Mission | Resources | Who We Are
Mission
ECE Graduate Student Advancement Committee (ECE Grad SAC) is committed to representing the concerns of all graduate students inside the department. We strive to foster experiences that all ECE graduate students can enjoy while also creating an environment everyone wants to be a part of.
- We meet with members of the ECE Department administration and serve as liaisons for graduate student concerns.
- We organize and execute events that allow graduate students to socialize, network, and participate in the greater community that is ECE.
- We offer assistance to the ECE Department in planning department-sponsored activities.
Resources
Administrative Questions
People:
- Michael Oelze (Academic Head for Graduate Affairs)
- Eileen Busboom (Keys, Keycard Access)
- Casey Smith (Instructional labs, Equipment, Supplies)
- Pascal Youakim (Room Reservations)
- Jennifer Merry (TA Assignments, Appointments, General Support)
Orientation Refreshers:
Academic/ Teaching
People:
- Jamie Smith
- Jennifer Merry (TAships and advising)
- Stacy Walker (MEng adviser)
Online Resources:
Mental Health and Well-being
Why students may seek help:
- Conflicts with a roommate
- Depression
- Adjusting to college life
- Anxiety
- Alcohol or substance abuse
- Eating concerns
- Academic difficulties
- Self-harm behaviors
Things to know:
- All students may access services
- Tuition covers the cost of services
- Health records are confidential
- Will not be released without your written consent
- Will not impact academic record
- After hours, help is available through the Community Elements Crisis Line: (217) 359-4141
Counseling Center (Website)
- Short term, individual counseling
- Facilitates several group therapy programs
- First time appointments must be scheduled on a same day basis
- Drop-in service available for urgent mental health concerns
- Call (217) 333-3704 for an appointment
The Mental Health Clinic at McKinley (Website)
- Provides short-term individual psychotherapy
- Prescribes medication
- Medications filled at McKinley may require a small co-payment
- Call (217) 333-2701 for an appointment
Additional Mental Health Resources
Professional
Who can I talk to for career advice?
Where can I find corporate job openings?
Other organizations you might want to join
WECE – Women in Electrical and Computer Engineering
GradSWE – Graduate committee for the Society of Women in Engineering
HKN – Eta Kappa Nu (ECE Honor Society)
IEEE – Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineering
Who We Are
Our committee is a team effort. We work as a unit to try and ensure that our department can provide the events that best cater to the needs of its graduate students. All of us share the responsibility so feel free to reach out to any of us. However, our main point of contact is listed as our ECE GradSAC Chair.
Corey Snyder (Chair) | cesnyde2@illinois.edu
Focus: Signal Processing and Machine Learning
Fun Fact: I have played guitar for 10+ years and love anything with Corgis!
Pallavi Sharma | psharma6@illinois.edu
Focus: Antennas
Brendan Eng | beng3@illinois.edu
Focus: Semiconductor Materials
Fun Fact: I love running and have run a total of 8 marathons!
Steven Kolaczkowski | kolaczk2@illinois.edu
Focus: Nanotechnology
Hobby: Board games, D&D, gardening, arts and crafts, and softball
Mingye Irene Xiong | mxiong5@illinois.edu
Focus: Computational Nanotechnology
Hobby: Ballroom Dance & Cooking
Grant Greenberg | gcgreen2@illinois.edu
Focus: Bioinformatics & Machine Learning
Hobby: Guitar, Climbing/Bouldering
Fun fact: I’m fluent in Spanish.
Megan Culler | mculler2@illinois.edu
Focus: Cybersecurity for Industrial Control Systems
Fun fact: I competed in a strongman competition once – and won!
Kristina Miller | kmmille2@illinois.edu
Focus: Cyberphysical systems, controls systems, robotics
Hobby: Violin, piano, swimming, running, drawing.
Fun fact: I like to spin pens and roll coins (but I’m not very good).
Alex Pietros | pietros2@illinois.edu
Focus: Optics, Photonics, Imaging Systems/Sensors
Hobby: Soccer and Climbing
Fun fact: I spend more time searching for music on Spotify than listening.
Srinath Jagannathan | srinath6@illinois.edu
Focus: Fiber Optics
Hobby: Squash, Reading
Fun fact: I have been to three continents and speak four languages.
Dawn Haken | haken2@illinois.edu
Focus: Remote Sensing
Hobby: In my free time I enjoy painting and hiking.
Anna Winnicki | annaw5@illinois.edu
Focus: Power Systems
Hobby: Outdoors!