An Innovative Model For The Administration Of Undergraduate Capstone Projects
- Conference
- Location
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Chicago, Illinois
- Publication Date
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June 18, 2006
- Start Date
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June 18, 2006
- End Date
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June 21, 2006
- ISSN
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2153-5965
- Conference Session
- Tagged Division
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Systems Engineering Constituent Committee
- Page Count
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9
- Page Numbers
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11.191.1 - 11.191.9
- DOI
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10.18260/1-2--1280
- Permanent URL
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https://peer.asee.org/1280
- Download Count
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478
Paper Authors
Susan Donohue University of Virginia
Susan Donohue is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Systems and Information Engineering. Her degrees include a B.A. in Political Science from Marquette University (1980) and an M.E. in Systems Engineering from the University of Virginia (2000). Her academic honors include Phi Beta Kappa, Alpha Sigma Nu, and Omega Rho. She is a student member of IEEE and ASEE. Her main research interests include software QA/QC and engineering education.
Garrick Louis University of Virginia
Garrick E. Louis is an Associate Professor of Systems and Information Engineering, with a courtesy appointment in Civil and Environmental Engineering. He received the B.Sc. in Chemical Engineering from Howard University, the M.Sc. in Chemical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and the Ph.D. in Engineering and Public Policy from Carnegie Mellon University. His research interests include the development of policies and programs to assure sustained access to infrastructure-related services in the face of routine and low-probability, high-consequence interruptions.
William Scherer University of Virginia
William T. Scherer received his B.S., M.E., and Ph.D. degrees in Systems Engineering from the University of Virginia. He has taught in the Department of Systems and Information Engineering since 1986, developing and offering courses in areas such as systems engineering methodology and operations research. His current research interests include intelligent transportation systems and systems engineering methodologies. He is currently an Associate Editor for two IEEE Transactions.
Michael C. Smith University of Virginia
Michael C. Smith received the B.S. and M.S. degrees in Industrial Engineering from the University of Tennessee – Knoxville, and the Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research from the University of Missouri – Columbia. His experience includes teaching, research, and application of a broad spectrum of management science and operations management techniques. He is currently the Executive Director of the Accelerated Master's Program for the Department of Systems and Information Engineering. He is a member of IIE and INFORMS.
K. Preston White, Jr. Jr., University of Virginia
K. Preston White, Jr. received the B.S.E., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees from Duke University, Durham, NC. He is Professor of Systems and Information Engineering, Co-Director of the University of Virginia Institute for Microelectronics, and Director of the Semiconductor Manufacturing Information Technology Center. His research interests include the modeling, simulation, and control of discrete-event systems. He is the editor or associate editor of several journals. He is a member of INFORMS, SCS, Omega Rho, Tau Beta Pi, Sigma Xi, Pi Tau Sigma, INCOSE, and a senior member of IEEE and IIE. He represents IEEE/SMC on the Winter Simulation Conference Board.
Peter Beling University of Virginia
Peter A. Beling is an Associate Professor in the Department of Systems and Information Engineering. He received his Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research from UC-Berkeley. He is a co-founder of the Coordinated Systems Research and Financial Engineering Research Groups, and is the latter's current director. His research interests include optimization theory and financial engineering. He is the Department's Chair of Undergraduate Studies.
Abstract
NOTE: The first page of text has been automatically extracted and included below in lieu of an abstract
An Innovative Model for the Administration of Undergraduate Capstone Projects
Abstract
We discuss the program-level model used in the administration of undergraduate Capstone (senior design) projects in the Department of Systems and Information Engineering at University of Virginia’s School of Engineering and Applied Science in this paper. A unique model at the time of its inception in 1988, its adoption by other institutions and its longevity are measures of its effectiveness and robustness. We provide an overview of the tasks performed by the various personnel involved in the administration of the undergraduate Capstone projects in chronological order, starting with activities performed during the summer recess, after a brief introduction to our Department’s Capstone Program. The goal of providing this “cookbook” review of the model is to provide sufficient information to allow other departments to adopt similar practices.
Keywords: Capstone Project, Senior Design Project, Undergraduate Engineering Education
Introduction
The literature concerning undergraduate Capstone (senior design) projects is overwhelmingly oriented to providing information on individual projects. Articles whose main purpose is the discussion of Capstone project administration and management are, for the greatest part, focused on the administration and management of individual projects; see 1, 2, 3, 4 for example. Articles such as 5, 6 which address program-level administration of Capstone are scarce. To address this paucity of information, we share details of the program-level administrative model used to manage the undergraduate Capstone Program in the Department of Systems and Information Engineering at University of Virginia’s School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS), a model that supports a vibrant program popular with students, faculty, and clients alike, in this paper.
We adopted our current program-level administrative model in 1988 after a thorough assessment of resources, requirements, and pedagogic goals and objectives. Unique at the time, its effectiveness and robustness in supporting a concomitantly unique pedagogic model of self- managed student teams working on projects dealing with non-trivial issues of external clients is demonstrated in the longevity of both models and their adoption by departments of system engineering at schools such as the United States Military Academy at West Point (USMA) and George Mason University (GMU). The effectiveness and robustness of the administrative model are additionally seen in the ability of the program to expand support seamlessly to the development, progress, and conclusion of an increasing number of projects over nearly two decades.
Following good systems engineering practice, the model has undergone refinement and refurbishing over the years in response to participant needs or emerging technologies. One notable refinement is the adoption of a web-based delivery method for the assignment of students to projects. Using administrative tools with which students are familiar not only provides
Donohue, S., & Louis, G., & Scherer, W., & Smith, M. C., & White, Jr., K. P., & Beling, P. (2006, June), An Innovative Model For The Administration Of Undergraduate Capstone Projects Paper presented at 2006 Annual Conference & Exposition, Chicago, Illinois. 10.18260/1-2--1280
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