Modeling & Simulation as an Enabling Technology for Engineering Innovation Education

James F. Leathrum, Jr. and Roland R. Mielke Department of Modeling, Simulation and Visualization Engineering Old Dominion University Norfolk, VA 23529, USA

ABSTRACT needed to help build mental models and understanding of how complex systems work and are The inclusion of innovation within engineering organized. Simulation provides a cost-effective education is being identified as a crucial effort to means to determine system behavior and ensure our technological competitiveness as evident performance and to investigate life-cycle issues by the number of solicitations including engineering important to a successful system design. It is our innovation education by the National Science position that making an engineering student into an Foundation. While most work is spent on identifying innovator will be enhanced or even enabled if that how to create environments that foster innovation, student has the tools needed to conduct the process of this paper focuses on developing a technical skill set innovation. We are proposing a path for the that enables innovation when in the correct introduction of M&S skills with an emphasis on environment. The premise of this paper is that the enabling innovative ideas within existing STEM skills taught within the modeling and simulation curricula. curricula are those that enable innovative thinking. The skill set focuses on the abstract thinking, Innovation is the complex process of introducing communication, and evaluation skills. This paper novel ideas into use or practice and includes does not propose changing current engineering entrepreneurship as an integral part [1]. curricula, but rather to augment them by introducing Entrepreneurship involves the commitment of finance abstract modeling concepts early in the curriculum, and business acumen in an effort the transform the allowing students to see the generation of an new concepts of inventions into economic goods. innovative idea. This is be done through a series of The most obvious form of entrepreneurship is that of small modules and assignments spread throughout starting new businesses. While much is being done the curriculum. Furthermore, the modules benefit the to encourage entrepreneurship, our focus is on the existing curricula by providing a context for why the complex process of innovation, which is less students are learning the classic material. understood yet is the most vital to comprehend.

Keywords: Innovation, Modeling and Simulation, This paper proposes developing new and novel Engineering Education approaches for teaching innovation in the STEM areas, especially engineering, that can be integrated into existing curricula with minimal effort. Should 1. INTRODUCTION the introduction of innovation be a heavy burden on existing curricula with little immediate rewards, it is The basis for this paper is our recognition that the unlikely the proposed work will be adopted. We also concepts and methods that comprise the discipline of believe that innovation and the associated skills need modeling and simulation are precisely the tools and an early introduction for students to embrace them skills required to conduct the process of innovation. and follow educational paths leading to innovation. Modeling skills are required to capture new ideas and As a first step in the innovation education process, systems, and then to communicate those ideas to we identify M&S as the enabling technology other groups that often have vastly different allowing the reasoning, visualization, evaluation, and backgrounds and points-of-view. Visualization is communication required in innovation. We propose core skills from M&S that should be taught to all small, multidisciplinary, connected to academic engineering students to improve the likelihood of institutions, intense workers, and visionary. Again, fostering innovation. these are characteristics, not identifying appropriate skill sets in which engineers should be educated. The proposed engineering educational evolution follows the maturation process of M&S as a This paper attempts to identify a skill set to enable discipline in its own right. This is similar to the innovative thinking in engineers when placed in an development of computer science as a discipline appropriate environment. The skill set focuses on the through the 1960's and early 1970's and the abstract thinking, communication, and evaluation recognition that the skill set was required by skills. Current engineering education is primarily engineers as well. As a result, a core competence in based on analysis, teaching design in a bottom-up computer science was introduced into engineering fashion by introducing low level theory and building curricula and became a requirement for accreditation. up to larger designs of systems that already exist. Likewise, M&S has matured over the last decade This paper does not propose changing that basic with the creation of graduate programs (Old philosophy, but rather to augment it by introducing Dominion University, University of Central Florida, abstract modeling concepts early in the curriculum, University of Alabama - Huntsville, CSU - Chico, allowing students to see the generation of an etc.), followed by the first undergraduate program innovative idea. This can be done through a series of being introduced in 2010 at Old Dominion small modules and assignments spread throughout University. Thus it follows that the time has come to the curriculum. The modules would work in the evaluate the discipline's role in engineering opposite direction from the classic bottom-up education. This paper considers the introduction of method, but would augment the existing curricula by M&S as a core competence to enable innovation providing a context for why the students are learning across all engineering disciplines. the classic material.

