Bio
Professor Cecil received his Ph.D. degree in Industrial Engineering from Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA, in 1995. At OSU, he is the Co-Director of the Center for Cyber Physical Systems. His research focuses on the investigation of Information Centric Engineering (ICE) issues in several process domains including advanced manufacturing, space systems (including deep space habitats), and smart health (including design of surgical simulators). Within ICE, his work spans the triumvirate of facets involving modeling, simulation, and exchange of information. Recent projects involve the design of Internet of Things (IoT) and cyber physical frameworks for distributed collaboration, creation of virtual reality-based prototyping techniques to support distributed collaboration, and design of information modeling techniques for software systems design.
He is a pioneer in the design of Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) and cyber-based learning approaches for engineering and K-12 education. Cecil created the Soaring Eagle Program, which is a grassroots outreach and mentoring program focusing on encouraging minority and other students towards engineering and computing programs and careers. At New Mexico State (where he worked early in his teaching career), he was involved with encouraging Native American students towards STEM programs through outreach workshops.
Cecil is also spearheading research involving the design of Virtual Reality based learning environments to help autistic children and students learn science and engineering. Currently, he is working with collaborators to encourage autistic students towards STEM programs.
Dr. Cecil is a recipient of the Institute of Industrial Engineers Award for Technical Innovation, and the Outstanding Faculty Award in support of Oklahoma State University’s Land Grant Mission. He is a fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Current and past funding agencies include the US National Science Foundation (NSF), NASA, Sandia National Labs, Mozilla Foundation, Los Alamos National Lab, Air Force Research Lab, OCAST and others.