Got To Save My Nickels and Dimes

There are way too many courses on here that look fascinating... I fantasize about my daughters using content like this for entertainment instead of Barbie and other pop culture.

Emergence

Like my good friend Justin, I'm looking for some advice on grad school. I'm currently in progress toward a Master's of Engineering in Systems Engineering, and I'm thoroughly enjoying the program. I want to pursue a PhD next, but I'm not sure what kind of program I want to enter or where I'd like to go to school.

My goals in pursuing a PhD are as follows, though not necessarily in this order:

• Learn and grow and enjoy my studies.
• Learn how to do, and actually do, meaningful research. 
• Meet more people who are both intellectual and practical - people who care about results as well as ideas.
• Increase my career choices - this is not about money, it's about being able to do work that is meaningful and significant.

My primary interests are in the concept of emergence (how organization emerges from complexity), and in how to engineer emergence. That's very broad with applications ranging from public policy, to international development, to organizational management, to the design of transportation (or other) systems.

My question is, which programs at which schools are most likely to help me achieve my goals, and allow me to study and do research relating to the engineering of emergence? The way I see it, there are many kinds of programs that touch this concept at least tangentially, and any of those might work for me as long as I was given a measure of freedom to emphasize my interest. And there are a few programs that either directly approach the topic of emergence (for example, the Systems Science program at Portland State University), or provide tools that are pertinent (economics, probability, etc.).

Where I go to school matters for a lot of reasons, but most importantly because of the second two items on my bulleted list above. I want to work with high quality people and I want my degree to open doors for me. That said, there are some boundaries that I would like to stay within (though I'd consider going beyond them for the right program or the right school). Ideally I would like to stay in the western U.S., and I have a strong preference for the Pacific coast states. I'd also like to avoid the Los Angeles basin if at all possible (but I'd go there for the right program).

What insights do you have into schools, programs, and faculty that might be useful to me? What cautions can you provide about whether or not pursuing a PhD is likely to help me achieve my goals?

Systems Engineering

The New Hampshire Business Review is reporting that the University of New Hampshire will begin offering a certificate in Software Systems Engineering. From the article:


“Engineers who are successful at this ‘big picture’ work are rare, yet the demand for these skills is high...”


I think this is exactly correct, and not just in software design. Systems Engineering is one of the few academic disciplines, and the only engineering discipline, that is moving toward greater generalism. The increasing depth of technological knowledge has driven specialization at an increasing rate, and at a heavy cost to technical breadth. Additionally, the increasing specialization has tended to drive natural-born generalists from the ranks of those who pursue engineering degrees. The result is a serious lack of interdisciplinary competence and large world view that is essential to the complex engineering projects that are driving civilization's next big developments. Think of the projects to re-engineer energy production, to redesign cities and transportation at a conceptual level, and even to engineer society and government for the improved welfare of all citizens (we desperately need Economists to start thinking of themselves as Engineers - specifically Systems Engineers - and not as Scientists). 

The emergence of Systems Engineering is a direct and deliberate response to all of these trends. It got its start in the space program, but it has applications far beyond.

Addendum: The University of Illionis is offering a new Master of Science in Finacial Engineering degree through their Systems Engineering department. It's fascinating to me to see a university marrying its Business and Engineering departments in this way.