Electrical & Computer Engineering
Programs of Study
The Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) Department offers programs leading to the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in electrical and computer engineering, as well as graduate and advanced certificates. The following general areas of specialization are available to help students structure their graduate courses: communications and signal processing, computer engineering, electromagnetics and ultrasonics engineering, electronics and solid state, power engineering, and systems and controls.
Admission Requirements
M.S. Program
Students with a B.S. degree in electrical engineering or electrical and computer engineering may submit an application for admission to the M.S. program. Admission to the M.S. program will be based on a review of the application and associated references.
Applicants without a B.S. degree in electrical engineering or electrical and computer engineering, but who hold a B.S. degree in mathematics, computer engineering, physics or another engineering discipline, may also apply for admission to the M.S. degree program in electrical and computer engineering. If admitted, the applicant will be provided with required courses necessary to reach a background equivalent to the B.S. degree in electrical engineering or electrical and computer engineering, which will depend on the applicant's specific background.
Applicants with the bachelor of technology or the bachelor of engineering technology degree must typically complete about 1-1/ 2 years of undergraduate study in electrical engineering before they can be admitted to the graduate program. If admitted, the applicant will be provided with required courses necessary to reach a background equivalent to the B.S. degree in electrical engineering or electrical and computer engineering, which will depend on the applicant's specific background.
Ph.D. Program
Students with a master of science degree in electrical and computer engineering may apply for the doctoral program of study. Admission to the Ph.D. program will be based on a review of the application and associated references. Students with a bachelor of science degree in electrical and computer engineering may also apply to the Ph.D. program. If admitted (based on review of the application and associated references), the applicant may be approved for direct admission to the Ph.D. program, or to an M.S.-Ph.D. program sequence.
Degree Requirements
For the M.S.
Students pursuing the M.S. degree may take either the nonthesis option, which requires 30 graduate credits in course work, independent study, or directed research, or the thesis option, with a total of 30 graduate credits including a 9-credit thesis. In either case, at least 21 of the 30 credits must be graduate level activity (designated 500 level or above) in the field of electrical and computer engineering taken at WPI. The remaining courses may be either at the 4000 (maximum of two) or the 500 level in computer science, physics, engineering or mathematics. The complete program must be approved by the student's advisor and the Graduate Program Committee.
Program of Study
Regardless of the option chosen, each student must submit a program of study for approval by the student's advisor and the ECE Department Graduate Program Committee. To ensure that the Program of Study is acceptable, students should, in consultation with their advisor, submit it prior to the end of the semester following admission into the graduate program. Students must obtain prior approval from the Graduate Program Committee for the substitution of courses in other disciplines as part of their academic program.
All full-time students are required to attend and pass the two graduate seminar courses, ECE 596A (fall semester) and ECE 596B (spring semester). See course listings for details.
Thesis Option
The M.S. thesis is required for students who are financially supported by the department in the form of teaching assistantship, research assistantship, or fellowship. M.S. thesis research involves 9 credit hours of work, registered under the designation ECE 599, normally spread over at least one academic year. For students completing the M.S. thesis as part of their degree requirements, a thesis committee will be set up during the first semester of thesis work. This committee will be selected by the student in consultation with the major advisor and will consist of the thesis advisor (who must be a full-time WPI ECE faculty member) and at least two other faculty members whose expertise will aid the student's research program. An oral presentation before the Thesis Committee and a general audience is required. In addition, all WPI thesis regulations must be followed.
Non-Thesis Option
Although the thesis is optional for other students, all students are encouraged to include a research component in their graduate program. A directed research project, registered under the designation ECE 598, involves a minimum of 3 credit hours of work under the supervision of a faculty member. The task is limited to a well-defined goal. Note that the Graduate Program committee will not allow credit received under the thesis designation (ECE 599) to be applied toward a nonthesis M.S. degree.
Transfer Credit
Students may petition to transfer a maximum of 15 graduate semester credits, with a grade of B or better, after they have enrolled in the degree program. This may be made up of a combination of up to 9 credits from the WPI ECE graduate courses taken prior to formal admission and up to 9 credits from other academic institutions. Transfer credit will not be allowed for undergraduate level courses taken at other institutions. In general, transfer credit will not be allowed for any WPI undergraduate courses used to fulfill undergraduate degree requirements; however note that there are exceptions in the case of students enrolled in the BS/MS program.
For the Ph.D.
The degree of doctor of philosophy is conferred on candidates in recognition of high scientific attainments and the ability to carry on original research. The following is a list of requirements for students intending to obtain a Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Coursework and Residency Requirements
Students must complete 60 or more credits of graduate work beyond the credit required for the Master of Science degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering. Of the 60 credits, at least 30 credits must be research registered under the designation ECE 699.
