EE.CALPOLY.EDU - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Emeritus Professor of Electrical Engineering at California Polytechnic State University
- Professor Emeritus
Ali Shaban is an Emeritus Professor of Electrical Engineering at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) in San Luis Obispo, California.received his Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering from Oregon State University in 1985. He joined the Electrical Engineering Department at Cal Poly in 1984. Since 1985, Dr. Shaban has done consulting work with San Diego Gas and Electric, Chevron, and Southern California Edison. Dr. Shaban's field of interest is electric machines, power quality, power systems analysis, and power systems protection. He has published in the areas of microgrid network, power systems protection, synchronous machines, induction motor, reliability,and power quality. He is a life member of the IEEE and PES.
Clay McKell earned his B.S. degree, summa cum laude, and M.S. degree in mechanical engineering from UCLA in 2006 and 2007, respectively. He earned his Ph.D. in electrical engineering from the University of Hawaii at Manoa in 2018 and currently serves as a lecturer in the Electrical Engineering Department at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. He was awarded the Northrop Grumman Excellence in Teaching Award in 2019. His research interests include distributed control of multi-agent networks as well as STEM education practices that foster diversity and equity.
Education
PhD Electrical Engineering, University of Hawai`i, 2018
MS Mechanical Engineering, University of California: Los Angeles, 2007
BA Summa Cum Laude Mechanical Engineering, University of California: Los Angeles, 2006
Research Interests
Distributed control of multi-agent networks
STEM education practices that foster diversity and equity
Job Titles:
- Department Chair of Electrical Engineering at California Polytechnic State University
- Professor Dale Dolan ( HE / HIM / HIS )
Professor Dolan is the Department Chair of Electrical Engineering at California Polytechnic State University with experience in renewable energy projects, education and advanced motor drives. He has published research on the construction of a wind turbine emulator using advanced motor drives and on the modeling and construction of a novel virtual air gap variable reactor. He is past chair on the board of directors of Windy Hills Caledon Renewable Energy, past chair of the OSEA (Ontario Sustainable Energy Association) Board and was an executive chair of the 7th World Wind Energy Conference 2008 (WWEC 2008). He is a past member of the management committee for the Ontario Green Energy Act campaign striving to implement the most progressive renewable energy policy in North America. His research interests involves sustainable/renewable energy generation, wind power generation, power systems, electromagnetics, power electronic applications for distributed generation, grid connection impacts of renewable generation, energy policy promoting widespread implementation of sustainable power generation, sustainable energy project economics and sustainability of technologies. He is committed to making renewable energy a strong component of the world's supply mix to reduce greenhouse gas emissions worldwide.
David McDonald joined the Cal Poly faculty in 2018, with over thirty years of engineering experience in the semiconductor industry. He worked at National Semiconductor (NSC) and Texas Instruments (T.I.) in various positions, primarily as the Director of Operations and as the Director of New Product Development. He was on the Cal Poly EE Industry Advisory Board and was the T.I. Cal Poly University Relations manager, with the goal of identifying, attracting, and retaining college engineering talent. He has published technical papers and is a U.S. patent holder. He teaches courses in Senior Project Preparation, Semiconductor Device Electronics, Digital Electronics and Integrated Circuits, Analog Electronics & Integrated Circuits and Electric Circuit Analysis I and II, EE laboratories. He also teaches Electric Circuit labs for non-EE majors.
Dennis Derickson received his BS, MS and Ph.D. in electrical engineering from South Dakota State University (1981), the University of Wisconsin- Madison (1982) and the University of California - Santa Barbara in 1992. His farming background and youth ham radio hobby heavily influenced his career in engineering. He earned his State Farmer degree (Minnesota) with the FFA organization. In the world of radio he received the extra class amateur license (AC0P) and a first-class radiotelephone commercial license. He joined the research and development laboratories of Hewlett Packard (HP) in Santa Rosa, CA in 1982. 1980‘s project development activities included spectrum analyzer and vector network analyzer electronic measurement instrumentation. His Ph.D. work (1988-1992) involved design, fabrication and test of single-chip pulsed semiconductor lasers for data communication applications. Dr. Derickson managed multiple project teams at HP for high-speed communication test systems in the 1990s. He moved into the director of product marketing role at a start-up company called Cierra Photonics in Santa Rosa, CA in 2000. After 21 years in industry, he joined the Electrical Engineering Department at California Polytechnic State University in 2005. He served as department chair from 2010 to 2020. Research activities have focused on applications of semiconductor lasers, wireless communication systems, and rf/microwave/mm-wave electronics. He is the editor of two books; Fiber Optics Test and Measurement (1997) and Digital Communication Test and Measurement (2008). With many collaborators he has created 90 publications and 7 patents. He is a founding member of the company Insight Photonics Solutions that is commercializing research initiated at Cal Poly (http://www.sweptlaser.com/). His outreach activities have focused on creating and running summer science camps for Jr. High and Sr. High groups at Cal Poly and through the California 4H Youth Development Program. His current activities include Industry/Alumni research partnerships, entrepreneurship, enabling a project-rich hands-on environment for diverse students, and supporting a strong graduate research program. Dr. Derickson is a Professional Engineer in the State of California and enjoys helping others with his expertise.
