The Electrical and Computer Engineering Department Heads Association
May 2023
Letter from the Guest Editor

The End of This Semester is Different
Badri Roysam
University of Houston
Dear ECEDHA Members, Industry Partners, and Colleagues,

As the semester (thankfully) draws to a close, and the grade appeals are being resolved (hopefully, amicably), it comes to mind that the Spring 2023 semester is perhaps a little different, primarily because the Fall 2023 semester may turn out to be, shall we say, "interesting." With increasingly capable ChatGPT versions being released at an accelerating clip and various other AI tools competing for the future of the "knowledge business," we may well be at a turning point in the education business. This topic is intertwined with the problem of student under-preparedness caused by the pandemic and the problem of eroding academic integrity. What this means is that in the Summer of 2023, we need to do some learning and planning.

In this issue of the ECEDHA Source, we are delighted to spotlight Mark McKinney at The Citadel, now as the newly elected ECEDHA Secretary. If you recall, Mark penned a thought-provoking article on The Honor Code and the Engineering Code of Ethics as taught at The Citadel - the military college of South Carolina. Granted, the typical ECE department is not so tightly connected with military culture, but there is much that we can learn from his experience. This article is presented as a video interview conducted by Barry Sullivan. We are also delighted to feature an article by our colleagues at West Virginia University about understanding the impact of ChatGPT and figuring out the path forward. We have always admired pioneers - people and institutions that chart entirely new paths with original ideas and approaches. In this context, we are delighted to feature an article by Melanie Lenart describing Navajo Tech's first Ph.D. program offered by a tribal college.

One of the long-term strengths of ECEDHA is our robust engagement with the corporate community. In this issue of the ECEDHA Source, we are delighted to feature a conversation with Hayne Shumate at Mouser, and welcome Analog Devices as a new Corporate Member.

Do you have an initiative in your department that would be worth sharing? We would love to feature your efforts in the next ECEDHA Source newsletter. Increasingly, our articles are in the form of the ECE Conversations video podcast. It is friendly, authentic, personal, and natural.

Meet the 2023 ECEDHA Secretary!
ECEDHA is pleased to announce our newly elected Secretary to the Board of Directors.
ECEDHA Secretary:

Mark McKinney
Department Head and Professor
ECE
The Citadel

Featured Articles
P. Banerjee
Anurag K. Srivastava
Don Adjeroh
Ramana Reddy
Nima Karimian

Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering
Banjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources
West Virginia University
Understanding ChatGPT: Impact Analysis and Path Forward for Teaching Computer Science and Engineering

ChatGPT has become the most popular regenerative AI application, used for obtaining responses for queries in different domains. Some responses of ChatGPT reported in the internet are accurate, others are funny, and some are fictitious. This article focuses on the application of ChatGPT for academic instructional purposes in the field of Computer engineering and related majors. The capability of ChatGPT for instructional purposes is evaluated by providing responses to different questions pertaining to these engineering streams. This article explores different opportunities with use cases, ChatGPT can provide in augmenting the learning experience. It also provides scenarios of limitations and modifying the evaluation process to prevent the use of ChatGPT for unethical means of learning.

Melanie Lenart
Native Science Report
PhD in Diné Culture at Navajo Tech

It's the first doctoral program offered by a tribal college

Learning how to conduct respectful community-based research will be a major component of the new Ph.D. at Navajo Technical University. As befitting for the first doctorate degree offered by a tribal college, students will learn Indigenous methodology as well as Western approaches to research.

Plans call for five students to launch this fall the new online doctoral program in Diné Culture and Language Sustainability. "The emphasis will be on sustaining the distinct culture and complex language of the Navajo, also known as Diné, across a variety of disciplines, with research as a unifying theme.

Franklin Sage, a faculty member who will teach research methods and Navajo culture in the program, said master's-degree-holding students entering the program will start off with refresher courses in three Western approaches to research: qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods.

Mouser's Electronics' Online Calculators Help Speed Electronic Design Process for Aspiring Engineers

Mouser Electronics, Inc., the authorized global distributor with the newest semiconductors and electronic components, is also a single destination for all of the technical resources and tools to help aspiring and professional engineers throughout the design process.

Mouser's free Technical Resource Center now offers an extensive lineup of online calculators designed to help engineers of all skill levels save time figuring out anything from power conversion computations to resistor color codes.

ECE Conversations
Hayne Shumate
Mouser
Association Announcements
New Corporate Member:
Welcome Analog Devices
Analog Devices has built one of the longest standing, highest growth companies within the technology sector utilizing cultural pillars such as innovation, performance, and excellence. Acknowledged industry-wide as the world leader in data conversion and signal conditioning technology, Analog Devices serves over 100,000 customers, representing virtually all types of electronic equipment. Celebrating over 50 years as a leading global manufacturer of high-performance integrated circuits used in analog and digital signal processing applications, Analog Devices is headquartered in Norwood, Massachusetts, with design and manufacturing facilities throughout the world. Analog Devices is included in the S&P 500 Index. Learn more at www.analog.com.
Corporate Advisory
Council Member:

Samantha Fontaine
Director of Technology for Social Impact
Analog Devices
ECEDHA Annual Survey
Now open for data collection!

We are pleased to announce that the ECEDHA Annual Survey is now open for participation!

Information to participate has been sent to each department chair.

Please note that your institution's ECEDHA membership must be in good standing in order to participate.

For more information, or for assistance in accessing the survey, contact Michelle Klein at [email protected].

The survey will remain open until May 31, 2023. You must submit your responses by this date in order to gain access to the survey results.
Product Spotlight of the Month
With Moku:Go, engineering students can use multiple instruments on one device for a modern, intuitive learning experience
Show students how to create a customized test system on a single piece of hardware, and connect classroom concepts to modern careers.

With Multi-instrument Mode (MiM), students can use two instruments simultaneously on Moku:Go. Multi-instrument Mode enables you to build custom test configurations on your Moku device's FPGA with low-latency, lossless interconnects for less cabling and impairments.

Have an article you would like to share?

Articles of interest to ECEDHA members for the ECEDHA Source are always welcome. Email your article for consideration to [email protected]

A Little Engineering Humor
How do you get an engineer to do something you want them to do?

Tell them it's "impossible."
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