Computer Engineering Program Director
Dr. Eric Durant has been named the Young Engineer of the Year by STEM Forward. Durant is an associate professor in Milwaukee School of Engineering’s Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department, and the computer engineering program director.
The STEM Forward Young Engineer of the Year Award is presented annually to an outstanding contributor to the engineering profession from the greater Milwaukee area. Honorees are recognized for their work in raising the visibility of the profession and the region, while also serving as a role model to others who have or may select the engineering profession as a career.
Durant received bachelor’s degrees in electrical engineering and computer engineering from MSOE in 1998. He continued his education at the University of Michigan, where he earned an M.S.E. in electrical engineering in 1999, and a Ph.D. in electrical engineering in 2002. In 2011, he completed an executive M.B.A. from UW-Milwaukee.
Durant joined the MSOE faculty in 2002. He teaches courses in software development and design, digital logic, embedded systems software, computer and software architecture, operating systems, computer graphics and more.
In addition to teaching at MSOE, Durant is a Senior DSP Research Engineer II at Starkey Laboratories Inc. He is on sabbatical for the 2012-13 academic year, and is conducting digital signal processing (DSP) research for hearing aids at Starkey.
A respected expert, Durant frequently gives presentations at conferences and has published a number of papers. He is a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and a member of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE). He has given presentations at the International Hearing Aid Research Conference and the Best Assessment Processes Symposium, hosted by ABET, the recognized accreditor for college and university programs in applied science, computing, engineering, and technology. ABET is among the most respected accreditation organizations in the United States.