The University of Delaware is engaged in a
multifaceted partnership with U.S. Army
Research, Development and Engineering
Command (RDECOM) located at the
Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG)
in Maryland. In addition to
cooperative research efforts,
the University is offering
professionally convenient
course scheduling, on-base
graduate courses and
programs, and career
services that are responsive
to employee needs.
The partnership, through UD's
Office of Economic Innovation and
Partnerships, was formalized in January
2010 when UD President Pat Harker and
Major General Nick Justice, Commanding
General of RDECOM and Installation
Commander of APG signed a RDECOM
level Cooperative Research and
Development Agreement (CRADA). A
CRADA enables a private entity and a
government agency to work together on a
project through their laboratories,
personnel, facilities, equipment or other
resources and to conduct specific research
or development efforts that are consistent
with the agency's mission. The UD-APG
CRADA includes collaborations involving
research, graduate education, professional
development and career services. [Read the story on UDaily.]
Since the CRADA signing, a number of
research collaborations are underway with
multiple colleges; career events have
happened; the College of Engineering is
offering graduate education courses on
post in electrical engineering; and the
University has developed a Master of
Science in Software Engineering degree.
New engineering degree result of
UD, Army cooperation
One facet of the educational partnership
between UD and APG is the new Master
of Science in Software Engineering (MSSE) degree. Initiated by a request from
APG leadership, University faculty from
the departments of Electrical and
Computer Engineering and Computer and
Information Science designed this new
program based on extensive research and
conversations with Army personnel as well
as industries with whom the Army
frequently works. As a result, it is
ideally suited to address the
professional needs of the
staff at APG.
A key
feature is the flexibility
the program offers, with
specialty tracks in
networks, scientific and
high performance
computing, hardware,
communications and signal
processing, information
sciences/artificial intelligence, systems and
architecture, and computer science, as well
as the option of creating a specialty track to
fit specific work/career responsibilities.
Moreover, degree completion includes a
practicum experience tailored to the
student's technical interests, enabling the
student to use creative and critical thinking
skills while contributing to a problem-solving
software engineering team in a
real-life setting.
On-site courses provide
convenient option
Additionally, the Department of Electrical
and Computer Engineering began offering
graduate courses on the APG base in spring
2010. The first course – Advanced
Engineering Electromagnetics – taught by
Professors Dennis Prather and Mark
Mirotznik, attracted six students from
various departments on the base. All of
those students have taken additional
courses, and four are now pursuing
graduate degrees in electrical engineering.
Courses taught on-base are convenient for
employees not only because of location,
but also time – classes on base meet once
weekly rather than the typical two to three
days per week on campus. Several students divide and conquer, taking one course on base
and traveling to Newark for a second.
This spring, UD is offering two courses on base,
attracting many familiar faces and a
growing list of new students. Professor
Mirotznik is teaching Antenna Theory and
Design, while Professor Mike Piovoso is
teaching Digital Signal Processing.
Other areas in which APG personnel are
currently pursuing part-time graduate
studies include mechanical engineering and
materials science. One avenue to both of
those degree programs is UD's Graduate
Certificate in Composite Materials, the
courses for which are often taken prior to
the student applying to a degree program
and later applied to a graduate degree in
mechanical engineering or materials
science. This pathway is a great way for
students to determine that pursuing
graduate studies really is feasible for them
while working full-time.
Please help us prepare for future issues of this newsletter
What questions do you have about professional
education? Do you know of students who have held unique
internships or conducted impactful or groundbreaking projects?
Is there a company or other partner with an interesting
or compelling story? Please send your ideas for feature
articles or other comments on the newsletter to John Sawyer, Associate Provost for Professional Education
(sawyerj@udel.edu).
