Welcome to my web site!

I have three different hats in the College of Engineering, Michigan State University.

First, I am the Director of the Applied Engineering Sciences (AES) undergraduate major. AES is a program that incorporates courses in math and basic science that are the same as most other technical majors in the College, courses across a breath of engineering disciplines, and courses in the College of Business that ground AES students in business processes. AES students are well prepared for entrance a wide range of positions in the business world, and to pursue advanced degrees in a number of areas.

Second, I also serve as the Director of the Center for Engineering Education Research at Michigan State University (CEER@MSU). CEER@MSU was created in June, 2009, with a mandate to expand engineernig education research in our College, to engage more faculty in education research, and to work collaboratively with colleagues in other Colleges who are researching issues in science, technology, engineernig, and mathematics education - the STEM areas. The ultimate goal for CEER@MSU is to become an recognized national and international resource for STEM research.

Finally, I am also an Associate Professor in the Computer Science and Engineering Department (CSE), College of Engineering. In my role a faculty person in CSE, I am the lead instructor for CSE 131, an introductory course in technical problem solving emphasizing MATLAB use.

My early research career focused on knowledge-based sytsems (aka "expert systems"), a subfield of artifical intelligence. Applications developed were across a broad range of domains including applied research in diagnostics for high performance aircraft, qualitative modeling of landscape level architectures, intelligent tutoring systems support of university level instruction, and expert systems support for design and fabrication of structures made from polymer composites. Work in the lab I headed, the Intelligent Systems Lab, was supported by GE Aircraft Engines, United Technologies, Boeing Aircraft St. Louis (then McDonnel-Douglas), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and the Defense Advanced Research Programs Agency (DARPA).

More recently, for the last decade Dr. Sticklen has pursued engineering education research focused on early engineering; his current research is supported by The MathWorks, the Division of Undergraduate Education of NSF (DUE/NSF), and the Directorate for Computer Science and Engineering of NSF (CISE/NSF).