Areas of graduate specialization
- Artificial intelligence (AI)
- Circuits and system-on-chip
- Computer systems and networks
- Control systems and robotics
- E-mobility
- Micro and nanoscale sensors, devices and systems
- Power systems and sustainable energy
- Signal processing and communications
Artifical intelligence (AI)
Students will develop the core concepts that build a foundation for artificial intelligence theory and practice. This concentration provides unique training on the design of hardware accelerators for AI , targeting industrial applications in autonomous systems, image processing, augmented reality, and health care to name a few.
Faculty
- Mohammed Alawad
- Mohammad Alhawari
- Nabil J. Sarhan
- Xingu Zhou
Primary courses
- ECE 5995: Design of Deep Convolutional Neural Networks (W)
- ECE 7995: AI for Natural Language Processing (F)
- ECE 7995: Online and Adaptive Methods for Machine Learning (W)
Circuits and system-on-chip
Students will learn the fundamentals of analog and mixed-signal circuit design for building systems on an electronic chip in a broad spectrum of applications such as 5G communication, AI accelerators, energy harvesting, and IoT. This concentration provides unique training and hands-on experience on state-of-the-art CAD design tools that are utilized in the industry for chip design.
Faculty
- Mohammad Alhawari
- Mohammad Hassoun
- Mohammed Ismail
- Dimitrios Sounas
Primary courses
- ECE 5560 Analysis and Design of Analog Integrated System (F)
- ECE 7995 Mixed-Signal RF Circuit Design (I)
- ECE 7995 Metamaterials (W)
- ECE 5995 Introduction to Microwave Engineering (S)
Computer systems and networks
Computing has evolved from sequential and independent program running to parallel or concurrent task executions in a large well-organized cluster of servers. The latter are represented by high-performance and cloud computing. In these computing domains, not only performance but also reliability, resilience, and power efficiency are goals of the system design and maintenance. Implications of the system designs on applications, including Internet-based and IoT applications, are also significant. This concentration area will develop a student's expertise and intuition in the unique techniques and principles used to design, evaluate, and use the systems and applications running on them. Students will be exposed to state-of-the-art techniques, theories, and software to learn representative systems running in today's large data centers and high-performance centers.
Further, students will learn computer networking, scalable Internet services, and the development of network applications.
Faculty
- Mohammad Alawad
- Lubna Alazzawi
- Syed Mahmud
- Nabil Sarhan
- Harpreet Singh
- Xingu Zhou
Course offerings: F = Fall; W = Winter; S = Spring/Summer; Y = Yearly, term varies; I = Infrequent
Primary courses
- ECE 5610 Introduction to Parallel and Distributed Systems (F)
- ECE 5650 Computer Networks and Programming (F,W)
- ECE 5620 Embedded Systems (F, W)
- ECE 5680 Computer-Aided Logical Design and FPGAs (W)
- ECE 6660 Introduction to VLSI Systems (F)
- ECE 7530 Advanced Digital VLSI Design Using VHDL (W)
- ECE 7610 Advanced Parallel and Distributed Systems (W)
- ECE 7650 Scalable and Secure Internet Services and Architectures (I)
- ECE 7660 Advanced Computer Architecture (I)
Control systems and robotics
Intelligent control systems are universally critical for design, operation, and management of traditional and emerging technologies, including vehicles, medical devices, renewable energy systems, smart grids, among many others. Intelligent robotic systems are widely used in industry from robots used for manufacturing, intelligent vehicles, space exploration, military, aerial surveillance, rehabilitation, and surgical applications. This concentration area will develop a student's knowledge, skill, and expertise in modeling, analysis, design, and hardware and software implementations of control systems, as well as programming kinematic and movement algorithms, electronics and circuits, and control of robotic systems.
