As artificial intelligence transforms how engineers design everything from microchips to biomedical devices, ensuring that human skills evolve with technology has become a shared priority among academia and industry.
James Melfi, M.S. '14, Ph.D. '16, from senior analysis architect at ASML, and Sam Zoubi, director of modeling, simulation, and analytics in the Science and Technology Division at Corning Incorporated, during a panel discussion at KK Wang Day.
With that challenge in mind, Cornell's Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering brought together faculty, students, alumni and industry leaders for a day-long forum titled "Simulation and Design Education: Closing the Skills Gaps in the Age of AI," hosted April 17 in Upson and Duffield halls as the annual KK Wang Industry Day.
The day was sponsored by software companies Ansys and Autodesk, as well as eCornell, and drew participants from companies including Anduril Industries, ASM, ASML, Corning, Dominion Engineering, Moog and SpaceX.
During his opening remarks, Lynden Archer, the Joseph Silbert Dean of Engineering, said industry partnerships are essential to informing how Cornell educates its engineers and keeps pace with the rapid rise of data science, machine learning and artificial intelligence.
"Industry sees the problems, the customers and the frontier of what needs to be done better - and by communicating that to us, we can shape an educational framework at Cornell that's translatable elsewhere," Archer said, adding that Cornell's partnership with industry also includes sharing research findings. "Fundamentally, this is how we all get better together."
Students from the Cornell Autoboat project team showcase their autonomous boat during KK Wang Day.
Panel discussions and breakout sessions throughout the day explored how industry and academia can strengthen collaboration to advance workforce development and equip students with the skills and insights needed as AI reshapes engineering software.
David Erickson, the S.C. Thomas Sze Director of the Sibley School, emphasized the vital role of simulation and design in engineering education, highlighting how these tools are embedded in the school's curriculum through the Swanson Simulation Program, which was established 25 years ago through a gift from John Swanson '61, M.Eng. '63, founder of the simulation software company Ansys.
"John's vision that every student, every engineer, should be fluent in simulation continues to guide the program," Erickson said, "and it's also reflected in some of our certificate and distance learning programs that now have hundreds of thousands of students taking them from around the world. It's incredible."
Rajesh Bhaskaran, the Swanson Director of Engineering Simulation, presents during KK Wang Day and shares how students are using simulation and design software at Cornell.
Rajesh Bhaskaran, the Swanson Director of Engineering Simulation, said the Swanson Program has contributed to the democratization of simulation at Cornell and elsewhere by providing students with learning resources for industry-relevant software to enable realistic modeling. During his presentation, Bhaskaran shared examples of how students from across 21 engineering courses are using simulation.
"There's a second-year course in biomedical engineering where students do simulation of blood flow through the carotid artery, which is a key artery that carries blood to the to the brain," Bhaskaran said, emphasizing that such experiential learning uniquely complements what students learn in textbooks. "The professor who introduced this into the course said that without the simulation, they cannot do any realistic geometries."
Jabez Abayneh, Ph.D. '25, shares his research with industry representatives during a poster session on KK Wang Day.
During the day's poster session, students displayed how they are using design and simulation software for research, including modeling to improve spacecraft thermal control, 3D-printed concrete walls, nuclear fusion instruments, spinal surgery devices, and agrivoltaics.
Other students showcased how they are gaining a competitive edge by using software to design and simulate new versions of their vehicles for project team competitions like formula SAE and Baja racing.
KK Wang Industry Day is supported by the late Kuo King "KK" Wang, a Cornell engineering professor whose "legacy is built on the conviction that universities and industry should deeply collaborate," said Erickson during his remarks. That legacy includes the founding of the Cornell Injection Molding Program, which pioneered one of the earliest commercial mold-filling simulators - technology that later became part of Autodesk's offerings.
