Connecting the Transportation Industry & Academics

In fall 2011, Curt Heaslet, an engineer with FedEx, taught a course for the University of Memphis called Applied Simulation Modeling and Analysis. The course included an in depth application of simulation software, reviewed case studies, and offered a final project where students solved a business need in the industry.

The course curriculum was targeted at upper division masters and Ph.D. level civil engineering students, but Heaslet encouraged non-engineering students to attend. He said, "This course is open to interdisciplinary students wishing to build a simulation."

Class participants were expected to clearly define a simulation project, data mine for required model inputs, establish performance metrics, and demonstrate these activities through the completion of a semester-long project. This course utilized applied methods and techniques used in industry to build robust simulation models. Specifically, the curriculum focused on all user levels, from basic methodology and definition to advanced code writing using C++ programming. For the end of course project, each student worked a real world business problem by affiliating with industry representatives. The intent was to align each team of students with transportation, logistics and intermodal service companies under the assistance of the professor. Heaslet offers, "I enjoyed teaching the course. Developing engineering talent to better position students to get into the workforce is a long term goal of mine."

Students presented a project proposal mid-semester and a final project report at the end of the semester.