advances in Engineering Education - Fall 2007 - A Hands-on, Interdisciplinary Laboratory Program and Educational Model to Strengthen a Radar Curriculum for Broad Distribution

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Đào

This paper describes a National Science Foundation multi-year educational project at the University of Oklahoma. The program builds a community of scholars through an active-learning, hands-on, interdisciplinary laboratory environment where engineering, geoscience, and meteorology students learn end-to-end radar competencies. It develops new coursework oriented toward wide student and scientist distribution. Supported by NSF Undergraduate Education, it started with a Phase I grant in fall 2004 and later received a Phase II grant to refine the model through 2010.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages23

Reading Time58 min

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Abstract

Introduction

Advances in Engineering Education - Hands-on interdisciplinary laboratory program

advances in Engineering Education Fall 2007 a Hands-on, Interdisciplinary laboratory Program and Educational Model to Strengthen a Radar Curriculum for Broad Distribution Mark YearY School of electrical and Computer engineering The University of Oklahoma Tian-YOU YU School of electrical and Computer engineering The University of Oklahoma rOberT PalMer School of Meteorology University of Oklahoma MiChael biggerSTaff School of Meteorology University of Oklahoma l. Dee fink instructional Consultant in higher education 234 foreman ave, norman, Ok 73069 USa CarOlYn ahern ahern and associates norman, Ok keli PirTle TarP national Severe Storms laboratory norman, Ok abstract This paper describes the details of a National Science Foundation multi-year educational project at the University of Oklahoma (OU) . The goal of this comprehensive active-learning and hands-on laboratory program is to develop an interdisciplinary program, in which engineering, geoscience, and meteorology students participate, which forms a community of university scholars. The program is intended to generate a unique, interdisciplinary research oriented learning environment that will train future engineers and meteorologists in the full set of competencies needed to take raw radar data to detect weather and aircraft. The program involves new coursework and is oriented around other successful programs to ensure wide distribution by many students and scientists. Supported by the division of Undergraduate education at the NSF, the project began with a Phase i grant in the fall of 2004, which also recently received a Phase ii grant to refine the project through [2010. in](2010. in) keeping with the global movement of electronic knowledge delivery via written, as well as visual media, several weblinks have been established for this paper. Keywords: interdisciplinary, broad distribution, multi-function radar INtrODUctION Severe and hazardous weather such as thunderstorms, downbursts, and tornadoes can take lives in a matter of minutes. in order to improve detection and forecast of such phenomena using radar, one of the key factors is fast scan capability. Conventional weather radars, such as the ubiquitous neXraD (next generation radar developed in the 1980’s), are severely limited by mechanical scanning. approximately 175 of these radars are in a national network to provide the bulk of our weather information. Under the development for weather applications, the electronically steerable beams provided by the phased array radar at the national Weather radar Testbed (nWrT) can overcome these limitations of the current neXraD radar. for this reason, phased array radar was listed by the national research Council as one of the primary candidate technologies to supersede the neXraD [1] . by definition, a phased array radar is one that relies on a two-dimensional array of small antennas. each antenna has the ability to change its phase characteristics, thus allowing the overall system to collectively locate specific interesting regions of weather. The nWrT is the nation’s first facility dedicated to phased array radar meteorology, and it also has a multi-function capability to allow it tobe used for detecting aircraft. in addition, the demand for students trained in this area will be high as new radar technologies replace the ones designed 20 years ago, and as weather radar usage extends into areas such as homeland security. from the federal aviation administration’s (faa) perspective [2], “a multifunction radar can support weather, air traffic control, homeland defense and Department of Defense surveillance needs simultaneously. The multi-functionality is of interest to the faa as a compliment to automatic Dependant Surveillance—broadcast (aDS-b) as well as a possible program cost reduction solution for its aging fleet of ground based radars.” Moreover, it is consistent with one of the national Oceanic & atmospheric administration’s (n

FAQs

What is the main objective of the NSF project at the University of Oklahoma?

To create an active-learning, hands-on interdisciplinary laboratory program that trains future engineers and meteorologists to process radar data for detecting weather and aircraft.

Why is fast scan capability emphasized for weather radar detection?

Because severe weather phenomena like thunderstorms, downbursts, and tornadoes require faster detection and improved forecasting; conventional mechanically scanned radars are limited by their mechanical scanning.

How does the program relate teaching and research?

It follows the principle that no gap should exist between teaching and research, and it emphasizes faculty who creatively combine both to improve undergraduate education.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Đào