Edward Ernst, alumnus and former faculty member, dies

Edward Ernst (BSEE ’49, MSEE ’50, PhD ’55) died November 14. He was 84. Ernst joined the ECE Illinois faculty in 1958. For well over a decade beginning in the early 1970s, Ernst served as associate head for instructional programs. “He was the person professors went to see if they had any problems or issues regarding teaching,” said ECE Professor Emeritus George Swenson, who served as ECE department head from 1979 to 1985 with Ernst.

Ernst retired from Illinois in 1989. In 1990 he joined the University of SouthCarolina as the Allied Signal Professor of Engineering. He retired from that position in 2000.

Over the course of his career, Ernst proved to be a strong advocate for engineering education. He was IEEE vice president for educational activities during the 1981-1982 academic year. His service with ABET covers the period from 1977 to 1992 and includes positions as chair of the Engineering Accreditation Commission (1985-1986) and as president of ABET (1989-1990).

“Ed devoted the latter half of his career to the betterment of engineering education,” said ECE Professor Emeritus Timothy Trick, who also served as ECE department head from 1985 to 1995. “As associate head for instructional programs Ed monitored the quality of teaching in the department and encouraged faculty innovation in the curriculum. Through his service and leadership at the national level on the IEEE Educational Board, the International Engineering Consortium [IEC], and the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology [ABET], Ed greatly enhanced the prestige of the University of Illinois, and particularly our department, as a leader in engineering education."

“Ed was a warm, likeable person,” said Swenson. “He was the kind of person you could count on to do what he said he would do. He was a stalwart member of the faculty.”

In 1997 Ernst provided funds to establish the Edward and Margaret Ernst Award in Electrical and Computer Engineering to recognize excellence in experimental work by an ECE Illinois undergraduate student in an instructional laboratory course.

Ernst was the founding editor of the ASEE Journal of Engineering Education (1991-1996). He was a member and vice-chair of the IEC Board of Directors. He was a Fellow of IEEE, AAAS, ASEE, ABET, and IEC. He was a member of Sigma Xi, Tau Beta Pi, Eta Kappa Nu, and Phi Kappa Phi honor societies. Other awards he received included the Halliburton Award for Leadership in Engineering Education (1983), the IEEE EAB Meritorious Achievement Award in Accreditation Activities (1985), the IEEE Education Society Achievement Award (1989), the Linton E. Grinter Distinguished Service Award from ABET (1992), the ECE Illinois Distinguished Alumni Award in 1994, and the ASEE Recognition of Contributions as editor of the Journal of Engineering Education (1996).