Electrical and Computer Engineering 2009-2010
Overview
Electrical Engineering
THE PROFESSION
Electrical engineering is a challenging, dynamic, and broad discipline that is expanding rapidly thanks to new methodologies, technologies, and societal needs. Areas in which electrical engineers have been making major contributions include:— Sensors, fiber optics, medical imaging, image processing, computer vision, neural networks
— Digital telephony, HDTV, low-noise communication circuits, data communication, cellular phones, signal analysis and coding, computer networks
— Microprocessors, VHDL, digital electronics
— Speech synthesis, pattern recognition, computer vision
— Electrical and electronic sensors, data acquisition, equipment design
— The generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity; stability and power system analysis and design, new energy sources, power electronics
— Antennas and wave propagation, radar, information processing of environmental data, radio science, oceanic and atmospheric research, earthquake forecasting, geophysics
WHAT DOES ONE DO WITH AN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING DEGREE?
Most B.S.E.E. graduates start out in an established industry. There the learning process continues; the practical aspects of the profession are learned. These graduates usually take an M.S. degree part-time while on the job or return for full-time study after gaining experience. Some graduates stay on as engineers, directing projects of ever-increasing size, while some move into corporate management or start their own businesses.
Some graduates go directly to professional schools in areas such as engineering (M.S. or Ph.D.), business (M.B.A.), law (J.D.), or medical school (M.D.).
THE CURRICULUM
The electrical engineering curriculum is intentionally broad and flexible. The student is introduced to almost all of the areas in electrical engineering, and to some in computer science and mechanical engineering, as well as mathematics and science. The number of free electives allows students to complete minors or explore other areas of interest. Students can specialize in areas of interest through the technical electives in the program. All students complete a capstone design project where they apply theory and skills to a practical problem.
Union’s engineering students enjoy small classes, an abundance of laboratories, integrated studio-format courses and close interaction with faculty. The undergraduate focus at Union provides many opportunities for research with faculty. Facilities include several electrical engineering laboratories dedicated to course work and projects and three computer laboratories equipped with more than 40 Linux workstations and Windows PCs, and several file servers. Computer and project laboratories are available at all hours with student ID card access locks. Students also have access to department computing resources over the campus network from their residence halls.
All of Union’s engineering programs require students to complete an international experience in the form of a term abroad, an engineering exchange, an international engineering project, or a sequence of foreign language or cultural diversity courses.
THE FACULTY
All undergraduate courses are taught by the regular faculty. Their areas of specialty are:
Palma Catravas
Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Ph.D., MIT
Topics at the interface of electrical engineering and music, acoustics, electrical engineering-based graphical techniques and visualization problems, nanoscale imaging techniques
Yu Chang
Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Ph.D., Syracuse University
Applied field theory, wireless systems, electronics, electromagnetic compatibility, circuits
Shane Cotter
Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Ph.D., University of California at San Diego
Computer networking, wireless communications, signal processing, bioinformatics, multimedia, optimization, speech coding and recognition
Helen Hanson
Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Ph.D., Harvard University
Acoustic models of speech production, acoustic analysis of speech signals, theories of speech production and perception and speech synthesis
Ekram Hassib
Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Ph.D., Warsaw Polytechnics
Digital and analog electronic circuits, communication systems and circuits
James Hedrick
Senior Lecturer in Electrical and Computer Engineering
M.S., Union College
Digital Communications, Microcontrollers, Circuit Theory, Electronics
Michael Rudko
Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Ph.D., Syracuse University
Systems and signal processing, communication theory
John Spinelli
Chair and Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Ph.D., MIT
Computer networks, communication protocols, wireless communication networks
Cherrice Traver
Dean of Engineering and Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Ph.D., University of Virginia
Computer architecture, VLSI, microprocessors, asynchronous circuits, hardware description languages
Mission Statement:
The Electrical Engineering program provides students with a solid basis in electrical engineering and its underlying mathematics and science within the framework of a liberal arts education. We prepare students for immediate professional employment, graduate study, and entry into related professions. We believe that the rigor and depth of an electrical engineering education combined with a broad study of the liberal arts provides an excellent background for students who wish to enter professions such as medicine, law, and business administration as well as engineering itself. Through our required international component, our emphasis on undergraduate research, our flexible curriculum, and the personal attention that we give to each student, we educate well-rounded members of society who are prepared to excel in an increasingly multicultural and technological world.
EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES:
Short-term objectives: The following goals apply to graduates within years one to four following graduation.
- Our graduates should be engaged professionally in positions that utilize the skills or abilities associated with broadly educated electrical engineers or in good academic standing in programs of graduate study.
- Collectively, our graduates should be employed or engaged in further study in a variety of fields and professions both within and outside of Electrical Engineering.
- Our graduates should be productive members of society and of their professions.
- Our graduates should be able to articulate how their Union College education has prepared them to achieve their career and life goals.
Long-term objectives: The following goals are added to those above for graduates five or more years after graduation.
- Our graduates should show evidence of career advancement or completion of academic studies.
- Our graduates should show evidence of life-long learning by having gained expertise in an area unfamiliar to them upon graduation.
- Our graduates should show evidence of professional recognition and continued professional development.
For more information, see the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department home page, or contact the department chair: John Spinelli (spinelli@union.edu or 518-388-6307)
Computer Engineering
THE PROFESSION
Union’s computer engineering degree is offered by the Departments of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Computer Science. Computer engineering includes the study and design of computer hardware and software systems. Whether the end result is a cell phone or a virtual reality game, the computer engineer uses knowledge of both hardware and software to solve problems and create new systems.
