Prairie View A&M University Texas Instruments Endowed Professor John Attia, Ph.D., has taught for 43 years. Relatively new to the role of an endowed professorship at PVAMU, the professor of electrical and computer engineering in the Roy G. Perry College of Engineering has been an educator since 1980 and has no plans to stop.
“In 1984, when I joined the PVAMU faculty, the University was one of the top producers of African American engineers, and I wanted to assist in that effort,” Attia said.
His fascination with electronic devices and radios sparked his professional interests as a teenager. Back then, there were no computers or smartphones. “I have been passionate about electrical engineering since electrical appliances, electronic handheld devices, communication tools, and other electronic technologies have had a significant impact on the world. They will continue to be the driver of economic progress,” Attia said.
After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from a university in Ghana, his home country, Attia came to North America to obtain his master’s from the University of Toronto in Canada and a Ph.D. from the University of Houston – all for electrical engineering.
“I have been passionate about electrical engineering since electrical appliances, electronic handheld devices, communication tools, and other electronic technologies have had a significant impact on the world.”
“I have been passionate about electrical engineering since electrical appliances, electronic handheld devices, communication tools, and other electronic technologies have had a significant impact on the world.”
His specialization is in radiation-hardened design – electronic circuits and devices that will survive space, as well as smart grids and power electronics for renewable energy sources – perfect topics at a time when reducing greenhouse gasses is more vital than ever.
Previously, Attia served as PVAMU’s Department Head of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department for 16 years. He was also interim associate dean for the College of Engineering.
Various institutions and organizations have funded his projects, including NASA, National Science Foundation, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, and the Texas Workforce Commission.
Attia also has over 80 technical publications and is the author of several books, including “Circuits and Electronics: Hands-on Learning with Analog Discovery” and “PSPICE and MATLAB for Electronics: An Integrated Approach.”
For this lifelong educator, his teaching philosophy abides by Benjamin Franklin’s words: “Tell me, and I forget. Teach me, and I may remember. Involve me, and I learn.”