Electrical Engineering

Educational Objectives
In support of the objectives of the College of Engineering, the Electrical Engineering major will prepare our students to be proficient at putting theory into practice, capable of lifelong learning, and be aware of the social, ethical, and environmental issues associated with their professional activities.

To ensure these goals, we expect specific accomplishments of our graduates to include the ability to:

• successfully analyze, design, or test electrical/computer systems.
• serve as a productive member of a team.
• assume leadership roles in their career.
• contribute in professional and civic service.
• pursue lifelong learning.

Student Outcomes
The outcomes necessary to achieve our program objectives for both the Electrical and Computer Engineering majors are that our students will have:

1. an ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics
2. an ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors
3. an ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences
4. an ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts
5. an ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives
6. an ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions
7. an ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.

Enrollment

Bachelor's Degrees Awarded

The application areas for electrical engineering are wide open and our program provides a broad based education that leads to employment in a diverse spectrum of industries. Our graduates have been hired at British Aerospace Engineering, IBM, ISO New England, Knolls Atomic Power Lab, Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Raytheon, Northeast Utilities, General Dynamics, Pratt & Whitney, Sandia National Laboratories, UTC Aerospace Systems, and Westinghouse, among many others. Many students head directly to graduate schools, including Arizona State University, North Carolina State University, Northeastern University, Ohio State University, SUNY, Temple University, Texas A&M University, University of Central Florida, University of New Mexico, University of Rochester, Virginia Tech, and Western New England University.

Internships
We have a very active internship program. Students are encouraged to take on internships to apply their classroom knowledge to real-world industry. Recent internship sites include Bechtel, General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin, Belcan, Convergent-Photonics, Naval Nuclear Laboratory, BAE, and UTC.

Engineering Abroad
Students have many opportunities to study abroad, including a trip to China that offers accelerated engineering courses. In a faculty-led course, students spend four weeks of studying at the Shandong University of Science and Technology (SDUST) in beautiful Shandong Province, China. Students have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the local culture and visit major landmarks, including the Great Wall of China and Tiananmen Square.

Our students participate in research projects with faculty and collaborate on projects within their majors and beyond. They also have opportunities to travel regionally and nationally to present their design projects and research papers at professional conferences.

Recent examples of grants provided for research include Acoustic Acuity, Inc., Kalos Technologies, Lockheed Martin, and The National Science Foundation.

There are several student competitions each year that allow you to present your hard work and go head-to-head with students from other schools. Entries include design projects, academic papers, and research conducted with faculty members. Our students have been successful at competitions, including winning awards at area Hackathons and at the regional IEEE Micro Mouse Competition. Students also enter their entrepreneurial inventions in the Grinspoon Entrepreneurship Initiative Competition to vie for prize money to fund their own business or product or incubate their newest ideas through the Western Mass Innovation Jam.

Our laboratories are well equipped and all facilities are available for undergraduate use. Our laboratory equipment is updated on a rotating basis, allowing for a continued renewal and industry grade technology in a rapidly changing world.

The various labs include a Circuits Laboratory, Controls and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Digital Signal/Image Processing and Communications Laboratory, Electronics Laboratory Embedded Systems Laboratory, Energy/Power Laboratory, Projects Laboratory, RF/Wireless Laboratory, and Robotics/Mechatronics Laboratory.

Additionally, our students have access to a sophisticated machine shop, 3D printers, and labs associated with other departments.

Computer Engineering students may have interests in: Institute of Electrical Engineers (IEEE), Society of Women Engineers (SWE), National Society of Black Engineering (NSBE), or the FIRST® Robotics Club. Our students participate in local and national competitions Hackerspace events, the NXP Cup car race that promotes the development of autonomous vehicles. Many of our students also participate in varsity and intramural sports, special interest groups, and student government.

As a small but robust program, the faculty get to know each individual student, which helps them customize your educational experience to suit your needs and goals. Our faculty have research expertise in areas such as RF/Wireless systems, digital signal/image processing and communications, embedded systems, robotics (mechatronics), integrated circuit design, nanotechnology, photonics, software and systems engineering, and microprocessors. Our faculty also have industrial experience that enhances their teaching as well as industrial contacts that are leveraged in obtaining internships and jobs for our students.

Program leading to BS in Electrical Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, www.abet.org