Mihaela Radu

The Impact of Providing Unlimited Access to Programmable Boards in Digital Design Education

This paper presents the benefits and costs of providing students with unlimited access to programmable boards in digital design education, allowing hands-on experiences outside traditional laboratory settings. Studies were conducted at three universities in two different countries-Rose Hulman Institute of Technology, Terre Haute, IN; Washington State University, Pullman; and Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, Romania-to measure the effect on student learning and student performance of students having their own programmable hardware systems and unrestricted access to the most commonly used design tools. The results of the studies, supported by assessment data from various sources, suggest that the overall learning process is improved, and students gain a better knowledge of modern technologies and design methods if they are given full time access to programmable logic boards.

Integrating Extensive Functional Verification Into Digital Design Education

A different approach to teaching digital systems design using hardware description languages (HDLs) within a limited time budget is presented. The proposed approach modifies the content of the lectures, placing more emphasis on the functional verification of hardware designs as opposed to the established method of teaching HDL semantics and syntax. The educational research study conducted by the author and the Office of Institutional Research, Planning, and Assessment, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Terre Haute, IN, suggests that the extensive coverage of functional verification: 1) improves the learning process and the achievement of concepts and skills in digital design; and 2) encourages a deeper approach to learning, producing highly qualified graduates for today industrys needs.

Improving students' hardware and software skills by providing unrestricted access to state of the art design tools and hardware systems

The technology and CAD tools employed by industry to design digital hardware evolve quickly and continuously. Well prepared engineers, who are able to produce actual designs and adapt themselves to the global world, are in demand. Educational programs must keep pace with technologies in common use in order to produce graduates who are competitive in the marketplace. Studies conducted at two different universities, Rose Hulman Institute of Technology and Washington State University measure changes in student performance when all students have unlimited access to state of the art design tools and hardware systems. Data are collected from surveys, exams, and course assignments. Quantitative data are analyzed by comparison to historical data gathered from student groups that did not have unlimited access to hardware systems, and qualitative data are used to determine the subjective quality of each students experience. Outcomes include: assessing whether the overall learning process is improved; whether students have a better knowledge of modern technologies and design methods; whether their comprehension of founding concepts has improved or faltered.

Introducing an industry oriented graduate course: Testing of digital systems

According to the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS), for more than four decades, the semiconductor industry has distinguished itself by the rapid pace of improvements in its products. However, the cost of the increased functionality of components, circuits, and systems, is the requirement of more verification and test of the electronic products. In current projects, verification engineers outnumber designers, with the ratio reaching two or three to one for the most complex designs. Additionally, the present globalization trends and needs are driving the universities worldwide, to find new avenues in the programs that they are offering, to be attractive to their prospective students. Addressing the above mentioned matters, an industry oriented graduate course “Testing of Digital Systems” was created and offered for the first time in the academic year 2009–2010 at Rose Hulman Institute of Technology, Terre Haute, Indiana. The paper presents the rationale, integration of the new course in the ECE curricula, description of the course and laboratory activities developed around an industrial grade Automatic Test Equipment, preliminary assessment plans and conclusions.

Work in progress - graduate exchange program in microelectronics system engineering

In todaypsilas world, where new technologies emerge and advance at a very fast pace every year, many professional societies are discussing moving to a Master level program as a ldquofirst professional degreerdquo, anticipating graduates with advances skills for tomorrowpsilas demanding and advanced industry. In this context, the education at the master level is becoming more and more important. Another key issue in todaypsilas world is the impact of globalization process (needs of multinational corporations). The engineering education must address the impact of global hiring. The graduates entering the global workplace must possess besides the essential technical skills, also cultural, social and communication skills, enabling them to work and interact in international environments, bringing creativity and innovative development in multi-cultural groups. In this context, exchange programs between different universities, located in different countries and continents are flourishing, the universities trying to integrate study-abroad components in their programs. This paper is presenting as a ldquoWork in Progressrdquo, the first steps related to an exchange program at the graduate level in the area of Microelectronics, between two prestigious universities located in USA (Rose Hulman Institute of Technology, Terre Haute, IN) and Sweden (Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm). A Joint Degree or Dual Degree program at the Master Level is envisaged in the near future.

Work in progress - Designing an elective course on fault tolerant systems, aiming partnership between industry and academia

The present globalization trends and needs drive universities offering engineering degrees to find new avenues in the programs that they are offering, in order to be attractive for their prospective students and competitive on the job market. Universities and departments within universities are concerned about the curricula, the type and content of offered courses. Under these auspices, the elective courses have to be chosen carefully, providing the students with updated topics, research opportunities and the skills needed by todays demanding industry. An elective course on the Design of Fault tolerant Systems is the main focus of this paper, trying to relate the topics of the course to the industrys needs as much as possible. What the course will try to bring new is a set of integrated laboratories using industrial CAD tools performing various dependability (reliability, availability, safety) analyses, Fault Tree Analysis and Failure Modes, Effects and Criticality Analysis.