Electrical Engineering faculty spans generations

As the FSU Panama City electrical and computer engineering programs have evolved over the years, they have been informed and led by gifted professors who are a perfect fit for the campus. Resident electrical engineering faculty Geoffrey Brooks, Ph.D., William Barnes, Ph.D., and Clay Hughes, Ph.D., have a unique, almost coincidental, relationship. Barnes once taught Brooks via an ITV engineering class and both professors taught Hughes as an undergraduate student at FSU Panama City. All three are from Northwest Florida.

Their connection to Florida State also includes a number of milestones.

Barnes brought the FAMU-FSU electrical engineering graduate program to the campus. Brooks was the first electrical engineering doctoral graduate from the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, and Hughes was the first graduate of the computer engineering program at FSU Panama City.

Barnes earned his Ph.D. at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Both he and Brooks encouraged Hughes to earn his doctoral degree at the University of Florida to broaden his education.

The diverse faculty perspectives from different doctoral programs provide a more well-rounded learning experience for students, Brooks said. “It’s healthy not to have all FSU grads on faculty.”

Brooks, who began his professional career as a civilian engineer for the military, said teaching at FSU Panama City has been rewarding.

Teaching is “probably one of the most gratifying experiences I’ve ever had in a job,” Brooks said. “Here, you get to see your clients eye-to-eye.”

Barnes, who retires this December, has seen the campus grow and change over the years.

He served as associate dean from 1988 to 1998, secured funding to renovate the Bland Building, developed and installed a two-way interactive telecommunications network that enabled professors to teach students on the main campus and Panama City campus simultaneously and worked to establish new programs and services for students.

Through the years, Barnes has worn many hats for FSU Panama City. “There was so much to be done that you were doing a little bit of everything,” he said.

“It was much like a big family,” he said smiling. “And it still is, but we’re larger now.”

With three faculty members, however, the electrical and computer engineering programs are strong and vigorous.

Hughes is noted by Barnes and Brooks as being an excellent researcher and an outstanding former student. He began his teaching career at FSU Panama City. “I have always known that my career would end in some kind of teaching position,” Hughes said.

“While research in computer architecture is still a love and something that I would never give up, the opportunity to introduce others to the wonders and intricacies of computer engineering is not something I can ignore,” he said.

One upside of being a small group, Barnes said, is that the professors will better know each student’s needs.

“We can take the time to get the students all the way through and prepare them,” Barnes said. “And I think we’re doing a beautiful job.”