. The vehicle for this integration is the creation of an innovative and engaging advanced computing track or specialization for mechanical engineering students. The first implementation will be at the University of Illinois at Chicago; however, the project will be developed for portability, so that deliverables, especially a new capstone course, will greatly aid other schools in implementing curricular changes tailored to their particular needs. It will thus impact students well beyond the UIC campus.The project is motivated by the lasting roles that computing and information technologies have claimed in mechanical engineering: embedded microprocessors have become commonplace in engineered systems, and the enterprise of engineering design and testing have been migrating to virtual and simulated environments. These trends underscore the fact that good computing practice is becoming as important to engineers as good laboratory practice and sound mathematics.The proposal addresses the fact that the undergraduate engineer's training in programming has evolved little over the last few decades. And, while students are being exposed to powerful commercial software tools at an increasing rate, the underlying fundamental computational principles are generally overlooked.The proposed project may be summarized by the following list of outcomes, which will be assessed by an independent evaluator to determine if the activity is a success:Outcome # 1: Instill advanced computing and programming skills. Mechanical engineering students will learn skills and concepts that are normally only taught to computer scientists: object-oriented programming, data structures, algorithm design, graphical interfaces, large scale scientific computing, and more. A capstone course, which constitutes the centerpiece of the proposal, will integrate the computer science topics with mechanical engineering science and mechanical engineering design.Outcome # 2: Develop better engineers. Although students will be learning computer science, the goal is to make them better engineers. Since engineers can only use what they know, the investigators hypothesize that these students will be better equipped for the information age, recognizing how IT tools and concepts can be used and exploited in the design of mechanical and thermal/fluid devices and systems.Outcome #3: Engage minority middle school students. The investigators capitalize on great opportunities for middle school students to participate in the project in a meaningful way: as pilots of virtual aircraft the undergraduates design. The students are exposed to the exciting world of engineering, learning the important roles of high-level mathematics and physics.Outcome #4: Create a portable product. The final objective of the project is to create a deliverable: the foundation for an advanced computing track that mechanical engineering departments at other institutions may adopt and adapt to suit their own purposes with relative ease and little cost. The capstone course, in particular, can be used for this purpose. We shall produce a considerable amount of software infrastructure and educational materials to distribute freely over the web and we have a strategy to publicize it.The investigators' areas of expertise span much of the broad discipline of mechanical engineering. The team is complemented by a computer scientist, a specialist in software engineering. They are well-positioned to create the valuable educational experience for mechanical engineering undergraduates at UIC and beyond.0