Paper ID #9803 The development and introduction of a new Bachelor of Science Degree in Robotics Engineering at Lawrence Technological University: A review of the first two years Dr. Robert W Fletcher, Lawrence Technological University Robert W. Fletcher joined the faculty of the Mechanical Engineering Department at Lawrence Techno- logical University in the summer of 2003, after several years of continuous industrial research, product development and manufacturing experience. Dr. Fletcher earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Washington, in Seattle, Washington, a Master of Engineering in Manufacturing Systems from Lawrence Technological University, in Southfield, Michigan, and the Master of Science and Ph.D. degrees in Chem- ical Engineering focusing on Electrochemical Engineering, both from the University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor. He teaches a number of alternative energy courses and is leading LTU’s efforts to establish a full energy engineering program that addresses both alternative and renewable energy systems, as well as energy conservation and optimization of traditional energy systems. He also is the Director of the Alternative Energy program at Lawrence Tech and serves on the faculty advisory board for the Robotics Engineering Program at Lawrence Tech. Page 24.1195.1 Page c American Society for Engineering Education, 2014 The development and introduction of a new Bachelor of Science Degree in Robotics Engineering at Lawrence Technological University: A review of the first two years ABSTRACT: Robotics engineering, long considered a composite of various engineering disciplines, has developed over the past two decades to where it now has identifiable areas of technical focus, as well as scientific engineering expertise, and is now becoming a focused discipline in its own right. We find that industry now specifically seeks engineering talent concentrated in the robotics field possessing multidisciplinary skills and systems understanding. Also, students entering university engineering programs now often have developed great interest and understanding in robotics due to their participation in competition programs such as First Robotics and Robofest. Because of this voiced need from industry and interest possessed by entering engineering students Lawrence Technological University developed a new multidisciplinary Bachelor of Science degree in robotics engineering. The degree was launched in the fall of 2011 with direct support and input from Lawrence Tech’s math and computer science, electrical engineering and mechanical engineering departments. The robotics engineering degree is currently administered through the Lawrence Tech mechanical engineering department. In this paper the author reviews the approach used to develop the overall objectives of the degree, the challenges of curriculum development and its structure, and how to negotiate through the difficult decisions required when selecting what the most critical multidisciplinary aspects of each of the three supporting departments without the risk of academic technical content dilution. Also reviewed in this paper are several other important aspects encountered in the development of this new degree such as benchmarking of other programs, the seeking, collection and incorporation of industry input and their partnerships, the approval of this new program through the university’s “new programs” approval process, the recruitment of current and new faculty to support the program, and strategy currently employed for addressing assessment and eventual ABET accreditation of the program. Each of these aspects is a great challenge for any new program, but due to the complexity and the interdepartmental multidisciplinary requirements of a robotics engineering program great care and effort was made to assure that the foundational aspects of the program such as projects, research, and student learning were all complementary to current and future success of the program. The author also discusses innovative approaches used in teaching within this program. The perspectives and impact of multidisciplinary designs, approaches, and experiences of the robotics engineering degree program on constituents including students, faculty, administration, career services and employers are also reviewed. Lastly, documented feedback from students is also provided that give their perspective on the program. Introduction: In the fall of 2011 Lawrence Technological University launched a new Bachelor of Science in Robotics Engineering degree. This degree is currently managed and administered in the A. Leon Linton Department of Mechanical Engineering at Lawrence Tech, and was done so because the mechanical engineering department has the most experience at the university with administering new engineering programs, has the most faculty involved in robotics research, and was formally 24.1195.2 Page asked by the college of engineering to develop and lead the program. Faculty from mechanical engineering, electrical and computer engineering and computer science departments, however, each extensively contributed to development of the program curriculum. Faculty from these departments now also teach required specific courses from within their own respective departments as well as the new integrated core-courses required for this engineering degree. The BS in Robotics Engineering at Lawrence Tech is one of three known such degrees in the United States, the other two being Worchester Polytechnic Institute, the first to offer a BS in Robotics Engineering, and University of California Santa Cruse, that also initiated a BS in Robotics Engineering degree in the fall of 2011. Starting any new degree or program at a university can be a daunting undertaking. This is especially true for a cross-functional degree involving three separate departments, which were the mechanical engineering, electrical and computer engineering, and the computer science departments. Fortunately, the initial impetus and evolution of this degree was simultaneously envisioned and embraced by both faculty from the various academic departments and the administration at Lawrence Tech. Because of this joint interest the development of a robotics engineering degree the effort became an objective of the 2011–2016 Lawrence Technological University College of Engineering Strategic Plan. Clearly, this joint acknowledgment of the need for and value of a robotics engineering degree by Lawrence Tech faculty and administrators has contributed to its rapid development and implementation. The process of creating and realizing this new degree at Lawrence Tech has been both challenging and rewarding. This paper reviews the approach in developing the degree, and the progress made two years into its existence. Background - Robotics at Lawrence Tech: Lawrence Technological University is located in Southfield, Michigan, two miles directly north of the City of Detroit, and was founded in 1932 with direct assistance from Henry Ford. This close proximity to the “Motor City” has created a long-standing affiliation with the automotive industry and to the industrial base supporting the design, development and manufacturing of wheeled vehicles. Manufacturing, automation and robotics have long been critical components of a competitive automobile industry and Lawrence Tech has educated engineers in support of these areas since the school’s creation. Over the years Lawrence Tech has supported manufacturing and automation systems development at Ford Motor Company, Chrysler Corporation, and “the factory of the future” at General Motors. In the late 1990s various Lawrence Tech faculty members began significant work in robotics, automation, unmanned vehicles and mechatronics. Much of these efforts were in collaboration with industry partners. In 2000 Dr. C.J. Ching began the Robofest® competition for middle school and high school students. 1 Robofest® is a robotics competition where students develop and program small autonomous robotic systems to undertake a specific task in a competitive environment. By 2003 Lawrence Tech computer science student teams began competing in the Intelligent Ground Vehicle Competition (IGVC) primarily sponsored by the United States Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) and the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI). Since then Lawrence Tech has competed every year in the IGVC competition, and has fielded multiple, independent autonomous vehicle teams, in some cases from various colleges within the university, in the Page 24.1195.3 Page IGVC competition. In parallel to these efforts members of the Lawrence Tech mechanical engineering department’s industry advisory board began to inquire about and request the development of a possible degree in robotics engineering. In 2003 the mechanical engineering department partially responded to these requests by establishing the Master Degree in Mechatronics, with a broader emphasis than just robotics. At the same time significant work was underway in the US military developing unmanned and autonomous vehicles. 2 Lawrence Tech has had many connections and development activities over the years with the United States Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) and the Detroit Arsenal, both of which are located in the Detroit, Michigan metro area. Also, Lawrence Tech received significant research TARDEC funding in the mid-2000’s for alternative energy storage and power systems