The field of design optimization has evolved over approximately two decades. One fruitful area of design optimization research is design sensitivity analysis which enables approximation analysis, analytical model improvement, and assessment of design trends. Thus, design sensitivity analysis has become more than a utility for optimization, and is a versatile design tool in its own right. However, in the past, most research in this area tended to focus on theoretical studies. The research interests of this Presidential Young Investigator are to develop reliable sensitivity analysis techniques that consider modelling uncertainty, system nonlinearity, and large-scale and interdisciplinary problems that are encountered frequently in industrial environments. The results of this research should prompt the application of sensitivity analysis to practical design processes. This grant also provides for one undergraduate to assist Professor Hou in his research. This supplement is made under the program for Research Experiences for Undergraduates.
