Panel: “Improving SWE Content in Aerospace Engineering Curriculum”

1. Panel: “Improving SWE Content in Aerospace Engineering Curriculum” Chair: Ronald Kohl President, R. J. Kohl & Assoc. AIAA Software Systems Technical Committee (SSTC) & Vice-chair: Dolores KrauscheProgram Director, Florida Center for Engineering Education AIAA Academic Affairs Committee (AAC) AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting Jan., 2011 Lyle N. Long, LNL@PSU.EDU, www.lylelong.com

2. Purpose of Panel: • Software and computing assets have become an ever more significant portion of aerospace systems. • It is the opinion of some that there is not sufficient content about Software Engineering (SWE) in the Aerospace engineering curriculum to match this increasing significance of software and computing assets in these aerospace systems. • This panel will identify various concerns related to this problem and propose some fixes, where appropriate, and identify others that should be tackled in the future. The panel is comprised of industry, academic and government representatives who will bring a variety of perspectives to this topic. • We hope that this panel will be a starting point for future related efforts. Lyle N. Long, LNL@PSU.EDU, www.lylelong.com

3. Panel Outline • 9:00-9:30 a.m. - Allen Arrington: <insert topic here> • 9:30- 10:00 a.m. – Ronald Kohl: <insert topic here> • 10:10 – Noon - Panel • Ronald Kohl, Chair, opening remarks • Allen Arrington, NASA Glenn RC and GT TC -Topic: An approach as to how to determine just what specific areas of SWE should be considered for inclusion in Aerospace Engineering curriculum. This approach is based on a study that Allen has performed over the past few years. • Ella Atkins, Univ. of Michigan, Courses I've developed (and continue to mature) in software & algorithms, from freshman to graduate level and why this approach seems to work. This approach may one of several to consider for other adopters. • Ken Nidiffer, Software Engineering Institute - Topic: SEI development efforts  of a Software Engineering Curriculum- This SEI effort could lead to candidate topics within SWE that could become adopted by Aerospace Engineering curriculum and would still be consistent with general SWE curriculum topics. • Audience Q&A Lyle N. Long, LNL@PSU.EDU, www.lylelong.com

4. Modern Aerospace Systems Are Dominated by Computers, Networks, and Software • Cyber systems are crucial for modern aerospace systems • 65% of new engineers hired recently in Aerospace were involved in computer and related work • The Boeing 777 has 4 million lines of software onboard and 1,280 processors • The F/A-22 Raptor has 2 million lines of software • A Blackhawk S.O. helicopter has roughly 2,000 pounds of wire • Autonomous Vehicles and Intelligent Systems will mean more complex and less deterministic software • A few quotes: • Boeing: “It’s not about the airplane.” • Lockheed: “The wiring harness is more difficult than the airplane structure.” • U.S. Air Force: “The airplane is just “the platform” and it is mainly there to carry the computers” Long, Lyle N., "The Critical Need for Software Engineering Education," in CrossTalk: The Journal of Defense Software Engineering, Vol. 21, No. 1, Jan., 2008. Lyle N. Long, LNL@PSU.EDU, www.lylelong.com

5. There are Five Technology Pillars in Aerospace Engineering – Not Four The four traditional areas are now fairly mature, while software has been called the Achille’s heal of aerospace systems. Aerospace engineers at a minimum need to be able to talk to computing and software engineers Long, L.N., Journal of Aerospace Computing, Information, and Communication, Vol. 1, No. 1, Jan., 2004. http://www.personal.psu.edu/lnl/papers/LNL2005e.pdf Lyle N. Long, LNL@PSU.EDU, www.lylelong.com

6. Aerospace Engineering Education Programs Need More Computing, Software, and EE • Penn State (Aero degree) requires 131 credits • Only 6 credits in Computing are required: • Freshman programming (c): 3 credits • Intro to Software Engineering or Circuits: 3 credits • This is typical of other programs • Most aerospace engineering faculty are in traditional areas: aerodynamics, structures, guidance/control, or propulsion – not IT – and change happens at glacial speed • 50% of the cost of many Aerospace Systems is now in computing, software, and EE • Engineering education programs have not adjusted fast enough to these changes http://www.aero.psu.edu/ug_curriculum/ Lyle N. Long, LNL@PSU.EDU, www.lylelong.com

7. Next Steps? • AIAA develops a ‘position’ on this issue and promotes across AIAA (lead by AAC, support by TAC/TCs, etc) • AIAA engages related groups across industry, government and academia • Should this panel be repeated in other venues? • AIAA contributes to suggested SWE topical areas for addition to curriculum • AIAA supports existing efforts in this area, as candidate ‘reuse’ approaches (set up a SWE ‘speaker’s guild’ to provide speakers?) • Perhaps there are other non-traditional Aerospace Engineering content that should also be looked at?? http://www.aero.psu.edu/ug_curriculum/ Lyle N. Long, LNL@PSU.EDU, www.lylelong.com

8. Thank You Ronald Kohl rjkohl@prodigy.net