What Makes a Good System Designer?

In her article Masters of Abstraction, Ann Steffora Mutschler explains,"Good system designers are a unique breed. While it’s easy enough to distinguish the traits that define a good one from a weak one, it’s much harder to determine who possesses those traits before they are put to the test, or whether or how they can be taught."

The piece includes several sources who share their thoughts on the definition and characteristics of a good systems designer. TerraSwarm PI Edward A. Lee appears in the article and observes, "that there are enormous differences between good designers and weak designers. The productivity difference can be orders of magnitude. Interestingly, he said he hasn’t been able to detect any other correlations with personality traits. Some of the good designers are nerds, and some of them are outgoing and gregarious. It’s all over the map."

President Obama Honors TerraSwarm Funded PI with Top Award

TerraSwarm funded PI Rahul Mangharam from University of Pennsylvania has been selected as one of the recipients of the Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers for his work inventing a formal methodology to test and verify the correct operation of medical device software. Rahul Mangharam’s research improves the safety of medical devices and reduces healthcare costs by ensuring that a device never drives the patient into an unsafe state, while providing effective therapy.

“These early-career scientists are leading the way in our efforts to confront and understand challenges from climate change to our health and wellness,” President Obama said. “We congratulate these accomplished individuals and encourage them to continue to serve as an example of the incredible promise and ingenuity of the American people.”

Intended to recognize some of the best scientists and engineers with extraordinary demonstrated potential for leadership at the frontiers of scientific knowledge, awardees are selected based on their pursuit of innovative research and their commitment to community service.  For scientists and engineers early in their careers this award is the highest honor conferred by the U.S. government.