Optimization of Stochastic Models

A modern approach to graduate flight dynamics, stability, and control courses

At Brigham Young University we offer a graduate level course on the fundamentals of acoustics. This course has traditionally covered vibrations in masses and springs, strings, bars, membranes and plates in the first half of the course. The second half covers the derivation of the wave equation, wave propagation, reflection/transmission phenomena, and source radiation problems. For decades, we used Kinsler and Frey’s “Fundamentals of Acoustics” book but the rising costs, lack of updates, and dissatisfaction with the rigor of the book motivated us to find a new text. For a few years, we used Kinsler and Frey for the vibrations portion of the course and also Blackstock’s “Fundamentals of Physical Acoustics” for the fluids portion. Two books meant even higher costs, although the Kinsler and Frey text was also used in another class at that time. When we switched instructors for the course, Anderson was asked to review Garrett’s “Understanding Acoustics” text and he ended up adopting it for this course. This talk will review our experiences in switching textbooks and discuss our reasons for selecting our current text and how we are using it in class in conjunction with pre-class reading quizzes, which has helped increase classroom discussions.

Performance + InstructionVolume 31, Issue 7 p. 33-40 Series Performance-based instruction part 5: Evaluating Performance-Based Instruction Dale M. Brethower, Dale M. Brethower Dale, a professor/consultant and 20-year member of NSPI, has used performance technology successfully in manufacturing, retailing, and service environments (both public and private sector). His major emphasis is human learning: he has taught “Learning-to-Learn” to thousands of adult learners. He teaches graduate level courses in performance technology.Search for more papers by this authorKarolyn A. Smalley, Karolyn A. Smalley Karolyn, as Corporate Manager of Human Resource Development for Amway, directs a department that specializes in the development of performance systems and performance-based training. Her M.A. in I/O Psychology was earned at Western Michigan University. She is a founding member and Past-President of the Western Michigan Chapter of NSPI.Search for more papers by this author Dale M. Brethower, Dale M. Brethower Dale, a professor/consultant and 20-year member of NSPI, has used performance technology successfully in manufacturing, retailing, and service environments (both public and private sector). His major emphasis is human learning: he has taught “Learning-to-Learn” to thousands of adult learners. He teaches graduate level courses in performance technology.Search for more papers by this authorKarolyn A. Smalley, Karolyn A. Smalley Karolyn, as Corporate Manager of Human Resource Development for Amway, directs a department that specializes in the development of performance systems and performance-based training. Her M.A. in I/O Psychology was earned at Western Michigan University. She is a founding member and Past-President of the Western Michigan Chapter of NSPI.Search for more papers by this author First published: August 1992 https://doi.org/10.1002/pfi.4170310710 AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat Volume31, Issue7August 1992Pages 33-40 RelatedInformation

A new graduate level course on the 'Simulation of Optical Fibre Systems' has been developed and presented for the first time within the Ottawa Carleton Institute of Electrical and Computer Engineering. The course was intended as a bridge between the areas of CAD and photonics. The course focuses on numerical techniques as well as the optics, for example, part of the course includes details on the use of finite difference techniques as well as the split-step Fourier method to solve the nonlinear Schrödinger equation (which is used to simulate pulse propagation in optical fibre). Simulation work for the first part of the course was using Matlab (for example, examining modes in fibre and examining pulse propagation), then Optisystem was used for the later part (for example, looking at dispersion compensation and WDM systems). The course was intended not to be a first course in optical fibre communications and so requires completion of a prerequisite course which covers appropriate material, or relevant experience. Details of the course are presented and discussed.

This paper describes a programming system used in the teaching of two Computer Science courses at The Pennsylvania State University (7). The courses are; an upper level undergraduate-beginning graduate level course in graph theory, and a graduate level course in the theory of graphs and networks. As can be ascertained from the description of these courses they are not primarily what would normally be called programming courses. However, since they are computer science courses they do stress the computational aspects of graph and network theory and analysis. Past experiences have indicated that if a computational problem of any reasonable complexity is assigned in class the majority of the students focus an inordinate amount of their energies to the programming problems, and consequently fail to grasp the significant features of the theoretical problems involved. In addition, since graph and network theory encompasses not only computer science, but engineering and physical, and to a lesser extent, the social sciences, many of these students would be unduly burdened by writing many rather complex programs. On the other hand, teaching the computational aspects of graph theory without doing some programming is equally ludicrous. Thus, a default type solution of assigning two or three problems from a narrow set of problems was rapidly becoming an undesirable solution to this dilema. It was at this point that the concept of a dynamically growing programming system, as described in this paper, began to formulate itself.

Is designing a graduate level course challenging enough?

