Components and Systems for Communications: An UndergraduateDesign Laboratory

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This project introduces a new concept in the undergraduate curriculum through the development of a Design Laboratory that aims at providing students with the fundamental concepts of communications system and component design. The novel approach intends to introduce a new teaching and learning experience based on the concept of a complete exposure to the engineering design cycle. This Design laboratory initially has two associated senior-level courses and senior independent design courses but may be expanded to provide a nucleus for developing other modern engineering courses that focus on enhanced learning by means of novel visualization and hands-on approaches such as fabrication and measurements. This project establishes two Design Laboratories that allow 50 senior-level students per year to develop a strong background on system- and component-level engineering. During these courses, the students use state-of-the-art design and measurement tools and come in contact with engineers from industry through industry affiliation program developed specifically for this laboratory. The teaching effort evolves around a practical communications system such as a 2.5-GHz down-link and learning is accomplished through lectures and experiments that follow the signal flow graph of this typical communications system. Teaching is augmented by analysis and design tools currently used by industry and state-of-the-art fabrication and measurement equipment. The integration of system and component concepts and their application to a real system makes this effort unique in the department and a model for other courses. This laboratory provides the students with a strong background in the area of communications and with a motivation for further study. Furthermore, throughout the course development and during teaching, industry plays an important role in casting young engineers with combined practical experience and strong foundation in basic science concepts.