Background

Educated at Purdue University, PhD (1980) and the University of Texas at Arlington, B.A. Mathematics (1970). Lecturer in Mathematics at the Catholic University of America (1978-1980). Research Staff at MIT Lincoln Laboratory (1988-2003). Joined Loughborough University in 2007 as Professor and RAEng/EPSRC/BAES Chair of Systems Engineering.

Professional Affiliations

• Institution of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE)
• International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE)
• Object Management Group (OMG)
• Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA)

External Activities

• Chair, INCOSE Architecture Working Group
• Chair, OMG Mathematical Formalisms Special Interest Group
• Co-chair, IEEE Systems of Systems Annual Conference (2010)
• Signatory, International Consortium for Systems of Systems (ICSOS)

Key Areas of Expertise

• Systems Architecture
• Systems Engineering
• Mathematical Theory of Models
• Radar Systems

Research Interests and Activities

• Model Driven Architecture for Systems Engineering
• Computational Formalisms for Model Transformation
• System of Systems Architecture and Engineering
• Collaborative Systems Engineering Environments
• Integration of Software and Systems Engineering

Expertise

• Antennas
• Applications of Systems Engineering
• Collaborative Systems Engineering Environments
• Integration of complex systems
• Model Driven Architecture for Systems Engineering
• Network Enablement of Capabilities
• System of systems engineering
• Systems Theory and Practice

Professor Dickerson brings a broad experience to systems engineering at Loughborough University. His academic experience includes 15 years on the research staff at MIT Lincoln Laboratory. He has also brought over 8 years of university teaching experience. In his government experience, he was most recently the Director of Architecture in the Office of the Chief Engineer for the U.S. Navy (2000-2003). He was also the Aegis Systems Engineer for Ballistic Missile Defence (1998-1999). His practice of systems design and engineering in aerospace includes Advanced Avionics Systems Design at the Lockheed Skunkworks as well as Operations Analysis and Air Vehicle Survivability at Northrop Advanced Systems. Before joining Loughborough University, he was a Technical Fellow at BAE Systems (2003-2007), providing technical leadership for integrated C4ISR systems and architecture based family of systems engineering processes.

Recent keynotes, plenary sessions, and invited lectures that he has given include:

INCOSE U.K. Autumn Assembly (2009)

IEEE ICSOS Annual Conference (2008)

AFCEA Annual European Conference (2008)

U.S. DoD DISA Annual International Conference (2007)

Professor Dickerson also collaborates with a number of universities internationally, to include the Georgia Institute of Technology, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and the Stevens Institute.

At Loughborough University, Professor Dickerson leads the Systems Architecture Group for Engineering Research (SAGE Research), which is being formed around a core programme of academic research on model driven methods for systems architecting and engineering. Central to the philosophy of the research is the application of model driven methods through collaboration to fundamental engineering problems such as requirements traceability in the design of aerospace systems from concept to manufacturing. And the application of system of systems architecture is being explored to areas as diverse as renewable energy and complex arrays of actuators.

His graduate teaching is tightly coupled with his research programme and thus gives rise to opportunities for doctorate students to apply the core programme to their own research.

Model Driven Architecture for Systems Engineering

Computational Formalisms for Model Transformation

System of Systems Architecture and Engineering

Collaborative Systems Engineering Environments

Integration of Software and Systems Engineering

ELP072 Systems Architecture

Professor Dickerson's graduate teaching is tightly coupled with his research programme and thus gives rise to opportunities for doctorate students to apply the core programme to their own research.

Selected Publications

Dickerson, C.E. and Mavris, D.N. Architecture and Principles of Systems Engineering (CRC Complex and Enterprise Systems Engineering) New York: Auerbach Publications. April 2009

Chapter 12 (Defense Applications of SoS) in Jamshidi, M., editor. November 2008. System of Systems Engineering: Principles and Applications. CRC Press, Taylor and Francis Group: Boca Raton, Florida.

Dickerson, C.E. June 2008. Towards a logical and scientific foundation for system concepts, principles, and terminology. Proceedings of the Third IEEE International Conference on System of Systems Engineering.

Dan De Laurentis, Charles Dickerson, et al. July 2007. A Case for an International Consortium on System of Systems Engineering. IEEE Systems Journal.

Contributing author, 22 December 2006. System of Systems Systems Engineering Guide v0.9. Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics. Washington D.C.: Pentagon.

Dickerson, C.E. et al. 21 June 2005. Architecture-based Operations Analysis, 73rd Annual MORS Symposium: USMA West Point.

Dickerson, C.E. et al. 2003.Using architectures for research, development, and acquisition. Office of the Chief Engineer of the Navy, Assistant Secretary of the Navy. Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC): (www.dtic.mil), AD Number ADA427961

Dickerson, C.E. et al. Coalition Integrated Air Picture, INCOSE Insight, October 2002 Issue.

Dickerson, C.E. and J. Higbee, co-editors of U.S. Navy submission to the Office of the Secretary of Defense. 27 July 2001. Network centric warfare, department of defense report to congress. Washington, D.C.: Pentagon.