Transcript Slide 1

National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Systems Engineering
Educational Discovery
(SEED): An Educational Pilot Project
Kamlesh Lulla, Ph.D.; Ph.D.
Deputy Manager,
University Research and Affairs Office
NASA Johnson Space Center
Houston, Texas
SEED Team
NASA HQ:
Lisa Guerra ( NASA fellow at UT)
NASA Johnson Space Center:
Internships: Bob Musgrove
Flight experiments: Doug Goforth
Senior Design and DLN: Michele Leggitt
Team Lead: Kam Lulla
University of Texas Austin:
Faculty of UT Aerospace Dept.
Texas Space Grant Consortium
Outline:
Background
Overview of SEED project
Glimpses of student projects
Student feedback
NASA Digital Learning Network
SEED Phase II highlights
Summary
Need for Systems Engineers
Background:
• NASA and Aerospace
industry recognizes an
urgent “need” for Systems
Engineering expertise
• National Academy of
Engineering recommends
“interdisciplinary” training
for Engineers of tomorrow
(Engineer 2020 reports)
Report by Jain and Verma (2007)
A distribution of
degrees offered
by US based SE
centric programs.
A distribution of
degrees offered
by US based SE
centric programs.
SEED: Growing future systems engineers:
SEED:Curriculum and internships:
Systems Engineering curriculum development
and pilot course
Students from pilot course completing
internships at JSC
Curriculum validation and feedback
SEED overview:
Some notable accomplishments:
Systems Engineering Reduced Gravity flight project- a national effort:
• 41 students (10 females) and 10 faculty members did “fly” during the
April 2008
• 5 conventional microgravity and 5 lunar gravity flights
• 18 student received course credits
• Teams paired with NASA mentors for real time interactions
Participating universities gave high marks to the project:
• Purdue University
• University of Colorado at Boulder
• Auburn University
• Portland State University
• University of Cincinnati
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•
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•
•
Ohio State University
University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Carthage College
Polytechnic University
University of Kentucky
SEED: Student projects
Marshall Space Flight Center
Project: Purdue University
Lunar Angle of Repose for
soil simulants in lunar gravity regime
SEED: Student projects
Johnson Space
Center Project:
Auburn University
Multimission Space suit EVA Drink Bag Filling Process
SEED: Feedback
*“Great program! I think the idea of students carrying out
NASA oriented research was a great idea and should be
built upon for future programs.” (Faculty)
“This is a wonderful program, an excellent educational
opportunity and a tremendous “behind the scenes” look at
NASA research, project development an exploration mission
design. I am exceptionally pleased that I got a chance to do
this as a faculty member” (Faculty)
SEED:Feedback
“This was a very good program. Our peer mentor was very helpful. The
program could be made shorter” (students)
“I think the systems engineering knowledge gained here at NASA will
prove valuable in my future employment. I liked the hands-on work”
(student)
“I think my interactions prior to an during the flight week really improved
chances of success for the student experiment. This program gave
students a unique opportunity to gain hands-on design and schedule
driven experience. The data collected will also support my NASA project
and thus real component of a program” (NASA mentor)
NASA Digital Learning Network™
Bring NASA to your
students!
Real life experiences,
dynamic interactions with
NASA Engineers &
Scientists on the
future and past
NASA missions
Johnson Space Center
JSC DLN System Engineering Design Challenge
•Allowed multiple interactive connections
with NASA Engineers and Scientists and
participating university students.
•NASA Engineer Ann Bufkin’s briefing on
systems engineering at JSC to high school
students
•NASA scientist Dr. Carl Allen connected
with students live to discuss the Lunar
surface properties.
Systems Engineering Design Challenge
70
# Connections: 19
# Students:
75
# Teachers:
8
# Other:
0
50
Total:
30
# Connections
10
Students
Faculty
83
DLN: an underutilized resource by
universities
• Post Flight connection opportunities
• Available to speak directly to
university students regarding
NASA and coursework.
• Faculty utilizing
DLN can allow
for more student
experiences
and interactions
with NASA.
SEED: Phase II
Highlights of follow on initiatives:
•Availability of systems engineering
curriculum on-line
•Extend systems engineering curriculum to
graduate level
•Enhance involvement of graduate students in
curriculum development
•Use NASA Digital Learning Networks for
systems engineering design challenge an
other related outreach activities
SEED: Phase II
Highlights of follow on initiatives:
•Increase Systems engineering Internship opportunities
•Increase Systems engineering reduced gravity student flight
opportunities
•Engage faculty teaching Systems engineering in Flight
teams
•Engage nation-wide engineering faculty by organizing
conference presentations of systems engineering curriculum
at ASEE or equivalent national conferences
Summary:
Our collaborations with
universities nationwide
will continue as we renew
our efforts to “grow Future
generations of systems
engineers”!