Electrical and Systems Engineering

Department Chair: Arye Nehorai

Home Page: http://www.ese.wustl.edu/ Location: 201 Bryan Hall Email: sandra@zach.wustl.edu Telephone: (314) 935-5565

In a general sense, systems science is an approach that views an entire system of components as an entity rather than simply an assembly of individual parts; each component is designed to fit properly with the other components rather than to function by itself. The engineering and mathematics of systems is a rapidly developing field. It is one of the most modern segments of applied mathematics, as well as an engineering discipline. It is concerned with the identification, modeling, analysis, design, and control of systems that are potentially as large and complex as the U.S. economy or as precise and vital as a space voyage.

Its interests run from fundamental theoretical questions to the implementation of operational systems. In its mathematical aspects it draws on the most modern and advanced areas of mathematics, including stochastics. At the application end of the spectrum, the systems scientist is an engineer with a unique and indispensable viewpoint and training to bring to any systems analysis, design, or control problem.

News Stories & Tip Sheets:

Showing 3 Stories.

Shake it up For nonlinear systems, chaos leads to order April 3, 2006 -- "Da police are not here to create disorder; dere here to preserve disorder." — Richard J. Daley, Chicago mayor, explaining to the media the role of the police during the riotous 1968 Democratic National Convention. David Kilper/WUSTL Photo The order team. Police keep order. That's why, for example, they issue tickets for "disturbing the peace." Thus the only logical conclusion to Mayor Daley's famous quote above — other than dismissing it as the result of a tangled tongue — is sometimes disorder spawns order. Sounds impossible, right? Wrong. According to a computational study conducted by a group of physicists at Washington University in St. Louis, one may create order by introducing disorder. More...

Bandit, space repairman Tiny satellite can dock with mothership Nov. 11, 2004 -- David Kilper / WUSTL Photo Failure at a university is a word with bad connotations, unless you are involved in building experimental satellites that the U.S. Air Force and NASA find interesting. An aerospace engineer at Washington University in St. Louis who works with students building experimental spacecraft says student-built spacecraft, which he calls "university-class," have a strong advantage over aerospace industry-built spacecraft: the freedom to fail.

Reading electronic 'fingerprints' Washington University technology earns its stripes Nov. 11, 2004 -- Washington University in St. Louis has licensed a system developed by Washington University engineers that is meant to detect counterfeit credit cards by reading a unique magnetic "fingerprint" on the stripes of credit cards and other objects that carry magnetic information. The system -- called Magneprint -- was invented by Ronald Indeck, Ph.D., Das Family Distinguished Professor of Electrical Engineering at Washington University.

Showing 3 Stories.

Faculty Experts:

Showing 3 Experts.

John McCarthy Professor of Mathematics John McCarthy's field is a kind of analysis called operator theory, which he defines as the study of matrices in infinite dimensional space. It is most directly linked to quantum mechanics, a physics theory involving elementary particles such as the electron that predicts the outcomes of physical ... Expertise: mathematics, pure mathematics, operator theory, quantum mechanics Direct contact: (314) 935-6753 / mccarthy@wustl.edu

T.J. Tarn Professor of Systems Science and Mathematics TJ Tarn Download T.J. Tarn, Ph.D., professor of Systems Science and Mathematics in the School of Engineering and Applied Science, is internationally known for his expertise in robotics and automation and intelligent control. In 1997, Tarn and his then graduate student Kevin Brady were the first persons to control ... Expertise: robotics, robotic manipulators, artificial intelligence Direct contact: (314) 935-6037 / tarn@ese.wustl.edu

Frank Yin Stephen and Camilla Brauer Professor of Biomedical Engineering Yin Download Frank C. P. Yin, M.D., Ph.D., the Stephen and Camilla Brauer Professor of Biomedical Engineering and chair of the biomedical engineering department, is a world-renowned biomedical engineer. Yin heads a dynamic, young department, not yet five years old and already ranked among the top 20 in the nation. ... Expertise: soft tissue mechanics, cell mechanics, hemodynamics Direct contact: (314) 935-6164 / yin@biomed.wustl.edu

Showing 3 Experts.