As Director of the ASU Electrical Engineering (EE) Program, I welcome you to our web site! The ASU EE Program is a strong and growing component of the ASU College of Engineering, and has made major strides in development since its inception in 1982. The Program offers a full and diverse undergraduate curriculum in both lecture and well-equipped laboratory courses, and is heavily committed to the total education, scholarship, and success of all of its students, and service to other constituents.

This is a very exciting time for the EE Program and the College of Engineering! Under its outstanding leadership, the College is delighted to now (as of August 2008) be able to offer a separate, formal Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (BSEE) degree program, along with comparable separate degrees in civil and mechanical engineering, to complement the ABET-accredited Bachelor of Science in Engineering (BSE) degree program that was established in 1982. To complement the new undergraduate degrees in-place, the College hopes to add, within the next few years, a Master of Science in Engineering program of which the EE Program will be a key participant. These developments are very fitting as ASU prepares to observe its 100-year centennial celebration in 2009!

The EE Program consists of three Ph.D. professors and approximately 50-75 students, both domestic and international, who work together in a cordial atmosphere conducive to excellence in education and scholarship. Class enrollments are usually in the range of 10-25 students, with laboratory course enrollments usually less than 20. These small classes promote frequent, direct interaction between professors and students, greatly enhancing the learning process. Laboratory courses in several electrical engineering areas provide intensive experience in experiment/data design, methodology, measurement, analysis, and communication. Students receive design experience not only through EE courses, but also through multidisciplinary Senior Design Practicum I and II courses required for all engineering majors. The EE Program and College of Engineering are also committed to preparing students for eventual licensing as Professional Engineers, and actively encourage students to take the Fundamentals of Engineering Examination during their senior year as the first step in the process. Most of the engineering faculty are themselves licensed Professional Engineers.

The EE Program offers undergraduate research opportunities in fields such as semiconductor materials and devices, electromagnetics, electrical power, and electrical machinery. Some of the faculty members are also associated with the multidisciplinary ASU graduate program in Environmental Sciences and direct graduate students in that program. Student research experience has been invaluable in augmenting students’ total education and preparing them for graduate education and/or career success. For example, the ASU Optoelectronic Materials Research Laboratory has utilized over sixty undergraduate research assistants since 1983, with many of these also serving as co-authors on journal publications and conference presentations, being recipients of student research funding, for example, Arkansas Scholars’ Undergraduate Research Fellowships, and winning various student paper/presentation competitions, for example, those sponsored by the Arkansas Academy of Science at its annual conferences. Several of these have gone-on to obtain graduate degrees at prestigious universities such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Texas A & M, Purdue University, the University of Colorado-Boulder, the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, the University of Missouri-Rolla, and the University of Arkansas.

The EE Program sponsors an active student branch of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Associated social, educational, competitive, and fund raising activities provide students a broad perspective on the profession, and opportunities for teamwork, leadership, and service. Other engineering society student branches at ASU of interest to electrical engineering majors include the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, the Society of Women Engineers, and the National Society of Black Engineers.

The EE Program has a broad alumni base, with graduates holding engineering positions in industry, utilities, academia, government, management, research and development, marketing, and consulting. This growing alumni base is a strong supporter of the EE Program in a variety of ways, including making donations, and serving as seminar speakers, members of the College’s Engineering Advisory Council, and employers and industrial internship sponsors for our students.

In addition to basic research, which has been funded by agencies including the National Institutes of Heath, the National Science Foundation, NASA, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department, and the Arkansas Science and Technology Authority, ASU EE faculty also actively participate in applied research and engineering consulting as a service to regional businesses, industries, utilities, and professionals. Engineering students sometimes also participate in these applied projects and sometimes even earn course credit for such activities through Special Problems in Electrical Engineering, Student Research in Electrical Engineering, and Engineering Internship courses. These projects have covered a variety of topics including product development, process analysis, engineering measurements, accident investigations, and intellectual property documentation. The faculty have also collaborated with other ASU academic and research programs, for example, the Department of Chemistry and Physics, the College of Agriculture, and the Environmental Sciences Program, and faculty at other universities in joint research, for example, under the Arkansas NASA and EPA EPSCOR programs.

The opportunities for additional growth, development, and service are exciting. The entire College is committed to excellence in engineering education, and the broader development and welfare of its students and other constituents. We are confident that prospective students will be delighted with the student-focused environment and total educational experience that we offer, and welcome inquiries, visits, and comments. Please let us know if we can be of assistance with your educational goals, with your research or consultant needs, or in any other way. Thank you.