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ECE NEWS
1
T
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON
ECE NEWSECE NEWS
(Continued on back page)
YEAR IN REVIEW
2010-2011
www.engr.wisc.edu/ece www.engr.wisc.edu/ece
Monroe manufacturer partnerswith WEMPEC on electric truck
A matterof timing:
New strategies for de-buggingelectronics
onroe, Wisconsin, is a small city witha big reputation for its cheese. Now,a partnership between manufacturerOrchid Monroe and UW-Madison engineers mayexpand the city’s expertise to include innovativeclean vehicle technology.Orchid Monroe is providing support for
researchers from the Wisconsin Electric Machines
and Power Electronics Consortium (WEMPEC)to develop a particularly rugged experimentalelectric vehicle: a Ford F-150 pick-up truck.Once graduate students and Orchid Monroeengineers convert the truck to an electric vehiclepowered by an Orchid-built traction motor andcustom integrated motor controller package, thevehicle will become an up-to-date test bed for a
wide range of battery and powertrain performance
experiments by WEMPEC researchers.Orchid Monroe manufactures laminated
electrical-grade steel components and assemblies
for the automotive, electric motor, generator,
lighting, transformer and wind power industries.In the past two years, the company has expanded
into developing and manufacturing an electrictraction drive system for buses and other largevehicle applications.he components that make up the integrated circuits in electronic devices are nano-sizedand number in the billions. Sometimes “bugs” lurking in these complex systems canemerge and cause signicant performance errors.One category of electronic bugs that can occur after a chip is fabricated is known as timingerrors. These errors can cause components to slow down and take longer to execute operations.As components continue to become smaller, the process of preventing and solving timing errorsis becoming ever more complex, increasing the time it takes to send new products to market.Assistant Professor Azadeh Davoodi is one of the rst people to look at solutions for timingerrors, and she has received a 2011 Faculty Early Career Development Award (CAREER) and grantfrom the National Science Foundation.Integrated circuits go through a rigorous testing process to nd and correct bugs that cancause performance errors. However, the small size and sheer volume of components mean chipsrealistically cannot be entirely validated before fabrication. “These errors occur, not because thecircuit isn’t functioning correctly, but because it fails to operate correctly at the desired speed,”Davoodi says. “The nanoscale components in the chip are so small they can have weird physicalbehaviors that can only be detected after they are fabricated.”
The validation process involves manually opening up a chip and examining billions of transistors,which is extremely time-consuming. Timing errors often are interdependent, meaning they emergeonly when certain operations are performed together. Testing for timing errors requires predictingthe chip’s behavior during a vast number of possible operations and combinations of operations. It can take several months to nd errors and alter chips during the validation process. Most ofthis time is spent dealing with timing errors. Davoodi’s team will develop special sensor components
that can be added to a chip’s design, as well as methods to analyze measurements from thecomponents. The new components will provide custom timing information for a particular chip
design, allowing developers to predict, detect and even solve errors more quickly. Instead of manuallyopening up and examining chips, developers simply could use data from the sensor components as
a compact representation of important areas of the design that may be causing timing errors.
In addition to supporting cutting-edge research, CAREER awards also fund innovative outreachprograms. Davoodi is developing technical coursework to introduce students to sophisticated soft-
ware programming and creating a unique course module that explores the One Laptop Per Child
project. The module will be incorporated into InterEgr 102:
Introduction to Society’s Engineering Grand Challenges.
Davoodi
M
WEMPEC
researchers are converting a truck into an electric vehicle with
Orchid Monroe
engineers.
DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL & COMPUTERENGINEERINGDEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL & COMPUTERENGINEERING
ECE NEWS
2
reetings from ECE! Times ofremarkable change are timesfor remarkable opportunity, andover the last year we have experienced theseopportunities at the department, college andcampus level.First, we’re looking forward to connectingwith some of you in the next few months atseveral regional visits. ECE faculty memberswill be in Chicago, Illinois, in July; San Diego,California, in August; and San Francisco,California, in October. We’re schedulingadditional visits in 2012 around the Midwestand East Coast. Stay tuned to the ECEFacebook page, www.facebook.com/uwece,or check out the new department website,www.engr.wisc.edu/ece, for more information.As for department changes: I want to thankthose who responded to our recent graduatesurvey. Much of your feedback about yourlearning experience reinforces what we’vealso heard from our Visiting Advisory Boardand student focus groups: You value the highquality of learning in ECE and on campus, yet
MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR
G
John Booske, Chair 2416 Engineering Hall 1415 Engineering Drive Madison, WI 53706 Phone: 608/262-3840
ecechair@engr.wisc.edu
A recent study shows UW-Madison isresponsible for an economic impact of$12.4 billion per year in Wisconsin. We’reproud to be part of this impact and are doingour part to live up to the Wisconsin Idea. Oneexample is a new middle school outreachprogram led by Professor Amy Wendt that willdevelop
effective methods to give Wisconsinstudents, especially girls and underrepresentedminorities, an understanding of the engineering
profession and how engineering is part ofaddressing societal grand challenges. PlexusCorporation, the National Science Foundationand the College of Engineering are supportingthe initiative.Finally, I want to give a sincere thank you tothe alumni and corporate partners who have
been able to give nancially to the department.
Private support is critical for ECE to maintainits position of academic leadership. Yourgifts are supporting a wide range of needs,including outreach, new technology andlearning infrastructure, defraying textbookand travel costs, instructor awards andneed-based nancial aid.I’d like to invite 2011 graduates toconsider getting involved with UW-Madisonphilanthropy by participating in an initiativeby alumni John and Tashia Morgridge. Theyhave pledged to match each gift by a memberof the graduating senior class throughDecember 31, 2011. You can learn more atwww.news.wisc.edu/19407.On Wisconsin!
Duane H. & Dorothy M. Bluemke Professor John H. Booske, Chair
Additio
nally, from the U.S. Department of Defense, Ma has receivedfunding to develop silicon-based vertical cavity surface emitting laserswith collaborators at the University of Texas. If successful, the study
could lead to complete silicon-based photonics systems, as silicon-based
lasers are the last remaining barrier to entirely replacing the metal wirescurrently used to connect chips, boards or entire computers. The DODalso is supporting Ma’s work to develop multispectral imagers, including
visible and near infrared wavelengths. Ma will develop a process to imagelights at different wavelengths simultaneously, which could lead to a new
generation of advanced imaging systems for defense applications.
Jack Ma:Record fast transistors and innovative imaging systems
Visit our redesigned website:
www.engr.wisc.edu/ece
you see room for better advising and morecurricular freedom to take complementary courses outside of ECE and take advantage of studyabroad or other beyond-classroom learning opportunities. In response to this feedback, ourfaculty members are hard at work on revamping our undergraduate curriculum with more freeelectives, hands-on learning and other important innovations.This revamping is an ongoing project, and we are still interested in feedback. If you havegraduated in the last ve years and have not yet submitted your comments about the ECEcurriculum, please E-mail me at ecechair@engr.wisc.edu.
The engineering campus itself also is under-going signicant changes. The Wisconsin Institutes
for Discovery is now open for business, and a number of ECE faculty are closely involved inresearch happening there. The new Union South also has opened and is fast becoming a greatplace to hang out on campus. Union South hosted the inaugural run of the Qualcomm WirelessInnovation Prize, which the department was closely involved in establishing.
Read more about this new innovation competition on p. 6.
Professo
r Zhenqiang (Jack) Ma
received multiple grantsin 2010 and 2011 to support his various nanomembrane
and imaging research projects. In November 2010,Ma reported promising results in the journal
Small
from his project to develop thin-lm transistors witha record speed of 12 gigahertz. Ma used a process that indicatesthe great potential of preselectively doped single-crystal siliconnanomembranes for exible electronics. His work was funded by a
Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists & Engineers and a grantfrom the U.S. Air Force Ofce of Scientic Research.
ECE NEWS
3
DEPARTMENT NEWS
IN MEMORIAM
An entrepreneur and pioneer in applied physics, Professor Emeritus
Franco Cerrina
died in July 2010. After retiring from UW-Madison in January 2010, Cerrina joined
Boston University as a professor and chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.As a researcher, Cerrina applied physical sciences and engineering to manufacturing and biological
challenges, focusing most recently on nanotechnology and biotechnology. Cerrina pushed the limitsof photolithography for nanoscale applications ranging from fabricating devices on computer chipsto DNA synthesis for biological research, drug and vaccine development, and genetic engineering.
In particular, he applied semiconductor fabrication techniques to biological problems—a pursuit that
yielded the maskless array synthesizer commercialized by NimbleGen Systems Inc., his rst of vespin-off companies.Cerrina worked closely with the semiconductor industry and federal government on developingfabrication methods that will yield advanced processors and memory chips.