2. INNOVATION IN ENGINEERING 3. M&S CONCEPTS IN INNOVATION EDUCATION ENGINEERING

Some work has been done attempting to introduce an Problem understanding is important in recognizing innovative environment in the engineering the intricate and nuanced issues involved with curriculum. [2-7] However, these primarily focus on identified problems. Once understanding is achieved, developing an atmosphere and that fosters the problem description requires unambiguously opportunity to be creative, but ignore the engineering documenting the problem so that it may be easily skill set that best enable engineers to be innovative in communicated. Then, recognizing that the problem a timely and cost efficient manner. Steiner does may be defined within certain known categories of attempt to identify the skills that make people problems will help support finding a solution to the innovative, but through querying managers, she problem or problem resolution. Properly really concludes on personal skills (energetic, investigating these creative processes and facilitating enthusiastic, competitive, etc.) not technical skills them through application of proven M&S tools and (potentially including abstract modeling, top-down techniques fills an existing gap in the research of design, rapid prototyping, etc.). innovation.

Other works attempt to define the innovative process. We propose the following concepts as the core [8-12] But again they focus on creating an competencies in innovative engineering: atmosphere that fosters creativity or identifying what  needs assessment - the act of capturing the needs techniques have worked. In attempting to identify of a problem the characteristics of teams that have been successful  conceptualization - the creative act of in innovations, Petre identified that the teams were formulating an idea.  visualization - the act of creating a representation allow studying concepts at a behavioral level prior to of an idea for better understanding. design.  evaluation - the testing of an idea, may include engineering, manufacturing, and marketing Modeling provides a means for engineers to capture feasibility. their ideas. The simple act of model development  communication - the act of presenting the idea to often promotes a better understanding of a system. It others, potentially for collaboration or marketing. also enables the definition of interfaces between While methodologies for teaching these subsystems within a system model, allowing a competencies is not addressed in this paper, the partitioning in the idea development. Then by importance of M&S to enable each is elaborated. simulating the system, a deeper understanding of system behavior is possible. Needs Assessment Needs assessment involves the definition of the Visualization requirements of a problem for which innovative ideas The ability to visualize an innovative idea is assists are sought. In engineering, this includes in idea development and is crucial to communicating development of the problem specification. the idea to potential investors. M&S utilizes Frequently this involves documentation of ideas in visualization heavily in understanding system writing. M&S attempts to formalize this process by behavior. Physical models support providing a visual capturing specifications as models. The needs are understanding of a design. Data visualization and captured as behavioral models. Developing animation provide the ability to study system executable simulations of these models then allow the behavior as a function of time. engineer to study if the proposed behavior will truly meet the needs. The model then acts as the Evaluation specification that an innovative concept must meet, Evaluation is a prime emphasis of simulation. Once and provides a basis to validate conceptualized ideas an idea is captured by a model, a simulation creates against system needs. an executable environment in which the behavior of the modeled system can be studied. This allows Conceptualization rapid prototyping of ideas necessary to ensure its In conceptualization, it is important to be able to functionality. This is crucial when looking for capture and manipulate one's ideas. The easier that venture capital or pursuing a patent. The utility and this is done, the more opportunity for innovation. As functionality of the idea must be clearly in art, the ease of manipulating a medium facilitates demonstrated. Simulation provides a safe, cost the creative process. When developing a sculpture in effective approach to achieving these goals. stone, it is best to develop prototypes in an easier medium - drawings, clay, etc. - allowing the creative However, frequently engineers do not fully process to rapidly refine ideas. understand simulation tools they employ. They often lack knowledge of simulation characteristics such as M&S offers similar opportunities in the development fidelity and time management. Often when a model of innovative ideas. M&S provides a fast, cheap, and is developed at an inappropriate level of fidelity, safe development environment. An engineer can desired simulation features are missed. When rapidly study alternative ideas. Unfortunately, most dealing with time-based simulations, it is often engineers only learn design tools applicable to their necessary to know whether a simulation is continuous problem domain, and not general M&S techniques. or discrete-event to fully understand results. For This limits the opportunities for innovation to the continuous simulations it is also necessary to know capabilities of the tools at their disposal. Through the unit of time advancement since system changes developing general M&S skills, engineers could that occur in a shorter unit of time may not be consider a broader realm of ideas. M&S techniques