State of the Art

Karen’s Defense
Karen’s Defense 150 150 IEEE Pulse
The final hurdle for all Ph.D. candidates in our department at the university was an oral defense of their thesis work. The thesis was a formal report of the research project that had usually taken candidates years to finish. read more

When is N +1 Too Much?
When is N +1 Too Much? 150 150 IEEE Pulse
The story is told that a juggler who can suspend five objects will invariably be asked if he or she can juggle six objects. Jugglers who can handle six objects at a time will almost always be asked if he or she can handle seven. read more

The Yin and the Yang of New Technologies
The Yin and the Yang of New Technologies 150 150 IEEE Pulse
Imagine technology as a living being. Perched on its left shoulder is a miniature angel, representing the good uses and beneficial consequences of the technology. read more

I Am Not in Position to Be Your Physician
I Am Not in Position to Be Your Physician 150 150 IEEE Pulse
But, readers of this publication are more or less conversant with medical matters: diseases, treatments, physiologies, genetics, monitoring, interventions, and many more. We are aware of means to protect and foster health, including nutrition, life styles, exercises, medicines, rest, and therapies. read more

Veterans’ Unlikely Stories
Veterans’ Unlikely Stories 150 150 IEEE Pulse
Tom Keating spent a tour in the U.S. Army in Vietnam in 1969–1970, returned home, and said very little to others about his experiences over there. read more

Through the Looking Glass
Through the Looking Glass 150 150 IEEE Pulse
What is “real world”? My students used to talk often about the “real world.” “The real world,” they would say, “would be a lot different from the life that they had as engineering students. read more

The Miraculous Pale Blue Dot
The Miraculous Pale Blue Dot 150 150 IEEE Pulse

On October 13, 2021, Star Trek’s Captain James Tiberius Kirk, in the guise of 90-year-old actor William Shatner, rode aboard a Blue Origin rocket ship 67 miles to the edge…

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TLAs: Are Common These Days
Author(s)3: Art Johnson
TLAs: Are Common These Days 150 150 IEEE Pulse
Three-Letter Acronyms (TLAs) are very popular, and can be found in almost everything written or spoken these days. Why? Perhaps it is because we are busy, lazy, or maybe there is just a fascination with things that come in threes. Most likely, we write or speak in TLAs because it makes our language more efficient at conveying information with the least possible cost. TLAs transform largely redundant information into a more expeditious form. read more

Disrupting the Normal Routine
Author(s)3: Art Johnson
Disrupting the Normal Routine 150 150 IEEE Pulse
My secretary at the University of Maryland labeled it Working Away From the Office (WAFO). It was my routine to stay home on Wednesdays and write papers, author books, make teaching plans, or grade papers and reports. I would be in my office Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, but everyone in our department soon got used to my absence on Wednesday. read more
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