The doctoral student must also establish two minors in fields outside of electrical engineering. Physics, mathematics and/or computer science are usually recommended. Each student selects the minors in consultation with their Research Advisor. At least 6 credits of graduate work is required in each minor area. Courses with an ECE designation which are cross-listed in the course offerings of another department cannot be used toward fulfilling the requirements of a minor area.
Full-time residency at WPI for at least one academic year is required while working toward a Ph.D. degree.
Research Advisor and Committee Selection
The doctoral student is required to select a Research Advisor and their Committee prior to scheduling their Diagnostic Examination. This will usually occur prior to the start of the student's second semester in the graduate program. The Research Advisor and all members of the Committee must hold doctoral degrees. The Research Advisor must be a full-time ECE faculty member. The Committee must consist of at least two faculty members, at least one of which must be an ECE faculty member and at least one which must be from outside the ECE department or from outside WPI. The Committee is usually selected by the student in consultation with the Research Advisor. All members of the committee must be approved by the Research Advisor.
A completed Research Advisor and Committee Selection form must be filed with the ECE department prior to taking the Diagnostic Exam. A student may change their Research Advisor or members of their Committee by submitting a new Research Advisor and Committee Selection form to the Graduate Secretary. Changes to the student's Research Advisor after completion of the diagnostic examination must be approved by the ECE Graduate Program Committee. Changes to the student's Committee after completion of the area examination must be approved by the ECE Graduate Program Committee. Diagnostic Examination Requirement The doctoral student is required to complete the diagnostic examination requirement during the first year beyond the M.S. degree (or equivalent number of credits, for students admitted directly to the Ph.D. program) with a grade of Pass. The diagnostic examination is scheduled with the student's Research Advisor and Committee. Prior to scheduling the diagnostic examination, a student must have a completed Research Advisor and Committee
Selection form on file in the ECE department.
The diagnostic examination is administered by the student's Research Advisor and at least one member of the Committee. Full participation of the Committee is recommended. At the discretion of the research advisor, additional faculty outside of the student's committee may also participate in the diagnostic examination. The diagnostic examination is intended to be an opportunity to evaluate the student's level of academic preparation and identify any shortcomings in the student's background upon entrance to the PhD program. The format and duration of the diagnostic examination is at the discretion of the student's Research Advisor and Committee. The examination may be written or oral and may include questions to test the general background of the student as well as questions specific to the student's intended area of research. The Research Advisor and Committee determine the outcome of the diagnostic examination (Pass, Repeat, or Fail) and any required remediation intended to address shortcomings identified in the student's background. A grade of Fail will result in dismissal from the graduate program. A grade of Repeat requires the student to reschedule and retake the diagnostic examination. A grade of Pass is expected to also include a summary of any prescribed remediation including, but not limited to, coursework, reading assignments, and/or independent study. Irrespective of outcome of the examination, a diagnostic examination completion form, signed by the student's Research Advisor and committee, must be filed with the ECE department upon completion of the examination.
Area Examination Requirement
The doctoral student is required to pass the area examination before writing a dissertation. The area examination is intended to be an opportunity for the student's Advisor and Committee members to evaluate the suitability, scope, and novelty of the student's proposed dissertation topic. The format of the area examination is at the discretion of the student's Advisor and Committee but will typically include a presentation by the student describing the current state of their research field, their planned research activities, and the expected contributions of their work.
Students are eligible to take the area examination after they have successfully completed the diagnostic examination and have completed at least three semesters of coursework in the graduate program. All PhD students are required to successfully complete the area examination prior to the completion of their seventh semester in the graduate program. Failure to successfully complete the area examination prior to the end of the student's seventh semester will be considered a failure to make satisfactory academic progress.
The Research Advisor and Committee determine the Pass/Fail outcome of the area examination. A grade of Fail will result in dismissal from the graduate program. Area examination completion forms must be signed by the student's Research Advisor and Committee Members and filed with the ECE department upon completion of the examination.
Dissertation Requirement
All Ph.D. students must complete and orally defend a dissertation prepared under the general supervision of their Research Advisor. The research described in the dissertation must be original and constitute a contribution to knowledge in the major field of the candidate. The Research Advisor and Committee certifies the quality and originality of the dissertation research, the satisfactory execution of the dissertation and the preparedness of the defense.
The Graduate Secretary must be notified of a student's defense at least seven days prior to the date of the defense, without exception. A student may not schedule a defense until at least three months after they have completed the area examination.
