Events Calendar

CS Colloquium: Dr. Chris Paredis (NSF) - A Theoretical Framework for Systems Engineering and Design - Asking "Why?" rather than just "How?"

Speaker: Dr. Chris Paredis, National Science Foundation

Talk Title: A Theoretical Framework for Systems Engineering and Design - Asking "Why?" rather than just "How"?

Series: CS Colloquium

Abstract: An important component of the Engineering and Systems Design (ESD) and Systems Science (SYS) programs at the National Science Foundation is the development of a theoretical foundation for systems engineering and design. In this presentation, I will motivate the need for a theoretical framework and explain what it is. As an example, a model for systems engineering and design will be introduced in which the artifact development process is modeled as a search process. Unlike many models in the literature, this model provides an explanation for (rather than just a description of) current practices. Related to the need for a theoretical framework is the need for rigorous research methodology. I will therefore present some thoughts on the desired characteristics of a rigorous research methodology for systems engineering and design. The presentation will end with some logistical details about the NSF programs and an opportunity for Q&A. The overall goal is to increase the success of principal investigators when submitting proposals to the ESD or SYS programs.

Biography: Dr. Chris Paredis is Program Director for the Engineering and Systems Design (ESD) and Systems Science (SYS) programs at the National Science Foundation. He is also Professor of Mechanical Engineering in the G.W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, and in the H.M. Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Georgia Tech, Atlanta, USA. He is a Woodruff Faculty Fellow and Director of the Model-Based System Engineering Center. He holds graduate degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the Catholic University of Leuven (Belgium) and in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University.

Dr. Paredis' research focuses on Model-Based Systems Engineering, combining aspects of decision theory, information technology, simulation, and systems theory to support the design of complex mechatronic systems. In these areas, he has published more than 140 refereed book chapters, journal articles and conference papers. He has made significant contributions to the development of the theory, methods and tools for decision making in design and systems engineering, and has developed several decision support tools using the SysML and Modelica languages. As Director of the Model-Based Systems Engineering Center, he leads a group of 11 faculty members towards the development of a next generation of systems engineering methods that are value-driven, model-based and human-centered.

Within the Object Management Group (OMG), he served on the SysML Revision Task Force and has led the development of the SysML-Modelica Transformation Specification. He was a founding board member of the North America Modelica Users' Group, and served on the working group responsible for the INCOSE "Systems Engineering Vision 2025." He is also a member of the Technical Advisory Board for Integrated Model-Centric Engineering Program at NASA/JPL, is past Chair of the ASME Computers and Information in Engineering division, and has served as Conference Chair for the 2013 Conference on Systems Engineering Research (CSER'13) and the 2007 Computers and Information in Engineering Conference (CIE'07).
Dr. Paredis has served as Associate Editor for the SAE Journal of Commercial Vehicles and the ASME Journal of Mechanical Design. He currently serves as co-Editor of the ASME book series, "Advances in Computers and Information in Engineering Research." He received the 2007 CETL/BP Junior Faculty Teaching Excellence Award, the 2007 SAE Ralph R. Teetor Educational Award, and the 2011 ASME CIE Excellence in Research Award.

Host: CSSE

Location: Auditorium

Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

Contact: Assistant to CS chair