Faculty
- Feng Lin
- Masoud Nazari
- Abhilash Pandya
- Harpreet Singh
- Caisheng Wang
- Le Yi Wang
- Hao Ying
Primary courses
- ECE 5410 Power Electronics and Control (W)
- ECE 5425 Robotic Systems I (F)
- ECE 5440 Computer Controlled Systems (F)
- ECE 5470 Control Systems II (W)
- ECE 7420 Nonlinear Control Systems
- ECE 7425 Robotic Systems II (I)
- ECE 7430 Discrete Event Systems with Machine Learning (I)
- ECE 7440 Dynamic Systems and Optimal Control (I)
Related courses
- ECE 5330 Modeling and Control of Electric Vehicle Powertrains (F)
- ECE 5430 Electric Energy Systems Engineering (F)
- ECE 5995 Smart Grid and Smart Systems (I)
- ECE 7690 Fuzzy Systems (W)
- ECE 7860 Operation and Control of Modern Power Systems (F)
- ECE 7995 Electricity Market (F)
E-mobility
As the world moves steadily toward transportation electrification and autonomous driving, e-mobility focuses on addressing the technical challenges of moving people and objects from point A to point B in an intelligent and environmentally-friendly way. This concentration area will develop a student's knowledge, skill, and expertise in sensing, signal processing, energy sources and storage, energy conversion, and advanced algorithms for electric vehicles and autonomous driving.
Faculty
- Xiaoyan Han
- Syed Mahmud
- Gholam-Abbas Nazri
- Caisheng Wang
- Le Yi Wang
- Yong Xu
- Xingyu Zhou
Primary courses
- ECE 5325: Smart Sensors and Fuel Cells (I)
- ECE 5330 Modeling and Control of Electric Vehicle Powertrains (F)
- ECE 5340 Adv Energy Storage Systems for Electrification of Vehicles (F/S)
- ECE 5410 Power Electronics and Control (W)
- ECE 5620 Embedded Systems (F/W)
- ECE 5770 Digital Signal Processing (I)
- ECE 7995 ST: Online Decision Making (W)
- ECE 5995/7995 ST: Electric Motor Drives (to be developed) (W)
- ECE 5995/7995 ST: Introduction to Automotive Sensors (to be developed) (F)
Related courses
- ECE 5350 Alternative Energy Sources and Conversions (W)
- ECE 5430 Electric Energy Systems Engineering (F)
- ECE 5470 Control Systems II (W)
- ECE 5995 ST: Smart Grid And Smart Systems (F)
- ECE 5995 ST: Introduction to Machine Learning (I)
- ECE 7420 Nonlinear Control Systems (F)
- ECE 7440 Dynamic Systems and Optimal Control (I)
- ECE 7690 Fuzzy Systems (W)
- ECE 7860 Operation And Control of Modern Power Systems (F)
Micro and nanoscale sensors, devices and systems
The last 20 years has seen a tremendous growth of miniature sensors and devices made using micro and nanofabrication techniques borne out of the semiconductor industry. Smart, portable, and low power sensors and actuators have become ubiquitous in consumer electronics, biomedical devices, portable chemical diagnostics, and automotive technology, optical networking, and more. This concentration area will develop a student's expertise and intuition in the unique techniques and principles used to design, fabricate, and test such devices. Students will be exposed to the exciting applications of these devices, ranging from physical, chemical, environmental, and biomedical monitoring.