THE CURRICULUM
The computer engineering curriculum includes a foundation of basic science, mathematics, and general education courses, followed by a balanced set of core courses in computer science and electrical engineering. Required computer science courses include data structures, computer organization, algorithm design and software development. Core courses in electrical engineering provide skills in electrical circuits and systems, electronics, communications, digital design and microprocessors. Students can specialize in areas of interest through the technical electives in the program. All students complete a capstone design project where they apply theory and skills to a practical problem.
Union’s engineering and computer science students enjoy small classes, an abundance of laboratories, integrated studio-format courses and close interaction with faculty. The undergraduate focus at Union provides many opportunities for research with faculty. Facilities include several electrical engineering laboratories dedicated to course work and projects and three computer laboratories equipped with more than 40 Linux workstations and Windows PCs, and several file servers. Computer and project laboratories are available at all hours with student ID card access locks. Students also have access to department computing resources over the campus network from their residence halls.
All of Union’s engineering programs require students to complete an international experience in the form of a term abroad, an engineering exchange, an international engineering project, or a sequence of foreign language or cultural diversity courses.
The computer engineering program was initiated in 1995 by the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department and accredited by the EAC of ABET in 1998. Most of the graduates have gone on to work in industry. Typical entry positions include developer, systems analyst, and consultant at companies such as IBM, General Electric, DMR Consulting, Lucent Technologies, and Knolls Atomic Power Laboratories. Other students have chosen to pursue advanced degrees at universities such as Duke and RPI.
THE FACULTY
Core courses and laboratories in the computer engineering program are taught by the full-time faculty members of the Departments of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Computer Science listed below with their areas of specialty:
Valerie Barr
Chair and Professor of Computer Science
Ph.D., Rutgers University
Software testing, verification and validation of language processing systems, gender and science
Aaron Cass
Associate Professor of Computer Science
Ph.D., University of Massachusetts
Software engineering, software design, empirical data methods
Palma Catravas
Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Ph.D., MIT
Topics at the interface of electrical engineering and music, acoustics, electrical engineering-based graphical techniques and visualization problems, nanoscale imaging techniques
Yu Chang
Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Ph.D., Syracuse University
Applied field theory, wireless systems, electronics, electromagnetic compatibility, circuits
Shane Cotter
Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Ph.D., University of California at San Diego
Computer networking, wireless communications, signal processing, bioinformatics, multimedia, optimization, speech coding and recognition
Chris Fernandes
Associate Professor of Computer Science
Ph.D., Northwestern University
Database mediation, human-computer interaction, computational biology
David Hannay
Professor of Computer Science
Ph.D., RPI
Automata theory, computer architecture, management information systems
Helen Hanson
Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Ph.D., Harvard University
Acoustic models of speech production, acoustic analysis of speech signals, theories of speech production and perception and speech synthesis
Ekram Hassib
Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Ph.D., Warsaw Polytechnics
Digital and analog electronic circuits, communication systems and circuits
James Hedrick
Senior Lecturer in Electrical and Computer Engineering
M.S., Union College
Digital Communications, Microcontrollers, Circuit Theory, Electronics
David Hemmendinger
Professor of Computer Science
Ph.D., Yale University
Programming languages, algorithms, concurrency, hardware specification and verification, history of computing
John Rieffel
Assistant Professor of Computer Science
Ph.D., Brandeis University
Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Complex Systems Design
Michael Rudko
Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Ph.D., Syracuse University
Systems and signal processing, communication theory
John Spinelli
Chair and Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Ph.D., MIT
Computer networks, communication protocols, wireless communication networks
Kristina Striegnitz
Assistant Professor of Computer Science
Ph.D., Saarland University and the University Henri Poincaré Nancy 1
Natural language processing, embodied conversational agents, artificial intelligence, human-computer interaction
Andrea Tartaro
Visiting Assistant Professor of Computer Science
Ph.D., Northwestern University
Human-computer interaction, assistive technology, instructional technology
Cherrice Traver
Dean of Engineering and Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Ph.D., University of Virginia
Computer architecture, VLSI, microprocessors, asynchronous circuits, hardware description languages
See Union’s Academic Register for further information about the faculty.
MISSION STATEMENT:
The Computer Engineering program provides students with a solid basis in computer engineering and its underlying mathematics and science within the framework of a liberal arts education. We prepare students for immediate professional employment, graduate study, and entry into related professions. We believe that the rigor and depth of a computer engineering education combined with a broad study of the liberal arts provides an excellent background for students who wish to enter professions such as medicine, law, and business administration as well as engineering itself. Through our required international component, our emphasis on undergraduate research, and the personal attention that we give to each student, we educate well-rounded members of society who are prepared to excel in an increasingly multicultural and technological world.
EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES:
Short-term objectives: The following goals apply to graduates within years one to four following graduation.
- Our graduates should be engaged professionally in positions that utilize the skills or abilities associated with broadly educated computer engineers or in good academic standing in programs of graduate study.
- Collectively, our graduates should be employed or engaged in further study in a variety of fields and professions both within and outside of Computer Engineering.
- Our graduates should be productive members of society and of their professions.
- Our graduates should be able to articulate how their Union College education has prepared them to achieve their career and life goals.
Long-term objectives: The following goals are added to those above for graduates five or more years after graduation.
- Our graduates should show evidence of career advancement or completion of academic studies.
- Our graduates should show evidence of life-long learning by having gained expertise in an area unfamiliar to them upon graduation.
- Our graduates should show evidence of professional recognition and continued professional development.
For more information, see the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department home page, or contact the computer engineering program director: John Spinelli (spinelli@union.edu or 518-388-6307)