Courses

I am, have been, or will be involved in teaching the following courses (listed below). Please take a look at the individual course home pages for more specific information.

Other Educational Contributions

• I have integrated Computers and Programming into Unified (2003-2006).
• In Fall 2004, with gracious support from the MIT Alumni Fund, 30 Lego Mindstorm kits and 60 Lego Angle/Rotation Sensors were purchased for the development of Lego-based Educational Modules. The intent was to incorporate the Aero/Astro Department's Conceive-Design-Implement-Operate (CDIO) educational strategy to help bring theory into practice. A lot of supporting material, including installers, lectures, problem sets helped prepare students for a final "System Problem [Lab]." This material and the lessons learned are presented here in the hope that it will benefit future courses that teach with Legos and/or robotics.

• Co-developed the Software Process Simulation Game (SPSG) for use in 16.35 and Unified. The game enables students to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges associated with using different kinds of processes under varying environmental conditions. SPSG comprises of a series of hands-on experiences that are used to both illustrate and reinforce theoretical concepts introduced through lectures.

Shared Lessons Learnt

The lessons learnt from teaching 16.070 can be found in "A First Course in Software Engineering for Aerospace Engineers", presented at 19th Conference on Software Engineering Education and Training (CSEET 2006).

The lessons learnt over the last four years in teaching software engineering and computer science to non-CS majors, has led to an identification of desirable skills sets in aerospace software engineers. These lessons are encapsulated in a paper entitled "Aerospace Software Engineering - Systems thinking Foundations", that is submitted to the "Third International Summit on Sofwtare Engineering Education". (2006)

Finally some early teaching experiences are documented in "Encouraging Active Participation in Programming Classes", presented at 7th National Conference on College Teaching and Learning (1996).

1.00 -Introduction to Computers and Engineering Problem Solving
This course examines fundamental software development and computational methods for engineering, scientific and managerial applications. Emphasis is placed on object-oriented software design and development. Students engage in active learning using laptop computers (available on loan). Assignments cover programming concepts, graphical user interfaces, numerical methods, data structures, sorting and searching, computer graphics and selected advanced topics. The Java® programming language is used.

16.Unified - Computers and Programming

16.unified - Computers and Programming

16.35 - Real-Time Systems and Software

16.unified - Computers and Programming
The basic objective of Unified is to give a solid understanding of the fundamental disciplines of aerospace engineering, as well as their interrelationships and applications. These disciplines are Material and Structures (M); Computers and Programming (C); Fluid Mechanics (F); Thermodynamics and Propulsion (T); and Signals and Systems (S). In choosing to teach these subjects in a unified manner, we seek to explain the common intellectual threads in these disciplines, as well as their combined application to solve engineering Systems Problems (SP). Throughout the year we will endeavor to point out the connections among the disciplines.

16.unified - Computers and Programming a.k.a 16.071 and 16.072

16.070

16.622 Experimental Projects II - "Camera on a Chip"
Gain practical insight and improved understanding of engineering experimentation through design and execution of "project" experiments. Building upon work in 16.621, students construct and test equipment, make systematic experimental measurements of phenomena, analyze data, and compare theoretical predictions with results. Written final report on entire project and formal oral presentation. Provides valuable link between theory and practice.

16.35 Aerospace Software Engineering
Concepts, methods, and tools for the specification, design, construction, verification (testing and analysis), and documentation of large software systems, particularly real-time embedded software. Also includes project management fundamentals essential to creating complex software systems successfully. Students work together on a large team project following the process required for FAA certification of airborne systems.

16.35 Aerospace Software Engineering

16.621 Experimental Projects II