The Electrical and Computer Engineering Department Heads Association                                                                                  March  2019

Letter from the Editor
Badri Roysam,
University of Houston
Dear ECEDHA Members, Industry Partners, and Colleagues,

The upcoming 35th ECEDHA Annual Conference and ECExpo in Tucson, AZ includes a dedicated new ECELab Technology Track that is geared specifically for ECE Lab Professionals. As a Chair, I find that our labs are becoming quite complex, and their requirements are becoming intricate and/or specialized. It is therefore a wise decision to have our appropriate colleagues who manage/oversee our labs (Lab Managers, Associate Chair, ...) attend the conference, and experience the new developments in this area first hand. This track nicely complements the traditional ECExpo exhibit floor, and provides an opportunity for much needed discussions on the future of our student-oriented labs.

The ECE Communicators Program, a (relatively) recent addition to the annual conference, is a prominent feature again this year. We just had our Spring student recruiting event in Houston last weekend, and I must say that the prospective students related very well to the "The Future is What we Do" themed messaging for my department. This messaging is a powerful value-added from ECEDHA, and its worth is already apparent.
 
As in the past, we are especially looking forward to our student-oriented programming, especially the iREDEFINE Workshop aimed at preparing women and minority PhD students for faculty careers, the IEEE-HKN Workshop, that brings together students transitioning into industry and professionals to discuss personal career paths, and my favorite - the Makerspace exhibits. Our students in Houston have been busily preparing their exhibits, and they seem a lot more sophisticated this year.
 
Our perennially popular ABET and New Chairs Workshops on March 22nd are now joined by an NSF-ERC Workshop and the IEC workshop that brings together the leaders of ECE programs in HBCUs, MSI, and HSI institutions.

A Message from the Executive Director
ECE in the News
>> Read more
Sponsored Video
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Analog Devices ADALM-PLUTO SDR Active Learning Module (PlutoSDR) introduces the fundamentals of software-defined radio (SDR), radio frequency (RF), and wireless communications to electrical engineering students. Designed for all levels and backgrounds, students can use this self-contained, portable RF lab in an instructor-led or self-led setting.

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Conference Corner
Host University Spotlight: Arizona State University

Stephen Phillips,
Arizona State University
On behalf of the School of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering in the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University, I would like to welcome you to the 2019 ECEDHA Annual Conference and ECExpo.
 
ASU Engineering is the largest and most comprehensive engineering school in the United States with more than 22,400 students from across the United States and 135 countries. We offer 25 undergraduate programs and 44 graduate programs, including our newest master's degrees in User Experience and Robotics and Autonomous Systems, an interdisciplinary degree drawing on electrical engineering, computer science, computer engineering, and mechanical and aerospace engineering.
 
The Fulton Schools emphasize discovery, design, innovation, entrepreneurship and societal impact. We had $104 million in research expenditures in 2018, driving faculty, graduate and undergraduate research in our core research themes: energy, health, sustainability, education and security. Many of our 350 tenured/tenure-track faculty members have been honored with the highest awards in their fields, including members of the National Academy of Engineering and the National Academy of Sciences.

>>  Read more
Host University Spotlight: University of New Mexico

Michael Devetsikiotis,
University of New Mexico
The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at UNM consists of 31 faculty members, 7 IEEE fellows, 3 OSA fellows, 2 SPIE fellows, 1 Directed Energy Fellow, and 2 Endowed Chairs. We currently educate 317 undergrad students and 198 graduate students from which 100 seek a Ph.D. degree, and we continue to grow.

History
The University of New Mexico School of Engineering, originally known as the College of Engineering, opened in 1906 . With time, advances in technology, social change, and the dedication and foresight of many talented people, the School has become a leader in education and research in engineering and computer science.

Highly interdisciplinary research is integrated into the classroom. Collaborations within UNM and with other universities, the national laboratories, and industry hold promise for innovative solutions to critical societal challenges.
Technology and social forces have shaped the School of Engineering, causing enrollment fluctuations and spurring the development of new programs. In recent decades, an emphasis on diversity and improving access to higher education for underrepresented groups ha ve transformed the School's student population into a very diverse group.

>>  Read more
Register Today for the
2019 ECEDHA Annual Conference and ECExpo!

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


Register today and take advantage of the early bird rate!

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:
In This Issue
Calendar of Events
March 22, 2019
ABET Workshop
Presented at the ECEDHA Annual Conference
Hilton Tucson El Conquistador - Tucson, AZ
March 22, 2019
ERC Workshop
Presented at the ECEDHA Annual Conference
Hilton Tucson El Conquistador - Tucson, AZ
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

Special Announcements
ECEDHA is pleased to welcome its newest corporate member!


Finalize Your 2018-2019 Membership Today!

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
ECEDHA Member and Partner News
ASEE Chair's Conclave

ASEE is offering a one-day Chair's Conclave in conjunction with the ASEE Annual Conference.
 
Hear from expert speakers on topics including leadership skills, department culture, lifelong learning as a chair, knowing your strengths as a leader, conducting faculty evaluations, and more!
 
Designed by chairs, for chairs, the Chairs Conclave is an exclusive forum for engineering and engineering technology department chairs to exchange ideas and experiences, talk through challenges, and build working relationships. 

Meeting Dates: June 16, 2019
Location: Tampa, Florida

>> Learn more 
NSF/NAE Sponsored Workshop on "Combating Climate Change: Can it also help the ECE Renaissance?"

With NSF funding, co-sponsored by NAE, we have organized a workshop to discuss what we can do, if anything, to reverse the declining enrollment trend in EE.

Would it be possible to enable high school teachers to teach a course that becomes a pipeline to EE? Can such a course get college credits?

April 19th will be reserved for active discussion, while April 20th will allow time for hands-on experience and hardware experiments that could be utilized in high school courses.

Meeting Dates: April 19-20, 2019
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Meeting Venue: Graduate Hotel, Minneapolis
Hotel Deadline: March 31, 2019

>> Learn more
>> Register here
Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) in Multidisciplinary Cybersecurity

This is a multidisciplinary cybersecurity research site for REU, funded by NSF. Students from all relevant disciplines are encouraged to apply.

Applicants may choose from research projects across multiple disciplines like computer science, electrical engineering, computer engineering, criminal justice, information technology, psychology, etc., listed in the REU website.

Research Dates: May 29 - August 2, 2019
Location: University of Iceland, Reykjavik
Application Deadline: March 15, 2019

>> Learn more
>> Apply here
International Workshop on Thin-Films for Electronics, Electro-Optics, Energy and Sensors (TFE3S)

Present your research to the global thin-film research community at the 3 rd international workshop on TFE3S. You'll join fellow experts and researchers from our organizing/sponsor institutions and many other top scholars from around the world.  

The workshop is organized by the Center of Excellence for Thin-film Research and Surface Engineering (CETRASE), University of Dayton, in cooperation with the University of Iceland and The Pennsylvania State University.  

Location: University of Iceland, Reykjavik
Dates: June 24-26, 2019

>> Learn more
Franklin Institute Awards: Call for Nominations in Neural Networks for Machine Learning

The Franklin Institute seeks nominations for the 2020 Bower Award and Prize for Achievement in Science.

Individuals are encouraged to submit nominations for those who have made significant contributions to the development of neural networks for machine learning-hardware or software systems designed as networks of artificial neurons that can be given raw data and trained to automatically discover abstract features that are relevant to detection, classification, or translation, resulting in desired outputs.

Deadline: May 31, 2019
Prize: $250,000 USD

>> Learn more
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

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.