Mar 28, 2024  
2017-2018 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2017-2018 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Computer Science and Electrical Engineering


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Faculty

Chair

Anupam Joshi

Ph.D., Computer Science from Purdue University, 1993
B. Tech, Electrical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, 1989

Tenure-Track Faculty

Tulay Adali
Ph.D., North Carolina State, 1992. 

Nilanjan Banerjee
Ph.D., University of Massachusetts, 2009. 

Adam Bargteil
Ph.D., Computer Science, University of California, Berkeley, 2006. 

Gary M. Carter
Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1975. 

Chein-I Chang
Ph.D., University of Maryland, College Park, 1986. 

Richard Chang
Ph.D., Cornell University, 1991. 

Jian Chen
Ph.D., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 2006. 

Fow-Sen Choa
Ph.D., SUNY Buffalo, 1988. 

Marie desJardins
Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley, 1992. 

Tim Finin
Ph.D., Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 1980. 

Anthony Johnson
Ph.D., City College of New York, 1981. 

Anupam Joshi
Ph.D., Purdue University, 1993. 

Kostantinos Kalpakis
Ph.D., University of Maryland Graduate School, Baltimore, 1994. 

Naghmeh Karimi
Ph.D., University of Tehran 2010. 

Seung-Jun Kim
Ph.D., University of California, Santa Barbara, 2005. 

Samuel Lomonaco
Ph.D., Princeton University, 1964. 

Cynthia Matuszek
Ph.D., University of Washington, 2014. 

Curtis R. Menyuk
Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles, 1981. 

Tinoosh Mohsenin
Ph.D., University of California, Davis, 2010. 

Charles Nicholas
Ph.D., Ohio State University, 1988. 

Tim Oates
Ph.D., University of Massachusetts. 

Marc Olano
Ph.D., University of North Carolina, 1998. 

Chintan Patel
Ph.D., University of Maryland, Baltimore County, 2004. 

Dhananjay Phatak
Ph.D., University of Massachusetts, 1994. 

Hamed Pirsiavash
Ph.D., University of California, Irvine, 2012. 

Penny Rheingans
Ph.D., University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 1993. 

Ryan Robucci
Ph.D., Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2009. 

Alan T. Sherman
Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1987. 

Deepinder Sidhu
Ph.D., SUNY at Stony Brook, 1979. 

Gymama Slaughter
Ph.D., Virginia Commonwealth University, 2005. 

Li Yan
Ph.D., University of Maryland, College Park, 1989. 

Yaacov Yesha
Ph.D., Weizmann University, Israel, 1979. 

Yelena Yesha
Ph.D., Ohio State University, 1989. 

Mohamed Younis
Ph.D., New Jersey Institute of Technology, 1997. 

Ting Zhu
Ph.D., University of Minnesota, 2010. 

Lecturers

Jeremy Dixon
M.S., Geoenvironmental Studies, Shippensburg University, 1999; M.S., Information Systems, Johns Hopkins University, 2009; M.B.A., Master of Business Administration, Johns Hopkins University, 2009; D.Sc. Candidate, Towson University (exp. 2016)

Richard Forno
Ph.D., Curtin University of Technology, 2010. Affiliate, Center for Internet and Society (CIS), Stanford University

Katherine Gibson
M.S. in Engineering in Computer and Information Science, University of Pennsylvania, 2012; Ph.D. in Computer Science, University of Pennsylvania, 2015

Shawn Lupoli
M.S., Towson University, 2004.

Krystle Wilson
M.S. in Computer Science, Mississippi State University; Ph.D. in Computer Science, Mississippi State University

John Park
M.S., Stanford University, 2007.

Ben Shariati
M.S., George Washington University, 1998.; Ph.D., George Washington University, 2016

Affiliate Faculty

Don Engel - Assistant Vice President for Research.

Postdoctoral Research Associate in Radiation Oncology Medical Physics, Johns Hopkins, 2010; APS Senior Science Policy Fellow, 2008; AAAS/APS Congressional Fellow, 2007;
Ph.D. in Physics, University of Pennsylvania, 2006; Sc.M. in Physics, University of Pennsylvania, 2002; Sc.M. in Computer Science, Brown University, 2001; Sc.B. in Math-Physics, Brown University, 2000.

Ivan Erill - Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences

Ph.D Computer Sciences, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, 2002; BS Computer Sciences, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, 1996

Matthias K. Gobbert - Professor, Mathematics
Ph.D. in Mathematics, Arizona State University, May 1996; University of Minnesota, Institute for Mathematics and its Applications (IMA), Postdoctoral Associate 1996-97

Maricel Kann - Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences

Postdoctorate, National Center for Biotechnology Information, NIH, 2007; Ph.D., University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 2001

Janet Rutledge - Dean and Vice Provost for Graduate Education. Associate Professor, Computer Science and Electrical Engineering

B.S., Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 1983; M.S., Georgia Institute of Technology, 1984;  Ph.D., 1990. Modeling and compensating for the effects of sensorineural hearing loss and other communication disorders.

Radhakrishnan Balu, Adjunct Assistant Professor
Susan Hoban, Affiliate Associate Professor
Amy Hurst, Affiliate Assistant Professor
Yordan Kostov, Affiliate Professor
Daniel Lobo, Affiliate Assistant Professor
John Sorkin, Adjunct Professor
Arno Wacker, Visiting Assistant Professor
Qingquan Zhang, Adjunct Assistant Professo

Professor of the Practice

E.F. Charles LaBerge
B.E.Sc., The Johns Hopkins University, 1974; M.S., 1975; Ph.D., University of Maryland Baltimore County, 2003

Cybersecurity Program Director

Richard Forno
A.B., Valley Forge Military College, 1992; B.A. American University, 1994; M.A., Salve Regina University, 2002; Ph.D. Curtin University of Technology (Australia), 2010

Professor Emeritus

Ray Chen

BS in Physics, National Tsing Hua University, 1969; Ph.D. in Physics, University of Pennsylvania, 1976.