For the Combined B.S./ Master's Program
A WPI student accepted into the B.S./ Master's program may use 6 credit hours of work for both the B.S. and M.S. degrees. Additional graduate credit hours of work (beyond the 15 units required for the B.S. degree) up to a total of 12 credit hours may be transferred from the student's undergraduate transcript. All of these course credits must be defined prior to enrollment in the courses.
A student must define the 12 credit hours at the time of applying to the B.S./Master's program. The 12 credit hours may be all advanced undergraduate courses, graduate courses, or combinations of both at the discretion of the student's advisor, subject to the approval of the ECE department Graduate Program Committee.
At the start of Term A in the senior year, but no later than at the time of application, students are required to submit to the graduate coordinator of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department a list of proposed courses to be taken as part of the master's degree program. A copy of the student's transcript (grade report) must be included with the application.
A student who intends to complete the B.S./Master's program is required to be a full-time graduate student until the M.S. degree requirements are met. Any student who is accepted into the B.S./Master's program and who elects to finish the M.S. degree part time will be required to meet the normal, non-B.S./Master's program degree requirements.
Electrical and Computer Engineering Research Laboratories/Centers
Analog Microelectronics Laboratory
Prof. McNeill
The Analog Microelectronics Laboratory was opened in 1998, funded by NSF grants for the purchase of test and measurement equipment, which is dedicated to support work in the areas of high-speed data communication, high-speed imaging, and mixed signal circuit design. In addition to the direct impact on research, this equipment has also enabled the Analog Microelectronics Laboratory to become a valuable resource for educating both undergraduates and graduate students in the complete integrated circuit (IC) design process.
Current research in the lab is focused on self-calibrating analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) and mixed-signal IC design for biomedical applications.
Antenna Laboratory
Prof. Makarov
This laboratory contains facilities for the simulation and development of basic communication antennas. The laboratory is equipped with a high-frequency network analyzer, spectrum analyzers, broadband RF amplifiers, and signal generators. Software systems supported include Ansoft HFSS antenna/EM simulator (multiple licenses). The laboratory is also equipped with other hardware tools to support antenna- related projects. The laboratory has been particularly active in the area of patch antenna design.
Center for Wireless Information Networking Studies (CWINS)
Prof. Pahlavan
This center is recognized as a pioneering facility in the important and rapidly growing area of wireless personal and data communications. The lab is supported by a broad range of networking and telecommunications corporations.
The work of CWINS is quite diverse. In recent years, basic research has been conducted in channel modeling and simulation, spread-spectrum techniques, adaptive equalization, multiple-access methods, network architectures, wireless optical communications, microstrip antennas and RF circuit design. The lab has been particularly active in the measurement of indoor RF propagation.
Computational Fields Laboratory
Prof. Ludwig
The purpose of this laboratory is to serve as a computational resource to undergraduate and graduate students interested in numerical analysis as applied to problems in computational electrodynamics and acoustics. The lab contains a wide variety of platforms, including Pentium-class PCs and several workstations for X-window applications. Software utilities supporting numerical analysis (mesh-making algorithms, matrix solvers, graphics interface drivers) are of particular interest to the lab community, as is the development of integrated packages targeted for research or educational purposes.
Embedded Computer Systems Laboratory
Prof. Duckworth
This laboratory contains facilities for the research and development of embedded computer systems. The laboratory is also equipped with logic analyzers, in-circuit emulators and other equipment to support computer system projects. Software systems supported by this laboratory include several VHDL/FPGA development systems, as well as a variety of software development tools (C, CTT, ASW, PIC developments, and so forth).
The laboratory is also equipped with logic analyzers, in-circuit emulators and other equipment to support computer system projects. Software systems supported by this laboratory include various VLSI design and verification packages, several VHDL/FPGA development systems, and a variety of software development tools (C, CTT, ASW, PIC developments, and so forth).
Convergent Technologies Center (CTC)
Prof. Cyganski
The laboratories in this center combine diverse expertise for the exploration of the emerging and converging technologies of computing, communications and cognition. The Polaroid Machine Vision Laboratory (PMVL), and Network Computing Applications and Multimedia (NETCAM) laboratory focus on the development of 62 Electrical and Computer Engineering Electrical and Computer Engineering 63 new algorithms and on moving emergent technologies into commercial, medical and defense-related applications for its sponsors.
Research in the CTC's NETCAM lab derives from the technologies generated by the success of the Internet, digital multimedia, and distributed objects and middleware. Current projects explore the optimization of network protocols for multimedia, distributed-object services (CORBA) and virtual-reality-based user interfaces.
