Systems Engineering Educational Discovery (SEED): An Educational Pilot Project

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

2. 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

3. Outline: Background Overview of SEED project Glimpses of student projects Student feedback NASA Digital Learning Network SEED Phase II highlights Summary

4. 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)

5. 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.

6. SEED: Growing future systems engineers:

7. SEED:Curriculum and internships: Systems Engineering curriculum development and pilot course Students from pilot course completing internships at JSC Curriculum validation and feedback

8. 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 • Ohio State University • University of Nebraska - Lincoln • Carthage College • Polytechnic University • University of Kentucky

9. SEED: Student projects Marshall Space Flight Center Project: Purdue University Lunar Angle of Repose for soil simulants in lunar gravity regime

10. SEED: Student projects Johnson Space Center Project: Auburn University Multimission Space suit EVA Drink Bag Filling Process

11. 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)

12. 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)

13. 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

14. 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.

15. Systems Engineering Design Challenge 70 # Connections: 19 # Students: 75 # Teachers: 8 # Other: 0 Total: 83 50 30 # Connections 10 Faculty Students

16. 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.

17. 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

18. 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

19. Summary: Our collaborations with universities nationwide will continue as we renew our efforts to “grow Future generations of systems engineers”!