ECE undergrad labs renovated Over the summer of 2017, ECE's digital systems labs got a complete makeover. The new space is more flexible, with large doors that can open the space to larger class sections, or close it off for smaller ones. There are also fewer walls and additional windows to give the labs a more open feel. The labs have more work stations to accommodate more students, and feature identical equipment across work stations. The addition of a "dirty work space" allows students working on senior design projects to do the necessary physical construction for their project on-site, while keeping the debris this work creates separate from the rest of the lab. For a closer look at the new labs, watch this video.
		ECE undergrad advising moves to new space In December 2017, ECE academic advisors moved into a new advising suite in the Materials and Electrical Engineering Building (MSEE). The larger, more modern, space allows for better service for an increasing number of students. The ECE student population surpassed 1,400 in 2017-18 and is expected to approach 1,500 for 2018-19. Students report feeling more comfortable in the new advising suite, and are appreciative of the additional privacy the new offices for each academic advisor provide.
		ECE opens new tutoring center In Spring 2018, ECE began offering free tutoring to undergrads. The tutoring center is open Monday-Friday from 1-8pm, and Saturday from noon-4pm. Students can sign up for one free tutoring session per day. Tutors are available to provide extra help for all EE and CmpE core courses, as well as select Math and Physics courses. Tutors are students who earned an A in the course they are providing tutoring for, and have an overall GPA of at least 3.5. The undergraduate advising office will be tracking the number of students who use the center and the impact the extra help is having on those students' grades.
		ECE undergrads participate in co-ops/internships ECE undergraduates continue to take advantage of co-op and internship opportunities. Some of the companies students have worked for during the 2017-18 academic year include Fiat Chrysler, General Motors, GE Aviation, Honda R&D, Delta Air Lines, and Landis + Gyr. Yash Shah is a senior in Electrical Engineering who is completing a 3 session co-op with SoCore Energy in Chicago, IL. He says the real-world, hands-on, experience he gained during his co-op has helped him discover what he wants to do professionally and has better prepared him to transition into his career. To hear more about Yash's co-op experience, watch this video.
		Purdue Trustees approve named professorships for ECE faculty The Purdue University Board of Trustees has approved the appointments of four ECE professors to named positions. Y. Charlie Hu was named the Michael and Katherine Birck Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Steven D. Pekarek was named the Nick Trbovich Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and David J. Love and Dimitrios Peroulis were named Reilly Professors of Electrical and Computer Engineering. For more information on each professor and their fields of study, read the Purdue News release.
		Bicentennial Torch Team receives Team Award The Bicentennial Torch Team received the Team Award from Purdue Engineering at this year's Faculty Awards of Excellence banquet. Mark Johnson, ECE Director of Instructional Labs, and Todd Wild, ECE Industrial Design Projects Manager, were part of the team, which included students, faculty, and staff from throughout Purdue Engineering. During the Indiana Bicentennial Torch Relay in the fall of 2016, the torch traveled 3,200 miles through all 92 Indiana counties. The ECE team helped equip the torch with a camera that could take photos and video and upload them to the internet and GPS that allowed people to track the progress of the torch via a mobile app.