Modeling for Engineers

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

Many of the systems that we deal with as engineers are massively complex and trying to understand and handle all of that complexity would be next to impossible. As engineers we often just have to solve a problem, not understand every element perfectly. To achieve this, the ability to develop parsimonious and readily implementable models that can help us understand the most relevant features and behaviors of a system is an essential skill that any engineer must have, irrespective of which engineering discipline they are in. The word model can mean many things - a process based mathematical model, a physical model, a statistical model, a surrogate model, a computer model or a qualitative conceptual model to name but a few. In this class we will learn about the diverse world of modeling to help students develop the skills needed to ultimately be able to develop and use models as professional engineers. In particular the course will explore (i) classical deterministic modeling approaches, (ii) stochastic and statistical models and (iii) physical models, all culminating in an individual project where the student picks a particular topic of personal interest and develops and applies a model with which to understand it.