Course Syllabus

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ECE 5340/6340 Applied Computational EM   (w/ self-written codes)

Instructor

Prof. Cynthia Furse
 (Links to an external site.)

Office: MEB 2280

Office Hours:

Tuesdays 1-2pm  Zoom https://utah.zoom.us/j/3465351400 

Or By appointment

cfurse@ece.utah.edu

 

LECTURE
Mondays and Wednesdays: in person + Zoom 11:50 am - 1:10 pm MEB 2555 and Zoom (<<<see link on left bar of canvas<<<)

Teaching assistants (TAs)
Name: Office Hours: Email:
Prashanna Paneru u1330933@utah.edu

Course Description

Overview

Course ECE 5340 / 6340
Department Electrical and Computer Engineering
Pre-Requisites Prerequisites: "C-" or better in ECE 3300 or equivalent AND Full Major status or Graduate Status in (Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering).
Credit Hours 3
Semester Spring 2025
Description Students will formulate and solve real-world electromagnetics problems computationally. Applications areas range from geolocation to next-generation prosthetic limbs. Emphasis will be on two of the most popular computational electromagnetic techniques: the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method and the finite element method (FEM). Students will write their own codes from scratch. For students who already or might use commercially available electromagnetic software, this course will provide an understanding of the internal workings of such “black box” programs.

Goals & Objectives

At the completion of this course, students will be able to program the following methods, determine and explain their tradeoffs for various EM problems, and apply them to electromagnetic problems:

  • Finite-Difference Frequency-Domain Method (FD or FDFD)
  • Finite-Difference Time-Domain Method (FDTD)
  • Method of Moments (MoM)
  • Finite Element Method (FE or FEM)

Students will also be able to program to following techniques to solve electromagnetics problems:

  •                         Numerical Differentiation
  •                         Numerical Integration
  •                         Solution of Matrix Equations
  •                        Time-to-Frequency Domain Conversions

We will spend the last 3 weeks of class on Artificial Intelligence (AI) applied to electromagnetics.

Required Materials

Textbook (See Bookshelf on left bar of canvas): M.N.O. Sadiku, Numerical Techniques in Electromagnetics, CRC Press, 3rd Edition  (other editions are OK, but you may need to copy some problems from newer text).

Computer or Tablet:

For Matlab, I’d recommend a minimum of  an Intel i5 or an AMD Athlon processor with 16 GB of RAM and an SSD hard drive (preferred but not absolutely necessary).  Most of today’s new computers would run these programs just fine but the key is the amount of RAM.  I’d never try to do anything less that 8 GB on a system running Windows, 16 GB or more is preferred.

Matlab: Download free from OSL.utah.edu

Pre-class, short lectures are online, and you'll need to watch these before class. Please try the assignments that are generally given each day, so that if you have questions, we can address those early and not leave them  until the last minute.

In class, we'll answer questions and work together on our codes. In class time will also be recorded and shared via a Zoom link for those who need it.  Find the Zoom link (see the left bar of canvas).

Assignments will be submitted on the Canvas software system. This will require scanning or taking pictures of assignments  that are then submitted via computer or phone. Download a free scanner for your phone, so you can create a single PDF file of each assignment. Suggestion: Genius Scan (free).

Communication

Preferred Contact Methods

The easiest way to reach your professor is through office hours or through the   Inbox, located in the far left Canvas menu (this comes to my email), or by direct email (see top of page).

The easiest way to contact your TA directly is to use the   Inbox, located in the far left Canvas menu.

Office Hours

Posted above.

Course Schedule

The course has five modules:

  1. Finite-Difference Frequency-Domain Method (FD or FDFD)
  2. Finite-Difference Time-Domain Method (FDTD)
  3. Method of Moments (MoM)
  4. Finite Element Method (FE or FEM)
  5. Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Detailed schedule: Viewable through the "Modules" tab on the left.

Student Preparation And Time Commitment

Prerequisites: "C-" or better in ECE 3300 or equivalent AND Full Major status or Graduate Status in (Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering).

Previous Experience

Students should have a working knowledge of Matlab. Proficiency will be gained throughout the semester.

Use the Matlab OnRamp to review or expand your basic skills.

If you choose to program in Python or another language, this is allowed, but the TA and professor can't help you debug your codes.

WORK LOAD:  Plan to spend the following amount of time each week:

  • 1-2 hours watching videos
  • 3 hours in class /working together
  • 3-6 hours programming at hom

9+ hours per week

Course Policies

Submitting Assignments

All assignments should be submitted on Canvas. Remember to login to CIS (U computer system you use to register) before trying to submit assignments. Late assignments will be accepted without penalty through the last day of finals, but please don't leave things to the last minute if at allllll possible.

