The University of Southern California’s Viterbi School of Engineering has launched a new master’s program in Advanced Design and Construction Technology.
According to USC: “The multi-disciplinary program will focus on the built environment, pulling together experts in various engineering disciplines such as civil and environmental engineering, computer and data sciences, large-scale 3D printing and artificial intelligence, to develop professionals who will apply design and engineering towards the creation of sustainable cities, infrastructure, buildings and systems of the future.”
The program aims to develop expertise in topics such as sustainability, data analysis and visualization, computing, modeling, simulation, process engineering and manufacturing. Innovation and entrepreneurship will also be part of the curriculum.
“The lingua franca for our industry’s future and imperative for building a sustainable world, is data,” said Program Director David Gerber, associate professor of practice in the Sonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at USC.
“We would like our future professionals to be agents of change…people who are technically savvy, design savvy and business-minded, with a real focus on computing and data, including modeling, simulation, AI, and user experience technologies such as AR and VR.”
The program also aims to give students an understanding of how artificial intelligence and Internet-of-things technologies can be employed to optimize energy usage and ventilation, for example. In addition, the program will put emphasis on real-world opportunities and industry engagements.