Toward a Revised Imaging Science Undergraduate Curriculum

1
Toward a Revised Imaging Science Undergraduate
Curriculum

• Motivation, Requirements, Elements, and Scenarios

2
Why Produce Imaging Scientists?

• Industry demand for our graduates
• Training the next generation of systems
  integrators
• Cross-disciplinary approach is key to future
  success in science careers
• true for contemporary industry as well as for
  grad school prospects

3
Why Revise Undergraduate Curriculum?

• Clarify essentials of imaging science
• Rapidly changing field demands graduates with a
  forward-looking, relevant education
• Enable flexibility within undergraduate program
  in both directions
• CIS students can minor in other sciences
• Other majors can choose electives from CIS
• Make our graduates more competitive
• Make our program more accessible

4
Core Curriculum Clarifying the Essentials

• The revised core delivers the material essential
  to every Imaging Scientist
• general introductory sequence
• linear math for imaging
• computing for imaging
• optics for imaging
• digital image processing
• interaction between light matter radiometry
• image systems analysis
• image statistics (microstructure)
• vision, color, psychophysics
• research practices
• Professional Seminar

5
Enabling Flexibility

• Revised curriculum facilitates wide variety of
  scenarios and outcomes
• range of potential undergraduate and graduate
  program scenarios/outcomes is far broader than is
  enabled by the present Img Sci curriculum

6
Makes CIS Graduates More Competitive

• Industry will be more interested in students w/
  B.S. that includes concentration in specific
  subdiscipline of imaging science
• B.S. students interested in CIS as grad school
  can obtain direct training in faculty field of
  specialty
• Students interested in external grad schools can
  obtain minor/concentration in related
  subdiscipline

7
Makes CIS Program More Accessible

• New curriculum facilitates
• more direct interaction with the College of
  Science and local colleges/universities
• revised introductory sequence, elective
  opportunities more appealing to undeclared COS
  students
• easier to accommodate transfer students
• B.S./M.S. degrees
• Image Science as a minor
• made possible through revised introductory
  sequence and condensed core courses

8
Curriculum Scenarios

• We are now fleshing out specific examples of each
  of the following
• B.S. leading directly to industry
• w/ specific concentration(s) or elective
  sequence(s)
• e.g., image processing, materials sensors,
  remote sensing, medical imaging
• 5-year B.S./M.S. degree
• Imaging Science or Color Science
• B.S. leading to graduate study
• Minors in Astronomy, Physics already on the books

9
Condensed B.S. Curriculum

• Calculus I-IV, Differential Equations ,
  Stats (28)
• University Physics I-III, Modern Phys (16)
• Chemical Principles, Intro. Organic Chemistry
  ( 9)
• Liberal Arts, General Education (29)
• Writing and Literature I, II, Freshman Seminar
  (9)
• 2 Courses each in Hum, SocSci, 1 elective (20)
• Imaging in Physical Science (12)
• Imaging Core (32)
• Independent Research Project (5-9)
• Professional Electives (24)
• Free Electives (24)
• Imaging Science Professional Seminar ( 2)
• TOTAL
  181-185

10
Condensed B.S./M.S. Curriculum

• Calculus I-IV, Differential Equations ,
  Stats (28)
• University Physics I-III, Modern Phys (16)
• Chemical Principles, Intro. Organic Chemistry
  ( 9)
• Liberal Arts, General Education (29)
• Writing and Literature I, II, Freshman Seminar
  (9)
• 2 Courses each in Hum, SocSci, 1 elective (20)
• Imaging in Physical Science (12)
• Imaging B.S. Core (32)
• Professional Electives (12)
• Free Electives (20)
• Imaging M.S. Core (includes Lab and Seminar) (26)
• M.S. Electives (36)
• Thesis (6)
• TOTAL 226 (181 45)

11
Curriculum -- B.S. Minor

• Calculus I-IV, Differential Equations ,
  Stats (28)
• University Physics I-III, Modern Phys (16)
• Chemical Principles, Intro. Organic Chemistry
  ( 9)
• Liberal Arts, General Education (29)
• Writing and Literature I, II, Freshman Seminar
  (9)
• 2 Courses each in Hum, SocSci, 1 elective (20)
• Imaging in Physical Science (12)
• Imaging Core (32)
• Independent Research Project (5-9)
• 5 courses in minor field (20)
• Professional Electives (12)
• Free Electives (16)
• Imaging Science Professional Seminar ( 2)
• TOTAL
  181-185

12
Issues to tackle

• How do we measure our success?
• Can we develop a litmus test for the young
  Imaging Scientist?
• Small enrollments in electives
• Initially, must rely on other College of Science
  programs (e.g., most astronomy minor course
  options offered by Physics)
• Must grow Img Sci undergraduate population to
  justify initial investment of faculty time in
  low-enrollment courses
• Again, must make our program more accessible!
  (e.g., through Img Sci minor)
• Transition plan needed
• Can model after previous curriculum revisions
  (most recent 98)
• Long lead time to implementation
• Fall 04 is target

13
Is there a litmus test for Imaging Science
students?

• One potential example
• Assemble a simple optical system (optics,
  filters, detectors, computer) to take and store
  image data
• Empirically determine MTF of assembled system
• Model the observed scene, determine noise
  sources, and calculate signal-to-noise ratio
• Determine optimum image rendering scheme

14
ADDENDUMGeneral Education Requirements in
Science Programs in other NYS Colleges

• University of Rochester
• Rensselaer Polytechnic University
• Clarkson University
• St. Lawrence University

15
UR Requirements

• 3 Areas Humanities, Social Sciences, Natural
  Sciences (including Mathematics and Engineering)
• Students select clusters of three courses in
  each of the two areas other than major
• Humanities examples
• Modern Contemporary Literature
• Japanese Language
• Social Sciences examples
• Applied Economics
• African-American History

16
RPI Requirements (Physics B.S.)

• 6 three-credit semester course electives in
  Humanities or Social Sciences

17
Clarkson UniversityFoundation Program

• 2 Courses in Mathematics
• 2 Courses in Sciences
• 1 Course in Computing
• 1 Course in Engineering
• 1 Course in Business
• 6 Courses in Liberal Arts

18
St. Lawrence University

• Admitted Fall 2001 and later
• 1 Course in Arts/Expression
• 1 Humanities course
• 1 Social Sciences course
• 1 Mathematics or Foreign Language
• 2 Natural Sciences/Science Studies
• 2 Diversity (engaging participants in critical
  study of sameness and difference)