Office: ECEE 1B71
I joined the Department of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder in fall 2014 as a Professor of Engineering Practice and faculty director. While heading up our two-semester Senior Design Lab program (ECEN 4610 and ECEN 4620) for seven years, I also expanded our embedded systems certificate into a professional master's program with new industry-driven courses to comprehensively address embedded systems technologies. Building on existing momentum and success with our embedded systems curriculum in computer engineering, our embedded systems engineering program adds more industry and practical application dimensions to prepare students for greater engagement opportunities and success.
Background
After receiving my BS in electrical and computer engineering here at CU Boulder in 1989, the first of my 24 years in industry began with design engineering at Pentax Technologies in Broomfield, CO. I enjoyed a wide variety of embedded design challenges with flatbed scanners and printers, developing core engine digital logic, writing firmware on several embedded platforms, building device drivers and test application software on both Mac and PC. Our engineering team’s work culminated in one of the world’s first portable printers.
Then expanding my scope to a universe of embedded design, I joined Wyle Electronics as a Field Applications Engineer in 1996. After two years of guiding technical teams at numerous CO companies, I transitioned to a regional manager role leading 17 FAEs. The next nine years delivered an acquisition by then rival Arrow Electronics, countless conferences and interpersonal dynamics, several significant organizational changes, and a constant stream of new electronic components, software tools and embedded applications. My team and I had plenty of challenge exposing new technology and fostering innovation across diverse industry segments. Lobbying to commission a centralized team of technical specialists to provide greater expertise for Arrow’s customers, my department and I won approval in 2006 and founded the Engineering Solutions Center. I recruited and led the team, which eventually grew to over 35 in North America and was mirrored by similar Arrow operations in Europe and Asia. Alongside this effort, I also engaged (2009-13) as content manager for eight of Arrow’s embedded technical training conferences, which have grown to over 60 supplier companies and 800 attendees, and have been replicated globally by Arrow since 2010.
Emerging technologies and markets continue to inspire a world of possible applications, and vice versa! Honing and nurturing great ideas to production requires effective planning and design as well as acuity across as business and interpersonal aspects. Please join me in my mission to widen the industry aperture for our students, provide direct opportunities to build proven technical competence, and prepare them with well-rounded knowledge and skills, enhancing their talents for greater careers and productivity.