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Electrical Engineering

Holmes 483
2540 Dole Street
Honolulu, HI 96822

Tel: (808) 956-7586
Fax: (808) 956-3427
E-mail: eeoffice@spectra.eng.edu
Web: www-ee.eng.hawaii.edu

Faculty

*Graduate Faculty

*G. H. Sasaki, PhD (Chair)—computer communication networks, performance evaluation, optimization algorithms
*G. Arslan, PhD—distributed systems, Markov decision problems, nonlinear and robust control, game theory, learning and adaptive control
*D. Barrettino, PhD—analog and mixed-signal IC design, microsensors, bioelectronics and system biology
*O. Boric-Lubecke, PhD—RFIC’s for wireless communications, millimeter-wave and microwave devices, circuits and systems and biomedical applications
*A. M. Bullock, PhD—physical electronics, lasers
*T. P. Dobry, PhD—digital systems, computers
*Y. Dong, PhD—computer networks and network security, distributed systems, computer architecture
*M. Fossorier, PhD—coding theory, communication algorithms, magnetic recording
*N. T. Gaarder, PhD—communication theory, information theory
*A. Hac, PhD—software systems, telecommunication networks
*J. W. Holm-Kennedy, PhD—applied solid-state physics, solid-state devices, IC technology
*A. Host-Madsen, PhD—communications signal processing, CDMA communications, multi-user communications, equalization
*A. Kuh, PhD—neural networks, communications
*V. M. Lubecke, PhD—MEMS, microwave/terahertz radio, remote sensing technology and biomedical applications
*V. Malhotra, PhD—physical electronics, solid-state devices
*L. Macchiarulo, PhD—computer aided design for very large scale integrated circuits, physical design, throughput optimization, on chip interconnect analysis and design
*T. R. Reed, PhD—signal and image processing, computer vision
*W. A. Shiroma, PhD—electromagnetic theory, microwaves
*V. L. Syrmos, PhD—linear system theory, control theory
*J. R. Yee, PhD—computer communications networks, network optimization, stochastic models
*D. Y. Y. Yun, PhD—networked computing, intelligent systems, 3D imaging, tele-health, resource planning

Cooperating Graduate Faculty

M. Iskander, PhD—computational electromagnetics, antennas and wireless communications
E. L. Miller, PhD—electronic materials research for photovoltaics, sensors, hydrogen-production and fuel cells
W. W. Peterson, PhD—computer software
R. Rocheleau, PhD—photovoltaics, sensors, thin films
S. K. Sharma, PhD—thin films, amorphous materials and ceramics, instrumentation development

Degrees Offered: BS in electrical engineering, MS in electrical engineering, PhD in electrical engineering

The Department’s Mission

The mission of the Department of Electrical Engineering (EE) is to provide quality education, research and service to our constituents. Major goals of the department are:

  1. Educate a new generation of electrical engineers to meet the challenges of the future;
  2. Create, develop, and disseminate new knowledge; and
  3. Promote a sense of scholarship, leadership, and service among our graduates.

Program Education Objectives

  1. The students shall have technical competence to solve electrical engineering problems through the application of basic science, mathematics, and engineering. They will have the fundamental knowledge and skills to apply modern engineering techniques and tools to identify, formulate, and solve electrical engineering problems with realistic constraints. They will have the ability to apply design methods effectively, and possess an understanding of the relationship between theory and practice. The students shall also acquire skills of testing, data collection, interpretation and verification for the purpose of validation by experiments.
  2. They will have the basic skills to communicate effectively and develop the ability to function as members of multi-disciplinary teams.
  3. Graduates should provide technical leadership, with an understanding of the broader ethical and societal impact of technological developments and the importance of diversity in the workplace.
  4. Students shall develop lifelong learning skills. They will be critical thinkers and independent learners with the ability to adapt to changing engineering technology.
  5. The program will contribute to the development of diversity within the profession through the education of women, indigenous and other minority students.

