Written by Kathryn Ross
Dr. James Hsi-Jen Yeh had many jobs throughout his career before making his way to APU. Today, he teaches Computer Science and Engineering, showing students everything there is to know about working in the field and the ever-changing nature of the industry. His B.S. in electrical engineering from Caltech, his M.S. and Ph.D. in electrical engineering and computer sciences from UC Berkeley have equipped him well to thrive in his chosen field, earning him positions ranging from a Researcher at AT&T Bell Labs, to Product Design and Marketing at Telecom OEM, and a Fingerprint Sensor Project Manager at Validity (now Synaptics), to a Lecturer at Cal Poly Pomona.
Along the way, Dr. Yeh has authored various works on electrical engineering and computer science. A book chapter titled, “Modular Pico-hydropower System for Remote Himalayan Villages” in Transition Towards 100% Renewable Energy and his work in software development has lead to the proudest moment of his career so far: knowing that his software will go into a system in a Himalayan Nepalese village to generate electricity. Some other works include conference papers “Improving the utilization factor for islanded renewable energy systems,” in Proceedings of the Solar World Congress in Abu Dhabi, UAE, and “IoT enabled pico-hydroelectric power with satellite backhaul for remote Himalayan villages” in Proceedings of the IEEE Radio and Wireless Conference, Topical Workshop on the Internet of Space, this month in Anaheim, CA.
Through his work at APU, Dr. Yeh has found he is always learning new things. “I get to see the world from many other perspectives,” he says, “especially from other cultures and non-traditional students, such as veterans and working professionals.” He mentions that the field of computer science and engineering is changing constantly, something he sees mirrored in life and work on a college campus. As he continues to teach the next generation, Dr. Yeh does have one main goal: to make sure that the professionals of tomorrow approach their computer science or engineering careers with ethics and morality in mind to ensure a better future and care about people, the environment, and each other.
In addition to his teaching work at APU, Dr. Yeh also has several projects in the works. He is currently developing Nepal Pico-Hydroelectric System Control Software, creating IoT Connected Chairs for Gauging Student Attention in Secondary and Higher Education, working on a WiFi Information Hotspot for Refugee Camps, and developing UPS Power Monitoring in Indonesia.
Though his work is varied, Dr. Yeh has certainly found a passion for working with students. In fact, one of the reasons he loves working at APU is the focus on the growth and development of students as both professionals and as people. The loving, Christian environment and the exceptional colleagues he works with are more reasons to love APU, but it is the students that really make an impact.
With this, Dr. Yeh offers advice for his students, colleagues, friends, and the world: “Use the talents and resources God has given you to make a difference in the world. This may sound cliché. But seek out opportunities to do so.”
