Electrical & Computer Engineering Research

Male student working at computer in Engineering lab.

Core research expertise

  • Antennas and antenna arrays
  • Communications systems
  • Computing and network hardware and software design
  • Digital signal and image processing
  • Electrical materials and devices
  • Medical electronics
  • Robotics and robotic sensors
  • Smart grid, power generation and transfer
  • Space plasma physics, space weather, and instrumentation
  • VLSI design

Click here for a listing of current faculty research interests

Research Laboratories

â–¼   Space Environment and Instrumentation Laboratory: Dr. E. Spencer
This laboratory is used to design and develop instruments for studying and characterizing space plasmas found in the earth's ionosphere and magnetosphere. These instruments are integrated into sounding rocket payloads or satellites built for space weather experiments. Dr. Spencer is currently funded by NSF to develop RF instruments for space plasma measurements. He is also funded by NASA under the Undergraduate Student Instrument Program to build a complete Cubesat to launch and test a new Time Domain Impedance Probe (TDIP) to measure plasma properties in Low Earth Orbit. The laboratory operates a licensed 70cm two-way satellite ground station.
â–¼   Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation Research Laboratory: Dr. H. Kirkici
Research in this laboratory includes investigation of high-voltage/high-frequency breakdown in sub-atmospheric pressures applied to space and aerospace power systems. The characteristics of plasma generated during breakdown are being investigated to understand breakdown events and the effects of high frequency on breakdown. Equipment available includes a variety of high voltage power supplies, function generators, oscilloscopes, vacuum chambers in varying sizes and shapes, and vacuum pumps. Dr. Kirkici’s research has been funded by NASA, AFRL, NSF, AFOSR, and private companies.
â–¼   Applied Electromagnetics Research Laboratory (AERL): Dr. S. Latif
This laboratory is used to conduct research and development of next generation antennas, design antennas and associated sub-systems, evaluate their performance, and suggest refinements. The lab acquired full wave electromagnetic analysis tools, such as Ansys HFSS and CST Microwave Studio, to model and characterize antennas. The laboratory has an Anritsu vector network analyzer for measurements up to 40 GHz, and several other instruments and fabrication tools. Research projects include millimeter-wave and microwave antennas for wireless communications and biomedical applications, circularly polarized antennas for satellite communications, adaptive antennas for future 5G wireless systems, reflect/transmit arrays, and frequency selective surfaces. Dr. Latif's research is funded by NIH, NASA, and NSF.
â–¼   Intelligent Systems & Telecommunications Research Laboratory
This research is in the field of high-speed computer networking, cloud computing and Internet-of-Things.
â–¼   Robotics Laboratory: Dr. T. Thomas
This laboratory is currently being used by graduate students to build robots. It contains several full size robots and some robot arms. Tools and instrumentation to conduct robotics research is included in the laboratory. Broad areas of dynamics and controls research with applications relating to robots (aerial and water-surface unmanned vehicle) are being investigated.
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