Program Outcomes

All graduates of the Electrical Engineering Program are expected to have:

  1. Knowledge of probability and statistics, including examples relevant to electrical engineering (program criteria). Knowledge of mathematics through differential and integral calculus, basic sciences, and engineering sciences necessary to analyze and design complex devices and systems containing hardware and software. Knowledge of advanced mathematics, including differential equations (program criteria).
  2. Demonstrated an ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to interpret data.
  3. Demonstrated an ability to design a system or component that meets a specified need.
  4. Demonstrated an ability to function in a multi-disciplinary team.
  5. Demonstrated an ability to identify, formulate and solve electrical engineering problems.
  6. Understanding of professional and ethical responsibility.
  7. Demonstrated an ability to communicate effectively (written and oral).
  8. Demonstrated an understanding of the impact of engineering solutions in a global and societal context.
  9. Recognition of the need for life-long learning.
  10. Demonstrated a knowledge of contemporary issues.
  11. Demonstrated an ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern tools necessary for engineering practice.

The Academic Program

Electrical engineering (EE) is concerned with the basic forms of energy that run our world and the exciting fields of electronics and information technology. Electronics continue to bring forth new breakthroughs in solid-state technology (transistors, integrated circuits, VLSI chips, microprocessors, lasers, optical fibers), which in turn fuel the unprecedented revolution in telecommunications (World Wide Web, wireless, and digital signal processing), computers (neural network, distributed, and intelligent), instrumentation (biomedical, intelligent), and many other areas.

The undergraduate and graduate programs focus on three major areas: computers (architecture, algorithms, networking, hardware and software), electro-physics (solid-state devices and sensors, analog and digital circuit design, and microwaves and photonics) and systems (telecommunications, automatic controls, and signal processing).

The culmination of the undergraduate program is the capstone design project; this is a significant project that integrates the design content of previous courses while satisfying realistic constraints.

Undergraduate Study

Design Experience Statement

A key aspect of electrical engineering education is a significant and meaningful design experience that is integrated throughout the curriculum. The design experience is necessary to prepare students in becoming professionals.

At UH Manoa, the electrical engineering curriculum assigns design credits to each course. A student graduating in electrical engineering is required to have a minimum of sixteen design credits with three design credits coming from EE 496, the Capstone Design Project. Students can check their progress in obtaining design credits by checking with their advisor and looking at design credits and the Curriculum Flow Chart. EE 496 places significant design responsibility on the students as they must plan and execute a major design problem. In order to prepare students for EE 496, students must take at least one credit of EE 296, Sophomore Project course and two credits of EE 396, Junior Project course. The project courses help students in getting design experience outside the classroom as they learn engineering concepts in the classroom. The project courses and capstone project give students opportunities to work in teams, develop leadership skills, and work on open ended design projects similar to industrial experience.

Bachelor’s Degree

The BS degree program requires a minimum of 124 credit hours. The departmental requirements consist of 47 credit hours of basic courses and 24 credit hours of technical electives.

All electives are subject to the approval of an advisor. Enrollment in EE courses requires a grade of C (not C-) or better in all prerequisite courses.

College Requirements

Students must complete the College Requirement courses for engineering (see “Undergraduate Programs” within the College of Engineering).

Departmental Requirements

Students must complete a total of 71 credit hours including the following:

  • EE 160 Programming for Engineers (4)
  • EE 211 Basic Circuit Analysis I (4)
  • EE 213 Basic Circuit Analysis II (4)
  • EE 260 Introduction to Digital Design (4)
  • EE 315 Signal and Systems Analysis (3)
  • EE 323 Microelectronic Circuits I/Lab (3/1)
  • EE 324 Physical Electronics (3)
  • EE 342 EE Probability and Statistics (3)
  • EE 371 Engineering Electromagnetics I (3)
  • PHYS 274 General Physics III (3)
  • Engineering Breadth* (3)
  • MATH 307 Linear Algebra and Differential Equations (3)
  • Projects (6)
  • Technical electives (24)

* Engineering Breadth is satisfied by CEE 270 Applied Mechanics I, ME 311 Thermodynamics, or a CEE, ME, OE, or BE course that is at the 300 level or higher. It may also be satisfied by a physical or biological science course that is at the 300 level or higher and approved by the Department’s Undergraduate Curriculum Committee.

Projects

There is a requirement of EE 296, EE 396, and EE 496, which is the capstone design experience. A minimum of, respectively, 1, 2, and 3 credits are required of each.

