DONALD EKONG, Ph.D., P.Eng.

Associate Professor of Computer Engineering
Mercer University School of Engineering
Macon, GA 31207

ekong_d@mercer.edu

Ph. D., Electrical/Computer Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, SK, Canada, 1997

Thesis Topic: “A Fault Tolerance Technique for Feedforward Artificial Neural Networks”

M. Sc., Electrical/Electronics Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, SK, Canada, 1991

Thesis Topic: “Grasp Control Using Tactile Sensory Feedback”

Computer Networks

Digital Logic
Embedded systems
Fault Tolerant Systems
Computer programming

           Real-time systems

 

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AWARDS

Boeing grants for Mercer Robotics Workshop, 2010 – 2012 (Total award: $45,000).

Fellow, Governor's Teaching Fellows Program, May 2007

Medical Informatics Fellowship, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD,  May - August 2004.

Developed a computer network for use by health care organizations in low resource environments.

Co-Investigator, Keck Fund award to establish an Advanced Engineering Analysis Center. (Total award: $340,000)

•  Licensed Professional Engineer, Georgia, USA
• Registered Professional Engineer, Saskatchewan, Canada
• Senior Member, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
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ECE 491/591 - Mobile Programming

ECE 455/555 - Computer Networks

ECE 323 - Microcomputer Fundamentals and Lab
EGR 126 - Programming for Engineers
ECE 322 - Digital Logic and Computer Organization

ECE 425/555 - Introduction to Computer Architecture

 

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EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

Member, Macon Toastmasters Club #824, Macon, GA

Volunteer Math Tutor, Centenary UMC, Macon, GA
Volunteered with Habitat for Humanity

WORK EXPERIENCE

July 2002 – Date, Mercer University, Macon, GA

Current Position: Associate Professor of Computer Engineering
Teaching Computer Networks/Data Communications, Digital Logic, and Embedded Systems courses.

Participating in course and laboratory development.
Advising students, and pursuing scholarly activities.

Senior Software Engineer
Sep. 2000 – March 2002, CIENA Corp, Alpharetta, GA

Actively participated in design, implementation (using C), integration, unit test, revision control, and release and maintenance of embedded software for Fiber Optic telecommunications equipment

Senior Software Engineer
June 99 – Sep. 2000, MOTOROLA COMPUTER GROUP, Tempe, AZ

• Designed, coded, tested and provided web-based documentation (using C, Javascript and HTML/XML) for High Availability software for telecommunications
• Performed software integration of 3rd party products with Motorola's compact PCI computers
• Interviewed applicants for positions in a new project

Systems Engineer (Apr – June 1999)
Programmer/Analyst (Sept. 97 – Apr 99)
Sept. 97 – June 99, VALMET AUTOMATION (now called Telvent), Calgary, AB, Canada

• Designed, developed (using C), and tested real-time embedded software for SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) applications
• Prepared project documentation including software design documents, test plans and procedures, and user documents

Research Assistant, Programmer, and Teaching Assistant
Sept. 94 – Sept. 97, Nov. 91 – Apr. 94, Sept. 89 – Sept. 91
UNIVERSITY OF SASKATCHEWAN, Saskatoon, Canada

• Designed, simulated (using C++), and analyzed fault tolerant neural networks
• Wrote computer programs in PERL language to convert optically scanned English and French text into HTML and SQL format.
• Designed a robotics data acquisition and control system. This included the modification of existing hardware, and development of control software (using C).
• Laboratory and marking duties in VLSI, Electronics, and Electric Circuits courses

Engineer (Summer)
May – Aug. 94 CHALK RIVER RESEARCH LABS, Chalk River, ON, Canada

• Set up a microcomputer-based instrumentation system for use in acoustic emission measuring experiments
• Software development of data acquisition routines, using C in a real-time (QNX) environment

Graduate Assistant
Oct. 86 - July 87 FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, Owerri, Nigeria, Department of Electrical Engineering

Teaching and Laboratory Instructor in Digital Electronics, Control Systems, and Engineering Drawing (Graphics) courses

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PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS

D. U. Ekong and R. Radharamanan, "Introducing Entrepreneurship Concepts Into a Freshman Computer Programming Class", in proceedings of IEEE Southeast Conference, Lexington, KY, March 13–16, 2014.