observed. For discrete-event simulations, it is necessary to understand what constitutes and event to understand when state changes can occur. combined to create whole courses that can be used as Communication electives or that become part of a minor program. The ability to communicate innovative ideas is Furthermore, these modules will be adapted to fit the crucial to their success. Communication is level of the learner at the high school, community considered at two levels, the model level and the college, and university. For instance, examples and system behavior level. A model is a language for tools will be characterized sufficiently so that communication within M&S, enabling engineers to collaborators at each level can choose appropriate communicate ideas in the development stages, instantiations for their level of instruction. Even refining those ideas. Models provide a more within the college level, these modules may be formalized definition than written descriptions, adapted to fit specific disciplines such as the sciences largely removing the inherent ambiguities found in and mechanical, civil, and aerospace engineering, etc. written documentation. Models can include The results of efforts at this stage will be sets of mathematical models, state transition models, and M&S-enabled and engineering-oriented modules for even hybrid models. Engineers versed in general both innovation and entrepreneurship. modeling techniques can then easily communicate ideas. Then when the models are executed as The authors are working on the conceptualization of simulations, system behavior is captured and multidisciplinary innovation modules where the same available to communicate requirements and/or problem domain can be utilized in all engineering capabilities. Thus visualization becomes a form of disciplines. The modules can focus on relevant social communication, capturing time varying behavior so problems such as homeland security, biomedical that others, including non-engineers such as engineering, and alternative energy sources. The investors, can readily understand system behavior innovation modules will introduces through an based on the idea. engineering curriculum as single lectures and exercises in various courses, but with a single innovative concept strand spanning multiple courses 4. IMPLEMENTATION CONCEPT and concepts. This allows the complete development of an innovative idea to be explored as a student's It is proposed that educational content for the abilities are developed. However, while classical teaching of innovation in the STEM areas, especially engineering is taught in a bottom-up strategy, the engineering, be designed so that it can be integrated innovative concepts will be introduced as a top-down into existing curricula with minimal effort. Should strategy. This has the added benefit of the introduction of innovation be a heavy burden on supplementing the standard engineering education existing curricula with little immediate rewards, it is process by providing a context for the content early unlikely the educational effort will be adopted. We in the curriculum. also believe that innovation and the associated skills need an early introduction for students to embrace An initial exercise develops the needs assessment, them and follow educational paths leading to culminating in capturing a specification as a innovation. Learning modules will be developed that behavioral model. Ensuing exercises focus on idea can be used to teach these tools and skills for conceptualization, evaluation, and prototyping. different disciplines at various educational levels Modules will be linked between different engineering beginning at the high school level and continuing curricula so that the work done in one discipline is through the undergraduate college level. The focus is passed on to students in another discipline. This to introduce M&S concepts in the context of could possibly be carried into a senior design project, innovative ideas tailored to reinforce what the student or lead into an elective course on the is already learning. entrepreneurship process to provide a complete experience for the student. Modules for innovation and entrepreneurship will be developed in self contained learning units so that they may be easily incorporated into existing courses or be 5. CONCLUSIONS [8] Petre, M., "How Expert Engineering Teams Use While this effort is a work in progress, it is obvious Disciplines of Innovation, " Design Studies, vol. that existing engineering curricula do not develop a 25, issue 5, Sept. 2004, pp. 477-493. [9] Salter, A. and D. Gann, "Sources of Innovation skill set that promotes the out-of-the-box thought in Engineering Design," Research Policy, vol. process necessary in the development of innovative 32, issue 8, Sept. 2003, pp. 1309-1324. ideas. However, the skill set produced by a [10] Yusuf, S., "From Creativity to Innovation," curriculum in M&S does provide an appropriate skill Technology in Society, vol. 31, issue 1, Feb. set. Therefore, the introduction of M&S high-level 2009, pp. 1-8. modeling skills to develop behavioral models that are [11] Cooper, J. (1998), "A Multidimensional later refined to prototypes in the form of simulations, Approach to the Adoption of Innovation," Management Decision, Vol. 36, Iss. 8, pp. 493- enables engineering students to partake in the 502. innovation and entrepreneurship process. Without [12] Garcia, R. and Calantone, R. (2002), A critical introducing these skills, the innovation process is look at technological innovation typology and more time consuming, costly, and risky. innovativeness terminology: a literature review. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 19: 110–132. 6. REFERENCES

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