Teaching

Current Subjects

ELEN30009 Electrical Network Analysis and Design

https://handbook.unimelb.edu.au/2020/subjects/elen30009

Elaine Wong teaches this subject in Semester 1 of each academic year.  This subject aims to develop a fundamental understanding of linear time-invariant network models for the analysis and design of electrical and electronic systems. LTI models arise in the study of systems ranging from large-scale power grids to tiny radio frequency signal amplifiers. This subject is one of four subjects that define the Electrical Systems Major in the Bachelor of Science and it is a core requirement for the Master of Engineering (Electrical). It provides a foundation for various subsequent subjects, including ELEN30013 Electronic System Implementation, ELEN90066 Embedded System Design, and ELEN30012 Signal and Systems.

Topics include:

• Transient and frequency domain analysis of linear time-invariant (LTI) models – linearity, time-invariance, impulse response and convolution, oscillations and damping, the Laplace transform and transfer functions, frequency response and bode plots, lumped versus distributed parameter transfer functions, poles, zeros, and resonance;
• Electrical network models – one-port elements, impedance functions, two-port elements, dependent sources, matrix representations of two-ports, driving point impedances and network functions, ladder and lattice networks, passive versus active networks, multi-stage modelling and design, and multi-port generalisations;
• Analysis and design of networks involving ideal and non-ideal operational amplifiers.

These topics will be complemented by exposure to software tools for electronic circuit simulation and further development of laboratory skills. On completing this subject it is expected that the student be able to:

ENGR90034/90035 Engineering Capstone Project

https://handbook.unimelb.edu.au/2020/subjects/engr90037

Elaine Wong co-coordinates this subject with colleagues from Electrical, Mechanical and Infrastructure Engineering Departments.  The subject involves undertaking a substantial group project (typically in groups of three students) requiring an independent investigation on an approved topic in advanced engineering design and / or research. Each project is carried out under the supervision of a member of academic staff and where appropriate an industry partner. The emphasis of the project can be associated with either:

• A well-defined project description, often based on a task required by an external, industrial client. Students will be tutored in the synthesis of practical solutions to complex technical problems within a structured working environment, as if they were professional engineering practitioners; or
• A project description that will require an explorative approach, where students will pursue outcomes associated with new knowledge or understanding, within the engineering science disciplines, often as an adjunct to existing academic research initiatives.

It is expected that the Capstone Project will incorporate findings associated with both well-defined professional practice and research principles and will provide students with the opportunity to integrate technical knowledge and generic skills gained in earlier years.  The project component of this subject is supplemented by a lecture course dealing with project management tools and practices.  The intended learning outcomes are successfully complete a distinct engineering project; effectively communicate the outcomes of various stages of an engineering project; learn and apply standard engineering project management tools; identify standard organisational structures, analyse the relative merits of different approaches, and implement and report on the approach taken by the project team; describe the role of published research, precedent, prior art, patents, registered designs and standards in the engineering project; and explore and articulate the impact of activities associated with the engineering profession in the wider community.

Past Subjects

ELEN90034: Optical Networking and Design

This subject covers the fundamental areas of optical networks, including optical network elements, optical transport network architecture and design, optical circuit switching, optical burst switching, and optical packet switching, optical network control and management, optical network survivability, traffic grooming in optical networks, IP over WDM networks, optical access network architectures and technologies (e.g. Active Ethernet, EPON, GPON, WDM PON), design and analysis of optical access networks and free space optical networks.

On completion of this subject, students will develop skills and knowledge required to understand the fundamentals of optical networks and to be able to solve technical problems in areas including fundamental optical network elements, optical network architectures ranging from optical access networks to backbone optical transport networks, approaches and methodologies of optical network design optimisation, techniques of optical network survivability, and problem solving skills and critical thinking in the discipline of optical networks.

ELEN90034/ELEN90081/ELEN90082: Electrical Engineering Capstone Project

This subject provides students with the opportunity to integrate technical knowledge and generic skills gained in earlier years. This is to be achieved within the context of an engineering project conducted in a small team (typically two or three students) under the supervision of either a member of academic staff and where appropriate an industry partner. The project component of this subject is supplemented by a lecture course dealing with project management tools and practices, organisational structures, engineering standards and the social and environmental responsibility of professional engineers.

Topics include: Technical report writing, engineering design planning and conducting experiments and test, data acquisition and analysis, public speaking, project presentation skills. This subject has been integrated with the Skills Towards Employment Program (STEP) and contains activities that can assist in the completion of the Engineering Practice Hurdle (EPH).

Having completed this subject, students will be able to conduct an electrical engineering project, effectively communicate the outcomes of various stages of an engineering project, apply standard engineering project management tools, identify standard organisational structures and the relative merits of different approaches, describe the role of standards in engineering projects.

EEE 431-222 Electrical Circuit Design 1

Students completing this subject will be able to analyse and design simple active electronic circuits and understand the principles and operation of the semiconductor devices used in them.

Topics include: amplifier concepts and characteristics (gain, impedance, bandwidth); amplifier types and circuit models (eg. voltage, transimpedance); cascaded amplifiers; omamp circuits (incl. effect of finite open-loop gain); basic semiconductor concepts (valence and conduction bands, conductors, insulators and semiconductors); carrier transport in semiconductors (electrons and holes, drift and diffusion, recombination – direct and indirect); doping of semiconductors; p-n junction under forward- and reverse- bias (current-voltage characteristic); p-n junction capactitance: diodes; diode basis circuit analysis (load line, constant voltage drop, small-signal model); diode circuits (rectification, limiting); zener diode (principle, characteristic, design of voltage reference); light emitting diodes (principle, biasing); MOSFET (enhancement) BJT transistor devices and circuits (device structure, operation, large signal characteristics, operation as a switch, biasing, small-signal characteristics and circuit model, single-stage common source/emmitter amplifier circuit analysis and design, low-frequency amplifier response, followers); linear voltage regulation (principle, example, current limiting); fixed voltage regulators; power supply decoupling; dc-dc converters (principles, step-up, step-down); heat and power design (heat sinking, thermal resistance).

On completing this subject, students should be able to explain the physical principles that underpin the behaviour of various electronic devices, apply fundamental modelling techniques in the analysis and design of common electronic circuits, construct and test simple electronic circuits in the laboratory, and use software tools to simulate the behaviour of electronic circuits.

EEE 431-330 Design Laboratory

Students completing this subject will be on completion, be able to plan, manage and complete a small engineering project as a team; design and construct to professional standards using commercial components to a specification; keep laboratory notebooks to professional standards; and write clear and concise reports and present a project to a group of peers.  Topics include two design tasks relevant to electrical and computer engineering to be completed by small teams. Support lectures on project management, design and construction skills, oral and written presentations will be given.