D. U. Ekong, "Incorporating Service-Learning Projects Into A Mobile Programming Course", in proceedings of IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology Conference, Seattle, WA, October 21–24, 2012.

D. U. Ekong, "A Survey of Android Programming Courses", in proceedings of IEEE Southeast Conference, Orlando, FL, March 15–18, 2012.

D. U. Ekong, T. A. Choi, and B. Rascoe, "A Robotics Workshop for Middle School STEM Teachers", in proceedings of ASEE SE Section Annual Conference, Charleston, SC. April 10-12, 2011.

D. U. Ekong, "An After-School Robotics Module for Introducing Elementary School Students to Engineer", in proceedings of IEEE Southeast Conference, Nashville, TN, March 17–20, 2011.

D. U. Ekong, "Use of RFID Technology in Mobile Phones", IEEE RFID 2010 Conference, Orlando, FL, April 12–14, 2010.

D. U. Ekong, "Resources For Using Robotics To Inspire Interest In Engineering", in proceedings of IEEE Southeast Conference, Atlanta, GA, March 5–8, 2009.

D. U. Ekong, "Cell Phones As Tools For Learning, Information, and Security on Our Campuses", in proceedings of ASEE SE Section Annual Conference, Memphis, TN, April 6–8, 2008.

D. U. Ekong, "Using Cell Phone Technology to Enhance Teaching",  3rd Annual Southeastern Scholarship Conference on E-Learning (SSCEL), Macon, GA, September 28 –29, 2007.

D. U. Ekong, "Teaching Computer Networking Using OPNET in Windows and UNIX Environments", Computers in Education Journal, Vol. 17, No. 2, April-June 2007.

J.-N. Juang, D. U. Ekong, C. Carlson, W. Longsdorf, and M. Miller, "A Computer-Based Soil Moisture Monitoring and Hydrating System", in Proceedings of 39th Southeastern Symposium on System Theory, Macon, GA, March 4 - 6, 2007, pp. 142-144.

D. U. Ekong, P. Fontelo, and M. Ackerman, "Development of a Computer Network for Low-Resource Environments", American Telemedicine Association (ATA) 2005 Tenth Annual Meeting & Exposition, Denver, Colorado, April 17 - 20, 2005.

D.U. Ekong, "Using OPNET Modules in a Computer Networks Class at Mercer University", in proceedings of ASEE SE Section Annual Conference, Auburn, AL, USA, 2004

D.U. Ekong, H.C. Wood, and M.H. Abd-El-Barr, “Fault-tolerant neural network with concurrent error detection and correction capability”, Canadian Journal of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Vol. 22, No. 1, 1997, pp. 13 - 18.

D.U. Ekong, H.C. Wood, and M.H. Abd-El-Barr, “Fault-tolerant architecture for feedforward artificial neural networks”, in Proceedings of IASTED International Conference on Parallel and Distributed Computing and Systems, Chicago, Il, U.S.A., 1996, pp. 223 - 225.

D.U. Ekong, M.H. Abd-El-Barr, and H.C. Wood, “Design of fault tolerant neurocontrollers using immunization technique”, in Proceedings of IEEE International Conference on Neural Networks, San Francisco, CA, USA, 1993, pp. 1295 - 1300

D.U. Ekong, M.H. Abd-El-Barr, and H.C. Wood, “Fault tolerant neural networks for control systems”, in Proceedings of IEEE Western Canada Conference on Communications, Computers and Power in the Modern Environment, Saskatoon, Canada, 1993, pp. 269 - 275

D.U. Ekong, C.S. Vaidyanathan, and H.C. Wood, "Tactile sensory feedback for robot grasp control", Proc. Canadian Conference on Electrical and Computer Engineering, vol. II, pp. wm 6.25.1- wm 6.25.4, Sept. 1992