Juan Alvarez
Teaching Assistant Professor
(217) 300-5452
3046 Electrical & Computer Eng Bldg
Education
- Ph.D., Electrical Engineering, University of Illlinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2004
- M.S., Electrical Engineering, University of Illlinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2000
- Engineer (B.Sc.), Electronics and Communications, ITESM-CCM, 1997
Academic Positions
- Teaching Assistant Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA, August 2019-present.
- Visiting Lecturer, Zhejiang University - International Campus, October 2023.
- Visiting Lecturer, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, January 2020.
- Visiting Lecturer, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, July 2019.
- Visiting Lecturer, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, July 2018.
- Visiting Lecturer, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, July 2017.
- Visiting Lecturer, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, August 2016.
- Visiting Lecturer, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, January 2014.
- Visiting Lecturer, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, January 2013.
- Lecturer, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA, Jan. 2013 -August 2019.
- Visiting Lecturer, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA, Jan. 2011 - December 2012.
- Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, York University, Canada, Sept. 2007 - June 2009
- Postdoctoral Fellow, Chemical Physics Theory Group , University of Toronto, Canada, Sept. 2007 - June 2009
- Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Saskatchewan, Canada, Sept. 2006 - Aug. 2007
- Sessional Lecturer, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Saskatchewan, Canada, Sept. 2004 - Dec. 2006
- Postdoctoral Fellow, Mathematical Sciences Group, University of Saskatchewan, Canada, Sept. 2004 - Aug. 2006
Resident Instruction
- ECE 313, Probability with Engineering Applications
- ECE 463: Digital Communications Laboratory
- ECE 461: Digital Communications
- ECE 459: Communications, I
- ECE 211: Analog Circuits & Systems
- ECE 210: Analog Signal Processing
Research Interests
- Applied probability
- Mathematical modeling of polymers and biophysical systems; in particular: - configurational and statistical properties of lattice models for polymers - steric stabilization and sensitized flocculation of colloidal dispersions - adsorption and localization of random copolymers - ion transport
- Response to Failure and Success in Engineering
- Improving study skills in undergraduate students.
Research Areas
Selected Articles in Journals
- J. Alvarez, M. Gara, E. J. Janse van Rensburg, and A. Rechnitzer ''Atmospheric Collapse in Self-Avoiding Walks: A Numerical Study using GARM," J. Stat. Mech., (2009) P12005.
- J. Alvarez and S. G. Whittington, ''Force-extension relations in adsorbing polymers subject to a force," J. Stat. Mech., (2009) P04016.
- J. Alvarez and C. E. Soteros, "Higher Order Morita Approximations for Random Copolymer Localization," Journal of Mathematical Chemistry, 45 (2009) 238-256.
- J. Alvarez and E. J. Janse van Rensburg, ''Directed Paths in a Layered Environment," J. Phys. A: Math. Theor, 41 (2008) 465003.
- J. Alvarez, E. J. Janse van Rensburg, C. E. Soteros, and S. G. Whittington, ''Self-avoiding polygons and walks in slits," J. Phys. A: Math. Theor, 41 (2008) 185004.
- J. Alvarez, E. Orlandini, C. E. Soteros, and S. G. Whittington, ''Higher Order Morita Approximations for Random Copolymer Adsorption," J. Phys. A: Math. Theor , 40 (2007) F289-F298.
- Juan Alvarez and Bruce Hajek, ''Kernel representations for flux and concentration in ion channel models with time-varying concentrations," J. Chem. Phys., Vol. 125, pp. 164703, 2006.
- Juan Alvarez and Bruce Hajek, ''Equivalence of trans paths in ion channels,'' Phys. Rev. E, Vol. 73, pp. 046126, 2006.
- Juan Alvarez and Bruce Hajek, "A queue with semi-periodic traffic", Advances in Applied Probability, Vol. 37, No. 1, pp. 160-184, March 2005.
- Juan Alvarez and Bruce Hajek, " On the use of packet classes in communication networks to enhance congestion pricing based on marks ", IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control, Vol. 47, Issue 6, pp. 1020-1026, June 2002.
Refereed Conference Papers and Presentations
- Gladstone, J., & Cromley, J., & Alvarez, J., & Ye, Z., & Daukenova, A., & Shastri, P., & Sun, S. & Price, R. (2024, June), Response to Failure and Success in an ECE Course, 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon.
- Alvarez, J., & Mironenko, O., & Shao, V. (2024, June), Promoting Undergraduate Student Success through Faculty Mentoring in Engineering Education, 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon.
- Shao, V., & Mironenko, O., & Alvarez, J. (2024, June), Enhancing Understanding and Retention in Undergraduate ECE Courses through Concept Mapping, 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon.
- Gertner, Y., & Alvarez, J., & Amos, J. R. & Cosman, B. (2024, June), How do students spend their time studying in a CS Discrete Math course?, 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon.
- Amos, J. R., & Gertner, Y., & Alvarez, J. & Cosman, B. (2024, June), Enhancing Motivation and Mindset Through Reflective Pedagogy: A Case Study of a Foundational Conservation Course, 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon.
- Alvarez, J., & Amos, J. R., & Gertner, Y., & Cosman, B. (2023, June), Identifying Student Profiles Related to Success in an Analog Signal Processing Course Paper presented at 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Baltimore , Maryland.
- Mironenko, O., & Alvarez, J. (2023, June), Assessing the Impact of Weekly In-class Pop Quizzes on Student Performance in a Fundamental ECE Course Paper presented at 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Baltimore , Maryland.
- Gertner, Y., & Alvarez, J., & Cosman, B., & Amos, J. R. (2023, June), Identifying Student Profiles Related to Success in Discrete Math CS Courses Paper presented at 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Baltimore , Maryland.
- Gertner, Y., & Alvarez, J., & Cosman, B., & Amos, J. (2022, August), Understanding Student Learning Profiles in Second Year Problem-Solving Engineering Classes Paper presented at 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Minneapolis, MN.
- J. Alvarez and B. Hajek, " Reversible Markov chain models for ion channels", Proceedings of the 38th Annual Conference on Information Sciences and Systems, pp. 1371-1376, March 2004.
- J. Alvarez and B. Hajek, " Observations on using marks for pricing in multiclass packet networks to provide multidimensional QoS", Proceedings of the 2000 Conference on Information Sciences and Systems, Vol. II, pp. TP2-16 to TP2-21, March 2000.
Recent Courses Taught
- ECE 210 - Analog Signal Processing
- ECE 211 - Analog Circuits & Systems
- ECE 313 (MATH 362) - Probability with Engrg Applic
- ECE 459 - Communications Systems
- ECE 461 - Digital Communications
- ECE 463 - Digital Communications Lab