New Department of Modeling, Simulation and Visualization Engineering Created
Old Dominion University's Board of Visitors has formally approved the creation of a new Department of Modeling, Simulation and Visualization Engineering at ODU.
The creation of the department, the seventh in Old Dominion's Frank Batten College of Engineering and Technology (BCET), follows the creation of an undergraduate degree in modeling and simulation engineering. That degree program, which begins admitting students for the spring semester, means that ODU is the only school in the country that offers a complete advanced education in modeling and simulation engineering, from undergraduate through post-doctoral.
Until now, modeling, simulation and visualization graduate programs have been administered through the BCET dean's office.
"Now we will have an organization that establishes a home for a unified and dedicated faculty group whose primary responsibility would be the oversight and continued enhancement of these programs," said BCET Dean Oktay Baysal.
Within three years, the modeling and simulation academic programs are expected to enroll almost 200 students at all levels. "At this level of activity, a more conventional administrative structure is required for efficient and effective management," Baysal said.
More importantly, the accreditation required for the creation of undergraduate engineering programs, known as ABET, state that a program must be able to demonstrate the presence of a faculty, support staff and funding dedicated to the program.
Finally, a separate Department of Modeling, Simulation and Visualization Engineering will be able to generate its own revenue more effectively through faculty release time, indirect cost return and gift revenue.
Under the restructuring, the Department of Modeling, Simulation and Visualization Engineering will join engineering departments in aerospace, civil and environmental, electrical and computer, engineering management and systems engineering, engineering technology, and mechanical engineering.
An interim chair of the new department will be appointed shortly.
The new department will offer bachelor of science, master of science, master of engineering, doctor of philosophy and doctor of engineering degree programs. The department faculty will be established mainly by reallocation of faculty positions within the university. Eight faculty members are expected to join the proposed department in the first year. Within a few years, this number is projected to grow to 10.
The main department office and faculty offices for the department will be located on the first floor of the E.V. Williams Engineering and Computational Sciences Building.