154 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON EDUCATION, VOL. E-29, NO. 3, AUGUST 1986

Industry-Academia Interactions and the PSE&GStudent Project Team Concept

HARRY T. ROMAN, SENIOR MEMBER, IEEE

Abstract-One of the most professionally rewarding interactions for formation, diversifies methods of analysis, and introducesan experienced engineer is the coaching and counseling of undergrad- important economic and social factors for consideration.uate engineering students. All too often, however, the practicing en- mPortan oreconomic and rsgfo rc nderat.gineer may not be able to find the time or managerial support for this * Professors benefit from various and regular industrialkind of interaction, and an important learning experience for both in- viewpoints as much as the students. This makes profes-dustry and the students lies unexplored. sors more knowledgeable and valuable to the students, to

This paper presents a case for increased industry-academic inter- the college or university, and to industry as potentialactions and describes how Public Service Electric and Gas Company's sources of industrial consulting expert-tse.(PSE&G) Student Project Team Concept interaction has provided ben-efits to both students and their academic institutions, and PSE&G's * Students and their professors often provide a differ-R&D Department. ent perspective and assessment of industrial problems

without the preconceived thoughts and biases that inevit-ably encumber the industrial sector. Drawing on its widevariety of skills and talents on campus, academia can helpINTRODUCTIONVERYprofessi,inTOdUiOnengineering,hasaindustry formulate strategic long range plans.

WVERY profession, including engineering, has a com- * Professors and graduate students whose research ismon element-the training of fresh talent to perpetu- on the cutting edge of highly specialized technical devel-

ate and invigorate the profession. This aspect of corporate opments can perform a valuable service to industry. Theydevelopment is a responsibility for all members of a can envision potential future applications, and help in-profession, and it can be quite a learning opportunity for dustry focus precious product development resources.both the seasoned professional and the new trainees. * Students are seldom exposed to the harsh realities ofThe accepted training procedure is to hire new engi- the marketplace-a forum which industry knows all too

neering graduates, provide them with on-the-job training, well. The essence of engineering is economics and its re-and consider them to be a part of the profession. Man- lationship with the newly proposed product, process, oragement assumes these new employees come to an orga- system. Economics is the final measure of an engineer'snization with basic skills and talents that can be expanded efforts. Students need to appreciate the importance of thiswith the proper coaching and counseling from an experi- yardstick throughout their learning process. Industry isenced, senior grade engineer. Seldom is it thought nec- well equipped to provide the needed perspective, and toessary or justifiable for the professional to take an active illustrate through case studies how economic considera-role in the formative undergraduate years of engineering tions drive new product development from conception tostudents. Perhaps this reluctance is due to the traditional marketplaceseparation of academia and industy (which is now rapidly * Without frequent industrial input into engineeringvanishing); or maybe it is because industry has no direct course curricula development, engineering disciplines runinvestment in any one particular student until he or she is the risk of not focusing on the skills (and issues) whichgraduated. industry perceives as important. The burden of perpetu-Whatever reasons may have discouraged professionals ating these needed skills would then fall on the specific

from interacting with engineering students is no longer industry affected and be reflected in costly on-the-jobrelevant to today's spirit of renewed cooperation between training programs, special course attendance, and possi-industry and academia. There are real, tangible benefits bly private training for new company hirees. Industry mustto be accrued to industry and academia when both interact send clear signals to academia that certain skills are im-on a regular basis. portant, and be willing to assist academia in structuring

* Students are provided a textbook education which courses to develop these skills.'may be dated by the time it is put into use. Frequent in- * Interaction with industry helps students focus on whatteractions with industry expand a student's technical in-

'The author and others in the power industry are of the opinion that hadManuscript received September 18, 1985; revised January 7, 1986. the electric utility industry played a more active role in academic courseThe author is with Public Service Electric and Gas Company, Newark, curricula development, the once robust Power Engineering Option would

NJ 07101. not have virtually vanished from many reputable engineering school courseIEEE Log Number 8608277. offerings.

0018-9359/86/0800-0154$Ol.OO ©C 1986 IEEE

ROMAN: INDUSTRY-ACADEMIA INTERACTIONS AND PSE&G STUDENT PROJECT TEAM CONCEPT 155

industry expects of them. It can refine their perceptions TABLE Iof how industry will measure them during the interview WAYS FOR INDUSTRY TO INTERACT WITH ENGINEERING STUDENTSand merit review processes. It can assist in the formula- O Provide Lectures on Current Technology Developments totion and setting of goals for which students should stnive. Campus Student Engineering Group Chapters of IEEE, ASME,Exposure to industry will also help students realize that o Participate in Campus Seminars, Symposia and Convocationsoral and written communication skills are professional o Employ Students During Summer Recesstools which are just as important as technical skills. The o Provide a Guest Lecturer for a Relevant Engineering Course(s)engineer is more visible in the public forum today. In- o Provide a Person to Develop and Teach a Course on Campusdustry needs to be represented by articulate people who O Host a Company Day or Industry Day on Campus to Acquaintcan also help educate the public about technology. Students with Industrial Concerns and Activities

