Special courses Training in Industrial Applied Maths.
Simulation, Modeling, Optimization, Scheduling
Dr.M.J.McCann: Teacher Advisor
Click to Home Page

Background
My mother and father were both teachers. She taught children. He was, before WW2, a lecturer at an Agricultural college. At Imperial College, after my apprenticeship and BSc, my PhD was completed by taking on half a lecturership there while going back to Hatfield Technical College (Now University of Hertfordshire) to teach evening classes.
That led to an invitation to teach control systems engineering at Case Institute of Technology (now part of CWRU) in Cleveland Ohio. From there as part of my consulting work, I provided special courses to industrial clients. Later, in ICI (Imperial Chemical Industries PLC) I also provided courses in applied mathematics and simulation.
More recently, since I enjoy teaching (to motivated students), I have provided evening courses in Operations Research at both Penn State and Widener University (both near my US location). Now I'm a visiting Fellow at the University of Bristol in the Department of Engineering Mathematics and available to teach or tutor on demand in engineering applied mathematics and quantified methods.

Available Offerings and Style
Courses for clients can be tailored to suit. They can be several days all in one period or spread out over weeks, or just a one day session. They can be for groups or for individuals. They can be pitched for management overview or concentrated on specific topics and computional tools. If it's in the realm of mathematical modelling, simulation of dynamic systems, control theory, with industrial application, then I'll be happy to discuss what can be done.
Experience has taught me that 'lecturing' without involving the students is a poor way of getting understanding conveyed. My approach is to 'teach', making sure as we proceed that the students have grasped the ideas and understand them, not just as "Well, it seemed OK when you did it" but in the sense of "OK, I can do that now". It takes longer but works better.
The examples below are indicative.

Content Examples
Optimization Methods.Given as a one day course each of the last few years at Bristol to beginning engineering doctoral candidates, to point them at the various tools available, particularly in Matlab (or Mathcad) though other open source (free) software tools are available. The topics are centered on linear and non-linear, deterministic methods, with some coverage of scheduling, and variational methods (optimal trajectories), Dynamic programming etc. The course could well be spread out to make it a bit less intense.

Project Mangement
This was a short course (two mornings) in the essence of project management, provided to a local IEEE section. Not because I'm a skilled project manager but I can point out the key things to do and watch out for. I included some basics about project financial evaluation to put the work in a corporate perspective. Should be helpful to people starting to take on some engineering management role. I wish I'd had it myself. I'd provide a book and/or notes.

Simulation Methods
Working sessions with a limited number of students/emgineers to get them started on the process of creating their own models of projects and processes with which they have to deal. I've done this at Bristol (Matlab/Simulink), in industry (Mathcad) and could use other tools (SciCosLab, Scilab, even Excel or my (free) McSimAPN software (quick start, discrete event and continuous models).

Directed Mathematical Modelling
In an industrial environment, merging into a consulting role, get engineers started on models of the specific process they are interested in. For example, it could be chemical or biological processes, heat and mass transfer, web coating, finance and cash flow, optimnization of a process or logistics. The idea being to leave them able to continue the work themselves.

Making Contact is easy.
There's no charge for an initial, confidential discussion. McCann does small jobs and long term project support and can travel anywhere at short notice. Available easily in the Eastern USA (DE, PA, NJ, NY, MD, VA, DC) and Canada and in the UK.

Links in website:
Home/Index Page

About Dr McCann
Summary
Dr M.J.McCann
Training Courses
Bristol University Contacting me
Contact in UK
Location USA
Philosophy
Software Tools
Fees
Confidentiality

Click to Applications PageApplications

Business & Commerce
TV Advertising
Drugs Competition
Housing Demand
Automobiles Demand
Wallcoverings Battle
Cash Flow
Human Resources
Project Management
Patent Analysis

Chemical Industry
Cooling Tower
Fermentation
Polymer Process
Heat exchange
Supercritical Fluid
Distributed parameter
Toxic gas allocation

Electrical
Control systems
Initiation systems
Ferrite Filters
Microstrip Antennas
Lightning

Production & Process
Automated manufacture
Crimp and Press
Glass making
Glass molding
Glass to metal seals
Heat exchanger
Helium Leak Testing
RF Soldering
Vacuum web coating

Click to Applications PageApplications.

Invitation. McCann can help if you have a design or operational problem that needs some technical support that is outside your team's experience, some quantitative assessment of what is really the cause of the difficulties, some design alternatives or just a fresh look by an intelligent interrogator.
If you have a problem with the behaviour of a market sector, plant, process or item of equipment and would like to get a quantitative handle on it to improve yield or optimise performance, then contact me. I'm always ready to give a little time to discuss a new puzzle, in confidence, of course. We'll only worry about fees when there is some defined work. I can be flexible about how I work with you.
Top
Dr M.J.McCann,
POB 902,
Chadds Ford PA
19317 USA.
T: 1 302 654-2953 (Land)
M: 1 302 377-1508 (Cell)
E: mjmccann@ieee.org
Request. Please let me know how you found this website and your interests by following this feedback link. Thank you Date: 2011.01.02
File: teaching.htm