Internet Resource Guide: Choosing a Specialization

For Electrical Engineering Undergraduates at Penn State University

Dominic Mirabile

Table of Contents
Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 3
Scope of Included Resources ..........................................................................................................................3 Intended Audience ..............................................................................................................................................3 Organization of the Guide ................................................................................................................................3 Tips for Effective Use of the Guide .................................................................................................... 4

Major-Specific Academic Internet Resources ................................................................. 5

Penn State Electrical Engineering Undergraduate Home Page ........................................................6 Massachusetts Institute of Technology Open Courseware Electrical Engineering ............ 7

Government Authored Statistical Publications ............................................................. 8

Statistical Abstract of the United States .....................................................................................................9 Catalogue of US Government Publications ................................................................................... 10

Electrical Engineering Periodical Databases ............................................................... 11

Engineering Village .......................................................................................................................................... 12 Institute of Electric and Electronic Engineers ............................................................................. 13

Professional and Career Resources ................................................................................ 14

The Institution of Engineering and Technology .................................................................................. 15 Career Cornerstone Center .............................................................................................................. 16

Introduction
As a primary research source, Internet content can be extremely helpful to undergraduate students in Electrical Engineering curriculums both inside and outside of the classroom. For class projects, laboratory exercises, and homework, it may be necessary to venture beyond the textbook or classroom materials to gain a deeper understanding of the course concepts. Additionally, as undergrads become more familiar with the breadth of electrical engineering, Internet resources are often helpful in exploring the different specialties available within the major. Utilizing Internet resources that are accessible and organized can help students pursue technical interests, plot a potential career, or gain an understanding of multiple fields within electrical engineering. This brief guide will summarize and explain the value and usability of a handful of Internet resources that may be utilized by Electrical Engineering undergrads to explore interests and potential future careers.

Scope of Included Resources

The scope of this guide is best exemplified by the sources it includes. With eight sources, ranging from statistical abstracts to undergraduate portals, this is meant to be a starting point for Electrical Engineering students in their search for a future career. These online resources can supplement course experience, discussions with advisors and peers, and other career-finding resources available to students. These sources should not be the only content used to make a decision to pursue a type of electrical engineering specialization, but they will help in exposing the reader to various fields, concepts, and career paths within the discipline.

Intended Audience
The intended audiences are first through third-year Penn State undergraduate Electrical Engineering students who plan on focusing their studies and career around a certain specialization. By helping students select a specialization before their senior year, this guide will aid in charting a specialized course path and eventually career. The author assumes the reader to be fairly internet-savvy and knowledgeable about electrical engineering sub-fields and topics. While one resource is specific to Penn State students, the remaining sources are valuable to all electrical engineering undergrads.

Organization of the Guide

For concision and readability, this guide will limit the evaluation of each resource to a brief abstract and helpful tips. Additionally, each resource will begin on a fresh page within the booklet. This structure will allow users to navigate the guide quickly and reduce the amount of extraneous information. The above table of contents provides an index of the types of sources listed in the document. The resources are grouped into the following categories: major-specific academic resources, 3

government authored statistical publications, electrical engineering periodical databases, and professional and career resources.

Tips for Effective Use of the Guide

Pay attention to the type of resource being summarized. Research content can be found in a number of ways and it is important to determine the best database and resource for your specific topic. Do not limit yourself to this guide alone. These represent a small crosssection of research collections and can be an entry point to deeper research based on your interests. Log every website you visit. It may be hard to see what the total picture of your research findings will look like at the beginning. Record each Internet resource and what you found interesting in that collection so that you can refer back if needed.

Major-Specific Academic Internet Resources

As a Penn State undergraduate student, there are various resources available within the College of Engineering and Career Services that can aid in selecting a major, focusing studies, and obtaining a job. Many of these resources are available online and may be underutilized, so be sure to explore your major or college specific online portal.

Penn State Electrical Engineering Undergraduate Home Page

Website hosted by The Pennsylvania State University Location and Availability: http://www.ee.psu.edu/Undergraduate/default.aspx Description: The landing page for the Penn State Electrical Engineering Department is tailored specifically to be a resource for undergraduates pursing that major. The first encounter with the site is welcoming and appealingoffering graphics that showcase student involvement and an organized navigational layout to ensure the user is not overwhelmed. After noticing the graphics and the layout, the reader can begin exploring the resources available within the Electrical Engineering Department at Penn State. The text overview provides information about the degree curriculum and the links on the left side of the page direct students to useful pages and information. Some important links that all Penn State EE Undergrads should be aware of: Degree Requirements and Program Booklists the requirements of the major that much be fulfilled in order to graduate. This will come in handy during scheduling. Course Descriptionsoffers a centralized location for all EE Course Descriptions. Use this resource to determine if a specific class suits your interests. Areas of Specializationoutlines the various tracks or pre-planned set of courses that undergrads can take to become specialized in one of the many interesting areas of engineering. Choosing an area of specialization can make students more appealing to potential employers. Job Announcementsmany recruiting opportunities are coordinated through the College of Engineering, and more specifically, the EE Department. Checking this page frequently will ensure you have the ability to meet with employers and discuss potential careers. Tips: Be familiar with this site and check it often. The website is updated weekly with events, important information, and opportunities for advancement and involvement. If you cant find something you need, see the contact information. Meeting face to face with administration is always a great way to network and get thorough and prompt answers. Take your time when choosing classes and specializations. Make sure these are topics that interest you so you can leverage them to get a career that is stimulating and exciting.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology Open Courseware Electrical Engineering

Free online directory of MIT Lectures on course materials in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science curriculums Location and Availability: http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/electrical-engineering-and-computer-science/ Description: The MIT Open Courseware is an accessible and comprehensive portal, which aims to make high-quality, technical instruction available to everyone. The website is easy to navigate, search, and digestorganizing material by subject, education level, course title, and even popularity. There is an appropriate amount of graphics and stylistic character to make the webpage appealing and modern. The value of this resource for undergraduates in Electrical Engineering is multidimensional. First, the courses and lectures available provide an alternative resource for learning engineering material. Additionally, aligned with the purpose of this guide, the MIT Open Courseware also allows students to browse and sample different subject matter simply by viewing clips. For students that are unsure of what field they would like to specialize in, this can be extremely useful in gauging interest without having to register a class. The resource also anticipates that readers may be overwhelmed by the amount of material and builds in ways to bring interesting and useful content to the surface. With rotating Featured Courses and the ability to filter by: most visited, most recent, and discipline, MIT Open Courseware helps all users find what they are looking for. Tips: Check out the Featured Courses section, which includes a wide range of interesting topics that have been proven to be popular or interesting to a given audience. Look into more advanced classes of the courses you are currently taking. By getting a preview of what is ahead in your studies, you can determine if you are still stimulated by the deeper subject matter. When you find a concept that interests you, look up new innovations in that area by searching white paper or journal article resources for recent publications. Use the search by topic multi-filter search to find more specific courses or lecture series if you have a clear idea of what you would like to obtain.

Government Authored Statistical Publications

Through its specific federal organizations, the United States government has the ability to collect, analyze, and release data in a variety of areas. Techniques for aggregating information or tracking certain metrics over time can be instrumental in producing very useful documents. Since government organizations record and survey both people and institutions regularly, the information is typically very credible and thorough. For undergraduate electrical engineering students, these government authored statistical publications can be helpful in understanding the industries that employ electrical engineers. Undergrads can gain a sense of hiring trends, salary averages, research expenditures, and commerce statisticsall specific to industries they are considering as possible careers.

Statistical Abstract of the United States

Volume of statistical reference produced by the United States Census Bureau Location and Availability: http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/ Description: This directory of statistical abstracts represents a comprehensive collection of statistical data on a variety of topics relating to the United States people, industry, and commerce. Utilizing federal and non-federal resources, this Internet resource has significant credibility and depth in the data of its publications. However, it is important to note that many of the abstracts are composed of raw data or numbers. These publications can therefore be used for reference or supporting evidence, but not necessarily for understanding a full picture. The structure of the webpage allows the user to find the desired subject matter quickly along the left side bar. Clicking on a topic brings the user to a page listing of all abstracts on that subjectoffering the ability to download in multiple formats. Tips: The sub-sections are not always intuitive, so be sure to check other relevant heading tabs to ensure your desired content is not somewhere unexpected. Utilize the sources listed at the bottom of the abstracts. It may lead to more raw data or a more comprehensive set of conclusions than the abstract was able to provide.

Funds for Performance and Industrial Research and Development http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2012/tables/12s0806.pdf This specific abstract is extremely simple and rigid in structurecontaining no graphics or superfluous design elements. It is concise and organized to find and compare figures easily. This specific document compares the R&D funds allocated by different industries, which provides insight into the perceived potential of each invested industry. The second half of the abstract displays a change over time for the past few years, allowing users to track trends and make predictions into the future. This particular abstract is a perfect example of the type of documents found in this Internet Resource. The publications provide raw information, allow users to make comparisons, and insert no bias or connotation into the pieces. It is left for the reader to draw conclusions, explore deeper, or utilize the information to support claims. As an undergrad engineering student, this resource may be useful in understanding engineering industries, employee demographics in the field, or investments in certain fields.

Catalogue of US Government Publications

Online government-authored depository Location and Availability: http://catalog.gpo.gov/F Description: The catalogue of US Government Publications houses government publications on seemingly every topic imaginable. These publications are used for government action or analysis, but are useful for a variety of audiences and research. The backing by US institutions provides credibility and authenticity to the documents which is not something that can be expected from every depository. The format of the internet resource is built completely around search. The fact that there are two separate options for basic or advanced search makes the page versatile and accommodating. The search returns a simple table with publication title, year, author, docket number, and online location. A general search returns thousands of results. The challenge with using this particular catalogue is that the search algorithm is seemingly not robust. Its difficult to determine why results are shown for a given keyword and the results are not seemingly ranked optimally. Therefore, this would not serve as a starting point for finding a specific field for a career or doing researchbut rather a resource for investigating specific government entities and their involvement in an issue. For example, as an undergrad, I have a lot of interest in the overlap between material science and electrical engineering. By searching material science, electrical engineering, I found this article: Predicting Materials Behavior: Advancing Multiscale Modeling Techniques. This article provides a strong example of the technical depth present in this catalogue. http://catalog.gpo.gov/F/N9NQF8F4X88RH9GMJ273FD33FKBBIS6RIHUGN KS4RJ9DEH4BBH-28341?func=full-setset&set_number=282311&set_entry=000002&format=999

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Electrical Engineering Periodical Databases

As a highly technical engineering field, Electrical Engineers are constantly generating new research findings and posing interesting questions. Combing through periodical databases for interesting content can be helpful for undergrads who are uncertain of their future career path. Many databases, including the ones listed, also feature certain publicationswhich allow viewers to stay current. Even if students are not currently engaged in research projects, reading technical documents will allow undergrads to supplement their coursework with more depth and gain an understanding of the challenges of a given field.

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Engineering Village
Engineering Periodical Literature Index Location and Availability: http://www.engineeringvillage.com/search/quick.url Description: Available through Penn State, Engineering Village is a searchable database of engineering content that allows the user to find things quickly and effective. The scope of the database is one of the main features that distinguish Engineering Village from a Google search. By categorizing such a broad range of engineering material, searching for reliable and up-to-date information is so valuable is both easy and effective on Engineering Village. Additionally, the robust search functionality allows but does not require strict search criteria. While these elements make Engineering Village a trustworthy database for finding research, it may not be the best first stop for exploring an entire field or specialization. When you already have a specific topic or potential career path, this site will be helpful in providing the latest published white papers on that technology, but it will fall short in helping you determine if a given topic is right for you. Tips: Begin with broad searches and then narrow down if there are too many results. Use the GET IT AT Penn State button to have a copy sent to you through Penn State. This allows access to thousands of pieces through your student status. When looking at a work to see if it is useful, look at the Table of Contents or Index to try and determine the information housed within. Reading a lengthy and random excerpt may give an improper representation of the volume.

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Institute of Electric and Electronic Engineers

Website hosted by the IEEE National Society Location and Availability: http://www.ieeeusa.org/default.asp Description: The landing page for the Institute of Electric and Electronic Engineers is largely aimed at both developing electrical engineers and those who a currently practicing in some way. The home page supplies graphical content that shows strength in values while the sidebar provides practical and useful links for when the user becomes disinterested in the graphics. After noticing the graphics and the layout, the reader can begin exploring the page. The website provides information about newsletters, career postings, the calendar, volunteer involvement, and public information for the society. While there are many links on the page, once you get through the front end, it shouldnt be an issue. Areas of Specializationoutlines the various tracks or pre-planned set of courses that undergrads can take to become specialized in one of the many interesting areas of engineering. Choosing an area of specialization can make students more appealing to potential employers. Job Announcementsmany recruiting opportunities are coordinated through the College of Engineering, and more specifically, the EE Department. Checking this page frequently will ensure you have the ability to meet with employers and discuss potential careers. Tips: Signup for the physical newsletter or monthly mailer! Use the virtual community to consult about career moves or entry.

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Professional and Career Resources

While students are predominantly focused on their studies as undergrads, it is also important to utilize professional and career resources as well in order to put themselves in the best possible position to be hired by their ideal employer. Joining a professional society specialized for your discipline provides many benefits for young professionals seeking career guidance. Additionally, by joining an online community to share job postings, career advice, and emerging industry trends, undergrads can seamlessly assimilate into the young professionals world upon graduation.

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The Institution of Engineering and Technology

Website hosted as the Professional home for engineers and technicians Location and Availability: http://www.theiet.org/ Description: This Internet resource is a platform built for engineers and technicians to network, discuss concepts, and build career knowledge. It is not specific to Electrical Engineers, but the forums that are focused on Electrical Engineering are extremely thorough and helpful to an undergraduate audience. The site is designed to be a social platform. It is compartmentalized so that there are designated spaces for different functions, but that all areas can be viewed in a dashboard-type view. It also allows the user the ability to choose a profile that best suits them and customizes their experience for optimum value for that user. Its important to note that this website requires membership, but there are free and open parts of the site that would be useful to undergraduate electrical engineers. Tips for Use: Utilize the links and portals to other valuable resources for engineers. The value of the website extends beyond the Institute of Engineering and Technology because it is a landing page for a number of valuable services and information. Search by sector: Environment, Design & Production, Energy, Information and Communication, and Transport. Each of these tabs have the newest information about the specific field and how you can contribute as an Electrical Engineer. Take advantage of Inspec, a database housed within the site containing 14 million abstracts and indexing for world-class engineering and physics material. Look up concepts or technologies that are interesting to you to see if research in that area is something you may want to pursue.

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Career Cornerstone Center

Online career planning resource for STEM degree graduates Location and Availability: http://www.careercornerstone.org/eleceng/eleceng.htm Description: This free career resource site is extremely multi-dimensionalproviding various resources for anyone pursuing a career in engineering. The specific page focused on Electrical Engineering thoroughly explains the roles of EEs and their responsibilities as an introduction to the page. Following the text, is a plethora of resources including interviews of professionals, preparation for career searches, industry profiles, day in the life testimonials, demographic information, career path forecast, and many more. The wealth of these resources is immense especially for someone uncertain of their specific path within the discipline. The structure of the page is logical and easy to follow. However, the graphics and design implemented on the page dates the site to any digital native using the site. The page could be made much more modern, interactive, and appealingleaving a lot to be desired in terms of visual strengths. Tips: Try the podcast or PowerPoint if you are not comfortable with reading text online. Take advantage of the additional listed resources at the bottom of the page, which may connect you to societies or other organizations that may help you on your career path. Do additional research on any of the industry sectors that interest you.

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