*As we have seen in the last 15 years, technology can o Meet with Selected Faculty to Uiscuss Specific CurriculaAs whaeseen intels 5yas ehooycan Developmentbe easily affected by social, political, and environmental o Join a College/University - Industry Participation Programconsiderations. (Witness the hard versus soft technology and Become Involved with Professor/Student Project Teamsdebates of the last ten years. These were primarily phil- o Sponsor Grants, Scholarships, and Academic Programs thaty p ~~Require Student Follow-Up with the Sponsoring Institution

osophical debates.) Students need to understand the sig- o Host Student Competitions that Elicit Ideas from the Students

nificance of these considerations, how they as engineers and Challenge their Creative Abilitieswill be responsible for the technology they will help de- o Arrange for Student Field Visits to Industrial Sitesvelop, and how such considerations affect the economicsof a project. Industry can teach, through example, how. . . 1~~~~~~~~~usually conceptual, requiring basic investigation andproducts, processes, and systems affect people, places, u c ri

. . . . . . ~~~~~~~evaluation. These investigations and evaluations culmi-and civilizations. By the same token, academic campuses . T i*- * r . . . ^ . | ~~~~nate in a baseline design exercise.are sounding boards for new ideas and often witness thente

opening shots in controversies conceming technology and 2) A meeting is held between the PSE&G sponsor andits impact on society. Industry should listen to these early an appropriate college/university professor to review thevibrations, and be sensitive to these concerns which so potential project list and to discuss the availability of stu-often later manifest themselves as laws and regulations. dent teams to conduct investigations in one or more sug-

gested areas. The professor may be one already familiarAcademia can help industry understand why society de-sires technology to fulfill more than just its practical with PSE&G through past or ongoing research activities,needs. or may be assigned by the academic research administra-There are many settings in which industry and acade- tor or dean.

mia can interact.2 Table I outlines some ways in which 3) After agreement is reached between the PSE&Ginteractions might take place. This tabulation is based on sponsor and the professor, one or more projects are se-recent PSE&G visits with New Jersey engineering schools lected by the studentsto specifically discuss such matters. The rest of this paper 4) The work by the student teams now begins the firstwill describe one way in which Public Service Electric oftwo phases. In the first phase, during the first semester,and Gas Company interacts in a new, mutually beneficial each team must carefully define the project, and prepare

with engineering students at several of these schools. a solution in the form of a detailed feasibility study/anal-way with engineering students at several of these schools.w ysis. This is reviewed by the professor and the PSE&G

THE STUDENT PROJECT TEAM CONCEPT project sponsor with equal emphasis placed on the team'stechnical analysis of its problem and ability to express itRecently, PSE&G Research Corporation instituted a

newworkingrelationship with two New Jersey engi clearly and concisely in written form. The second phasenew working relationship with tWo Noew Jersey engineer- . .ving colleges; Stevens Institute of Technology, and the begins with the second semester and involves the formu-New Jersey Institute of Technology. Called the ";Student lation of the design required for the project and the writ-Project Team Concept," this new working relationship ing of a final report. Prior to submission of the report,builds upon already established utility-academic research each team must give an oral presentation to the professor,contacts to unlock new areas of energy-related research classroom peers, and the PSE&G project sponsor. Here,contandtdeveopment new areas of energy-related research

the student teams demonstrate their ability to orally com-and development.mnct hi da n ocps

The program utilizes either senior undergraduates or municate their ideas and concepts.graduate students to perform research work for PSE&G,

results of the research and decide on the merits of addi-and satisfies the students' two semester, senior project t w ocredit requirements at their college. The "Student Project Tonal work, or a uoint proposal to an outside a tenca.Team Concept"' includes the following steps. Thoghu thi unqu opotnt,tetdnem

1) ThePSE&G research project sponsor develops alist function in a "client-contractor"' relationship withof potential projects (with a brief explanation of each PSE&G; and PSE&G in turn provides the students with aproject) to be investigated. These potential projects are learning experience characteristic of "'life-on-the-job"'

after graduation. During this experience, PSE&G allows25pecifically excluding the traditional cooperative or "co-op' student! the student teams to utilize the resources of its technical

company relationship fromn discussion. library.

