MIT Professional Education has added four new courses with relevance to the engineering community to its Short Programs offerings for the summer of 2015.
The new Short Programs courses include
- “Machine Learning for Big Data and Text Processing,”
- “Quantitative Cardiovascular Physiology and Clinical Applications for Engineers,”
- “Professional Communication Bootcamp,” and
- “Rapid Prototyping Technology.”
The new courses, said Clara Piloto, director, Global Programs, MIT Professional Education, result from an alignment of market demand, existing initiatives at MIT, and faculty interest in wanting to connect with industry professionals.
In addition, four courses that debuted last year—“Beyond Smart Cities,” “Engineering Leadership for Mid-Career Professionals,” “Understanding and Predicting Technological Innovation: New Data and Theory,” and “Additive Manufacturing: From 3D Printing to the Factory Floor”—will be returning this year as well. Those courses were well received, Piloto said, adding that the smart cities and additive manufacturing courses sold out.
The courses complement a total of approximately 43 Short Programs, covering topics ranging from real estate to tribology. The courses run from two to five days with an average of about 30 students per class.
Course details
Students attending “Machine Learning for Big Data and Text Processing” (June 8-12) will have an opportunity to examine a suite of machine learning tools and their applications, including predictive analysis. They will discuss insights underlying these tools, the kinds of problems the tools can and cannot solve, how the tools can be applied effectively, and what issues are likely to arise in practical applications.
Faculty members for the course are Tommi Jaakkola and Regina Barzilay, who delivered lectures on machine learning tools and information summarization, respectively, in the recently concluded online course “Tackling the Challenges of Big Data.”
“Quantitative Cardiovascular Physiology and Clinical Applications for Engineers” (June 15-17) will take a look at the cardiovascular system through an engineering perspective to understand the normal cardiovascular psychology at the systems level. The course targets engineers engaged in biomedical engineering applications, and Piloto said it would be applicable to engineers in various disciplines who are working with wearables and related products. MIT and Harvard have been working closely on the subject, she said, and now is the appropriate time to add it to the Short Programs portfolio.
“Professional Communication Bootcamp” (July 20-24) will help students understand the impact the digital revolution has had on major communication skills—including public speaking, critical thinking, visual persuasion, and audience adaptation.
It’s becoming ever more important for engineers and scientists to communicate clearly, Piloto said, whether via webcast or phone—particularly with increasing use of telecommuting. This course will help students make sure they can present their data without overwhelming their audiences—making sure the core message comes through and sticks.
“Rapid Prototyping Technology” (July 20-24) will allow students to obtain hands-on exposure with processes commonly used to rapidly fabricate prototypes such as 3D printing, laser cutting, and waterjet cutting.
Piloto said the rapid prototyping course complements the additive manufacturing course introduced last summer, but ultimately the two courses were developed as distinctly different topics. Rapid prototyping, she said, comprises many technologies, with additive manufacturing being one of them. The rapid prototyping short program will cover more technologies at a higher level, while the additive manufacturing course is an in-depth presentation of how additive manufacturing works and what it can do, with discussion of related materials, properties, applications, and business/manufacturing implications.
The Short Programs are geared toward both U.S. and International professionals who seek the MIT experience in a condensed timeframe. About one-third of attendees are international; last year’s students represented 57 countries and six continents, Piloto said.
“Professionals in the U.S. and around the world look to us to develop programming that responds to the latest trends and needs in their industries,” said Bhaskar Pant, executive director of MIT Professional Education, in a press release. “Our summer Short Programs accommodate the demanding schedules of our attendees, without sacrificing the one-of-a-kind experience provided by a direct connection with MIT’s world-renowned faculty. For any professional, especially one in a technical discipline, the latest research-based training can make a world of difference on the job.”
http://web.mit.edu/professional/
See related article, “MIT celebrates 65 years of professional education.”