85 Albert Cureg Cruz, Dennis Derickson, Amin Malek "Supporting Student Internships with the NSF HIS Program at a Medium-sized Hispanic Serving Institution" 2023 American Society of Engineering Education annual meeting. This is a collaboration with California State University Bakersfield under NSF grant 2122442
80. Maria Manzano, Emma Della, Gerome Cacho, Drew Miller and Dennis Derickson, "Evaluation on a new virtual program format, does an engineering summer camp program evolve and adapt to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse student population during a pandemic? 2021 ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition July 26-29, 2021.
2. Dennis Derickson (editor), Fiber Optic Test and Measurement, Prentice- Hall 1998. ISBN0-13-534330-5. This is a book that has sold over 14,000 copies to date.
Job Titles:
- Professor, Graduate Coordinator
Dr. Jane Zhang was born in Shanghai, China. She received her Diploma in Electrical Engineering from the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany, in 1997, and her Ph. D degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, in 2002. In 1997 she was involved in the development of motion compensation related video compression techniques at the Telecommunications Institute at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg. She also worked at Motorola Human-Interface Lab in Palo Alto in 2000 conducting research in biometric speaker verification. In 2003 she joined California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo where she is currently a Professor and Graduate Coordinator. She was on the review panel on CISE REU Sites from National Science Foundation in 2006. In summer of 2007, she participated in international research collaboration with the Institute of Pattern Recognition and Intelligent System at Shanghai Jiao Tong University under the Wang Family Fellowship. In 2010, she is a visiting scholar at the Institute for Media Innovation from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. In 2019, she is a visiting professor at the Munich University of Applied Sciences in Germany under the MUAS Fellowship Programm. Her research interests are in the areas of digital signal and image processing, computer vision, statistical modeling, machine learning, and multimodal interaction.
Education
Ph.D. Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2002
Job Titles:
- Graduate Teaching Associate
Job Titles:
- Graduate Teaching Associate
Job Titles:
- ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
- Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering
Jason Poon is Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. He received the M.S. and Ph.D. degree in EECS from UC Berkeley in 2015 and 2019, respectively, and the B.S. degree in ECE from Olin College of Engineering in 2012. He was a postdoc in the EE Department at Stanford from 2019 to 2021. His research interests span the domains of power electronics, computing, and optimization. Dr. Poon is the recipient of the 2019 EERE Postdoctoral Research Award and the Best Paper Award at the 2016 IEEE Workshop on Control and Modeling for Power Electronics. Prior to joining Cal Poly, Dr. Poon was a Visiting Scholar and Instructor in the EE Department at Stanford and an affiliate researcher in the Energy Technologies Area at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab.
EE student Juan David Gonzalez checks out algae as a part of a project using electricity to get biofuel from algae.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Professor
- Assistant Professor in the Electrical Engineering Department at California Polytechnic State University
Mohammad Ghamari is an Assistant Professor in the Electrical Engineering Department at California Polytechnic State University. He earned his B.Eng. degree in Electronics and Communications from the University of Leeds, UK, in 2006, followed by an M.Sc. in Communications and Signal Processing from Newcastle University, UK, in 2007. He completed his Ph.D. in Communication Systems at Lancaster University, UK, in 2013. Following his doctoral studies, Dr. Ghamari held postdoctoral research positions at the University of Reading, UK, the University of Texas at El Paso, Pennsylvania State University, and Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.
