Interactions with the CIFE Community

Joint Student-Affiliate Learning Experiences: Affiliate companies can propose an engineering problem that could benefit from analysis with virtual design and construction (VDC) methods. The problem is then matched with a class that teaches the applicable analysis method. If selected by the respective faculty member, a group of Stanford students work on the CIFE affiliate’s problem with VDC tools as their project during the Stanford class. By proposing a problem, the company commits to the timely sharing of data and knowledge and mentorship of the student group. If desired and mutually agreeable, the student group then visits a site of the member company at the end of the quarter (e.g., during the break) to explain the use of VDC methods on the problem, receive feedback, or work collaboratively with a small group of company engineers and managers to continue the project.

Facilitated Recruiting of Students: CIFE facilitates connections between students and companies to offer industry experiences to students and transfer engineering and management methods formalized at CIFE to industry practice.

Visits by Faculty or Staff to CIFE Members: Each year, at a mutually agreed time, a member of the Stanford faculty or staff who is pursuing CIFE research, will be available for a one-day visit to CIFE Affiliates at the Member level or above. The purpose of the visit is to present an overview of relevant research topics and to review issues of interest to the company. Except travel costs, there are no additional costs for this visit. Presentations made by the CIFE representative will be shared on the CIFE website.