Grading

Each Module has a set of assignments that lead to a project for that module. The total number of points for each assignment are noted (on the assignment).

For the AI project, each student will choose an AI / EM topic of their choice, learn about and teach this concept to the class in a short presentation.

The grade will be based on a percent of the total number of points.

Course Grading Scale

Grades are assigned by an absolute grading scale based on percentage total for course:

≥ 93%    A       ≥ 90%    A-

≥ 87%    B+     ≥ 83%    B      ≥ 80%    B-

≥ 77%    C+     ≥ 73%    C      ≥ 70%    C-

≥ 67%    D+     ≥ 63%    D      > 60%    D-

≤ 60%    E 

Accommodations

Accommodations

Accommodations will be considered on an individual basis and may require documentation. Most accommodations are made through the Center for Disability Services (See details below.)

Please contact your instructor and/or teaching assistant as soon as possible (preferably shortly before the semester begins) to request accommodations of any kind.

Extreme personal circumstances

Please contact your instructor as soon as possible if an extreme personal circumstance
(hospitalization, death of a close relative, natural disaster, etc.) is interfering with your ability to complete your work.

Religious Practice

To request an accommodation for religious practices, contact your instructor at the beginning of the semester.

Active Duty Military

If you are student on active duty with the military and experience issues that prevent you from participating in the course because of deployment or service responsibilities, contact your instructor as soon as possible to discuss appropriate accommodations.

Disability Access

All written information in this course can be made available in an alternative format with prior notification to the Center for Disability Services (CDS). CDS will work with you and the instructor to make arrangements for accommodations. Prior notice is appreciated. To read the full accommodations policy for the University of Utah, please see Section Q of the Instruction & Evaluation regulations.

If you will need accommodations in this class, contact:

Center for Disability Services
801-581-5020
disability.utah.edu
162 Union Building
    200 S. Central Campus Dr.
     Salt Lake City, UT 84112

Changes to the Syllabus

This syllabus is not a contract. It is meant to serve as an outline and guide for your course. Please note that your instructor may modify it to accommodate the needs of your class.

You will be notified of any changes to the Syllabus.

Use of AI, working together, etc.

Students are welcome to work together, but each student needs to understand the material and submit their own, unique code.

Students are welcome to adapt or use codes found online, or to use AI to program codes, however this must be acknowledged within your code and reports/writeups.

All resources you use in your programming (friends, online, AI, etc.) should be acknowledged in the header of each code.

See UofU Handbook on A Links to an external site.I 

and ECE Policies on Plagiarism and AI


n external si

  • You may use any AI tool of your choice to accomplish any of the assignments in this class.
  • If you do use AI, you are responsible for any and all of the content it creates, including mistakes.
  • If you use AI for anything, openly and honestly acknowledge what you used and how it was used (e.g. "I used ChatGPT to write this paper, and none of the ideas are my own" .. ok, let's hope it doesn't go quite that far ;)  Add acknowledgement to AI within your code if you use it for programming (e.g ."ChatGPT was used to edit the formatting for this figure.")

Expectations

Student Expectations

The following is expected of all students in this class:

  • Students must be self-motivated, organized, and willing to stay on top of their schedule. Students should take control of their learning while in this course.
  • Students are expected to follow the Core Rules of Netiquette at all times while communicating with others online.
  • Students should come to class 3 times per week.
  • Students are expected to interact with their classmates.
  • Students will regularly check for course updates and will update their Canvas notification settings to ensure they receive timely notifications from the course.
  • Students will contact their instructor or teaching assistant in a timely manner if they have any questions, are struggling with course materials, or need further assistance from their instructor.
    • If you do not hear back within 3 days after sending a message, please contact your instructor/TA again.
  • Students will follow all official University of Utah policies regarding interpersonal conduct, academic dishonesty, and other rights and responsibilities of students outlined in the University of Utah Student Handbook and Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities.

Instructor Expectations

Your course instructor is an expert in the topics you will learn about this semester. Your instructor is your mentor and facilitator of the classroom experience, aided by teaching assistants. Instructors are committed to:

  • The instructor will design the course to include lectures, learning materials, and assignments that are accessible and provide students with opportunities to learn and practice course content.
  • The instructor and teaching assistants will ensure that the course remains a safe space where students can engage with difficult content thoughtfully and respectfully.
  • The instructor and teaching assistants will interact with the class regularly via classroom activities, announcements, office hours, emails/the Canvas Inbox, feedback on assignments, and comments on Discussions, among other methods.
  • The instructor and teaching assistants will respond to students in a timely manner: within 48 hours, not including weekends and holidays.
  • The instructor and teaching assistants will be available for individual consultation via office hours and email.
  • The instructor and teaching assistants will provide relevant feedback in a timely manner.
  • The instructor and teaching assistants will follow all official University of Utah policies regarding interpersonal conduct, accommodations, and other important duties.