In 2020, he joined Kettering University as an Assistant Professor, where he served for four years before joining Cal Poly. Dr. Ghamari's research focuses on wearable electronics and embedded computing systems, particularly in the development of real-time health monitoring and diagnostic technologies. His work aims to address critical challenges in biomedical applications, enhancing the ability to monitor vital signs and detect health-related issues early, thereby improving patient outcomes.
Dr. Ghamari brings his extensive research experience into the classroom, teaching both undergraduate and graduate courses and laboratories in Embedded Systems. He is dedicated to advancing educational practices and integrating real-world applications into his teaching. Dr. Ghamari is also recognized as a Senior Member of the IEEE, reflecting his significant contributions to the field.
Education
Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Lancaster University, UK, 2013
M.Sc. in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Newcastle University, UK, 2007
B.Eng. in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Leeds University, UK, 2006
Job Titles:
- Lecturer
- IEEE - HKN Professional Level Member
- Lecturer in the Electrical Engineering Department at Cal Poly
Noel Ellis is a Lecturer in the Electrical Engineering Department at Cal Poly. Noel retired from Raytheon Intelligence & Space, a Raytheon Technologies business, in 2022 where he was most recently the Director for Engineering Learning and University Relations. In that role, his responsibilities included developing and leading Engineering Continuing Education, Organizational Training, as well as a number of Talent Development programs. He also led Engineering University Relations and managed the University Research portfolio; tasked with identifying new technologies and building the relationships necessary to feed both the people and technology pipelines of the business. Noel joined the former Raytheon Company in 2003, prior to merger with United Technologies in 2020. He had held a number of leadership positions of increasing responsibility and complexity, including serving as Raytheon's Professor of Practice at California Poly in 2012/13.
Noel was a leader and spokesperson for the company's efforts to promote student interest in STEM careers and regularly participated in conferences and community outreach events to increase awareness of STEM career opportunities. He was a frequent speaker and panelist on STEM-related topics as well. Through all this experience, Noel developed a keen interest in both teaching and student/employee development. He now regularly teaches undergraduate level courses and laboratories where he melds his industry experience with course curriculum to further develop job-ready students.
Noel is an IEEE-HKN Professional Level Member; an advisor to a seed and early-stage venture firm investing smart connected sensors, big data and advanced, intelligent machines; and co-chair of Dean's Advisory Board, College of Engineering, Computer Science, and Technology (ECST) at Cal State University, Los Angeles.
Education
Technical Management Program, UCLA Extension, 2007
Job Titles:
- ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
- Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering
- Senior Member of IEEE
Payam Nayeri is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, and is a recipient of the Richard and Julie Hood Endowed Professorship in Electrical Engineering for the 2024-25 academic year. He received the B.Sc. degree in applied physics in 2004 from Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran, the M.Sc. degree in electrical engineering in 2007 from Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, and the Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering in 2012 from the University of Mississippi, University, MS, USA. From 2014 to 2022 he was with the Department of Electrical Engineering at Colorado School of Mines holding various positions. He joined the Electrical Engineering department at California Polytechnic State University as an Assistant Professor in 2022. His research interests are in wireless communication systems with a focus on surface electromagnetics, antennas and phased arrays, reflect arrays and array lenses, digital arrays and array processing, microwave and millimeter-wave devices, and application of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and mathematical programming techniques to these domains. His work has been funded by government and industry research grants such as by National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Keysight Technologies, and National Instruments, totaling over $1.4 million. He is the lead author of the book Reflectarray Antennas: Theory, Designs, and Applications (Wiley-IEEE Press, 2018), and has authored/co-authored three books and over 95 journal articles and conference papers.
Prof. Nayeri is a Senior Member of IEEE and a member of URSI (Commission B), and since 2019, has been serving as an Associate Editor for IEEE Antennas and Wireless Propagation Letters. He's also a member of Sigma Xi and Phi Kappa Phi honor societies. He serves on the steering and organizing committee of several international symposiums, such IEEE AP-S International Symposium on Antennas and Propagation and IEEE International Microwave Symposium. He has been the recipient of several prestigious awards, including the IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society Doctoral Research Award in 2010, the University of Mississippi Graduate Achievement Award in Electrical Engineering in 2011, Best Student Paper Award at the Applied Computational Electromagnetics Society Symposium in 2013, National Instruments Academic Research Award in 2017, and the Electrical Engineering Excellence in Teaching Award at Colorado School of Mines in 2021. His students have also received notable awards such as the 2019 IEEE MTT-S Graduate Fellowship, the 2019 IEEE AP-S SPC honorable mention, and the 2024 IEEE AP-S Undergraduate Summer Research Scholarship.
