Lynn Andrea Stein

Agent-Based Composite Services in DAML-S: the Behavior-Oriented Design of an Intelligent Semantic Web

Many researchers are working towards the goal of a semantic Web — a Web that is unambiguously computer interpretable, and thus very accessable to artificial intelligence. A semantic Web would allow artificial agents to do the work of searching for and utilizing services required by humans or organizations. DAML-S is a Web service ontology intended to facilitate the semantic Web by describing the properties and capabilities of Web-accessible services in an unambiguous, computer-interpretable form. In this chapter, we propose that an important new perspective on the semantic Web can be obtained by regarding its content as behavioral intelligence. The services encoded in DAML-S can then be viewed as specifications either for extensions of the user-owned agents attempting to exploit the services, or as independent, collaborative agents that can be ‘awakened’ to assist the user agents. We draw on our experience in agent development to elaborate the specification, particularly of the process ontology of DAML-S, in order to support this vision.

The Olin curriculum: thinking toward the future

In 1997, the F. W. Olin Foundation of New York established the Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering, Needham, MA, with the mission of creating an engineering school for the 21st century. Over the last five years, the college has transformed from an idea to a functioning entity that admitted its first freshman class in fall 2002. This paper describes the broad outlines of the Olin curriculum with some emphasis on the electrical and computer engineering degree. The curriculum incorporates the best practices from many other institutions as well as new ideas and approaches in an attempt to address the future of engineering education.

Re)defining computing curricula by (re)defining computing

What is the core of Computing? This paper defines the discipline of computing as centered around the notion of modeling, especially those models that are automatable and automatically manipulable. We argue that this central idea crucially connects models with languages and machines rather than focusing on and around computational artifacts, and that it admits a very broad set of fields while still distinguishing the discipline from mathematics, engineering and science. The resulting computational curriculum focuses on modeling, scales and limits, simulation, abstraction, and automation as key components of a computationalist mindset.

Modularity and specialized learning: mapping between agent architectures and brain organization

This volume is intended to help advance the field of artificial neural networks along the lines of complexity present in animal brains. In particular, we are interested in examining the biological phenomena of modularity and specialized learning. These topics are already the subject of research in another area of artificial intelligence. The design of complete autonomous agents (CAA), such as mobile robots or virtual reality characters, has been dominated by modular architectures and context-driven action selection and learning. In this chapter, we help bridge the gap from neuroscience to artificial neural networks (ANN) by incorporating CAA. We do this both directly, by using CAA as a metaphor to consider requirements for ANN, and indirectly, by using CAA research to better understand and model neuroscience. We discuss the strengths and the limitations of these forms of modeling, and propose as future work extensions to CAA inspired by neuroscience.

Designing a small-footprint curriculum in computer science

We describe an innovative computing curriculum that combines elements of computer science, engineering and design. Although it is tailored to the constraints we face at Olin College, it contains elements that are applicable to the design of a CS major at a small school, a CS minor, or an interdisciplinary program that includes computing. We present the core courses in the program as well as several courses that are meant to connect the computing curriculum to other fields. We summarize the lessons we have learned from the first few years of this program

The impacts of service learning on students and community members: Lessons from design projects for older adults

Engineering for Humanity, an interdisciplinary engineering design and anthropology course at Olin College of Engineering, is a semester-long service-learning partnership between the college and nearby Councils on Aging. This paper examines the effects of this service learning on our students and their partners. Our research suggests that this experience has positively impacted students and elder partners behavior and attitudes. We collected data from student and partner surveys, from interviews with the community partners, and from student reflections. By comparing student behavior and attitudes before and after this course, we have observed the following behavioral and attitudinal changes: 1) development of empathetic knowledge and understanding, 2) increased appreciation for user-centered design, 3) redefinition of career trajectories. We also saw transformations in the lives of the community partners. Outcomes for elders were related to quality of life and wellbeing, including 1) decreases in isolation, 2) increased purpose and meaning, and 3) improved feelings of wellbeing. Lasting effects included continuation of decreased isolation through a sustained increase in social engagement, as well as positive thoughts about and mechanisms for aging in place. This paper briefly describes the curriculum and reports on these trends over three years of coursework.

Model collaboration for advancing student-centered engineering education

The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) and the Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering (Olin) are establishing a student-centered hands-on interactive approach to engineering education (similar to Olins) at UTEP, where it will reside in UTEPs innovative B.S. in Leadership Engineering (LE) program. The goal of the proposed collaboration is to catalyze UTEPs educational innovation through a cross-campus collaboration between the two institutions by incorporating the Olin educational process, both design and features, into the first offerings of the Bachelor of Science in Leadership Engineering (BSLE) program. Specifically, the collaboration includes faculty exchanges between the two institutions; a series of retreats for planning and assessment; curriculum development; and student recruitment practices. The 21st century workplace demands a new engineer - one who effectively contributes to solving problems using innovation, creativity, and strategic foresight. Graduates of the Olin-UTEP developed Bachelor of Science in Leadership Engineering (LE) program will possess these attributes through the programs rigorous yet flexible major in engineering, and in-depth study of leadership and its effect upon technology and society. In this panel we will share the context for our innovative approach, key features of the partnership to date, and acclaim the value of inter-institutional sharing.

Work in progress: Building bridges in our backyards: Engineering, service learning, and our elder neighbors

A novel partnership with community organizations serving older adults creates the opportunity for engineering students to practice design in a meaningful and unfamiliar but local service learning context. Students benefit from contextualization and user-centered design lessons typical of foreign design projects. Community members gain significant relationships and pride through these interactions.

Work in progress - a provisional competency assessment system

Over the last two years Olin College has been defining and implementing a provisional system to develop and assess student competency levels. The system particularly emphasizes the importance of creating a community of practice that includes not only faculty but also staff and students. In this paper we provide an overview of the design process, and comment on the results of our first year of implementing the system

How do we talk about impact? Engineering education change language beyond "dissemination"

When we discuss the impact of initiatives to transform engineering education, we often use that term as if it were synonymous with quantifiable dissemination. It is easy to reach for familiar metrics and the framework of causality: how many countable alumni, downloads, or citations can be unambiguously traced back to our efforts? However, it is also valuable to step back and explore how we can expand the language we use to articulate the difference our work is making in the world. This special session is an opportunity to collaboratively explore what such a dialogue might sound like, and to practice engaging in it as it emerges.