Research in the CTC's PMVL has resulted in the development of highly efficient algorithms and new theoretical performance bounds for machine vision, automatic target recognition, and image fusion for optical, IR SAR and SONAR data.
Center for Sensory and Physiologic Signal Processing - C(SP)2
Prof. Clancy
Researchers within the C(SP)2 apply signal processing, mathematical modeling, and other electrical and computer engineering skills to study applications involving electromyography (EMG - the electrical activity of skeletal muscle). We are improving the detection and interpretation of EMG for such uses as the control of powered prosthetic limbs, restoration of gait after stroke or traumatic brain injury, musculoskeletal modeling, and clinical/scientific assessment of neurologic function.
Power Electronics and Power Systems Laboratory
Profs. Clements, Emanuel
This laboratory has been established for simulation of a large variety of linear, nonlinear and time-varying loads, including transistor- and thyristor-controlled loads. It contains transducers and instrumentation for a wide range of voltages, currents and frequencies. Compatible computer equipment and A/D interfaces are available for real-time data acquisition and processing. The Power Systems Laboratory has the basic facilities for electromechanical energy conversion study, including sets of induction/ synchronous/DC machines coupled together.
Center for Advanced Integrated Radio Navigation (CAIRN)
Prof. Michalson
This laboratory provides facilities for work on civilian uses of satellite systems, especially the Global Positioning System (GPS). Receivers, signal processors and computers are provided for work on utilization of the DOD GPS system for civilian purposes, especially aircraft navigation and landing. Ultrasound Research Laboratory Prof. Pedersen The Ultrasound Research Lab is engaged in several critical endeavors in medical imaging: The team is developing a wearable untethered lightweight ultrasound scanner that is voice command controlled, uses head mounted display, and has wireless upload of images. Such a scanner may be used in military medicine, for rural health and in emergency medicine. The wearable imaging system is being further developed with three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound capabilities, by use of position and angle sensors, so that not only anatomical slices can be observed, but whole organs or lesions or vessels can be observed as a 3D object, with possibility for volume estimation. Another effort is in tissue boundary detection, for expanding the 3D applications. Other efforts involve the design of ultrasound phantoms in which injuries such as abdominal bleeding and collapsed lung can be emulated, and development of non-invasive technique for detection of the vulnerable plaque, that is, arterial plaque which has a high risk of leading to a stroke
The Ultrasound Research Laboratory has office space for graduate students and research space for ultrasound experiments, numerical modeling work, and development of electronic circuits. The lab has medical ultrasound scanners, modified for research purposes. Ultrasound pulser/receivers and measurement tanks are available, including a scanning tank with stepper motor controlled positioning system for the ultrasound measurements. The lab is well equipped with computers and general instrumentation.
Cryptography and Information Security (CRIS) Laboratory
Prof. Sunar
The CRIS Laboratory conducts research and development in cryptography and its applications. One research focus is fast implementations of the next generation of public-key algorithms such as elliptic and hyperelliptic curve schemes. We work on fast software algorithms and efficient hardware architectures. The lab is equipped with industry-standard development tools for ASIC and FPGA target hardware. We also apply Xilink FPGAs and Altera EPLDs to new types of cryptosystems, which allow for a fast switch of privatekey encryption algorithms ("algorithm agility").
Another research focus is the integration of cryptography and data security into new communication networks. We work on the design and implementation of security protocols for wireless networks, with an emphasis on wireless LANs. Another network type of interest is the high-speed Asynchronous Transfer Mode network. We investigate system design and algorithmic issues.
The CRIS lab is actively involved in a number of joint projects with industry. The lab has also strong ties to research groups in the United States and Europe, with frequent exchange of graduate students. Together with strong graduate course offerings in cryptography, WPI's research lab provides excellent opportunities for cutting-edge research and graduate education.
Signal Processing and Information Networking Laboratory (SPINLab)
Prof. Brown
SPINLab was established in 2002 with the primary mission of analyzing and developing new linear and nonlinear signal processing techniques to improve the performance of high-speed information networks. Currently, our major focus areas include channel identification and equalization, synchronizaation, interference cancellation, and multiuser detection for copper, optical and wireless channels. We have also recently begun to study software radio techniques for efficient implementation of digital communication systems and signal processing algorithms. SPINLab has established relationships with several telecommunications corporations and offers research opportunities at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. For more details, please see the SPINLab Web page at http://spinlab.wpi.edu.
Faculty
Fred J. Looft, Professor and Department Head; Ph.D., Michigan. Instrumentation, digital and analog systems, signal processing, biomedical engineering, microprocessor systems and architectures, space-flight systems.
