About the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE)

   

ECE students and faculty exemplify the University's motto "Driven to Discover." Since 1887, when the first course in electrical engineering was offered at the University of Minnesota, we've grown to be one of the leading international programs in electrical and computer engineering education and research. ECE faculty and students serve as key sources of scientific and engineering talent, expertise, and innovative ideas for communication, software, electronics and biotechnology companies worldwide.

• Established in 1891

• Ranked consistently among the top 20 of all electrical and computer engineering programs in the United States

• One of 12 departments  and 24 research centers that comprise the University of Minnesota's Institute of Technology.

A recent survey of Institute of Technology (IT) graduates, and ECE graduates in particular, reported more than 4,000 alumni-founded companies that are active today. Companies started by IT alumni employ more than half a million people worldwide and generate $90 billion in annual revenue.  
 

ECE Signals newsletter, click here. 
 

Current research areas

• Biomedical applications
• Communication systems and information theory
• Digital systems and computer architecture
• Microelectronics
• Micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS)
• Nano-electronics
• Optics and opto-electronics
• Signals and image processing
• Systems and controls
• Very large scale integration (VLSI)  

On campus collaborations

• Charles Babbage Institute
• Center for Development of Technological Leadership (CDTL)
• Center for Transportation Studies (CTS)
• Characterization Facility
• Digital Technology Center (DTC)
• Institute for Mathematics and its Applications (IMA)
• Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC)
• Medical Devices Center
• Multi-Axial Subassemblage Testing (MAST) Laboratory
• Nanofabrication Center (NFC)
• UNITE Distributed Learning
• Supercomputing Institute  

ECE Events

• Biennial Open House (next in 2010)
• ECE Senior Design Shows (late spring and late fall)
• Solar Car Project
• Weekly field expert colloquium and special seminars
• Wilson Lectures
• Annual Tech Tune-Up for Industry
 

Visitor information and resources

Location
The Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) Building is located at
200 Union St. SE on the East Bank Campus of the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minn.
The ECE main office is located in 4-174.

Parking
The closest parking is across the street in the Washington Avenue Ramp (overview map; photo). Other parking structures include: Church Street Garage (close-up map; photo), the University Avenue Ramp (close-up map), and the Weisman Art Museum Garage (close-up map; photo).

Hotels/Lodging
The nearest hotel is Radisson University Hotel – Minneapolis. It is located one block east of the EE/CSci Building, and is connected by an enclosed skyway to the Washington Avenue Ramp. Slightly further east is the Days Inn-University, and to the West is the Holiday Inn Minneapolis–Metrodome.

Visitor Resource     

     • University of Minnesota Visitor Information    
     • Campus maps
     • Greater Minneapolis Convention and Visitors Association
     • St. Paul Convention and Visitors Bureau
     • Bloomington Convention and Visitors Bureau
     • Mall of America
     • Minnesota Office of Tourism