Electrical Engineering

Electrical engineering is the branch of engineering science that studies electrical equipment and the uses of electricity. This includes power generation and distribution, the control of machines, biomedical instrumentation and communications to name but a few. Electrical engineers engage in research and development, planning, product design and performance analysis. In addition to these activities, many electrical engineers work in administration, management or technical sales.

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) is a professional organization for electrical engineers. The IEEE divides the electrical engineering profession into the following nine categories: Circuits and Devices, Industrial Applications, Communications Technology, Electromagnetics and Radiation, Computer, Engineering and Human Environment, Energy and Power Engineering, Signals and Applications, and Systems and Control. The Circuits and Devices division includes components, packaging, manufacturing, lasers, electro-optics, nanotechnology, sensors, and solid-state. The Industrial Applications division includes dielectrics and insulation, instrumentation and measurement, and power electronics. The Communications Technology division includes standards, cell phones, radio, and television. The Electromagnetics and Radiation division includes antennas, broadcast technology, consumer electronics, microwave theory, nuclear and plasma, and superconductivity. The Engineering and Human Environment division includes education, engineering management, product safety, professional communications, reliability, and the social implications of technology. The Signals and Applications division includes aerospace and electronic systems, geoscience and remote sensing, oceanic engineering, signal processing, ultrasonics, ferroelectrics, frequency control, and vehicular technology. The Systems and Control division includes engineering in medicine and biology, industrial electronics, information theory, intelligent transportation, artificial neural networks, robotics and automation, and cybernetics.