Technical Electives

There is a requirement of a minimum of 24 credits of technical electives. A minimum of 17 credits is in one of the major tracks (computers, electro-physics, systems), which includes all courses in Group I and the remaining courses from Group II.

A minimum of 7 additional credits is required from the following list, of which 3 credits must be from outside the major track, and 1 credit must be a laboratory.

Computers Track:

  • Group I: EE 361/361L, 366, 367/367L
  • Group II: EE 344, 449, 461, 467, 468, 469

Electro-Physics Track:

  • Group I: EE 326/326L, 327, 372/372L
  • Group II: EE 328/328L, 422/422L, 423, 425, 426, 427, 473, 474, 475, 477Systems Track:
  • Group I: EE 341/341L, 351/351L, 415
  • Group II: EE 344, 442, 446, 449, 452, 453

A student, along with a faculty member, may propose an alternate track. This alternate track must be (1) equivalent in rigor and breadth to the existing tracks, (2) endorsed by another faculty member, and (3) approved by the Department’s Undergraduate Curriculum Committee.

Graduate Study

Master’s Degree

Intended candidates for the MS degree in electrical engineering must present the BS degree in electrical engineering or the equivalent. Plan A (thesis) and Plan B (non-thesis) options are offered. However Plan B is only for Intern Plus Program students.

Requirements

Plan A (thesis): This program requires 30 credit hours in approved technical courses including one graduate seminar in electrical engineering or a related field. This plan requires 9 credit hours in EE 700 Thesis Research and a minimum of 12 credit hours in 600-level courses in a major track (computers, electro-physics, or systems), 6 credit hours in 400- or higher-level courses outside of the major track (engineering, mathematics, science), and 3 credit hours of electives in 400- and higher-level courses. A maximum of 6 credit hours in 400 level courses is allowed.

Plan B (non-thesis): A minimum of 30-credit hours is required with a grade of B or better (not B-minus). Students will be required to take 12 credits (600 level and above) in their major track, 6 credits (400 level and above) outside the major track, and 6 credits (600 level and above) as electives. A maximum of 6 credits will be counted towards EE 699. As part of the curriculum, a 600 graduate level seminar course in the major track or related field must be taken. Plan B must be applied for and approved of prior to admission into the program. This is done through the Intern Plus Program of the department and requires industry sponsorship. The final exam includes a research report and a seminar presentation.

Doctoral Degree

Intended candidates for the PhD degree in electrical engineering must present the BS degree in electrical engineering or its equivalent. Applicants are encouraged to submit the GRE General Test scores. PhD students are required to achieve a good, broad understanding of electrical engineering fundamentals and a thorough knowledge, up to its present state, in a chosen specialty. Students must perform research in their special field under the guidance of a faculty advisor and present a dissertation that is an original contribution to electrical engineering. The dissertation must be a scholarly presentation suitable for publication.

Requirements

PhD students are required to specialize in a major track (computers, electro-physics, or systems) and show competence in a minor track. In addition to the MS course credit requirements, 9 credit hours of 600-level course work in the major track and 3 credit hours of 600-level course work in a minor track are required. All PhD students must also participate in a substantial teaching project and demonstrate competence in teaching.
Intended candidates for the PhD degree must take a qualifying examination covering electrical engineering fundamentals. Students must demonstrate superior understanding of these fundamentals and the potential to do research. The qualifying examination will be offered about one month after registration every fall and spring semester. It must be passed during a student’s first three semesters in the PhD program. Students who do not pass after two attempts will be dropped from the PhD program.

After passing the qualifying examination, students are advanced to candidacy and must have a doctoral committee appointed within two semesters. The committee should consist of at least five members, one of whom must be in a department other than electrical engineering. After appointment of the committee, students should work out a tentative program of courses that meets with the committee’s approval.

Comprehensive Examination

When students have completed most of their course work, they must pass a comprehensive examination before research is undertaken. This consists of an oral examination given by the entire committee; it may be preceded, at the discretion of individual committee members, by an additional oral or written examination. Students who fail may repeat the examination only once, no sooner than three months after the first examination. Once students pass the comprehensive examination, they may proceed with dissertation research.

Final Examination

At the conclusion of the research, students write a dissertation that must be approved by a majority of the doctoral committee. Finally, students must pass another oral examination covering primarily the dissertation.

EE Courses