Faculty
- Ivan Avrutsky
- Amar Basu
- Robert Hower (University of Michigan)
- Gholam-Abbas Nazri
- Dimitrious Sounas
- Gozde Tutuncuoglu
- Yong Xu
Course offerings: F = Fall; W = Winter; S = Spring/Summer; Y = Yearly, term varies; I = Infrequent
Primary courses
- ECE 5550 Solid State Electronics (F)
- ECE 5575 Introduction to Micro and Nano Electro Mechanical Systems (F)
- ECE 5880 Introduction to Microwave Engineering (F)
- ECE 5675 Sensors and Sensor Instrumentation (W)
- ECE 5995 Introduction to automotive sensors (Currently under development)
- ECE 5995 Nanoelectronics (W)
- ECE 6570 Advanced sensors for automotive applications (Currently under development)
- ECE 7570 Smart Sensor Characterization and Fabrication (S)
- ECE 7590 Biomedical Microsystems (Y)
- ECE 7850 Photonics (Y)
- ECE 7995 Antenna Design (Y)
- ECE 7995 Metamaterials (W)
Related courses
- ECE 6180 Biomedical Instrumentation (W)
- ECE 5620 Embedded Systems (F, W)
- ECE 5280 Cyberphysical systems (W)
- ECE 5870 Optical Communication Networks (Y)
- ECE 5770 Digital Signal Processing (Y)
- ECE 6660 Introduction to VLSI Systems (Y)
- PHY 6450 Introduction to Material and Device Characterization (W)
Power systems and sustainable energy
Sustainable energy development and environmentally sensitive energy use are the key challenges that any modern society/country must face and address. This concentration will prepare students for the future challenges in the power and energy area, specifically in power systems, power electronics, energy conversion, sustainable energy systems, smart grid/microgrids, energy storage, distributed generation, and energy and environmental analytics.
Faculty
- Masoud Nazari
- G.-A. Nazri
- Caisheng Wang
Primary courses
- ECE 5350 Alternative Energy Sources and Conversions (W)
- ECE 5410 Power Electronics and Control (W)
- ECE 5430 Electric Energy Systems Engineering (F)
- ECE 5995 ST: Smart Grid And Smart Systems (I)
- ECE 7860 Operation And Control of Modern Power Systems (F)
- ECE 7995 ST: Electricity Market (F)
- ECE 5995/7995 ST: Introduction to Energy Harvesting Circuits and Systems (To be Developed) (F)
Related courses
- ECE 5325 Smart Sensors and Fuel Cells (I)
- ECE 5330 Modeling and Control of Electric Vehicle Powertrains (F)
- ECE 5340 Adv Energy Storage Systems for Electrification of Vehicles (F/S)
- ECE 5470 Control Systems II (W)
- ECE 5550 Solid State Electronics (F/W)
- ECE 5770 Digital Signal Processing (I)
- ECE 7030 Mathematical Methods in Engineering I (F)
- ECE 7420 Nonlinear Control Systems (F)
- ECE 7430 Control of Discrete Event Systems (F)
- ECE 7440 Dynamic Systems and Optimal Control (I)
- ECE 7550 Advanced Solid State Electronics I (I)
Signal processing and communications
Signal processing is the art and science of extracting information from sensor signals and data. It is essential to a variety of emerging technologies, from next-generation WiFi and cellular communications to state-of-the-art imaging systems to cutting-edge machine learning and self-driving vehicles. Students in this concentration will learn the tools of modern signal processing, will sharpen their applied mathematical and statistical intuition, and will apply their skills to practical problems that will prepare them for careers in digital communication, signal sensing and processing, and machine learning.
Faculty
- Xiaoyan Han
- Mohamad Hassoun
- John Liu
- Dimitrios Sounas
- Yang Zhao
Primary courses
- ECE 5700 Digital Communications (I)
- ECE 7700 Statistical Communication Theory (I)
- ECE 5460 Stochastic Processes in Engineering (or Math 5710 Introduction to Stochastic Processes) (I)
- ECE 5770 Digital Signal Processing (I)
- ECE 5690 Introduction to Digital Image Processing (F)
- ECE 5880 Introduction to Microwave Engineering (F)
- ECE 7680 Advanced Digital Image Processing and Applications (Prereq: ECE 5690) (F)
- ECE 7730 Telematics (Prereq: ECE 5700) (W)
- ECE 7995 Special Topics in Self Driving Vehicles or Detection and Estimation (W)
Related courses
- ECE 5650 Computer Networks and Programming (W)
- ECE 5870 Optical Communication Networks (W)
- CSC 7290 Advanced Computer Networking (F)
- ECE 7030 Mathematical Methods in Engineering (W)
- Math 5870 Methods of Optimization (F)
- CSC 5285 Introduction to Machine Learning and Applications (W)
- CSC 7825 Machine Learning (F)