Award Abstract # 1003743
Intelligent Infrastructure Systems Education Project

NSF Org: DUE
Division Of Undergraduate Education
Recipient: SPRINGFIELD TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Initial Amendment Date: June 23, 2010
Latest Amendment Date: June 23, 2010
Award Number: 1003743
Award Instrument: Standard Grant
Program Manager: Paul Tymann
ptymann@nsf.gov
 (703)292-2832
DUE
 Division Of Undergraduate Education
EDU
 Directorate for STEM Education
Start Date: October 1, 2010
End Date: September 30, 2014 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount: $508,468.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date: $508,468.00
Funds Obligated to Date: FY 2010 = $508,468.00
History of Investigator:
  • Gary Mullett (Principal Investigator)
    gmullett@stcc.edu
  • Edward Bigos (Co-Principal Investigator)
  • Yakov Cherner (Co-Principal Investigator)
  • Aura Ganz (Co-Principal Investigator)
Recipient Sponsored Research Office: Springfield Technical Community College
1 ARMORY SQ
SPRINGFIELD
MA  US  01105-1700
(413)781-7822
Sponsor Congressional District: 01
Primary Place of Performance: Springfield Technical Community College
1 ARMORY SQ
SPRINGFIELD
MA  US  01105-1700
Primary Place of Performance
Congressional District:
01
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): TMJXBJPDLX95
Parent UEI:
NSF Program(s): Advanced Tech Education Prog
Primary Program Source: 04001011DB NSF Education & Human Resource
Program Reference Code(s): 1032, 9178, SMET
Program Element Code(s): 7412
Award Agency Code: 4900
Fund Agency Code: 4900
Assistance Listing Number(s): 47.076

ABSTRACT

The Intelligent Infrastructure Systems Education Project (I2SEP) is a, multi-interdisciplinary, advanced technological education (ATE) project that is improving Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) related undergraduate education primarily in the electronics technology (ET) area. This project is also addressing curricula needs for non-electronics based technologies that utilize complex networked electronic systems to provide automation and control functions or to further enhance system efficiency, safety, and security of the nation's infrastructure.

The I2SEP project is tackling the lack of curricula available to address the new skill sets needed by the electronics/systems technicians of the coming decade as the nation begins to rebuild its aging infrastructure and implements new technologies to enhance in-place systems in power delivery (SmartGrid), alternative energy production, building automation, transportation systems, etc. The new paradigm in electronics technology of systems-on-a-chip and a ubiquitous Internet providing connectivity is driving this project's efforts in the creation of system-centered curricula materials that include original, powerful, interactive simulations and conventional curriculum modules. Annual project workshops are providing faculty with professional development in the utilization of student-centered teaching strategies and methodologies, the emerging field of networked sensors and embedded controller technology, and various intelligent infrastructure applications enabled by these technologies.

On a broader level, the project is hosting annual Industry/educator summits to assist in the planning of strategies needed to deliver the required skill sets to students in both electronics and non-electronics based disciplines. Through these activities, a replicable model for the development of multi-interdisciplinary educational materials for both electronics and non-electronics based technology fields by traditional electronics faculty members is being created.

PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT

Disclaimer

This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.

The "Intelligent Infrastructure Sysatems Education Project" was conceived as a way to introduce two-year technical college faculty members to an important emerging technology that is destine to impact many hardware oriented technology fields. Spurred on by the hype of the "Smart Grid" and the forecast of a soon to be needed power industry workforce with new skill sets, the project had goals of; producing curricula materials including computer based simulations and virtual labs, developing faculty expertise in the topic area, widely disseminating developed materials, and ultimately implementing an associate in science (AS) degree program in "Intelligent Infrastructure Systems Technology." This four year project located at Springfield Technical Community College in Springfield, Massachusetts would build on successful prior grant work performed by the project team.   

Over the past several decades, there has been a convergence of various different technology fields that have spawned the development of the so called "Information Economy." Most recognize the Intenet as being one of the primary technology enablers in this change. Today, the terms: "Internet of Things", "Smarter Planet", "Smart Grid", and "machine-to-machine" are some of the popular press terms used to describe the next evolution of Internet applications. These applications involve the deployment of intricate electronic systems, including complex sensors and advanced actuators with embedded (ambient) intelligence coupled with modern data-transport and networking technologies and application-enabling software as the tools used to enhance in place systems or infrastructure. - hence, intelligent infrastructure systems. Today's television images of self-parking automobiles and vehicles equipped with anti-collision technology are just the harbingers of what is to come. Some predict driverless cars will eventually make a drivers license obsolete by the 2040s. This technology of networked sensor based embedded control systems or "cyber-physical systems" (as they are becoming known as) has the very genuine potential to significantly impact almost every aspect of human endeavor and commerce by increasing system efficiency, reducing energy consumption, providing real-time monitoring of the nation's infrastructure and environment and improving public health, safety, and national security.

It was apparent to the project's directors that there was a lack of faculty awareness of this type of technology at the community college level. Therefore, the project's goals were focused on; (1) increasing the available curricula materials about the enabling technoloogies. To this end, the project team thoroughly investigated the technologies that facilitate these types of systems and developed curriculum in three specific areas: networked embedded controllers, sensor networks, and wireless data networks. Furthermore, two additional modules that introduced the technology of cyber-physical systems and considered their potential application areas were also developed. (2) Developing faculty expertise about this emerging field. The project recruited twenty local middle-school science and technology (STEM) teachers for a short on-line course that introduced cyber-physical systems and the project's virtual lab materials and also ran a much more in-depth, highly successful (as indicated by course evaluation metrics), on-line course for two- and four-year college technology and computer science faculty. Sixty, mostly two-year technology college faculty from all over the United States took and completed the six modules that the course eventually consisted of. (3) Disseminating information about the project and its curriculum materials was accomplished though the on-line course, multiple presentations at national technology conferences, and the project...

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