SURA Region-wide Graduate Program in Computational Science & Engineering

  A Multi-Disciplinary, Multi-University Program

Joe Thompson
Mississippi State UNiversity

INTRODUCTION

The emergence of computational simulation, enabled by high performance
computing (HPC) and networking, as the third paradigm of scientific
investigation has created the need for graduates trained across the
disciplines of mathematics, computer science, computer engineering, and the
various disciplines of engineering and the sciences. Via the networking that
is inherent in this new paradigm, these graduates must necessarily be trained
in teamwork and collaborative endeavor.

A urgent need has thus been created for new curricula in computational science
and engineering to meet the Nation's need for scientists and engineers with the
broad understanding necessary to develop and apply these new investigative
tools to scientific analysis and engineering design. This is especially true
of the DoE Scientific Simulation Plan.

The potential for computational simulation has been amply documented in recent
years, and efforts toward convergence to a cross-disciplinary structure that
can enable training and graduate education are emerging, witness the theme of
the April-June 1997 issue of IEEE Computational Science & Engineering - and, in
fact, the existence of this journal itself.

The new computational simulation paradigm has created the need for
cross-disciplinary education of graduate and undergraduate students to produce
scientists and engineers with broad viewpoints and backgrounds to integrate the
interaction of the problem domain with engineering design and computational
methods and tools, including computer science, computing technology, and
mathematics. It is vitally important for scientists and engineers to
understand computational methods, technologies, and tools and to be prepared to
apply these tools in the practice of particular disciplines.

This new paradigm of scientific investigation requires innovative new
graduate programs providing cross-training in science/engineering and in
computer and computational science. This necessitates something of a change in
university culture, since these new graduate programs must be inherently
multi-disciplinary and, since various levels of expertise and experience exist
at different universities, such new programs can best be mounted through
multi-university effort in which the student spends time at different
institutions and in which graduate courses are shared among institutions via
the web. It is also essential that time in practice, such as at DoE labs, be
included.

The Southeast has emerged as a leading region in HPC in the US, and the region
of the SURA universities now has 23% of the total unclassified HPC power in the
country, and 43% exclusive of New Mexico and California. The universities of
SURA are thus especially well-positioned both geographically and through
ready resources and expertise to join with DoE to establish and operate a
multi-disciplinary and multi-university graduate program in Computational
Science & Engineering (CS&E). This multi-university graduate program will then
serve as a major source of future personnel for the DoE labs in SSP, and the
close association of universities in CS&E thus forged will provide a continuing
source of expertise for DoE in SSP.

In this program, graduate students will move among the SURA universities,
spending time at more than a single institution during the course of the degree
study. And students will take courses from the various SURA universities over
the web, even while at the home institution. The SURA universities will compile
a dynamic and  expanding list of relevant available courses for this CS&E
graduate program for which graduate credit will be freely transferred among the
universities. The student will also spend time at DoE labs in the region and
elsewhere during the research phase of the study.

This graduate program will be guided my a board composed of representatives
from the participating universites and DoE labs, under the auspices of SURA.
A feature of the program will be premium fellowships to attract US citizens
into the program. The program will also be designed to provide opportunities
for professionals at DoE labs for graduate work in CS&E. Since the SURA region
encompasses a large portion of the Nation's minority population, this regional
graduate program will also serve to significantly increase the opportunities
for minorities in the emerging field of CS&E.

Finally, this multi-university graduate program in CS&E in the Southeast will
serve to strongly influence undergraduate science and engineering curricula
through the addition of neded CS&E components.


PROPOSED CS&E GRADUATE PROGRAM

Rationale

The potential impact of computational simulation on scientific analysis and
engineering design is revolutionary in both the extension of the scope of
scientific investigation and in the reduction of the design cycle and the
extension of the range of possible design considerations. But this impact
cannot be achieved until graduates are available with the cross-training
inherent in the concept of CS&E. And such training is beyond what can
reasonably be included in a disciplinary BS program. But the present large
difference between graduate assistant stipends and starting salaries in
industry simply precludes any significant increase in the number of US students
going on to graduate study.

Consequently, graduate programs in CS&E must be instituted that both meet the
cross-disciplinary requirement and surmount the reluctance of US students to
continue into graduate study. And, since the impetus is to meet the applications
need for strong capability in CS&E, there must necessarily be a strong
federal lab and industrial involvement in the design and operation of such a
graduate program.

Currently, that inducement to graduate study, that federal lab and industrial
component, and some of that cross-disciplinaty orientation are all missing from
most available graduate programs related to CS&E. And most programs are only
"related" certificate programs: there is the need now for specific graduate
programs in CS&E, but still with discipline-specific applications. Finally,
there is the clearly documented need to expand the student population into more
diversity in order to meet the workforce demands of the next century.

