STUDENT PARTICIPANTS

In Spring of 2022, the United States Department of Education awarded a $1 million-grant to Ching-Long Lin, Sharif Rahman, Jia Lu, Shaoping Xiao, Rachel Vitali and Jane Russell to promote research and education in artificial intelligence, modeling, and simulation (AIMS) at the University of Iowa. They pioneered the AIMS certificate program for both undergraduate and graduate students to study that has started classes this Fall. The undergraduate AIMS certificate program requires students to complete 18 semester hours of credit, which can be tailored towards their engineering focus area. In addition to the core courses of Scientific Computing and Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligent in Engineering, other course options include Advanced Linear Control Systems, Uncertainty Quantification and Design Optimization, and Finite Element Analysis. Students are also encouraged to participate in a workshop offered by Information Technology Services and HACKUIOWA organized by the University’s Hydroinformatics Lab.

Three undergraduate students have begun pursuing the AIMS certificate. Fourth year Luke Weger first heard about the AIMS certificate while browsing LinkedIn one day. It immediately caught his attention as a brand-new certificate for mechanical engineering majors to pursue. His first reaction to this certificate was that it would allow him to have a more narrowed focus area within the robotics FA and give his course selection more direction towards an area of industry that is quickly growing. Weger is enjoying his classes because they are very computer based and have granted him great exposure to programming, 3D modeling and different softwares capable of simulating engineering applications. Fourth year Yajatra Kulkarni heard of the AIMS certificate when his professor Shaoping Xiao mentioned the certificate in class. Kulkarni saw it as a useful addition on his transcript since he is pursuing a focus area in robotics. Kulkarni recommends ME students to investigate the AIMS certificate because most students on the robotics FA will likely already complete the necessary requirements, so the certificate is an added bonus. Fourth year Harvin Neth was elated to first hear about the AIMS certificate opportunity because he had a growing interest in Artificial Intelligence. As Harvin is soon to graduate, he reflects on his time here at Iowa:

“Take every moment to the fullest and don’t regret. There comes a point when firsts become lasts, seeing friends everyday becomes rare, and Iowa City becomes hours away. Stay up. Sleep in. Be spontaneous. Try new things. In the end, everything will in fact be okay.”

The AIMS certificate is open to all Undergraduate and Graduate students. For further information, please contact: Professor Shaoping Xiao (shaoping-xiao@uiowa.edu). If you are a Graduate student interested in the AIMS certificate, please contact Professor Jia Lu (jia-lu@ uiowa.edu) for further information.

“Take every moment to the fullest and don’t regret. There comes a point when firsts become lasts, seeing friends everyday becomes rare, and Iowa City becomes hours away. Stay up. Sleep in. Be spontaneous. Try new things. In the end, everything will in fact be okay.”

-Harvin Neth, ‘22 Graduate