{"id":138159,"date":"2023-11-27T12:55:18","date_gmt":"2023-11-27T17:55:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/?p=138159"},"modified":"2023-11-28T16:03:55","modified_gmt":"2023-11-28T21:03:55","slug":"high-tech-hardware-gift-elevates-learning-for-ucf-engineering-students","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/high-tech-hardware-gift-elevates-learning-for-ucf-engineering-students\/","title":{"rendered":"High-tech Hardware Gift Elevates Learning for UCF Engineering Students"},"content":{"rendered":"

Reza Abdolvand, chair of UCF\u2019s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, says he couldn\u2019t be happier about the new advanced electrical engineering equipment that arrived recently at the university’s wireless communications lab.<\/p>\n

The new technology will help modernize the lab and provide industry-relevant learning opportunities for hundreds of electrical and computer engineering students, Abdolvand says.<\/p>\n

New signal generators, signal analyzers, and other high-speed electrical testing and measurement devices were donated to the department by Rohde & Schwarz, an international family-owned company that specializes in electrical test equipment and wireless communications products.<\/p>\n

The instruments, valued at more than $100,000, are small-scale versions of Rohde & Schwarz\u2019s state-of-the-art products that are widely used in industries worldwide to test and measure advanced components inside mobile and wireless communications devices and systems.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s the type of gift that UCF electrical engineering<\/a> and computer engineering<\/a> students need to gain hands-on experience using the same technology used in industry and prepare for high-tech jobs when they graduate.<\/p>\n

George Atia, an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering who teaches fundamentals of communications systems, says the donation will benefit his students who study the foundations of digital data transmission and communication, including the theories of sampling, quantization, encoding and digital modulation.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith this new lab equipment, the coursework will become more tangible,\u201d Atia says. \u201cMy students can witness the practical application of digital signal processing and communication concepts that they encounter in the classroom. The generous donation will help upgrade our lab experiments, which will markedly improve our students\u2019 overall learning experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe sincerely thank Rohde & Schwarz for their generous gift of this technology to UCF,\u201d Abdolvand says. \u201cThis type of investment in engineering education is what will take our students to the next level. ECE students need state-of-the-art signal analyzers and other instruments that can keep up with advancing capabilities in this industry. I\u2019ve always been impressed with the quality of Rohde & Schwarz equipment.\u201d<\/p>\n

The gift comes at a critical time for many industries experiencing transformational growth that relies on a skilled workforce of electrical and computer engineers. Recent government investment in semiconductor manufacturing through the CHIPS Act has uncovered a shortage of electrical engineers in the U.S., according to a May 2023 Kiplinger report.<\/p>\n