Professor Emeritus Franco Cerrina dies at age 62
with interests in biology-inspired approachesand the application of smart polymermaterials for increased functionality, betterperformance, and simplication of devicesand integrated microsystems.Professor
Luke Mawst
hasbeen named an IEEE fellow, oneof the most prestigious IEEEhonors. Given to a select groupof recipients after a rigorousevaluation procedure, the grade of fellowrecognizes signicant research contributions.Mawst was recognized for his contributionsto semiconductor lasers.Professor
Bill Sethares
co-wrote a new undergraduatetextbook that was publishedin early 2011. The book,
Software Receiver Design:
Build Your Own Digital Communication System
in Five Easy Steps
, aims to help studentslearn to use Matlab by creating a workablereceiver and exploring key concepts abouttelecommunication systems along the way.In recognition of his effective,
innovative and inspiring teach-ing
abilities, Professor
GiriVenkataramanan
has receivedthe UW-Madison Chancellor’sDistinguished Teaching Award. His approachis based on constructivism and authenticity ineducation, and he is especially motivated byissues of sustainability. Venkataramanan alsois active with students beyond the classroom,
serving as faculty director for the UW-Madison
chapter of Engineers Without Borders. He isone of 10 faculty members to receive a 2011Distinguished Teaching Award.Philip Dunham Reed Professor
Susan Hagness
has beennamed one of 11 winners ofthe 2011 Kellet Mid-CareerAward, supported by the
Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation. The
award recognizes outstanding mid-careerfaculty members who are ve to 20 yearspast the rst promotion to a tenured position.Each winner, chosen by a Graduate Schoolcommittee, receives a $60,000 exibleresearch award. Hagness was recognizedfor her work in applied electromagnetics,with an emphasis on microwave detectionand treatment of breast cancer.A team of faculty from acrossthe College of Engineering has
received a Madison Initiative forUndergraduates grant to build on the success of InterEgr 102:
Introduction to Society’s Grand Challenges.
Led by Philip Dunham Reed Professor
Susan
Hagness
, the team also includes Professor
Amy Wendt
(pictured)
and Assistant Professor
S
tark Draper.
The grant will extend the
innovative introductory engineering course tostudents across campus, as well as developsecond-year undergraduate research opportu-
nities tied to engineering grand challenges.Associate Professor
HongruiJiang
is one of 13 facultymembers receiving a 2011Romnes Faculty Fellowship,supported by the WisconsinAlumni Research Foundation. The fellowshipis provided to exceptional faculty memberswho have earned tenure in the last four years.Winners receive $50,000 in unrestrictedresearch funds. Jiang was recognized for hisresearch in microscale devices and systems,The Helically SymmetriceXperiment (HSX), directedby Professor
David Anderson
,has received a substantialU.S. Department of Energygrant, totaling $5.1 million over three years.Anderson, along with Engineering PhysicsProfessor Chris Hegna, received an additional$900,000, three-year grant for a project toexplore the future of stellarator research.HSX is one of two stellarators operating inthe United States and is the only device of itsshape. The
Wisconsin State Journal
featuredAnderson and HSX in April. Read the articleat http://tinyurl.com/3p7jyrw.Professor
B. Ross Barmish
was elected a fellow of theInternational Federation ofAutomatic Control (IFAC) forhis contributions to robustcontrol theory for systems with parametricuncertainty. The ceremony will take place atthe 2011 IFAC World Congress in Milan, Italy.Professor
Nigel Boston
gavea keynote presentation at the2010 IEEE IET InternationalSymposium on CommunicationSystems, Networks and Digital
Signal Processing. Held July 21 in Newcastle,
England, the international symposium bringstogether engineers, scientists and youngresearchers to discuss progress and leading-edge information on communication systems,communication networks and DSP.Assistant Professor
StarkDraper
has received acollaborative grant from theNational Science Foundationtied to a second grant awardedto collaborators from the University ofSouthern California to analyze cooperativerouting in wireless ad-hoc networks, which
consist of cheap, mobile nodes that operate in
the absence of expensive, xed infrastructure,such as base stations. In advanced relayingmethods, several nodes can cooperate toforward information. Draper will analyze theinterconnections between two key questionsusually treated separately: design of coopera-tive communication techniques, and routing.
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