American Electric Power's Project ProbeSM-enhancingpower engineering education through industrial-academic cooperation

摘要

Numerous concerns confronting engineering education in the nextcentury will necessitate a greater level of cooperation between academiaand industry. A model of such cooperation is ProjectProbeSM-an annual summer intern program offered by AmericanElectric Power (AEP) to provide meaningful education and workexperiences in power generation engineering for qualified engineeringstudents. Project Probe supplements traditional engineering educationthat often lacks focus in areas of critical need for the power industry.Project Probe aims to foster communication and cooperation betweenacademia and the power industry, support and educate engineering facultywith regard to the power industry, as well as enhance the education offuture engineers. This paper presents the objectives, methodology andresults of Project Probe since 1995, including student development,faculty enrichment and benefits to the host power plants and AmericanElectric Power. Project Probe is shown intern or cooperative educationalprograms. Information is also presented to encourage implementation ofaspects of Project Probe into university classroom work and to encourageeducators and industry to seek suitable partners for sponsorship anddevelopment of similar programs. Recommendations are also presented tofacilitate implementation of a program similar to Project Probe