Donald R. Brown, Associate Professor; Ph.D., Cornell University. Network protocols cooperate communication in networks, interference mitigation for multiuser communication systems, adaptive channel equalization, signal processing applications.
Edward (Ted) A. Clancy, Associate Professor; Ph.D., MIT. Biomedical signal processing and modeling, biomedical instrumentation. Kevin A. Clements, Professor; Ph.D., Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn. Application of control and estimation theory to electric power systems, reliability evaluation of electric power systems.
David Cyganski, Professor; Ph.D., Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Optimization and security of Internet communications, distributed and fault tolerant computing, CORBA, and problems related to machine vision and automatic target recognition.
James S. Demetry, Professor Emeritus; Ph.D., Naval Postgraduate School. Control systems design and analysis, computerassisted instruction.
R. James Duckworth, Associate Professor; Ph.D., Nottingham University. Embedded computer system design, computer architecture, real-time systems, wireless instrumentation, rapid prototyping, logic synthesis.
Wilhelm H. Eggimann, Professor Emeritus; Ph.D., Case Western Reserve. Computer engineering, VLSI, electromagnetic fields.
Alexander E. Emanuel, Professor; D.Sc., Israel Institute of Technology. Power quality, power electronics, electromagnetic design, high-voltage technology.
Michael Gennert, Associate Professor; Sc.D., MIT. Computational vision, image processing, scientific databases, artificial intelligence, programming language semantics.
Ximing Huang, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., Virginia Tech. Reconfigurable computing, VLSI integrated circuits, networked embedded systems.
Hossein Hakim, Associate Professor and Associate Department Head; Ph.D., Purdue University. Digital signal processing, system engineering.
Andrew Klein, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., Cornell University. Signal processing for communication systems, cooperative networks, adaptive parameter estimation, and equalization.
H. Peter D. Lanyon, Professor Emeritus; Ph.D., University of Leicester. Wenjing Lou, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., University of Florida. Wireless networks, ad-hoc networks, computer networks, with an emphasis on routing and network security.
Reinhold Ludwig, Professor; Ph.D., Colorado State University. Electromagnetic and acoustic nondestructive evaluation (NDE),electromagnetic/acoustic sensors, electromechanical device modeling, piezoelectric array transducers, numerical simulation, inverse and optimization methods for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Sergey N. Makarov, Associate Professor; Ph.D., St. Petersburg State University (Russia). Antennas: numerical simulation, broadband and ultrawideband antennas, frequency selective surfaces, metal photonic elements, metal lenses.
John A. McNeill, Associate Professor and Co-Director of the Limerick, Ireland, Project Center; Ph.D., Boston University. Mixed signal integrated circuit design.
William R. Michalson, Professor; Ph.D., Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Satellite navigation, real-time embedded computer systems, digital music and audio signal processing, simulation and system modeling.
John A. Orr, Professor; Dean of Undergraduate Studies; Ph.D. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Digital signal processing, image analysis/ pattern recognition, power quality, communications.
Kaveh Pahlavan, Professor; Ph.D., Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Sensor and ad hoc wireless networks, indoor geolocation, data communication, information networks.
Peder C. Pedersen, Professor and Director of the Denmark Project Center; Ph.D., University of Utah. Wireless integration of portable ultrasound systems, 3-ultrasound visualization, tissue characterization with ultrasound; atherosclerotic plaque classification; modeling and optimizing pulseecho ultrasound systems; ultrasound methods for assessing bone microarchitecture.
Robert A. Peura, Professor; Ph.D., Iowa State University, 1969. Biomedical instrumentation and biosensors; noninvasive measurement of blood glucose and urea; impedance imaging and spectroscopy.
L. R. Ram-Mohan, Professor; Ph.D., Purdue University. Field theory, many-body problems, solid-state physics, and finite-element modeling of quantum systems.
John M. Sullivan Jr., Professor; D.E., Dartmouth College, 1986. Design of computer-aided engineering systems, development of graphics tools and mesh generation, numerical analysis of partial differential equations.
Berk Sunar, Associate Professor; Ph.D., Oregon State University. Cryptography and network security, high-performance computing and error control codes.
Richard F. Vaz, Associate Professor, Dean of the Interdisciplinary and Global Studies Division, Co-Director of the Bangkok Project Center, and Director of the Limerick, Ireland, Project Center; Ph.D., Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Technological education reform, internationalization of higher education, project-based education, sustainable design and appropriate technology.
Alexander Wyglinski, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., McGill University. Cognitive and software-defined radio systems, wireless networks. 64 Electrical and Computer Engineering Electrical and Computer Engineering 65
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Last modified: August 08, 2007 09:58:55