This project, a collaboration between the University of Missouri-Rolla and Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, is developing and disseminating an undergraduate high-speed electronic circuit design program that emphasizes knowledge integration through a hardware design focus. Increases in electronic circuit functionality, density, and speeds have combined to require that graduates have new knowledge and skills. To work effectively in this environment, electrical and computer engineers in areas from design to application to installation will require a thorough understanding of electromagnetic foundations, electromagnetic compatibility, and signal integrity as well as hardware applications of the principles. The project is creating laboratory and classroom instructional modules that include background material, theoretical foundations, solution examples, extended discussion, modern applications, problem exercises, CAD simulations, and design problems. The modular structure provides flexibility and facilitates the dissemination not only to other universities but also to industry. A distance education course in signal integrity, a 2nd edition of the textbook on PCB design for real world EMI control, on-line web material repositories, conference presentations, journal articles, and faculty workshops will provide dissemination to a broad audience in education and industry. Special educational modules are also being developed specifically for use in an intensive three-week summer program for high school seniors. Evaluation instruments are being developed and used to assess the effectiveness, and the modules will be evaluated in three other settings at the University of Akron, Washington State University, and North Dakota State University. Broader impacts include the dissemination of the materials both in academia and in industry and the high school outreach effort.
