iCASE: Inclusive Consortium of Autonomous Systems Engineers
By: John Kelly
One of the goals of the IEC is the creation of inter-instructional initiatives that enhance the research and learning at all of our campuses. iCASE is an example of such a program. iCASE will be a diverse, comprehensive consortium focused on exposing, encouraging, educating, engaging and employing the underrepresented minority engineering community. iCASE will be affiliated with the Autonomous Control and Information Technology Institute at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NC A&T). A brief description of the strategies iCASE proposes to employ are as follows:
Exposing: Facilitating underserved populations’ access to FIRST Robotics Supporting K-12 teachers and community college instructors as they present robotics and autonomous systems-related topics
Encouraging: Actively inspiring undergraduate students to pursue careers in autonomous systems through meaningful experiences with research and design
Educating: Creating interesting and engaging courses and co-curricular activities as part of a student’s rigorous engineering preparation Collaborating with those providing internships and co-ops to make academic and experiential learning more seamless
Engaging: Catalyze a broader community of engagement through the “virtual department” construct
Employing: Provide appropriate venues for students and employers to explore
NC A&T has a long and mutually beneficial relationship with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Together NASA and NC A&T have partnered on research projects ranging from early designs for a Mars mission to the most recent NASA research award—a University Leadership Initiative, Safe and Secure Assured Autonomy.
This proposed activity will partner with IEC schools to increase the workforce pipeline of autonomous systems engineers. The skills required for these autonomous systems engineers include, but are not limited to controls, signal processing, communications, sensor technologies, embedded processing, and cyber security. Additionally, the systems engineering dimension of this effort is a powerful skillset that has broad application.
To be sustainable, IEC faculty in the associated areas will collaborate on research proposals and projects. These collaborations will lead to increased research and this will help to realize the full potential of working as a “virtual department.”