The Academic Forum (AF) for 2000 will be held at the University of Minnesota (room 3180, CompSci/EE building) on July 17 and will be a continuation of the exchange of theoretical and practical information of common interest to academia and industry.  The Academic Forum theme, "Symbiosis Between The University And Industry," will be examined during four distinct sessions.   Each session will feature three speakers who will address certain aspects of the subtheme followed by an open forum coordinated by a moderator.   Dr. Donna Rhodes, current president of INCOSE, will launch the Academic Forum with selected introductory remarks.  The sessions will be chaired by members of the AF Organizing Committee, Dr. Kim Rawlinson, Dr. Avram Bar-Cohen, Dr. Saif Benjaafar, and Dr. William Garrad.

The first session, "Requirements For A Systems Engineering Education", will explore educational needs identified by two aerospace companies and a private systems engineering (SE) consultant.  Dr. Elliot Axelband (USC) will discuss the requirements identified while establishing a systems engineering curriculum for Boeing.  Dr. David Evans (The Aerospace Corporation) will discuss the needs addressed by The Aerospace Institute.  Mr. Eric Honour (HonourCode Inc.) will discuss SE educational needs he has observed as a consultant to many companies.

The curricular content of two nationally-recognized Systems Engineering Masters programs will be highlighted in Session 2, "Systems Engineering Programs."   Dr. Eric Feron will discuss restructuring the Aeronautical Engineering degree at MIT, and Dr. Terry Bahill will discuss the Systems Engineering degree program at the University of Arizona.  Dr. Saif Benjaafar will discuss the M.S program in Industrial Engineering at the University of Minnesota from a systems engineering perspective.

Session 3, "Elements Of A Systems Engineering Curriculum", features two speakers from the University of Minnesota and one with an Australian and UK perspective.  Dr. Patrick Star (UMN) will address the application of systems engineering, by students, to designing, fabricating, and competing in the Solar Car Competition.  Dr. William Durfee (UMN) will discuss the graduate courses in Product/Business Development.  Dr. Stephen Cook will discuss elements of the SE curriculum at the University of South Australia along with the political and economic forces that shaped them.

Session 4, "Delivery Vehicles for a Professional MS Degree" presents three ways in which students are offered access to an MS degree .  Dr. Leyla Conrad will discuss the practice-based Masters at the Georgia Institute of Technology.  Dr. Avrem Bar-Cohen will discuss professional MS degree programs at the University of Minnesota.  Mr. Lynn Cole and Dr. Douglas Gemmill will discuss how the Iowa State University Systems Engineering Masters program was created and how it is delivered to the off-campus student community.

Transportation between the Hyatt Hotel and the University of Minnesota will be provided before and after the Academic Forum. Lunch and refreshments at morning and afternoon breaks will be included in the $80 Academic Forum registration fee.

The Academic Forum is sponsored by The Aerospace Corporation.

Updated 07/20/04