Workstation Infrastructure for Teaching Engineering Science

计算机工作站执行计算和显示图形足够快，使真实的质量改进教学工程。 该项目使用18个SUN E20 Model 61工作站，将计算机辅助设计和科学模拟纳入我们的核心课程。 所有六个工程项目的大一新生和二年级学生都有一个共同的核心，持续到第三年的一部分，这为物理学和工程科学提供了广泛的背景。 新机器使三件事成为可能：首先，学生将有四年的时间接触一套统一的UNIX工具，使专业知识得以发展;其次，计算机辅助设计将在最早的课程中开始，为以后的学习奠定更好的基础;最后，工程师将通过模拟基本的示例性问题来提高对工程科学的洞察力。 传统上，可以用手解决的简单例子是教授入门科学的主要工具。 许多可以扩展人的物理直觉的合适的问题被忽略了，因为它们很难计算或绘制，这是工作站可以克服的困难。 例如，电和磁中的一个这样的问题是阴极射线管中电子束的静电聚焦。 实际的透镜只是三个同心管，以不同的电位首尾相连。 它的分析显示了潜在的理论，电场可视化和粒子动力学在经济上的重要意义。 该项目正在开发一套具有简单界面的软件，作为一种新的教学工具。

Computer workstations perform calculations and display graphics fast enough to make real qualitative improvements in teaching engineering. This project is using 18 SUN SPARC 20 Model 61 Workstations to bring computer-aided design and scientific simulation into our core courses. Freshmen and sophomores in all six engineering programs take a common core, lasting through part of the third year, that gives a broad background in physics and engineering science. The new machines make possible three things: first, students will have four years' exposure to a uniform set of UNIX tools, allowing expertise to develop; second, computer-aided design will begin in the earliest courses as a better basis for later study; finally, engineers will develop improved insight into the engineering sciences by simulation of fundamental exemplary problems. Traditionally, simple examples that can be solved by hand are the main tool for teaching introductory science. Many suitable problems that could extend one's physical intuition are neglected because they are hard to compute or draw, a difficulty that workstations can overcome. For example, one such problem in electricity and magnetism is the electrostatic focusing of a beam of electrons in a CRT. The actual lens is just three concentric tubes set end to end at different potentials. Its analysis shows potential theory, electric field visualization, and particle dynamics in an economically important context. This project is developing software with simple interfaces for a suite of such examples as a new teaching tool.