ADTRAN -- Engineering News: Vanderbilt University School of Engineering

Vanderbilt University School of Engineering News

ADTRAN
Fast Growing Company Utilizes VUSE Talent

Charles Capps, '86, an ASIC chip developer, and Cynthia Lin, '92, a DSP design engineer, discuss some of ADTRAN's latest technology with CEO Mark Smith (standing) Photo by Bob Ganthany

A leading telecommunications equipment manufacturer, ADTRAN works hard to stay ahead of the game. In the race to provide greater Internet speed and flexibility, ADTRAN has been successful at capturing market share. But with telecommunications products becoming obsolete every 18 months, the company must continually predict the market and attract more and better engineering talent, a scarce commodity in today's marketplace. In this environment, ADTRAN looks to student interns to help keep them on the cutting edge, and recently added Vanderbilt to its short list for recruiting.
The company's specialty is converting the "slow speed analog network of the past into the high speed digital network of the future," says Mark Smith, CEO. Their technology allows the high-speed transmission of data over copper telephone lines, extending the useful life of the existing network infrastructure. The company recently teamed up with Siemens Semiconductor Group and Ericsson (distribution) to offer their products -- T3, xDSL, and CPE technologies, ATLAS solutions, among others -- to network service providers and end users worldwide.
The company's growth has paralleled that of the telecommunications industry itself. ADTRAN -- started by Smith and his partners in 1986 with only seven employees -- has averaged 40 percent annual compound growth, finishing 1998 with 1,200 employees and $300 million in business. The company, with offices around the world, is in the process of adding 450,000 square feet to its headquarters in Huntsville, Alabama, and will soon double its number of employees.

Steve Blackwell, left, ADTRAN engineering manager, and Andy Dozier, Vanderbilt adjunct associate professor of electrical engineering, discuss some of the topics Blackwell will cover as a guest lecturer in Dozier's class on network communications. In addition to teaching at Vanderbilt, Dozier also acts as the VUSE corporate liaison in Huntsville.
Photo by Bob Ganthany

ADTRAN employs approximately 30 -- 50 interns or co-op engineering students at any one time. "We definitely use students as a work resource," says Everett Ramage, engineering vice president. "Most students beginning their internship are well-equipped to write software, so we start them there and then give them exposure to hardware design. It's a way to see if they would make good product developers for us, and a chance for them to see what we really do."
Engineering managers say interns often make real contributions to the company that result in shortened design cycles and other improvements. Mike Moshier, a Vanderbilt intern at ADTRAN last summer, designed and built two data acquisition programs, using LabVIEW software. These programs allow product engineers access to real-time data. "This information was used to quickly find design errors, thereby reducing product development time," Moshier says.
Many engineers at ADTRAN serve in sales and support roles, and the company utilizes interns in these areas as well. Cesar Arreola, another Vanderbilt intern, spent last summer in ADTRAN's marketing department, doing competitive analyses and research, and building an international product portfolio. He also helped translate from English into Spanish a software program for the Latin America market. "The internship gave me insight into how a company is run and confirmed my desire to go into the business aspect of engineering," he says.

VUSE students Cesar Arreola, left, and Mike Moshier worked as engineering interns at ADTRAN last summer.
Photo by David Crenshaw

Steve Blackwell, engineering manager and ADTRAN liaison to Vanderbilt, hires VUSE graduates for full-time employment and also works
with interns during the summer. On his frequent trips to campus, he interviews students and speaks to various engineering societies. He recently was tapped as a guest lecturer for a new course on network communications taught by Andy Dozier, '69, MS '71, PhD '74, adjunct associate professor of electrical engineering. Blackwell, with13 patents, a member of several international standards committees, and a technical contributor to the textbook Understanding Digital Subscriber Line Technology, brings real-world experience into the classroom. ADTRAN also has made available the use of its facilities for a hands-on lab experience for Dozier's students.
Having worked with Vanderbilt interns the last two summers, Blackwell appreciates the qualities and preparation they bring to his company. "Not only can they work independently, they are easy to get along with. The students understand the business realities of the company in addition to having a good general understanding of engineering."