FAQ
The Systems Engineering Research Center is the first DoD University Affiliated Research Center focused on Systems Engineering Research in the United States.
What is the mission of the Systems Engineering Research Center?
The mission of the Systems Engineering Research Center is to enhance and enable the Department of Defense’s (DoD) capability in Systems Engineering for the successful development, integration, testing and sustainability of complex defense systems, services and enterprises.
Who is the primary sponsor for SERC?
SERC is a designated University Affiliated Research Center (UARC) supported by the Department of Defense. The DoD provides oversight and multi-year base funding for SERC.
How does SERC serve the DoD?
The Systems Engineering Research Center will operate as the systems engineering research engine for the DoD. SERC will be responsible for identifying, evaluating, creating and integrating methods, and processes and tools that support effective systems engineering practice in the acquisition of weapons platforms, major defense systems, systems of systems, network-centric systems, and enterprise systems.
Under what type of contract does SERC operate?
Stevens Institute of Technology was awarded under a 10 USC 2304(c)(3) (B) five-year renewable IDIQ task order contract, with the University of Southern California (USC) serving as its principal collaborator.
How will SERC receive tasking from the DoD?
The DoD has established a government Program Management Office to oversee the SERC. The Program Management Office will provide Technical Task Orders to which the SERC will respond.
What role does SERC play in regards to Systems Engineering (SE) education?
SERC will develop and enhance SE skills and competencies in the DoD and its supporting community of contractors through education programs and workshops, and by transferring its research results to degree granting SE programs.
Which universities are involved in the SERC?
SERC is a collaborative research center comprised of 20 collaborator schools and research organizations led by Stevens Institute of Technology. Collectively, the SERC collaborators are unparalleled in the depth and breath, leadership and citizenship in Systems Engineering research. SERC collaborators include:
Stevens Institute of Technology
University of Southern California
Air Force Institute of Technology
Auburn University
Carnegie Mellon University
Fraunhofer Center at the University of Maryland
Georgia Institute of Technology
Missouri University of Science and Technology
Naval Postgraduate School
Pennsylvania State University
Purdue University (Newest SERC collaborator)
Southern Methodist University
Texas A&M University
Texas Tech University
University of Alabama in Huntsville
University of California at San Diego
University of Maryland
University of Massachusetts at Amherst
Wayne State University
Who is responsible for managing and operating SERC?
SERC is managed by Stevens Institute of Technology, with principal collaboration by the University of Southern California. Its executive leaders are:
Executive Director: Dr. Dinesh Verma, Dean and Professor School of Systems and Enterprises at Stevens
Deputy Executive Director: Dr. Arthur Pyster, Distinguished Research Professor, School of Systems and Enterprises at Stevens
Director of Research: Dr. Barry Boehm, Director of the University of Southern California (USC) Center for Systems and Software Engineering and TRW Professor of Software Engineering
Business Manager: Ms. Doris Schultz, Director of Procurement, Stevens Institute of Technology
How do the collaborators interact with Stevens?
Each collaborator is a subcontractor to Stevens. Each collaborator has named a lead senior researcher, who is the primary technical contact between the collaborator school of research center, and Stevens. The lead senior researcher will help identify faculty to perform research and will be responsible for the overall technical performance by the collaborator school or research center.