Developing the Skills for Successful Automation An Undergraduate Perspective Prof. Dave Povey Chemical Sciences Division Faculty of Health and Medical.

Developing the Skills for Successful Automation

An Undergraduate Perspective

Prof. Dave Povey

Chemical Sciences Division

Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences

University of Surrey

So what do we (as teachers) want from our graduates?

To achieve their potential

“an awareness of opportunity”

To possess “graduateness”

What does industry want from our graduates?

“A good skills base integrated with subject knowledge”

Communication

Teamwork

Planning and

Organising

Problem Solving

Initiative

Adaptability Numeracy

Computer

Literacy

Self-Reliance

Graduate skills should be integrated into the academic experience and be based around specific subject knowledge.

Engineering and Physical Sciences

Health and Medical Sciences

Management and Law

Arts and Human Sciences

Each Faculty comprises a number of discrete departments

Programmable Logic Controllers

Mechanisms for Motion Transmission

Electronic Components

Simulation of Dynamic Systems

Sensors

Closed-Loop Control

Hydraulic Motion

The Engineering Approach “Mechatronics”

Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences

BSc and MChem Programmes (3 and 4 year) in

Chemistry

Medicinal Chemistry

Computer-Aided Chemistry

Chemistry with Forensic Investigation

Intake of around 80 per year, range of subject backgrounds

Many unaware of how their career might evolve!

Nurse Education Postgraduate Medicine

Biochemical and Chemical Sciences

Modular Framework – 12 modules per year – common core (9)

1st YearThe Computational Environment - 1

Intro. to hardware + software (VBA) + control systems.

Design Exercise - Paper

+ “speciality options”

The .NET Environment

Hands on intro. to Visual Basic.

The WWW Environment

Computer

LiteracyProblem Solving

Self-Reliance Adaptability

2nd Year

The Computational Environment - 2

Hands-on interfacing

(wiring and soldering, sensors, auto-titrator, traffic lights simulator)

The .NET Environment

Hands on intro. to C++

OpenGL

Cheminformatics

and Modelling

Computer

LiteracyProblem Solving

Self-Reliance Adaptability

Teamwork Communication

Initiative

Numeracy

FUN!

Professional Training

Developing Skills in an Industrial Environment

1 Year

Final Year

Artificial Intelligence in Chemistry

Chemometrics, Robotics and Automation

Advanced Modelling

+1 Year Project (1/3rd of year)

+

Chemistry Core

= Skilled Graduate possessing awareness of opportunities

Lego MINDSTORMS

Relatively cheap and modular

Students are familiar with the Lego concept

Students can see components reflected in the terminology they are familiar with

Touch sensor, light sensor, servo motors, microcontrollers

and the concepts of programmability.

But we are conscious that it is too easy to trivialise with a kit like this.

It has to be thought through carefully.

And finally

Questions?