Dr. Stephen Mascaro of the University of Utah modestly considers himself a roboticist and a “jack of all trades”. An Assistant Professor in the Mechanical Engineering department, he divides his time between teaching and research. One of his most intriguing research activities is his Fingernail Sensing Project, which seeks to unobtrusively measure human touch forces at the fingertips. This would enable more natural studies of human grasping, and ultimately enable human-robot interaction that has robots intuitively understanding and responding to human needs.
Case Studies
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Many college professors live for their research. The charismatic Associate Professor Kelly Cohen of the University of Cincinnati’s Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics Department is a shining example. He wanted to attract more students by offering courses they find compelling. “My first priority was getting students excited about working with controls… and getting to touch and feel.” To get that touch and feel, he required new equipment. When students experience engaging hands-on experiments, they become excited and want to take his courses. And when there are more students applying, he says, “I can become selective.”
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With the goal of preparing students for real-world engineering, the Department of Engineering Technology at Praire View A&M University (PVAMU) is committed to building state-of-the-art laboratories where students can learn firsthand from the most recent technology what they will need in their careers. The major obstacle in realizing this goal, only too well known to many other universities, is obtaining necessary funds.
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Utah State University boasts of being located in one of the most beautiful valleys in the Rocky Mountains. But that is definitely not the main reason why this 120 years old institution attracts students. Rather than the beauty of surrounding nature, Utah State University relies on its reputation of intellectual and technological leadership and progressive teaching and research – represented for example by the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE).
