PhD in Computer Engineering

Computer engineers serve a vital role in driving and implementing new technologies. From technical proficiency in software and hardware to the understanding of complex systems, economic impact and ethics, students in the computer engineering program become competent problem solvers at all levels of computer engineering. This program provides students with the unique opportunity to learn about the relationships among different engineering disciplines. Areas of study include: Design of Digital Systems, Computer Architecture, Embedded Computer Systems, Computer Networks, Computer Security and Computational Intelligence. Digital systems design and embedded systems: Topics include hardware/software co-design, IC design, electromagnetic compatibility, VLSI design, and secure embedded systems design. Networking and security: Topics include network analysis and synthesis, cyber-physical systems, wireless networks, sensor networks, dependability, and fault tolerance. Computers and architecture: Topics include high performance systems, parallel processors, GPU computing, and heterogeneous systems architecture. Computational intelligence: Topics include clustering, adaptive resonance and reinforcement learning architectures, learning and adaptation, hardware and applications, neurofuzzy regression, traveling salesman problem heuristics, robotic swarms, bioinformatics, medical informatics, machine vision, and automation. Interdisciplinary areas: Topics include nano-scale circuits, systems, and architectures. CAREER OPPORTUNITIES The Computer Engineering Program is designed to prepare an engineer to work in both the abstract software world, where high level languages and more complexity will often provide a solution to a problem, and in the physical world where designs are often compromises between many opposing factors. The program further prepares engineers to compete in today's rapidly changing marketplace by providing the fundamental concepts and attributes that will enable them to recognize and understand future developments. The distinction between a computer engineer and the more traditional computer science major or digital design electrical engineer may be in his/her desire to understand and participate in the entire process of using abstract algorithms and data structures to control changes in real physical devices. There are many aspects to Computer Engineering. A Computer Engineer might be working on the design of a new automobile brake system where knowledge of the electronic sensors and the dynamic nature of the brakes might be as important as the programming of the I/O handler interrupt subroutine in high level C or assembly language. Another project such as the design of a distributed control system for a factory floor might require the engineer to have background in computer networks and programming as well as an understanding of the manufacturing process.