Profile

Dr. John Durkin

Dr. John Durkin

Title: Associate Professor
Department: Electrical and Computer Engineering
Phone: 330-972-6136
Fax: 330-972-6487
Email: durkin@uakron.edu
Website: http://coel.ecgf.uakron.edu/durkin/index.htm

Biography

For the past twenty years, Dr. Durkin has been committed to the advancement of expert system technology. In particular, to its application in solving real-world problems. He founded a company Intelligent Computer Systems, Inc., which provides consulting services to world-wide organizations in the areas of expert systems, fuzzy logic, neural networks, case-based reasoning, data mining, and artificial intelligence. At the University of Akron, Dr. Durkin offers a series of courses that cover each of these areas.

Research Accomplishments

Dr. Durkin's primary research interest lies in the application of existing expert system tools to build intelligent computer programs to solve real-world problems. Using tools such as fuzzy logic, neural networks, CBR, and object-oriented programming, Dr. Durkin has developed intelligent systems in such areas as business, manufacturing, engineering, and space technology. He also been very active in introducing expert system technology into commercial and government organizations, showing them how they can leverage the technology to improve operations.

Publications

Dr. Durkin has written two books on expert systems. The book Expert Systems: Design and Development supports several expert system courses: Introduction to Expert Systems, Knowledge Engineering, Fuzzy Logic Expert System Design, and Frame-Based Expert System Design. This book has been recognized as one of the leading texts for instructing expert system technology. The book Expert Systems: Catalog of Applications provides a description of over 2500 developed expert systems cataloged into various application areas (e.g., Business, Engineering, Manufacturing, etc.). The book is of particular value to the practicing Knowledge Engineer and to a graduate student working in the field.

Education

Ph.D. Electrical Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 1983; M.S. Electrical Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 1973; B.S. Electrical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 1970

Courses

Dr. Durkin teaches a series of expert system courses which provide a student the practical skills needed to address real-world intelligent programming problems:

In addition to the series of expert system courses, Dr. Durkin coordinates and teaches the circuit analysis series of courses within the Department of Electrical Engineering: