To: Courtney Ferriter, Instructor

From: Evan Mullvain, Student

Re: White Paper Final Product
Date: 07/14/2018

This memo provides a brief overview of the white paper written to persuade college
students to either change or choose the major of electrical engineering. This report
includes who specifically the white paper is designed for as well as the significance for
writing the document. The memo will conclude with an overview of the challenges faced
when writing the white paper, one of which was being able to identify a problem.

Audience for the White Paper

The nature of the initial topic made identifying who the white paper would be written for
less difficult than the other two posed topics. The audience for the white paper has been
refined from my initial topic proposal which included anyone who is interested in the field
of electrical engineering. This would have been almost an impossible feat to accomplish as
the field is too broad and would not be able to be covered in six pages. After receiving feed
back on the progress report the audience was refined to college students looking to change
their major and college students who want to initially choose electrical engineering before
entering college.

Purpose of the White Paper

The purpose of this white paper is to convince students or upcoming students to pursue a
major in electrical engineering not simply for the monetary benefit, (although this is
mentioned) but for the vast number of opportunities that a student can follow with their
newly acquired skills. To do this, various studies conducted in the field are used as well as
examples of other technical reports to give the reader an idea of the expectations in the
field.

Challenges/ Obstacles Faced

One of the most pressing challenges faced while writing this white paper determining what
the problem would be. It is not necessarily a problem if not everyone decides to become an
electrical, but it was important to be able to persuade just why the reader should consider a
new major. The purpose of the white paper would not suffice if just numbers and
proclamations of job security were thrown at the reader. The ideas need to be meticulously
ordered to accurately convey the message on electrical engineering and its benefits. A final
problem that I ran into was writing the “Methods” section of my white paper. After reading
and analyzing other examples of white papers, I noticed that the topics covered were more
directly tied to research which was somewhat different from the topic I chose. This made
my methods section appear to be more of filler material than material that helped convey
the message.
Electrical Engineering
Expressing Your Ingenuity

Evan Mullvain
July 14, 2018
Georgia Southern University

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I. INTRODUCTION

As the importance of the technology industry grows on a global scale, so does the need for

innovators to help design and create within the multifaceted field of electrical engineering.

According to the Consumer Technology Association (2017), the year 2018 is predicted to yield

$351 billion for the consumer technology industry. This projected 3.9% increase from the

previous year is indicative that technology and its effect on human interaction is not going

anywhere. Electrical engineers can work in several different work-related areas to improve the

standard of living for the people of the plugged-in world.

Many jobs of this caliber require at least a four-year degree, (BLS, 2018) meaning time spent

acquiring a college education is an integral period for anyone looking to pursue work in

electrical engineering. As a student, it is important to become well versed in a major to ensure

they fulfill their future work expectations (Liu et al. 2017). It is not too difficult to be

overwhelmed by the flashy graphics posted everywhere purporting the benefits of a major and

ultimately, this can lead to a student settling on a major. For the students who are new to the

experience of college they may choose a major by the characteristics of the job (Brinthaupt &

Marade 2018) but as the student progresses through their education they may develop new

interests causing the student to become interested in a new major. Electrical engineering is the

gateway for a student interested in electronics and innovation and features a variety of lifelong

benefits educationally, socially, and personally. This paper aims to analyze the different fields a

student can get started working in by provided examples of research being done in the respective

fields as well as the incentives for working in the field of electrical engineering. Resources for

anyone are provided to convey these benefits and dispel any incorrect notions that a student may

have on the everchanging field of electrical engineering.

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 II. METHODS FOR ACQUIRING FINDINGS

To understand the depth of the field of electrical engineering, we can look at a device such as

a cell phone. The cell phone will be a guiding factor in the field specific research section of the

paper to visualize the scope of opportunities by pursuing this major. From the brief overview of

this device, various studies regarding each individual component will be enhanced by studies

conducted through the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) professional

association.

A cell phone provides an example of just how multifaceted the field of electrical engineering

is. The components of a cellular device include a circuit board, a battery, speakers, a screen and

an antenna. These components are created with the know-how of an electronics engineer. These

cell phones also need to be able to communicate with one another. An electrical engineer with a

specialization in telecommunication engineering can efficiently manage the way these phones

connect. These devices also need a form of energy to be able to function. Power engineers help

to generate the electricity that is used in the homes, offices and anywhere else where a light can

be switched on or a plug can be plugged into an outlet. This is only a brief look at some of the

many areas of study that can be worked in through a degree in electrical engineering.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics describes the job requirements and average monetary benefits

of working in electrical engineering. This resource was used as an incentive to compare this

major to other majors. The following section presents the job outlook as well as the required

skills needed, and certifications needed to pursue higher level jobs in electrical engineering. In

addition to the job overview, resources from Georgia Southern University are included to obtain

a first hand look at the experience a student can expect when applying to the school or

considering a change in major.

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 Finally, the findings will introduce examples of separate technical reports to generalize the

expectations and goals of other businesses and engineering related government organizations.

The first report is from the Southeastern Power Administration which is a division of Power

Administration under the Department of Energy. This paper provides a look into the research and

outlook of a local government organization.

III. FINDINGS

i. ELECTRICAL ENGINEER OVERVIEW

An electrical engineer can typically enter the workforce after receiving a four-year degree

from an accredited university. It is up to the student to continue their education through a

master’s and doctoral program or gain certain certifications to become a professional engineer

(PE). The employment for electrical and electronic engineers is expected to expand seven

percent in the next ten years which is “as fast as average for all other occupations,” (“Electrical

and Electronics Engineers”, 2018). The number solely for electrical engineers is nine percent in

the next ten years. The median pay for a 2017 electrical engineer was $97,970 per year (BLS,

2018), however this median considers all fields in electrical engineering and can be different

depending on the field and the location in which the job is being done. The University of New

South Wales lists seventeen different fields in electrical engineering. To name a few there are:

power engineering, microelectronics, signal processing, satellite engineering, and wireless

communications. Students unsure of which major they wish to pursue will find that electrical

engineering has a wide range of fields to accommodate a variety of interests.

ii. FIELD-SPECIFIC RESEARCH

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 If we refer to the example of a cell phone we can see exactly what some of these fields

research and how they can be applicable to a student interested in changing their major to

electrical engineering or a person looking to get into the discipline. Let’s first take for instance

the antenna of a cell phone. Once constructed to stick as far up as possible to emit the best signal

with the least amount of interference, these components sit tucked away within the phones main

shell and are able to transmit signals more effectively than ever. The type of electrical engineer

to work on this is one who specializes in telecommunications. The new terminology that is

prominently featured in nearly every technological current event news source is the up and

coming 5G network. Although testing with the new network is currently taking place, (“When is

5G Coming to the US”, 2018) deployment of the network is not expected until 2020. This means

that there is an ample supply of research being done on the subject to test its usefulness. One

such paper describes that “5G radios will be much more efficient both in spectrum and power

usage” but will come at a price of “complexity and design,” (Foegelle, 2018, p.1). This

exemplifies the notion that the electronic space is always changing, and there are people needed

to take part in continuing this change.

Another element of the device that resides in our pockets is the liquid crystal display or light

emitting diode display that allows us to provide user input to the cell phone. As an electrical

engineer, a student can choose to work in the field of signal processing. Signal processing in the

simplest sense deals with the transmission, storage and quality of signals (Oppenheim & Schafer,

1989). A study conducted by Wei et al. (2016) aimed to create a more efficient processing circuit

for multi-touch screens in phones, tablets and computers. The study acknowledges the problem

with the current front-end circuits and to remedy this, an experiment was conducted in order to

design a cheaper alternative of the signal processing circuit. Signal processing is not limited to

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information transmitted from a screen, but it can also be used with audio signals to transmit and

alter sounds. This form of signal processing can be either in the analog or digital format.

iii. RESOURCES FOR FURTHER STUDY

Universities that offer a degree in electrical engineering will have information regarding the

major and what a student is required to do to obtain a degree. Georgia Southern University is an

Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) accredited school that provides

resources for any student interesting in pursuing major in electrical engineering. The pages

contain co-op and internship information as well as scholarship opportunities to that can assist in

paying for the cost of tuition. For reference, in the fall of 2017 there were 414 students, freshmen

through seniors, enrolled in the electrical engineering program. This makes up nearly 12% of the

total student enrollment in the College of Engineering and Computing.

In addition to obtaining resources from a school itself, information about various

organizations relating to the field a student is interested will help determine the best fir

professionally. The Southeastern Power Administration is part of a larger whole that is the

Department of Energy. Annual reports are easily accessible and contain material that outlines the

doings of an organization and plans for the future. The Southeastern Power Administration is an

organization that markets hydroelectric power to public consumers in the southeastern United

States.

IV. CONCLUSION

Electrical engineering consists of a plethora of branches that can meet the interests of anyone

interesting in perusing a new educational interest. The state of technology in today’s society

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ensures the job security of anyone in this field with an above average monetary value. There are

plenty of resources available for a student to use to get an idea of the major’s academic and

personal benefits. Simply reading reports published to the Institute of Electronics and Electrical

Engineers website will allow a student to stay up to date on the latest changes and advancements

being made in the field. Universities and their respective electrical engineering departments have

information for students who are interested. Most importantly, they will be able to guide any

student to a pathway for success in electrical engineering.

V. RECOMMENDATIONS

Becoming an electrical engineer is a way to work with peers that have similar interests and

who look to solve some of today’s most pressing technological issues. A student looking to

pursue a career in electrical engineering will expand their knowledge through math and science

and will be prepared to solve problems that can save people money, keep people safe, and just

give society an overall more fluid living experience. Even if an interest in this major is not

initially a thought, doing research can change the opinions of a seemingly daunting field of

study. An important point to note is that as an electrical engineer, the requirement to learn will

never stop. Because technology is not a static area of study, there will always be more

information to gain and transfer onto work or research being done. A path in this field requires

plenty of team efforts which can be beneficial not only in the professional life but also in the

personal life. By interacting with others to accomplish an end goal, a student will obtain the

skills of working together effectively. The more digital our world becomes, the more its need for

electrical engineers grows.

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REFERENCES:

2018 Tech Industry Revenue to Reach Record $351 Billion, Says CTA. (2018, January 07).
Retrieved from https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180107005125/en/2018-
Tech-Industry-Revenue-Reach-Record-351
Abel, J., & Deitz, R. (2016, September). Underemployment in the Early Careers of College
Graduates Following the Great Recession (Working paper No. 22654). Retrieved
http://www.nber.org/papers/w22654
Alan V. Oppenheim and Ronald W. Schafer (1989). Discrete-Time Signal Processing. Prentice
Hall
Electrical and Electronics Engineers. (2018, April 13). Retrieved from
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/electrical-and-electronics-
engineers.htm
Foegelle, M. D. (2018). RF Measurements in a 5G World (Tech.). ETS-Lindgren. Retrieved
from https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=8409874&tag=1.
Georgia Southern University. (2018, January 01). Enrollment & Graduation Data. Retrieved
from http://cec.georgiasouthern.edu/about/enrollment-graduation-data/
Marade, A. A., & Brinthaupt, T. M. (2018). Good and Bad Reasons for Changing a College
Major: A Comparison of Student and Faculty Views. Education, (4), 323.
Liu, S., Sun, W., & Winters, J. (2017, September). Up in STEM, Down in Business: Changing
College Major Decisions with the Great Recession
Southeastern Power Administration 2017 Annual Report (Rep.). (2018). Retrieved
https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2018/07/f53/2017 SEPA Annual Report
complete.pdf
Types of Electrical Engineering. (2016, November 01). Retrieved from
https://www.engineering.unsw.edu.au/electrical-engineering/electrical-engineering/types-of-
electrical-engineering
X. Wei, B. Li, T. Wei, J. Wang and R. Zheng (2016) "Design of a front-end signal processing
circuitry for Capacitive Multi-touch Screens," IEEE International Conference on Signal
Processing, Communications and Computing (ICSPCC), Hong Kong, 2016, pp. 1-5.