Department Policies

Please see our ECE Department Student Canvas Hub regarding department policies:

  • Challenging Courses
  • Student Conduct
  • Class Repeats
  • Withdrawal Procedure
  • Exceptions to Policy
  • Permission Codes
  • Probationary Status
  • Grading

For technical issues in the lab (broken equipment, software issues, etc) please send an email that describes the issue, description of setup where error occurred, which bench station, etc to: ecelabs@coe.utah.edu

For student concerns and other feedback, please speak with our department undergraduate advisors.

College Policies

College policies describe the following:

  • Appeals
  • Withdrawing from Classes
  • Adding Classes
  • Repeating Courses
  • CR/NC Policy
  • Safety

University Policies

Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA)

The University of Utah seeks to provide equal access to its programs, services, and activities for people with disabilities.

All written information in this course can be made available in an alternative format with prior notification to the Center for Disability & Access (CDA). CDA will work with you and the instructor to make arrangements for accommodations. Prior notice is appreciated. To read the full accommodations policy for the University of Utah, please see Section Q of the Instruction & Evaluation regulations.

In compliance with ADA requirements, some students may need to record course content. Any recordings of course content are for personal use only, should not be shared, and should never be made publicly available. In addition, recordings must be destroyed at the conclusion of the course.

If you will need accommodations in this class, or for more information about what support they provide, contact:

Center for Disability & Access

801-581-5020
disability.utah.edu

Third Floor, Room 350
Student Services Building
201 S 1460 E
Salt Lake City, UT 84112

Safety at the U

The University of Utah values the safety of all campus community members. You will receive important emergency alerts and safety messages regarding campus safety via text message. For more safety information and to view available training resources, including helpful videos, visit safeu.utah.edu.

To report suspicious activity or to request a courtesy escort, contact:

Campus Police & Department of Public Safety

801-585-COPS (801-585-2677)
dps.utah.edu
1735 E. S. Campus Dr.
Salt Lake City, UT 84112

Addressing Sexual Misconduct

Title IX makes it clear that violence and harassment based on sex and gender (which includes sexual orientation and gender identity/expression) is a civil rights offense subject to the same kinds of accountability and the same kinds of support applied to offenses against other protected categories such as race, national origin, color, religion, age, status as a person with a disability, veteran’s status, or genetic information.

If you or someone you know has been harassed or assaulted, you are encouraged to report it to university officials: 

Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX

801-581-8365
oeo.utah.edu
135 Park Building
201 Presidents' Cir.
Salt Lake City, UT 84112

Office of the Dean of Students

801-581-7066
deanofstudents.utah.edu
270 Union Building
200 S. Central Campus Dr.
Salt Lake City, UT 84112

To file a police report, contact:

Campus Police & Department of Public Safety

801-585-COPS (801-585-2677)
dps.utah.edu
1735 E. S. Campus Dr.
Salt Lake City, UT 84112

If you do not feel comfortable reporting to authorities, the U's Victim-Survivor Advocates provide free, confidential, and trauma-informed support services to students, faculty, and staff who have experienced interpersonal violence.

To privately explore options and resources available to you with an advocate, contact:

Center for Campus Wellness

801-581-7776
wellness.utah.edu
350 Student Services Building
201 S. 1460 E.
Salt Lake City, UT 84112

Academic Misconduct

It is expected that students comply with University of Utah policies regarding academic honesty, including but not limited to refraining from cheating, plagiarizing, misrepresenting one’s work, and/or inappropriately collaborating. This includes the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools without citation, documentation, or authorization. Students are expected to adhere to the prescribed professional and ethical standards of the profession/discipline for which they are preparing. Any student who engages in academic dishonesty or who violates the professional and ethical standards for their profession/discipline may be subject to academic sanctions as per the University of Utah’s Student Code: Policy 6-410: Student Academic Performance, Academic Conduct, and Professional and Ethical Conduct.

Plagiarism and cheating are serious offenses and may be punished by failure on an individual assignment, and/or failure in the course. Academic misconduct, according to the University of Utah Student Code:

“...Includes, but is not limited to, cheating, misrepresenting one’s work, inappropriately collaborating, plagiarism, and fabrication or falsification of information…It also includes facilitating academic misconduct by intentionally helping or attempting to help another to commit an act of academic misconduct.”

For details on plagiarism and other important course conduct issues, see the U's Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities.

Course Summary:

Course Summary
Date Details Due