Summary of Accomplishments

in support of the application for

2008-2009 Post Promotion Increase Program

Ileana Costea, Ph.D.

Tenured Professor of Engineering

Manufacturing Systems Engineering and Systems Management (MSEM) Department

College of Engineering and Computer Science (CECS)

CaliforniaStateUniversity, Northridge (CSUN)

I. Teaching

Taught a very broad spectrum of courses at both undergraduate and graduate level: MSE101, MSE105/L, MSE304, MSE362, MSE403/L, MSE405, MSE410/LMSE488A&B, MSE508/L, MSE603, MSE606A, MSE609, MSE614 & CS100.Background and skills to teach courses in three of the four engineering areas available in the MSEM Department: Automation, Manufacturing Systems Engineering and Engineering Management. Taught three- and four- different preparation classes a semester for several years. Intense use of the web for residential on-campus classes. Working on developing an on-line laboratory-type CAD/CAM course. Developed joint-venture projects industry-MSEM students in MSE403, MSE488, MSE603 and MSE614. Initiated two graduate CATIA courses and created the syllabus and coordinate instruction for the new CATIA graduate course (MSE516/L).

II. Professional development

Teach high technology/computer related classes which require a continuous learning process. Had to refresh knowledge in Engineering Management to teach MSE304 and MSE362. Learned new CAD software: AutoCAD and SolidWorks. Attended professional international conferences and prepared and delivered technical presentations and seminars/round tables on various subjects: Women Innovators in Engineering and Manufacturing, Diversity, Distant Learning, Graduate Automation Engineering Programs. Visited several Universities in the US, France, and Romania. Participated at several Faculty Retreats. Is in the process of learning the current modern Distance Learning methods, and web page development techniques. Participated at various on-line training courses (web design, WebCT, manufacturing using a numerical control machine (obtained the Fadal NCM certicate, 2001). Visited numerous local companies and guided joint projects with student groupsin various classes (MSE403, MSE488, MSE609) and worked on Community Service projects. Reviewed two books for well known US technical publishers (Wiley and Prentice Hall). Reviewed papers as a peer review process for IEEE-sponsored international conferences.Member of professional societies: ASEE, IEEE, and SME.

III. Service

  • Campus Level:Member on the CSUN International Education Council. Member of Phi Beta Delta Omega Organization (whose President she was for two terms). Represented CSUN as a judge (several years 2002-2004) on the Manufacturing Challenge Competition at WESTEC. Organized on CSUN Campus two exhibitions on Science Meets Art (Sculpture of the Romanian Masters Constantin Brancusi and Patriciu Mateescu). Had an interview on KCSN Radio station. Helped establish a Memorandum of Agreement between CSUN and Targoviste University, Romania (2001). Represented CSUN at numerous international conferences (up to present). Encouaraged and donated membership fees for two Automation graduate students to become members of Phi Beta Delta Honors International Scholars Society.
  • College Level: Member of the College Personnel Committee, and Chair of this Committee for two years in a row (2006-2007). Active participant at Open House events (2003-2007).
  • Department Level: Member and Chair of the Search and Screen Committee for hiring positions in Materials Engineering and Engineering Management (2006-present), and on Search Committee for new Secretary for the Department (2008).Member and Chair of the MSEM Department Personnel Committee and on Post Tenure Review Committees (2006-present). Graduate Advisor in Automation/Manufacturing Systems Engineering(up to present). Undergraduate Advisorfor Students on Probation (2005-2006). Made presentations of MSEM Dept. labs on campus and college organized Open House days. Organized the participation of faculty and students to WESTEC/SME Annual Conference (four years, 2003-2007). Organized several visits of the department labs for groups of visitors from Romania (2001-2007). Organized the visit of a delegation from MSEM/CSUN to various universities in Romania (2000). Organized visits to local industries with various MSEM student groups, and planned and implemented joint MSEM classes and industry projects (2001-2007). Guided numerous graduate students on their Master Project and wrote exam questions and was a member of the Master Degree Committee for MSEM graduate students (up to present). Wrote two articles about the MSEM Dept. and student and faculty achievements in the field of manufacturing in the Society of Manufacturing Engineering (SME) Newsletter (2006 and 2008: Works on the Master of Manufacturing Systems Engineering graduate program brochure (work in progress). Visited Santa MonicaCollege, PomonaCollege, and LA Valley College to make the MSEM Department programs known as part of recruitment (2005-2006). Visited full time and part-time faculty classes (up to present). Supervised students in Independent Studies courses: MSE499 & MSE699 and in MSE691 and MSE697 (up to present). Offered guidance to Manufacturing Systems Engineering undergraduate students via organizing joint meetings for the SME/SAMPE (2001-2004) student groups.
  • Department Work Groups Level: Member in the Undergraduate Studies and Graduate Studies Study Groups (up to present). Participated at ABET course assessment (2001-present) and the addition to second report (2008).
  • Community Level: Worked on Community Service program as part of MSE403 teaching. Worked as a volunteer on several Rotary programs as a member of the Newburry Park Rotary Club (2005-present). Actively involved with the Romanian community in Southern California (up to present): organized several cultural events, published several articles (2001-present) in Romanian newpapers (Meridianul Romanesc, Anaheim, and Romania Libera, Bucarest Romania (the main daily newspaper in Romania), Cultural Director for the Viitorul Roman Society (2006-present), Member on the AmericanRomanianAcademy of Arts and Sciences (up to present).

IV. Special Achievements and Contributions

  • Obtained a $2.5 million donation of CATIA software (2000). See :
  • Obtained a $125,000 donation of a Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine (2004). See
  • Donated two large scale pieces of sculpture to CSUN Foundation: California Flower (1985, previously located in the Student Union building courtyard, presently in storage since construction) and Heavenly Hands (2005, located on Plummer in front of the College of Design-
  • Created the Paunescu-Costea Endowment for scholarly exchanges between MSEM and the CSUN Department and Universities in Romania (2001).
  • Had several TV and radio interviews on BBC and National TV and Radio Station of Romania (2001-present); Interview on KCSU (November 2005).

V. 2008 Professional Activities

  • Moderator of technical sessions and author of two papers: “Why and How Distance Learning in Manufacturing Systems?” (co-author with graduate CSUN student Egli Stu, and “On-line Teaching versus traditional teaching: advantages, disadvantages – the inevitable”: 3rd International e_CEL3 Symposium - Effects of life-long learning on the work market and the competitiveness of organizations, June 2008 – On line Symposium.
  • Member in International Program Committee, reviewer of technical papers, and organizer and president of a Round Table on Distance Learning): International Conference of Automatic CIFA’2008 , Bucuresti, Romania, Sept 3-5, 2008.
  • Editorial Board Consultant of the Science Bulletin, TechnicalConstructionUniversity, Bucuresti, Romania
  • Visited University of Arizona,Tempe (June 2008) &Polytechnic Institute, Romania (Sept. 2008), several Universities in France (August – Sept. 2008).