Position
Academic Background
Sample Courses   
Teaching Philosophy
Research & Interests   
Notable Academic Appointments & Awards
Publication Highlights   
Selected Scholarly Presentations

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• Professor of Engineering-Physics-Systems

Academic Background        

• Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute - Ph.D. in Physics & Astronomy, 1969
• Providence College - M.S. in Physics, 1966 
• Providence College - B.S. in Physics, 1964 

Sample Courses Taught at Providence College

• General Physics, Modern Physics
• System Modeling
• Conceptual Physics
• Systems Approach to Complex Problem Solving, Concepts of Systems Science
• Science of Sound and Music
• Introduction to Engineering

Teaching Philosophy

The Chinese proverb, "Tell me and I'll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I'll understand", sums up my approach to teaching and learning.  For most of their young lives, the students entrusted to me have come to my classroom sound bitten, media blitzed, and shouted at for their attention.  Effective teaching in this age can no longer be dominated by the lecture process; it must actively engage the student in purposeful, creative, and collaborative pursuits that develop enduring lessons learned.

Research & Interests

My research and scholarship interests began in experimental nuclear physics but evolved into complex problem solving, systems analysis, systems dynamics and modeling.  Consistent with my teaching philosophy, I thrive on collaborative multi-disciplinary efforts having practical (and hopefully useful) applications.  The problems I work on are as diverse as the methods that must be brought to bear on solutions.  For example, my recent efforts have focused on: standards-based curriculum development issues arising from complex networks of hierarchical standards such as Project 2061 Benchmarks for Science Literacy from the American Association for the Advancement of Science, modeling municipal water supply systems, and modeling pollution flushing in tidal embayments.  I try to configure these projects into components that involve not only collaborations with faculty and research colleagues around the world but also with undergraduate students at Providence College.

Notable Academic Appointments and Awards

• Chairman, RI Atomic Energy Commission, 2005
• Fellow, Rotary Foundation, Sweden, 1996
• Chairman, Technical Analysis Committee for the Rhode Island Partnership for Science & Technology, 1985-1988
• Vice President for Academic Administration, Providence College 1982 - 1985
• Delegate, NATO Advanced Study Institute, Mathematical Modeling of Energy Systems, Istanbul, Turkey, 1979
• Fellow, NASA-American Association for Engineering Education, Offshore Planning and Design. Langley, VA, 1976

Publication Highlights

• Mecca, S.J., Severino C. 7 Barber, R. Pollution flushing in cascading tidal basins, Coastal Engineering VII, C.A. Brebbia, UK and M. Da Conceicao Cunha, University of Coimbra, Portugal, Editors June 2005.
• Mecca, S.J. & LaMontagne, R.A.  Dynamic-stochastic modeling of a municipal water supply system in Stella. Water Resources Management II, C.A. Brebbia, Editor, pp 171-179, International Series on Progress in Water Resources, Cheng A.H-D., Series Editor. WIT Press, UK, 2003.
• Energy Management: Principles and Practices, Mecca and Robertshaw, Petrocelli Books, Inc., (1981).
• Problem Solving: A Systems Approach, Robertshaw, Mecca and Rerick, Petrocelli Books, Inc. (1978).
• "A Method for Reducing Bremsstrahlung-Produced Photoneutron Spectra to Partial ((,n) Cross Sections", Journal of Computational Physics, Vol. 13, No. 3, 338-347 (Nov. 1973).
• "Photoexcitation of ²⁰⁹Bi and ^natHg Using Neutron-Capture Gamma Rays from Cobalt: Nuclear Physics A201, 3, 570-578 (1973.).
• "Systems Approach to Problem Solving", Journal of College Science Teaching, Vol. II, No. 4 (April 1973).
• "Nuclear Structure Studies of the Chromium Isotopes: The Cr50 (p,p') Cr50 and Cr50 (d,p) Cr51 Reactions", J.E. Robertshaw, S. Mecca, A. Sperduto, and W. W. Bucchner, Phys. Rev. 170, 1013 (1968).

Selected Scholarly Presentations and Activities

• Mecca, S.J.  Curriculum design and management: a systems view, invited paper, New Learning and the Internet Society, Skiathos May 2004,  published in New Learning and the Internet Society, C.A. Brebbia, Editor, UK, May 2004.
• Mecca, S.J. & LaMontagne, R.A.  A Dynamic-stochastic simulation model of a municipal water system.  Proceedings of the Joint Conference on Water Resources Engineering and Water Resources Planning and Management, ACSE, Minneapolis, MN, July 31-August 1, 2000.
• Mecca, S.J. & LaMontagne, R.A.   A Systems Dynamics model of a municipal water system.  Systems Science and Systems Engineering - ICSSSE'98, Gu Jifa, Editor, pp480-484,  Beijing, China, August 1998.
• Mecca, S.J.  The Potential of dynamic modeling tools in undergraduate systems science education.  FMVCE'97, Istanbul, Turkey 1997
• Mecca, S.J.  Dynamic Modeling in an undergraduate curriculum. AAAS Annual Meeting, Winter 1996.
• Mecca, S.J. Solar DHW System Performance: Actual Results versus Theoretical Predictions, presented at the International Congress on Building Management in Portugal, May 1980.

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