A graduate level course on economic metrics and innovative finance mechanisms for has been developed. Topics include non-traditional financing structures for project development and the application of economic metrics to investment decision making. The development of this course was motivated by recent surveys and through consultation with wind energy professionals. Recent surveys have indicated that highly qualified persons entering renewable energy fields are lacking knowledge of the technical, economic, and policy-connected aspects of their work. Synthesis of these discussions, which have guided the development of course content, highlighted that an understanding of market policy and project economics would greatly enhance the efficacy of energy technical professionals. The purpose of this course is to develop holistically equipped wind energy professionals who can intelligently engage with business and finance professionals in their field. Both live instruction and online versions of this course intend to provide this knowledge through application-based lectures and case studies to set graduates of this course apart from their peers. Course delivery, topics, learning outcomes, and evaluation methods are provided.

A model-based design of systems requires appropriate tool support in many ways. It requires a modeling notation that suits the application problem, a set of analysis techniques that provide qualitative and/or quantitative results, and finally some optimization methods that help a designer to make appropriate design decisions. The challenge is to integrate those components into a homogenous framework such that a model based design takes advantage from synergy effects that result from a sophisticated combination of modeling formalism, analysis and optimization technique. In this paper, we present OPEDo, a tool framework that integrates modeling tools and analysis engines with state-of-the-art optimization methods. With respect to modeling, it contains the ProC/B editor for specifying open process-oriented simulation models, the APNN Toolbox for modeling with stochastic Petri nets, and OMNet++, for modeling using a simulation language. OPEDo provides analysis techniques for stochastic models based on discrete event simulation, based on queueing network analysis and numerical analysis techniques for continuous time Markov chains with the help of HIT, OMNeT++, and APNN Toolbox. Optimization of stochastic models has particular challenges due to the cost of model evaluation and the precision of results that can be achieved, so OPEDo contains specially adjusted variants of a variety of optimization methods, which includes response surface methodology, evolutionary strategies, genetic algorithms, and Kriging metamodeling techniques.

This practical introduction to stochastic reaction-diffusion modelling is based on courses taught at the University of Oxford. The authors discuss the essence of mathematical methods which appear (under different names) in a number of interdisciplinary scientific fields bridging mathematics and computations with biology and chemistry. The book can be used both for self-study and as a supporting text for advanced undergraduate or beginning graduate-level courses in applied mathematics. New mathematical approaches are explained using simple examples of biological models, which range in size from simulations of small biomolecules to groups of animals. The book starts with stochastic modelling of chemical reactions, introducing stochastic simulation algorithms and mathematical methods for analysis of stochastic models. Different stochastic spatio-temporal models are then studied, including models of diffusion and stochastic reaction-diffusion modelling. The methods covered include molecular dynamics, Brownian dynamics, velocity jump processes and compartment-based (lattice-based) models.

This Innovative Practice Work in Progress Paper describes the experience and assessment of introducing machine learning concepts in a sophomore signals and systems course. Advanced machine learning concepts are typically covered in graduate level courses. However, as machine learning applications become more and more ubiquitous in our daily lives, it is important to expose students to machine learning concepts early at the undergraduate level. Signals and Systems I is a sophomore level course in the Electrical Engineering online bachelor degree curriculum. As the first course in signals and systems, it focuses on the basic concepts including signal transformation, linear time-invariant systems, Fourier series, Fourier transforms, Laplace and Z transforms. The course was taught using lecture videos and reading materials. MATLAB labs were also incorporated to introduce students to practical applications. Feedback from students showed their preference for more real world applications. This paper describes how a web-based simulation lab exercise was introduced to expose students to machine learning concepts. Specifically, students made the connection between machine learning and signals and systems concepts through a speech recognition application. In particular, students applied spectral analysis and identified voice features through pole/zero representation. To evaluate the effectiveness of the exercise, statistics from pre/post quizzes as well as student comments from a survey is analyzed.

Contributors

Optimization of Stochastic Models: The Interface Between Simulation and Optimization

This paper presents a realistic generator of power quality (PQ) disturbances developed using real time—hardware in the loop (RT‐HIL) technologies; the aim is to reduce the gap between the PQ mathematical theory and its practical application by improving the technical skills of students through the use of instruments in a controlled and safe laboratory environment. The implementation of this interactive teaching tool in a graduate level course has significantly enhanced the communication process between the teacher and students and thus, resulted in a highly effective teaching methodology. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 23:391–402, 2015; View this article online atwileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/cae; DOI10.1002/cae.21609

This essay details the experience of designing, implementing, and evaluating an online course in audience analysis at the graduate level. It describes efforts to create a quality learning experience, and discusses how the Web modules and listserv and MOO conversations influenced rituals of learning and communication.

Over the past few decades, in concert with ground-breaking experimental advances, condensed matter theory has drawn increasingly from the language of low-energy quantum field theory. This primer is aimed at elevating graduate students of condensed matter theory to a level where they can engage in independent research. It emphasizes the development of modern methods of classical and quantum field theory with applications oriented around condensed matter physics. Topics covered include second quantization, path and functional field integration, mean-field theory and collective phenomena, the renormalization group, and topology. Conceptual aspects and formal methodology are emphasized, but the discussion is rooted firmly in practical experimental application. As well as routine exercises, the text includes extended and challenging problems, with fully worked solutions, designed to provide a bridge between formal manipulations and research-oriented thinking. This book will complement graduate level courses on theoretical quantum condensed matter physics.