School of Electrical and Computer Engineering Annual Report Annual Report 2006-2007

Abstract

As the largest school on the Georgia Tech campus, the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering is a prime catalyst in Atlanta’s high-tech advancement through our innovative research, educational, and commercialization activities conducted with our corporate and government partners, alumni, and friends. Our reach extends beyond the city’s borders, with our School playing key leadership roles with the Georgia Tech Savannah campus, the Georgia Tech Lorraine campus in France, and the Georgia Tech Shanghai Initiative in China. With this breadth and depth in our activities, the nation and world are continually taking notice of our work and our people. ECE research awards for fiscal year 2007 shattered yet another record, topping $61.5 million–an increase of $3 million from the previous year. Our programs range from areas of traditional strength like electrical energy systems operations to the burgeoning areas of robotics, distance learning technologies, and electronics that operate at ever increasing speeds. We continue to be a dominant player in the Institute’s commercialization activities, as Jacket Micro Devices became the eighth ECE-founded company to attain graduate status from the Advanced Technology Development Center. On the educational front, over 2,300 students were enrolled in our degree programs, and a total of 712 degrees were granted in 2006-07. Of particular note, we awarded an all-time high of 119 doctoral degrees, with these graduates going to work at the world’s top companies and at well-regarded universities. The enrollments in our educational programs remain the largest in the U.S., despite some recent declines in enrollment. We continue to engage in K-12 outreach activities, such as the FIRST LEGO League Challenge and through working with area schools and organized groups such as the Girl Scouts. Students, staff, and faculty members received many richly deserved awards and accolades during 2006-07. For the second year in a row, our chapter of Eta Kappa Nu received an Outstanding Chapter Award for academic excellence and commitment to serving the community, and several students received very competitive fellowships from various IEEE societies. Seven ECE faculty members received top Georgia Tech educational, research, and service awards, and one staff member received an outstanding performance award. Eleven ECE faculty members either attained Fellow status or received major awards from several professional societies in this last year. Two of the most prestigious honors went to Russ Dupuis, who received the 2007 IEEE Edison Medal, and John Peatman, who received the 2006 IEEE Undergraduate Teaching Award. It is a tremendous privilege to lead a school with faculty, staff, and students who are firmly committed to making Georgia Tech the strongest educational and research enterprise in the nation. I invite you to learn more about our many accomplishments and to join us in our ongoing quest for excellence.