Workshop on the Strategic Shaping of ECE: Vision, Branding and Advocacy January 20-21, 2016 Georgia Tech Hotel & Conference Center, Atlanta, GA

Georgia Tech Research Corporation, Atlanta GA

Investigators

Abstract

The objective of this project is to organize a workshop to formulate a long-term strategic vision for the discipline of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE). The workshop will be held on January 20-21, 2016, at Georgia Tech Hotel & Conference Center in Atlanta, GA. The PIs, comprising of five ECE department chairs, will invite ECE leaders from a diverse group of universities to formulate: (i) an intellectual vision for ECE for the next fifty years, (ii) an advocacy model to advocate the discipline to government decision-makers and industry, and (iii) a national branding effort to inspire students to pursue a career in ECE. The resulting action plan from the workshop will be presented to the ECE Department Heads Association and disseminated to all ECE departments. The intellectual merit of the project is that the workshop will lead to the development of a long-term strategic vision for ECE. This vision will help shape future research and education in ECE departments across the nation. An advocacy model will also be developed to increase the visibility of the discipline to government funding agencies and industry. The broader impacts of the project will come from the proposed branding effort to excite more students to pursue a career in ECE. A larger and more diverse workforce in ECE will be produced from such an effort. This will in turn create significant economic impact, as intellectual capital is steered toward future challenges for the nation.