The Electrical and Computer Engineering Department Heads Association                                                                             December  2018
Letter from the Editor
Badri Roysam,
University of Houston
Dear ECEDHA Members, Industry Partners, and Colleagues,

Even as millions of colorful holiday lights (now mostly LEDs) transform our nights during this holiday season, it is time to turn our attention to the "C" in ECE. Computer Engineering seems poised for a major transformation. Two of the biggest "forces" transforming this field are Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Secure Communications. We tackle the latter "force" in this issue of ECE Source, focusing on Quantum Computing.

In this issue of the Source, Kenneth Brown and Jungsang Kim at Duke University discuss quantum engineering and quantum computing. This field in the midst of an intensive phase of translational research and development that appears poised to bear fruit in the form of next-generation computers that can potentially be fast enough to break current-day encryption codes (a prospect that is both exciting and unsettling at the same time).

Many questions come to mind: "What is new here? What stage is this field at? Where is it headed?, and importantly, what should ECE departments be doing about it? Is this is a point of opportunity for ECE departments to make new types of faculty hires to help shape this emerging revolution, or is this a red herring as argued by some ?

Regardless of the answers, it is time for ECE Chairs to learn the basics and the vocabulary of quantum engineering, and study the recent report by the National Academies.

ECE in the News
Quantum Engineering: 
The Critical Role of ECE Departments in the Future of Quantum Computation
   


Kenneth Brown,
Duke University

Jungsang Kim,
Duke University

The theory of quantum mechanics was developed in the early 20th century to understand the physical phenomena in the sub-atomic world made accessible through advances in technology. These phenomena could not be explained within the framework of classical mechanics. To date, it remains one of the most accurate scientific frameworks that provide both descriptions and predictions of the physical world at all scales. The counter-intuitive nature of matter at microscopic scales make understanding of complex materials and molecules extremely difficult, yet provides opportunities for utilizing them to our advantage, such as in computing, communications, or sensing. Many of these principles have been demonstrated in the lab over the past couple of decades, but the opportunity for building practically useful devices and systems based on these novel principles remain widely open. The challenges arising from the efforts in developing useful devices define the opportunities for the engineering research in academic environments. 
Rising Stars in EECS Returns to MIT
By: MIT EECS Staff

The intensive workshop drew 76 of the world's top early-career women in EECS to campus to explore life in academia.


The Rising Stars class of 2018. Photo: Justin Knight

Some of the world's best EECS graduate students and postdoctoral researchers gathered at MIT in late October 2018 for two days of scientific discussions, informal sessions, and networking. The goal: helping them better understand and navigate the academic hiring and tenure processes.

Topics for the seventh annual workshop covered included seeking and interviewing for faculty jobs, networking, speaking, teaching, mentoring, obtaining research funding, setting up labs, earning tenure, and maintaining work-life balance.

"Past Rising Stars have been very successful," Asu Ozdaglar, MIT School of Engineering Distinguished Professor in Engineering and EECS department head, said in welcoming the participants. She noted that more than 30 percent of Rising Stars alumni hold faculty positions and another 20 percent work in industry; of the rest, the majority are still students or postdocs.
Network and Social Systems Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania

George Pappas,
University of Pennsylvania
A major strength of the Electrical and Systems Engineering department at the University of Pennsylvania is the modeling, analysis and design of large scale interconnected and networked systems. Such systems are ubiquitous. They underpin social computing (facebook, twitter), economic networks (bank lending), energy networks (smart grid) and brain networks (brain connectivity). What the underlying networks represents in each case may be different. For example, in social computing the relevant network models the frequency or intensity of bilateral interaction between users of the platform. In economic settings, networks represent bilateral externalities between agents. In the study of the brain, nodes are neurons and the links represent interacting pairs of neurons. What unites these apparently disparate areas is a belief that the structure of the relevant network shapes the activity of interest.
>> Read more
Special Announcements
Now Renewing 2018-2019 Membership!

Renew your membership today to continue receiving ECEDHA membership benefits, including:
  • The opportunity to participate in the ECEDHA Annual Survey, a valuable tool in benchmarking your organization in lab and office space, faculty and department head salaries, research budgets, student retention, graduation rates, and much more.
  • The opportunity to attend the 2019 ECEDHA Annual Conference and ECExpo
  • Complimentary job posting service via the ECEDHA website
  • Complimentary registration for ECEDHA's ECE Webinars
  • And much more!
Looking for your membership packet?  Pl ease contact Megan Bekolay at  mbekolay@ecedha.org  or 312.559.3724
Conference Corner
Registration is Now Open for the
2019 ECEDHA Annual Conference and ECExpo!

March 22-26, 2019 at the Hilton El Conquistador Tucson
in Tucson, Arizona



The ECEDHA Annual Conference and ECE xpo is the largest gathering of ECE department heads from throughout the United States and Canada.

This year's program is hosted by Arizona State University, New Mexico State University, the University of Arizona, and the University of New Mexico. Join us March 22-26, 2019 at the Hilton El Conquistador Tucson in Tucson, AZ.

The 2019 Pr ogram Committee has assembled a world-class educational program focusing on the most pressing issues facing academia and ECE today.  This year's program features:
  • A fantastic lineup of speakers from both academia and industry
  • Specialized pre-conference workshops, including a brand new ERC Workshop
  • Sessions focusing on the future of ECE - including Renewable Energy, AI, Cybersecurity, Multidisciplinary Design, Revolutionizing ECE Curricula, Robotics and Makerspaces
  • Ample networking time to connect with old friends and new acquaintances 
  • The ECExpo, with more than 40 industry leaders on hand to show the latest technologies in the field
Corporate Features
ECE Insights

ECE Insights offer in-depth interviews with leading industry executives.

Featured ECE Insights:


Beth Bezaire
Education Marketing
MathWorks

In conversation with George Pappas and Sid Deliwala of University of Pennsylvania



In This Issue
Calendar of Events
March 22-26, 2019
ECEDHA Annual Conference and ECE xpo
Hilton Tucson El Conquistador - Tucson, AZ
On Demand Webinar
In partnership with Tailfin Marketing
On Demand Webinar
Sponsored by Keysight Technologies
On Demand Webinar
A Case Study on Connected Maintenance Reliability
Sponsored by Fluke Corporation
On Demand Webinar
Rethinking Electronics Fundamentals
Sponsored by National Instruments
ECEDHA Member and Partner News
National Renewable Energy Laboratory: ESIF Visiting Scholars User Call

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has recently announced its Visiting Scholars User Call.  The Visiting Scholars User Call allows faculty and students to conduct research in state-of-the-art laboratories in the Energy Systems Integration Facility (ESIF). The ESIF contains a collection of interconnected laboratories that can accommodate megawatt-scale R&D at full power. By immersing visiting researchers into the ESIF ecosystem, the hope is that they will carry valuable insights and new capabilities back to their home institutions.

Applications for the ESIF Visiting Scholars User Call are accepted throughout the year. Meritorious applications will be granted on a rolling basis. More information and application requirements can be found at the link below.

>> Learn more
Contact the Editor  

At the ECE Source, we strive to cover topics that are relevant and timely to ECE  department heads.  We welcome your comments, feedback, and suggestions of topics t o cover in our next issue.  Thank you.

  
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