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  • John A. McNeill
John A. McNeill
John A. McNeill
Electrical & Computer Engineering
Professor
Affiliated Department or Office: 
Electrical & Computer Engineering
Education: 
AB Engineering Sciences Dartmouth College 1983
MS Electrical & Computer Engineering University of Rochester 1991
PhD Electrical, Computer, and Systems Engineering Boston University 1994

John A. McNeill, PhD, a faculty member at WPI since 1994, has been named interim Dean of Engineering. He has just completed a year as a visiting researcher at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, working on a team developing a wearable wireless sensor for prevention of pressure ulcers (bedsores). In addition to his work in biomedical sensing, McNeill’s research interests include digitally assisted calibration of analog-to-digital converters used in low power sensor systems.

After working in industry during the 1980s, McNeill returned to school and received his PhD from Boston University in 1994. His PhD work was a collaboration with Analog Devices to develop design techniques to reduce noise in integrated oscillators used in telecommunication systems. He continues to maintain close ties to industry as founding director of the New England Center for Analog and Mixed Signal Design, a university-industry collaborative that conducts research on cutting-edge mixed signal (analog + digital) integrated circuits and systems.

"My favorite course to teach is ECE3204, Microelectronics II. This course is right on the boundary between analog signals in the physical world and digital processing and storage of information. It's a great course for students who want to know "how things work." I use a digital audio system as the theme for the course, following the audio signal as it travels through the system. We start from an analog source such as a microphone or guitar pickup, through filtering, sampling, and analog-to-digital conversion; then, after storage and processing in the digital domain, conversion back to analog form and power amplification to drive headphones or a speaker.

Before joining WPI, I spent almost 10 years in the electronics industry, so I bring an additional, more applied perspective to my teaching. A student who becomes excited about a "real world" application of a concept and wants to take this energy to the next level might need a better explanation, a new resource, or a different approach. This is when I feel I can really make a difference in the student’s education, when he or she is ready to really take off.

My research and project advising interests are focused on university-industry collaboration through the New England Center for Analog and Mixed Signal Design (NECAMSID) and emphasizes design of cutting-edge mixed (analog + digital) integrated circuits and systems. Both graduate and undergraduate students work in the Center. To me, this is central to WPI's mission of educating excellent engineers who are equipped with the necessary tools to not only do their job on day one, but also advance into leadership and innovation positions in their field.

Finally, when students ask me for advice on what kind of problems to pursue, I advise them to follow what they are passionate about. In my experience, success is a combination of luck, timing, and preparation. You can't do much about the luck, but if you are working in an area that interests you and you're prepared for an opportunity when things break your way, good things happen!"

Office Location
Atwater Kent 128a
Contact
Phone: 
+1-508-831-5567
mcneill@wpi.edu
Personal Website

Research Interests

Research Interests: 
analog microelectronics
high-speed imaging and mixed signal circuit characterization

News

John McNeill sitting in a chair in his office.
WPI Journal
Faculty Snapshot: John A. McNeill
June 24, 2019
Fire helmet in lab alt
WPI’s UL Fire Protection Engineering Performance Lab allows for large scale tests and project based research.
Press Release
WPI Hosts Center for Global Public Safety Industry Stakeholders' Forum
March 26, 2019
Dr. Louis Gritzo
Press Release
WPI to Host Second Annual Global Public Safety Symposium
September 12, 2018
An exterior shot of WPI Seaport, which is made up of floor-to-ceiling glass windows, and is in front of a body of water.
Daily Herd Research
Innovation Day at the Seaport Space
May 30, 2018
See More News

Patents

Multi-Channel Electrophysiologic Signal Data Acquisition System on an Integrated Circuit
Other Inventor(s):
William R. Michalson, Edward A. Clancy
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