Cyber-Physical Systems, Power Grid, and Engineering Education NSF Perspective Pramod Khargonekar Assistant Director for Engineering National Science Foundation Workshop on Cyber-Physical Systems Education with emphasis on Power Grid July 26-27, 2014
to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense NSF Act, 1950 Image courtesy MIT Museum 2
If ability, and not the circumstances of family fortune, determines who shall receive higher education in science, then we shall be assured of constantly improving quality at every level of scientific activity Vannevar Bush Science the Endless Frontier 3
Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) Roots in Cybernetics: idea goes back to Norbert Wiener Computation, communications, networking elements being increasingly infused into the physical world Computer science disciplines converging with disciplines that govern physical (and biological) worlds at multiple temporal and spatial scales Internet-of-Things or Industrial Internet Transportation Energy and Industrial Automation Healthcare and Biomedical Systems Critical Infrastructure Faster and safer aircraft Improved use of airspace Safer, more efficient cars Homes and offices that are more energy efficient and cheaper to operate Distributed micro-generation for the grid Increased use of effective in-home care More capable devices for diagnosis New internal and external prosthetics More reliable power grid Highways that allow denser traffic with increased safety 4
CPS Approach Abstract from application sectors to more foundational principles Apply these principles to problems in new sectors Safe, secure, reliable, verification, real-time adaptation, automotive aeronautics medical Control chemical energy Safety Core Science, Technology, Engineering Application Sectors Verification Real-time Networking Systems Security agriculture materials manufacturing civil 5
Federal Government-Wide Effort Cyber-Physical Systems Working Group under NITRD (The Networking and Information Technology Research and Development Program) Co-chaired by NIST and NSF and includes DOD, NIH, NTIA, DOT, FDA, At NSF: CISE and ENG Directorates ECCS Division plays a key role in CPS in ENG 6
Emerging Smart Electric Grid Infusion of sensing, communications, computing and control elements into the electric power system A great exemplar of CPS Key goals for the future power grid: reliable, economic and sustainable 7
Power Systems Engineering Typically taught in EE or ECE Departments Predictions of major shortages of power systems engineers in the coming decades Students in ECE flocking to computer related directions ECE Departments facing challenges in attracting students from diverse backgrounds, e.g., females, under-represented minorities 8
Challenges and Opportunities What are Creative Ways to Deal with them? CPS Angle? 9
An Experiment in Graduate Curriculum A graduate level course on Cyber Physical Smart Grid in the ECE Department at the University of Florida Many of our graduate students come with good undergraduate background in power systems China, India, Korea, US, We have strong faculty groups in communications, controls, networks, computing, solar energy, building energy,
Course Outline Driving forces, visions, and background for smart grid Brief review of key power systems concepts Demand response Renewable integration - utility scale as well as distributed energy resources Communications and networking for smart grid Wide area monitoring and control with synchro-phasors Distribution automation Security and privacy issues in smart grid
Status EEL 6935: Smart Grid: A Cyber Physical Systems Approach taught in Spring 2012 at UF >30 students enrolled, >45 persons on the mailing list for course slides, papers, and reports Most students from ECE but some from ME and ISE Mix of motivations: jobs, environment, developing world issues, Course materials lectures, papers, supplementary materials available for anyone interested
Lessons Learned Very positive student feedback A few students did publishable quality course projects Too much material for one course The course needs to be complemented by a preparatory course on power systems operations perhaps leverage on-line offerings, e.g., CUSP at UMN Possibly a course on cyber-infrastructure for power grid including cyber-security
National and Global Efforts PSERC has a strong effort on power systems education CUSP at the University of Minnesota has made very strong efforts on making large amount of educational material available Similar efforts globally 14
Observations Would rebranding of power systems as sustainable electric energy systems be more attractive to diverse student communities? Would rebranding as CPS attract students going toward computer engineering fields? Would electric vehicles create a new opportunity in this arena? 15
WH, June 18, 2014 Using technology to make, repair, or customize the things we need brings engineering, design, and computer science to the masses. Fortunately for educators, this maker movement overlaps with the natural inclinations of children and the power of learning by doing. Sylvia Martinez and Gary Steger CPS in K-12 Photos courtesy White House www.whitehouse.gov/maker-faire 16
QUESTIONS? IDEAS, THOUGHTS! pkhargon@nsf.gov 17