Central Fla. school promotes advanced simulation studies.

A perceived shortage of scientific and technical talent in the fields of modeling and simulation has led to the creation of an advanced academic program at the University of Central Florida.

The director of the project said he hopes that a new Ph.D. program will help strengthen the nation's pool of scientists that strictly focus on modeling and simulation disciplines.

"We're working to put the study of modeling and simulation onto a more scientific foundation," said Randall Shumaker, director of the University of Central Florida's Institute for Simulation and Training, based in Orlando. Shumaker was previously superintendent of the information technology division at the Naval Research Laboratory, and served as its chief information officer. While he was at the Naval Research Laboratory, Shumaker led an effort to incorporate virtual reality programs into decision systems.

This year, the University of Central Florida became one of the first universities in the country to offer advanced degrees in modeling and simulation, according to Shumaker.

Other existing graduate programs in simulation in the United States are at the Naval Postgraduate School, in Monterey, Calif., and Old Dominion University, in Norfolk, Va., but …