Recipients Hail From Top U.S. Engineering Universities
SAN FRANCISCO, March 19 /PRNewswire/ -- CMP Technology's EE Times
announced today that Dr. Belle Wei, dean of the College of Engineering at
San Jose State University (SJSU), was named Educator of the Year, and
Michael Callahan, a graduate student at the University of Illinois as the
Student of Year. Wei and Callahan will be honored at the third Annual
Creativity in Electronics (ACE) Awards Gala (http://www.eetimes.com/ace) on
April 3, 2007, as part of the largest electronic systems design event in
North America, the Embedded Systems Conference Silicon Valley.
The 2007 EE Times ACE Awards honors two people in academia who are
dedicated to transforming the world around them. The Educator the Year
award recognizes an individual who brings leadership, creativity and
inspiration to students in an engineering or science curriculum in college
or secondary schools. The Student of the Year award recognizes a student
whose discipline, hard work and academic success are considered hallmarks
for other engineering or science students.
"Dr. Belle Wei and Michael Callahan epitomize the spirit that continues
to drive innovation and inspire the creators of technology," said Brian
Fuller, editor in chief of EE Times. "Through their commitment to education
and technology, Dr. Wei and Mr. Callahan are literally transforming the
world today -- from improving the quality of undergraduate education to
developing a life-changing technology for disabled people. Their
accomplishments illustrate what it means to be truly innovative."
As dean of the College of Engineering at SJSU, Dr. Wei has spearheaded
a long-term transformation of the college, focusing on the globalization
and global competitiveness of the engineering profession, creating
academic-industry partnerships and recruiting under-represented demographic
groups, such as women and other minorities. Thanks in part to her work, in
2006, the College of Engineering vaulted from 16th place to 12th place for
engineering programs that award BS and MS degrees, as reported in U.S. News
and World Report.
"Engineering education today is more than teaching students superior
engineering knowledge and skills. We must inspire them to use their
knowledge and skills in an innovative way to solve compelling societal
problems. I like to refer to it as a holistic approach to teaching and
learning," said Dr. Belle Wei, dean of the College of Engineering at San
Jose State. "I am deeply honored to receive this award and to have the
opportunity to work with faculty, staff, alumni and industry friends to
positively impact our students."
While a graduate student, Michael Callahan developed an innovative
technology to translate neurological signals into speech. His goal is to
restore mobility and communication for millions of severely disabled people
living in the United States. By interfacing near the source of vocal
production, he has been able to translate unspoken thought of the mind from
intercepted neuronal activity at the vocal cords.
Callahan also co-founded Ambient, a company to commercialize this
technology to improve the lives of the severely disabled. Leading a team of
engineers and researchers, he is determined to bring this technology to
market and make it accessible to those who need it most.
To promote student innovation at the University of Illinois, Callahan
is also working to bring resources to those interested in pursuing their
ideas. He has been instrumental in creating a laboratory for students
involved with the Technology Entrepreneur Center to develop product ideas.
Callahan is also working with Motorola to develop technological innovations
for the impoverished in India.
"I am honored to be recognized as 'Student of the Year' by EE Times. I
attribute this achievement to all of those who have helped me along the way
and I am grateful to have the opportunity to help people in need," said
Michael Callahan. "I share this award with all the educators who have
helped guide me as well as my fellow students who have helped me realize my
vision of improving the lives of the disabled."
The 2006 winners of Educator and Student of the Year were,
respectively, Geoffrey C. Orsak of Southern Methodist University's School
of Engineering and Adam Sidman of Palmer High School in Colorado Springs,
who is now a freshman at Harvard.
About EE Times ACE Awards
The EE Times Annual Creativity in Electronics (ACE) Awards celebrate
the creators of technology who demonstrate leadership and innovation in the
global industry and shape the world we live in. These creators, and their
innovations, will be recognized at the EE Times ACE Awards Gala on April 3,
2007, as part of CMP Technology's Embedded Systems Conference Silicon
Valley (http://www.embedded.com/esc/sv/), the largest electronic systems
design event in North America.
Held at the San Jose Fairmont Hotel, EE Times ACE Award Gala event
tickets include a networking cocktail reception, sit-down dinner, awards
presentation and entertainment by comedian Larry Miller. Miller is known
for his regular comedic and acting performances including "The Tonight
Show," "Late Night with David Letterman," and feature films "Waiting for
Guffman" and "Pretty Woman." To learn more and purchase tickets for the EE
Times ACE Awards Gala, please visit http://www.eetimes.com/ace.
The 2007 EE Times ACE Awards thanks the following companies for their
support including exclusive platinum sponsor Avnet Electronics Marketing,
gold sponsors Rambus and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Inc.
(TSMC), silver sponsors Analog Devices, Inc., McClenahan Bruer
Communications, Merit Direct and Walker Information, Inc., association
media sponsor IEEE Spectrum, and event sponsor Embedded Systems Conference
Silicon Valley.
About the CMP Technology Electronics Group
The CMP Technology Electronics Group is the premier technology and
business media brand serving the information needs of the creators of
technology worldwide. Offering a full suite of products and services to
reach electronics technology professionals throughout the world, the CMP
Technology Electronics Group delivers the most targeted audience and
actionable information to marketers in the electronics technology
community. Each month, the CMP Technology Electronics Group delivers more
than 1 million copies of its print publications, including EE Times, to
subscribers in more than 23 countries and online visitors from 100
countries view more than 8 million pages on its Web sites in seven
languages including EETimes.com and TechOnline. More than 40,000 decision
makers attend its Embedded Systems Conferences each year in Boston, Silicon
Valley, China and Taiwan.
About CMP Technology (http://www.cmp.com)
CMP Technology is a marketing solutions company serving the technology
industry. Through its market-leading portfolio of trusted information
brands, CMP has earned the confidence of more technology professionals than
any other media company. As a result, CMP is the premier provider of
access, insight and actionable programs designed to connect sellers and
buyers in ways that yield superior return on investment. CMP Technology is
a subsidiary of United Business Media (http://www.unitedbusinessmedia.com),
a global provider of news distribution and specialist information services
with a market capitalization of more than $3 billion.
Contact:
Michelle Sabolich
Atomic Public Relations for CMP Technology
michelle.sabolich@atomicpr.com
(415) 402-0230
SOURCE CMP Technology Electronics Group
 back to top
Related links:
http://www.cmp.com/
CONTACT:
Michelle Sabolich of Atomic Public Relations,
+1-415-402-0230, michelle.sabolich@atomicpr.com, for CMP
Technology
|