This graduate program in Computational Science & Engineering, proposed here as
an extension and significant enhancement of an existing relevant programs at
SURA universities, will address all four of these concerns: by joining with
DoE labs to combine partial salary with a graduate stipend, by providing the
option of theses and dissertations done on-site in DoE labs, by carrying the
cross-disciplinary concept forward into multi-university operation, and by
capitalizing on an established relationship with HBCUs/MIs in the Southeast.

This graduate program will foster a close interchange of technology and
experience as students from the DoE labs spend time at the SURA universities
involved, and as students enrolling directly in the program spend time at the
DoE labs. Web-based courses delivered remotely will be a growing feature of this
multi-university graduate program, and this development will also serve to
enhance opportunities for professional study in CS&E at the DoE labs.

Multi-Disciplinary Research Theme and Major Research Efforts

A computational simulation system requires geometrical representation,
numerical solution, scalable parallel programming, and scientific visualization
operating in a coordinated environment making efficient and effective use of
parallel computing platforms friendly to the user. The SURA universities
strategically address all these elements in such combination and with an
applications focus through various established research programs that will
feed to this graduate program.

Operation

This graduate program for cross training in engineering and the sciences with
computational science & engineering will have three major component elements:

(1) An inderdisciplinary graduate program in Computational Science & Engineering
    entered by students with undergraduate degrees in engineering or the
    sciences,

(2) A post-doc program in Computational Science & Engineering for graduates with
    advanced degrees in engineering or the sciences, and

(3) An undergraduate program in Computational Science & Engineering designed to
    attract students into the graduate program.

Pervading all three components will be specific emphasis on enhancing the
opportunities for minorities in Computational Science & Engineering,
particularly through specific efforts to attract minorities into the program
and to foster progress of minorities in toward success in the program.

These three components will operate as follows:

Existing PhD programs in Computational Science & Engineering at SURA
universities will be coordinated, enhanced, and expanded into a region-wide
program that is not only cross-disciplinary across mathematics, computer
science, engineering, and the sciences, but that also is multi-university
across the participating SURA universities with related programs, and that is
directly opportunistic to diversity through involvement of HBCUs/MIs in the
SURA region.

Since MS and PhD degrees in Computational Engineering already exist at
MSU, it will not be necessary to petition for the establishment of new
degree programs before the program can begin operation, since degrees can
initially be granted by MSU, transferring courses from other participating
SURA universities. Formal degree programs will be initiated at other SURA
universities as circumstances permit.

The structure of this graduate program will be as follows:

(1). Administration will be through a Board of Directors composed of
     representatives from the participating SURA universities and DoE labs,
     under the auspices of SURA. The individual universities will necessarily
     retain authority over their separate degree programs, but will collaborate
     through freely transferring and accepting credits for relevant graduate
     courses, and through facilitation exchange of students.

(2). The program of coursework and the composition of the student's graduate
     committee will come from each of computer science, mathematics, and a
     specific discipline of engineering or science.

(3). The student will choose a specific discipline of engineering or science
     for emphasis in the dissertation.

(4). There will be the option of conducting the dissertation research at a
     participating DoE lab, under joint direction of MSU and the lab. In any
     case, the student will spend at least a summer, or equivalent period,
     on-site at a DoE lab during the course of graduate study.

(5). Web-based graduate courses will be operated as an integral part of this
     graduate program.

A specific option to be considered with the DoE labs will be the following: A
BS graduate is hired by a DoE lab, but is placed in the MS program for one year
before reporting for work. Salary during this period is reduced, but the usual
MS graduate assistantship is available as well. The student spends three
semesters at participating SURA universities. The thesis is completed at the
DoE lab, and the degree is awarded after going to work. There may
be some agreement as to remaining with the DoE lab for some period. This
approach would cut through the present problem of the BS student being
attracted away from graduate study by the starting salary - since the
combination of the graduate assistantship and the reduced salary from the
DoE lab should approach the full salary.

A post-doc program will also be included, designed for graduates with PhDs
in engineering or the sciences, utilizing appropriate courses from this CS&E
graduate program in connection with research projects. A primary initial source
for these post-docs will, of course, be the DoE labs, but recruitment will
proceed on a broader scale.

The summer undergraduate program will be modeled on the NSF Research
Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program, but with specific design to
stimulate interest in CS&E in undergraduate students. In addition, undergraduate
research programs will be continually operated at the participating SURA
universities during the academic year, especially in connection with
DoE-sponsored research efforts. Thiese undergraduate research programs will have
the express purpose of attracting students into the CS&E graduate grogram.

Evaluation

This graduate program, and its attendant post-doc and undergraduate research
components, will be specifically evaluated in terms of the number of students
directly involved, the number of students supplementing other graduate degrees
with courses from this program, and the placement of such students after
graduation. All students - graduate, post-doc, and undergraduate - participating
in the program in any way will be tracked.