PETER J. LANDERS, BS EE & MS EE

Peter J. Landers graduated from the UAH ECE department with his bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering in 2004 and later went on to earn his Master’s of Engineering in Electrical Engineering in 2008. During his time in his master’s program, Peter specialized in digital communication and code structures. Peter currently is a Program Director at Lockheed Martin, an aerospace and defense manufacturer that aims to innovate the industry while prioritizing their customers’ safety. At Lockheed, Peter is responsible for procurements to allies of the United States.

In a recent interview with Dr. Aleksandar Milenkovic, Chair of the ECE Department, Peter offers a firsthand look into his experience in the Electrical Engineering program here at UAH and how that has shaped his career today.

Reflecting on your time at the university, what were some of the most valuable experiences you had in the ECE program? Can you share a project or piece of research you worked on during your studies that had a significant impact on your career path?

Some of the most valuable experiences from my time in the ECE program revolve around the people I met, whether students, full-time faculty, or adjunct faculty. While in the ECE program, I was lucky enough to develop relationships with these people that continue to this day. One of my favorite research activities was working as an upperclassmen undergrad with a PhD candidate to implement their dissertation research in hardware. The research topic was using a Booth-Wallace multiplier to minimize space and power requirements while increasing frequency for Direct Digital Frequency Synthesis in a digital communications channel. We implemented the research initially in an FPGA using VHDL and found that language to be cumbersome for the type of research. We eventually pivoted to Verilog to implement the results of the research in an ASIC. It was very rewarding to see the results of what was learned in ECE lectures and labs to help solve a real-world problem.

What specific skills or knowledge did you gain from the ECE program that you've found most beneficial in your career? How did the program prepare you for the challenges you've faced in the tech industry?

My initial position with Lockheed Martin was a Systems Engineer focused on developing a digital communications system in a multi-national work environment. The concepts, techniques, and solutions learned through the ECE Bachelor’s program were imminently beneficial, and concepts learned through the ECE Master’s program frequently were applied in the office the next day.

The ECE program prepared me for many challenges I have faced in the tech industry. While the digital communications courses established a firm base, some of the most impactful were Information Assurance and Radar courses taken as electives. Both provided a solid foundation from which I continue to build on to this day.

How has your degree in ECE contributed to your successes and achievements in your career? Can you describe a moment or project in your career where you directly applied what you learned in the ECE program?

My Bachelor’s Degree from the ECE program was the ticket to enter the industry, and it opened doors that would have been otherwise closed. My Master’s Degree directly led to eligibility for promotions, and it differentiated me from many of my peers in the work force. Without doubt, I would not be where I am today without my degrees in the ECE Program.

The most important thing I learned in the ECE program is also something I apply every single day in the office: how to break a complex and sometimes overwhelming problem down into multiple problems that are much simpler to solve. This mentality driven by the ECE program is critical to the engineer mindset. Whether breaking down a complex communications system to determine the probability of bit error in the ECE program or assessing how to implement a new communications protocol in an existing system at the office, this mentality instilled by the ECE program has been critical to my professional growth.

What advice would you give to current students who are pursuing a degree in ECE and aspire to follow a similar career path as yours? Looking back, is there anything you wish you had done differently during your time in the program?

If I were asked for advice to give to current students in the ECE program, I would provide two recommendations: 1) view their time in the program as an investment where dividends are paid throughout their career, and 2) focusing on the “why” is equally important as focusing on the “how.”

The time, effort, and focus students put in to their education through the ECE program is an investment that clearly requires time, resources, and dedication; the magnitude of the dividends you obtain from this investment throughout your career are directly related to how much effort you put into the ECE program. In other words, you get out of the ECE program what you put into it.

Additionally, focusing on the “why” of a new concept learned through the ECE program will pay off for years to come. While it is important to learn “how” to mechanically solve the problem and pass the class, also focusing on the “why” develops a deeper understanding that will be applicable throughout their career. Finding a graduate with good grades is one thing; finding one with good grades and a solid understanding of the underlying foundations of ECE is as good as gold.

Based on your professional experience, what future trends in ECE do you think students should be preparing for now? How do you stay current with technological advancements and continue learning in your field?

I recommend students in the ECE program now prepare for the impact Artificial Intelligence will have in the marketplace. AI is staged to revolutionize our daily life on par with the dawn of the Information Age, and it must be done responsibly. Developing a solid foundation on AI now will be a differentiator in the job market for decades as AI permeates many aspects of modern life. I stay current with technological advancements and continue learning in my field by constantly reading. While some peers may choose to check on sports scores or video game reviews during a lunch break, investing in reading up on the latest market trends, technological advancements, and other information can be very helpful to develop one’s career.

Is there any feedback or suggestions you would like to offer to the ECE program to better prepare future students for their careers?

I would suggest finding a way to provide students with a basic understanding of how the engineering industry operates. While each company and market operates differently, most share the same basic activities when it comes to engineering: design, production, and sustainment. ECE fits into all three of these. As a recent ECE grad, I was lost when I entered the workforce and felt at first that what I learned in the ECE program wasn’t helpful for my new job. It took me months to start to realize the benefits of my investment in the ECE program. Now I’ve come to fully appreciate what I learned in the ECE program. I have also seen this repeated with other new grads.

I would recommend the ECE program consider find a way to provide an overview of what ECE looks like in the workforce. This could be accomplished by modifying some of the 101 courses (i.e. EE101) or through some other mechanism such as an elective course. I could also see benefits to bringing members of industry in to help with the course—please consider me as a volunteer.

Any final thoughts or messages you'd like to share with prospective students considering a degree in ECE from our university?

Run to the hard. When considering which university to attend and what program to study, I was frankly cautious about the ECE program because it seemed hard. I considered other programs in which I could participate that would be easier; despite this, I stuck with ECE. While in the ECE program, I frequently “punched above my weight.” For example, I took 400/500-level courses as a Sophomore and 700-level PhD courses as a graduate student pursuing a Master’s Degree. Those are the courses that stick out most in my mind both for the information I learned as well as the pleasure I derived from learning the information. They were the most fun courses that I took, and they are also the courses that helped me most in my career. While they may be hard, the investment you put into them will pay dividends throughout your career.

Thank you Peter. We are proud of your achievements so far and we are looking forward to hearing great things from you in the future.