Tom Rhatigan is a Full Time Lecturer in the Electrical Engineering Department at Cal Poly. Rhatigan received his MSEE in Electrical Engineering from Drexel University in 1994. Brendan has been teaching at Cal Poly since 2021 after retiring with 30 years in the aerospace industry. Brendan spent much of his career as a Systems Engineer and a Chief Flight Test Engineer bringing real-world experience in problem solving across multiple engineering disciplines. Earlier in Brendan's career, he was an Embedded Systems Software Engineer and Software Architect for several airborne platforms. Brendan currently teaches several circuit labs and lectures along with signals and systems labs. He specialized in Digital Signal Processing while in pursuit of his degrees. His masters project involved Signal Processing, Stochastic Systems, Kalman Filtering, and State Estimation. Brendan's interests are in Signal Processing especially as it applies to music production. He is also interested in AI and Neural Networks.
Education
MS Electrical Engineering, Drexel University, 1994
Vladimir (Vlado) Prodanov was born in Sofia, Bulgaria. He attended the Technical University of Sofia for four years before leaving for the US. After spending one year in NY City, working various odd jobs, he became a graduate student in EE Dept., State University of NY at Stony Brook. Vladimir earned M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in 1995 and 1997 and joined Bell Labs-Research at Murray Hill, NJ. He remained with Bell Labs (Lucent Tech.) and subsequently with Agere Systems until 2004. From 2004 to 2008 Dr. Prodanov was with MHI Consulting, LLC. In 2006 Vladimir co-founded Blue Danube Labs, Inc. and served as its CTO for two years. Dr. Prodanov has taught analog and RF integrated circuits at the State University of NY at Stony Brook and Columbia University and he is a named inventor of 21 US patents. Dr. Prodanov joined the Cal Poly EE Dept. in 2009 where he currently holds the rank of professor of Electrical Engineering.
Education
Ph.D., Electrical Engineering, State University of New York, Stony Brook, New York, 1997
M.S., Electrical Engineering, State University of New York, Stony Brook, New York, 1995.
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor
- Associate Professor in the Electrical Engineering Department
Wayne Pilkington is an Associate Professor in the Electrical Engineering Department, teaching in the areas of digital signal processing, linear system analysis, digital system design, and introduction to EE laboratories at Cal Poly since 2005. He received his PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Rochester; where he participated in research into advanced methods for improving medical ultrasound image quality and resolution using novel signal processing approaches for aberration correction. Prior to this, during his 17-year professional career at the Eastman Kodak Company, Wayne learned all aspects of product commercialization working as a Design Engineer, Manufacturing Engineer, Quality Engineer, Advanced Development Engineer, Digital Design Group Leader, Analog Electronics and Systems Group Leader, and Program Manager in the Clinical Products and Optical Storage Products Divisions. Wayne integrates his knowledge of hardware/software co-design, concurrent product development, and critical skills for professional success gained from these experiences into his classroom and laboratory instruction. His ongoing research interests include recognition of healthy and pathologic indicators in biomedical (EMG,EEG,ECG) signals, medical image improvement and interpretation, and novel musical analysis, synthesis, and display methods.
Education
Ph.D. Electrical Engineering, University of Rochester, New York (2005)
M.S. Electrical Engineering, University of Rochester, New York (1999)
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor
- Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering in the California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo
William Ahlgren is Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering in the California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo. His degrees are S.B. in Physics (MIT), M.S. in Energy Systems Engineering (University of Arizona), and Ph. D. in Electric Power Engineering with thesis in Materials Science (University of Southern California). He has been involved in solar energy development since his undergraduate thesis research on shallow solar ponds for industrial process heat. His subsequent research has included development of photovoltaic devices in both silicon and II-VI materials; photo-electrochemical systems based on metal oxides for solar-assisted hydrogen production and electro-winning of copper; and electrochemical methods for the low-cost production of thin-film photovoltaic devices using II-VI and III-V materials. He has worked on the development of liquid regenerable fuels (ammonia, methanol, and methanol derivatives) as alternatives to hydrogen for long-term energy storage. He has worked on implementation of microgrids as a pathway for transition to zero-carbon energy systems. He is currently working on advanced manufacturing methods for electrical machines and drives.
Job Titles:
- Graduate Teaching Associate
Job Titles:
- Administrative Coordinator