Computational Science Program for Ohio Community and Technical Colleges

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The Ralph Regula School of Computational Science is working with three Ohio community and technical colleges to prepare an Associate of Science degree that includes computational science content and prepares graduates to matriculate to a four-year institution to complete their Bachelor of Science or related degree. The project is funded by the National Science Foundation Advanced Technology Education Program.

During the first year of the project, the project team has devised a proposed curriculum that will allow candidates for the Associate of Science Degree to pursue a concentration in computational science. That revised major will require four additional courses:

• Introduction to Modeling and Simulation
• Computational Science Methods
• One of the following introductory domain courses in computational science:
• Introduction to Computational Biology
• Introduction to Computational Chemistry
• Introduction to Computational Physics

The purpose of the computational methods course is to reinforce mathematics concepts needed for the mathematics and computational domain courses later in the curriculum. The topics were selected based upon the common needs of each of the disciplines and are intended to strengthen mathematics skills by applying computational modeling examples to a subset of mathematical and statistical problems.

The competencies that constitute the requirements for the Introduction to Modeling and Simulation have already been finalized as a part of the undergraduate minor program. For the other areas, the team has met with both an academic and a business advisory group to define the competencies that will be required in each area.

The competency documents may undergo additional changes as the curriculum and courses are tested during the 2008-2009 academic year. The current versions of those competency documents are:

• Introduction to Modeling and Simulation
• Computational Science Methods
• Introduction to Computational Biology
• Introduction to Computational Chemistry
• Introduction to Computational Physics

In the coming year, the team will hold regional workshops for other community and technical college faculty to review the curriculum and the course materials. Course materials will be made available to other institutions that may wish to undertake this curriculum. The team also will be finalizing inter-institutional agreements for the exchange of courses for students at distance similar to the one posted for the undergraduate minor program.

Contacts for further information on this program:

Steve Gordon, Director, Ralph Regula School of Computational Science
James Perry, Chair, Math & Life/Natural Sciences, Owens Community College
Art Ross, Learning Liaison, Liberal Arts & Sciences, Sinclair Community College
Jean Zorko, Assistant Professor, Sciences, Stark State Community College