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Systems Engineering Entrepreneurship Modules Across Aerospace Engineering Curriculum

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Conference

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Location

Seattle, Washington

Publication Date

June 14, 2015

Start Date

June 14, 2015

End Date

June 17, 2015

ISBN

978-0-692-50180-1

ISSN

2153-5965

Conference Session

Systems Engineering Division Technical Session 2

Tagged Division

Systems Engineering

Page Count

11

Page Numbers

26.1454.1 - 26.1454.11

DOI

10.18260/p.24791

Permanent URL

https://peer.asee.org/24791

Download Count

406

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Paper Authors

biography

Sanjay Jayaram Saint Louis University

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Dr. Sanjay Jayaram is an associate professor in the Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering Department
of Saint Louis University. He obtained his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from University of Central
Florida in 2004. He teaches control systems/mechatronics, space systems engineering and astronautics
related courses as well as engineering sciences courses. He has published several peer reviewed journal
and conference papers in these areas. His research areas are space systems, robust fault tolerant control,
nonlinear control, adaptive control, small spacecraft design, high performance spacecraft components,
mechatronics, real-time health monitoring, and diagnostic methodology.

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biography

Michael A. Swartwout Saint Louis University

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Dr. Swartwout is co-director of the Space Systems Research Laboratory. His research and teaching interests focus on systems engineering and design.

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Abstract

SYSTEMS ENGINEERING ENTREPRENEURSHIP MODULES ACROSS AEROSPACE ENGINEERING CURRICULUMABSTRACT“Systems engineering” is concerned with the effective management of complex systems over theentire product lifecycle. Good systems engineering practice is essential for the effective design,fabrication, testing and operation of complex systems, such as spacecraft and/or aircraft.However, teaching good systems engineering to undergraduates is often viewed as eitherimpossible (because “true” systems engineering capabilities must be developed in real,professional settings) or impractical (because it requires sophisticated tools that are best coveredat the Masters level). While we do not dispute that years of practical experience and solidtechnical fundamentals are necessary to master the concepts and application of systemsengineering, we believe that undergraduates are capable of learning some of the fundamentaltools, and applying them to relevant projects.This paper introduces the modules developed to modify a four-course sequence in theDepartment of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering to introduce systems-engineeringmodules with an entrepreneurship mindset. The sequence spans the first three years ofundergraduate studies in the department, and the students’ learning will be further demonstratedin the capstone design course sequence. And while these modules will be tailored to aircraft andspace-systems applications, these systems engineering modules can be beneficial to a widerrange of engineering majors. Through this experience, students will learn that systemsengineering is iterative and will develop judgment that will allow them to compare and evaluateengineering alternatives. They will learn to discuss systems engineering methods and processesas well as engage in systems thinking. Material covered in lectures and tutorials arecomplemented by either hands-on laboratory exercises or real-world examples of aircraft andspacecraft missions, which will be used to illustrate the use of the analytical techniques anddemonstrate the relevance of the material.

Jayaram, S., & Swartwout, M. A. (2015, June), Systems Engineering Entrepreneurship Modules Across Aerospace Engineering Curriculum Paper presented at 2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Seattle, Washington. 10.18260/p.24791

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