ECEDHA Presents Former President Dr. James Aylor with Robert M. Janowiak Outstanding Leadership and Service Award

U.S. Contact: Lisa Reyes
Phone: +1-312-559-3325
E-Mail: lreyes@iec.org

CHICAGO – May 3, 2007 – The Electrical and Computer Engineering Department Heads Association (ECEDHA) presented Dr. James Aylor with The Robert M. Janowiak Outstanding Leadership and Service Award last month at their Annual Meeting, which took place at the Renaissance Resort at World Golf Village in St. Augustine, Florida.

ECEDHA Executive Director, John Janowiak commented, "Dr. Aylor's commitment to education, his passion for and leadership of ECEDHA has definitely inspired countless students, professors and professionals. We are pleased to recognize him with the Robert M. Janowiak Outstanding Leadership and Service Award."

The Robert M. Janowiak Outstanding Leadership and Service Award is presented to a member or former member of ECEDHA who has provided substantial leadership and service contributions to the association. The award was renamed in 2006 to honor former ECEDHA Executive Director Robert M. Janowiak, whose commitment to engineering education led ECEDHA to be the premier organization of its kind.

Dr. Aylor was chair of the ECE Department at the University of Virginia from 1996 through 2003, during which period he was very active within the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department Heads Association (ECEDHA). In 1999, he was elected the secretary/treasurer of ECEDHA. However, immediately the then current vice president accepted a dean's position and Dr. Aylor was elevated to the position of vice president, a position he held in 2000-2001. During 2001-2002, he served as the president and from 2002-2004, he served in the junior and senior past president roles, respectively.

Dr. Aylor was instrumental in supporting and leading ECEDHA in a number of years during his tenure on the ECEDHA Board of Directors. Shortly after he joined the Board of Directors, he assumed the position of Web editor for the ECEDHA Web site. As vice president, he was instrumental in promoting and implementing the name change of the organization from the National Electrical Engineering Department Heads Association (NEEDHA) to ECEDHA to reflect the impact that computers have had on electrical engineering programs and departments. The change took effect in July 2001.

During his presidential year, Dr. Aylor worked to create an organization that was more proactive in furthering the electrical and computer engineering disciplines. He established an ongoing relationship with the Engineering Division of the National Science Foundation. This relationship provided ECEDHA with the funds to run its first joint workshop on the topic of nanoscience and its impact on engineering education.

In addition, Dr. Aylor started a dialog with the Computing Research Association in an attempt to better support the computer engineering field by bringing together the electrical engineering and computer science disciplines. Finally, Dr. Aylor also worked with the Canadian Electrical and Computer Engineering Department Heads Association to allow Canadian heads to become full members of ECEDHA.

The Robert M. Janowiak Outstanding Leadership and Service Award has been presented annually to one recipient since 1992. Other recipients include A. Wayne Bennett, Roy H. Mattson, William A. Blackwell, David A. Conner, Keith R. Carver, Bruce A. Eisenstein, Timothy L. Trick, Robert L. Sullivan, Rodney J. Soukup, Marion O. Hagler, Paul Penfield, Jr., Edward W. Ernst, Sherra E. Kerns, William D. Brown, John A. Orr, Roger P. Webb and David L. Soldan.

The award was renamed last year from the Outstanding Leadership and Service Award to The Robert M. Janowiak Outstanding Leadership and Service Award in honor of Mr. Janowiak's vision and dedication to the association. Mr. Janowiak served as ECEDHA's executive director for nearly 20 years.

For more information visit www.ecedha.org or contact Lisa Reyes at +1-312-559-3325 or at lreyes@iec.org.

ABOUT ECEDHA
The Electrical and Computer Engineering Department Heads Association is composed of heads or chairs of departments offering accredited programs in electrical and/or computer engineering. The purposes of ECEDHA are threefold: (1) help advance the field; (2) help members exchange ideas; (3) improve communication with the profession, industry, government and others.

ECEDHA membership is open to the official leaders (whether called head, chair or some other title) of U.S. university departments offering ABET-accredited electrical and/or computer engineering (or similarly named) programs. Of about 300 departments offering such programs, almost 90 percent are currently represented in ECEDHA. Visit www.ecedha.org.