The Expansive (Dis)Integration of Electrical Engineering Education

This paper examines the history of electrical engineering education, leveraging the concept of “expansive (dis)integration” to frame a number of key trends and challenges in the field. Our account is organized historically, starting with the origins and early development of electrical engineering education beginning in the late 1800s, and then tracing out the rise of new subfields and specialties during the inter-war and post-WWII periods. The development of computer engineering as a field is given special attention as a case study in disciplinary (dis)integration, while setting the stage for a discussion of broader trends associated with the rising influence of digital techniques and technologies across electrical engineering. The final sections of this paper report on some contemporary challenges and opportunities that may further transform the field in upcoming years and decades, with particular emphasis on issues of demographic diversity and perceptions of broader relevance and impact. The approach of this paper is largely historical, drawing on a wide variety of primary and secondary source materials. It is expected that this paper will be of interest to anyone who would like to know more about the historical development of electrical engineering education, including in relation to more contemporary currents in the field.