John Choma

John Choma is Professor and Chair of Electrical Engineering-Electrophysics at the University of Southern California. He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in electrical circuit theory, filters, and analog integrated electronics.

John Choma hold B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Pittsburgh.

Professor Choma advises industry in subjects relating to broadband analog and high-speed digital [Integrated_circuit|integrated circuit] analysis, design, and modeling.

Biography

Professor Choma's graduate these were:

• "Design of a Transistor Phasemeter," M.S. Thesis, Universityof Pittsburgh, 1965.
• "Stability Analysis of Class C Transistor Amplifiers,” Ph. D. Dissertation, Universityof Pittsburgh, 1969.

Prior to joining the USC faculty in 1980, Professor Choma was:

• Senior Staff Design Engineer in the TRW Microelectronics Center in Redondo Beach, California. His earlier positions include
• Member of Technical Staff designing integrated circuits at Hewlett-Packard Company in Santa Clara, California
• Senior Lecturer in the Graduate Division of the Department of Electrical Engineering of the California Institute of Technology
• Lecturer at the University of Santa Clara and the University of California at Los Angeles, and a faculty appointment at the University of Pennsylvania.

Publications

Professor Choma is the author or co-author of some several hundred journal and conference papers and the presenter of dozens of invited short courses, seminars, and tutorials.

He is author and co-author of several books in the field of analog circuits and network theory:

• The Wiley Interscience text on electrical network theory, "Electrical Networks: Theory and Analysis"

• Co-author with Professor Wai-Kai Chen of the text "Feedback Networks: Theory and Circuit Applications"

• Co-author with Dr. Greg Rollins of the chapter 8, "Radiation Effects on Semiconductors", of "Space Communications and Nuclear Scintillation"

• An area editor of the IEEE/CRC Press Handbook of Circuits and Filters.

Professional Society Activities

Professor Choma has served professional societies in the capacities of:

• The IEEE Circuits and Systems Society as a member of its Board of Governors, its Vice President for Administration, and its President
• An Associate Editor and Editor–In–Chief of the IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems, Part II.
• Associate Editor of the Journal of Analog Integrated Circuits and Signal Processing
• A former Regional Editor of the Journal of Circuits, Systems, and Computers.

His IEEE awards and honors include:

• Fellow, IEEE, awarded 1 January 1991 by the IEEE Circuits and Systems Society; citation reads: "For contributions to circuit analyses and the model­ing of wideband analog circuits and systems"

• IEEE Prize Paper Award, awarded on 25 May 1994 by the IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society for the paper (co-authored by P. C. Grossman): “Large Signal Modeling of HBT's, Including Self-Heating And Transit Time Effects,”

• IEEE Circuits and Systems Society Education Award, 1999, presented at the 1999 IEEE International Symposium On Circuits and Systems, Orlando, 1 June 1999.

• Golden Jubilee Medal, awarded 6 December 1999 by the IEEE Circuits and Systems Society; citation reads: "In recognition of outstanding contributions to the society"

• IEEE Millennium Medal, awarded 24 January 2000 by the IEEE; citation reads: "In recognition and appreciation of valued services and contributions"

• IEEE Circuits and Systems Society Meritorious Service Award, 2000, presented at the 2000 IEEE International Symposium On Circuits and Systems, Geneva, Switzerland, 30 May 2000; citation reads: "For leadership services as administrative Vice–President, President, and CAS Transactions Editor, and for contributions to CAS educational programs, including technical short courses and specialized workshops in state-of-the-art and emerging technologies."

• Editor, IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems, July 1995 to July 1997.

Classroom and Students

Professor Choma has taught (and teaches) upper division and graduate analog circuit design courses at USC and other universities. At USC these include:

• EE348 - Electronic Circuits 1

A foundational analog circuits course for undergraduates.

• EE536A - Mixed Signal Integrated Circuit Design

An advanced analog and mixed signal IC design course for graduate students.

• EE541 - Radio Frequency Filter Design

An advanced analog filter design course for graduate students.

Professor Choma has a long history of being a popular professor having excellent rapport with undergraduate and graduate students and providing a highly valued learning experience.

His teaching awards include:

• Outstanding Instructor, University of Pennsylvania, 1976
• Outstanding Instructor, University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), 1980, 1981, and 1982
• Tau Beta Pi Teaching Award, University of Southern California (USC), 1983
• TRW/USC Teaching Award, University of Southern California, 1984
• Mortar Board Teaching Award, University of Southern California, 1984
• Senior Development Committee Award, University of Southern California, 1985
• Blue Key National Honor Fraternity Award, University of Southern California, 1985
• Phi Kappa Phi Honorable Research Mention, University of Southern California, 1986
• Eta Kappa Nu Teaching Award, University of Southern California, 1987
• Teaching Fellow, The Center For Teaching Excellence, University of Southern California, 1991
• Outstanding Instructor, University of Southern California, School of Engineering, Spring Semester 1995
• Professor Of The Year, University of Southern California, Gamma Sigma Alpha National Greek Academic Honor Society, 1997
• Outstanding Professor, University of Southern California, School of Engineering, 1998 and 1999
• 2010 Distinguished Alumnus Award, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, formally presented on 11 July 2010