156 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON EDUCATION, VOL. E-29, NO. 3, AUGUST 1986

TABLE II TABLE IIIPSE&G STUDENT PROJECT TEAM ACTIVITIES MUTUAL BENEFITS OF THE STUDENT PROJECT TEAM CONCEPT

o The Design, Installation and Performance Analysis of a AcademiaWind Turbine Generator (1981 - SIT)

o An Evaluation of the Energy Production Potential of Otf- o Students get valuable industry learning experienceshore Technologies (1982 - SIT)

o Professors/school develop new areas of expertiseo Design of a Solar Water Heater Simulator (1983 - SIT)

o Experience can lead to funding opportunities for the schoolo Utilization of Idle Urban Land Areas (1983 - SIT)

o Anaerobic Digester (Thermophilic/Mesophilic) Powered bYo Concept can be used at any school or with any industry

Power Plant Waste Heat (1983 - SIT)PSE&G

o Offshore Wind and Photovoltaic Systems (1983/84 - SIT)o EXtends research capability of PSE&G project sponsors

o Lifestyle Impacts on Conventional Gas and Solar WaterHeating Systems (1983/84 - SIT) o Investigates potential new research areas

o Design of a Residential Photovoltaic System (1984 - NJIT) o Could lead to joint funding opportunities

o A Cogeneration Industrial Park in an Urban Environment o Allows PSE&G to preview potential new employeesin the Year 20OU (1984 - NJIT)

o Alternate Use of Transmission Line Right-of-Way (1984 - NJIT)

o Design of a Thermal Storage System for Use in Conjunctionwith a Domestic Heat Pump (1984 - SIT) The Student Project Team Concept can be used with

o In Situ Boiler Tube Welding Robot (1984/85 - NJIi) most areas of engineering expertise at an educational in-o Roving Robot for Power Plant Surveillance (1984/85 - NJIT) stitution, and by an institution with industries other thano Automation of Gas Meter Checkout (1984/81 - NJIT) utilities. Industry training opportunities available to theo Integrated Motor Maintenance and Repair System (1984/85 - NJIT) student like the Student Project Team Concept could be

an effective way for an academic institution to attract highschool or college graduate students to its campus.

Since 1981, PSE&G has used the Student Project Team With the success of this program at SIT and NJIT,Concept at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) PSE&G is now ready to expand the Student Project Teamand Stevens Institute of Technology (SIT). Table II item- Concept to other New Jersey engineering schools.izes the 15 project team efforts completed to date. PSE&Gestimates the value of a project team's two-semester effort CONCLUSIONto range from $10 000 to $15 000. In one recent project, There need to be frequent interactions between industryhowever, an NJIT student team made recommendations and academia. Important benefits can accrue to both par-which PSE&G could immediately implement and realize ties. Transcending this is the responsibility of industry toa net annual savings of $50 000! Over the two-semester interact directly with engineering students in a way whicheffort, each team generally requires a total of 5-10 h of a challenges them with an actual industrial design problemPSE&G project sponsor's time to coordinate. and allows them to experience typical life-on-the-job sit-The underlying beauty of this relationship is that it can uations.

lead to more serious research efforts between the aca- The PSE&G Student Project Team Concept describeddemic institution and PSE&G, as either a more detailed in this paper is an effective way to achieve a low-coststudy proposal to PSE&G3 or to an outside agency as a meaningful interaction between industry and students; anteam effort with PSE&G. At the very least, the students interaction which also produces tangible benefits for theinvolved benefit enormously from the industry exposure academic institution. This five-year-old concept has beenand experience they gain, especially from field trips and used successfully with two New Jersey engineering col-assignments at PSE&G field locations. PSE&G also learns leges and will be expanded to other engineering schoolsabout the technical resources and professorial talent avail- in the State.able at the sponsoring institution. Table III outlines themutual benefits to PSE&G and the academic communityinvolved in this type of activity. This working relation-ship also benefits the PSE&G research sponsor. It eco-homically extends his/her research into new areas. At thesame time, this relationship serves to educate the aca-demic community about the utility industry's specificproblems and research needs, which will hopefully lead Harry T. Roman (S'72-M'74-SM'84) receivedto more in-depth research interactions. the B.S. degree in electrical engineering and the

M.S. degree in environmental engineering.3At Stevens Institute, PSE&G has funded additional follow-on work in He is a Principal Engineer in the Research and

Offshore Wind and Photovoltaic Systems-a three year, contractual effort Development Department at Public Service Elec-of approximately $50 000. At NJIT, their student team work has led to tric and Gas Company, Newark, NJ. He is re-PSE&G's continuing support (and initial establishment) of their CAD/ sponsible for directing advanced energy conver-CAM-Robotics Consortium ($7500/year) and a new three year $20 000 sion and robotic application technologyproject to begin in 1986 to evaluate low-cost solar water heaters. assessments.