Joel MorrisProfessor Emeritus of Electrical Engineering

B.S. in Electrical Engineering, Howard University, 1966. M.S. in Electrical Engineering, Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, 1970. Ph.D.in Electrical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, 1975.

Yun Peng

B.S. in Electrical Engineering, Harbin Engineering Institute, 1970. M.S. in Computer Science, Wayne State University, 1981. Ph.D. in Computer Science, University of Maryland, College Park, 1985.

John Pinkston
B.S.E., Princeton University, 1964; M.S., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1966; Ph.D., 1967

 

Courses in this program are listed under CMSC and CMPE.

The Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering offers two programs of undergraduate study: one leading to a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, and the other leading to a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering. Both programs provide a balanced, practical, and theoretical approach to the study of software and hardware that includes the latest advances in these two areas.

These programs emphasize the development of problem-solving skills applied to the analysis and design of real-world problems. Students in these programs also are given a broad background in the fundamentals of mathematics and the physical sciences. Because of the similarities of the two programs, students cannot double major in computer science and computer engineering, nor can they major in computer engineering and minor in computer science.

The two programs differ in emphasis. Computer engineering focuses upon problems that arise from hardware and hardware development, whereas computer science concentrates on issues in computer applications and software development. Students are encouraged to develop hybrid programs of study that combine computer science/computer engineering with other disciplines, such as biology, chemistry, economics, geography, management science, mathematics, physics, or visual arts.

Graduates of the computer science program are well prepared for advanced studies and for problem-solving across the breadth of the discipline—the theory, design, development, and applications of computers and computer systems. Major areas within the computer science program include programming languages, algorithms, operating systems, computer architecture, database systems, artificial intelligence, graphics, and the theory of computation. The program is designed to provide students with a firm grounding in the basics in each of these areas and deeper understanding in several of them.

Computer science is a rich and diverse discipline. Areas of interest to computer scientists range from theoretical studies to software engineering (performance analysis, human factors, software development tools) to the very practical development of software for business and industry.

Computer scientists find that their skills have wide applicability in academic and industrial settings.

Computer Engineering is a field that combines training in classical Electrical Engineering disciplines with in-depth preparation in Computer Science topics. The result is a trained problem solver who understands both the hardware and software aspects of computers and who can design and implement solutions on both sides of the hardware/software interface. Computer engineers are employed across the wide range of growing industries associated with communications, control, and signal processing and microelectronic fabrication: from the “smart grid” to “software defined radios”; from intelligent vehicle systems to information security for national and commercial customers; from telecommunications to medical instrumentation; from consumer electronics to space-based systems; from microprocessors to supercomputers to MP3 players; from the design of integrated circuits to development of computer-vision capabilities. A significant portion of our graduates pursue advanced study, primarily in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering or Computer Science.

The department has close ties with nearby centers of research and development, such as NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Department of Defense, the Center for Computing Sciences, Northrop Grumman and Verizon.

Career and Academic Paths

Graduates of the computer science and computer engineering programs at UMBC find employment in government, industry and business. They are well prepared for careers in software and hardware development. Graduates have been admitted to some of the top graduate programs in the nation. Others have found jobs with such employers as the Department of Defense, IBM, NASA, Northrop Grumman, Verizon, and many local industries, including numerous exciting startup companies. The department”s M.S. and Ph.D. programs in computer science, computer engineering, and electrical engineering provide advanced training in their respective areas. Each of these programs provides students with additional marketable skills for career opportunities in business, industry, government agencies, and academic environments. Outstanding undergraduate students are encouraged to enroll in graduate-level courses. The department also offers a combined B.S./M.S. program for talented students. For more details, please refer to the section below titled Combined B.S./M.S.

Academic Advising

Students majoring in computer science are advised by Undergraduate Student Services in the College of Engineering and Information Technology until they are eligible to register for CMSC 341 . Once a student registers for CMSC 341 , he or she will be assigned an individual faculty advisor. Students majoring in computer engineering are assigned individual faculty advisors after they pass the gateway.

Evening Option

Evening sections of many computer science courses are offered. Many of the requirements for the computer science major can be fulfilled by attending evening courses. However, some required courses for the computer engineering major are offered only in daytime sections.

Special Opportunities

Students may elect to participate in internship or co-op programs during their undergraduate studies. For several reasons, the Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering recommends that every student seriously consider at least one tour of professional practice during his or her undergraduate program. The experience may clarify and help determine succeeding semester course choices. Those who co-op may earn enough money to pay tuition expenses for a subsequent semester. Additionally, a co-op experience can be used to earn up to three credits of upper-level academic elective credit. Finally, both internships and co-op tours arm the new college graduate with what most employers are looking for: experience. Co-op positions that extend beyond a single semester are normally full-time, paid experiences. Internships are part-time, professional, on-the-job positions that are completed within a semester. Eligibility is based upon the completion of 30 credits, 15 of which must be from a full-time semester on a University System of Maryland campus. The student must have at least a 2.5 GPA. Interested students should contact UMBC’s Shriver Center.

Student Organizations

Student Councils

Two student-led councils of majors provide students the opportunity to meet and work with fellow computer science and computer engineering students on various projects.

Courses

    Computer EngineeringComputer SciencePage: 1 | 2

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