Juan Alvarez

Education

• Ph.D., Electrical Engineering, University of Illlinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2004
• M.S., Electrical Engineering, University of Illlinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2000
• Engineer (B.Sc.), Electronics and Communications, ITESM-CCM, 1997

Academic Positions

• Teaching Associate Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA, August 2025-present.
• Teaching Assistant Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA, August 2019-July 2025
• Visiting Lecturer, Zhejiang University - International Campus, October 2023.
• Visiting Lecturer, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, January 2013, January 2014, August 2016, July 2017, July 2018, July 2019, January 2020.
• Lecturer, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA, Jan. 2013 -August 2019.
• Visiting Lecturer, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA, Jan. 2011 - December 2012.
• Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, York University, Canada, Sept. 2007 - June 2009
• Postdoctoral Fellow, Chemical Physics Theory Group , University of Toronto, Canada, Sept. 2007 - June 2009
• Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Saskatchewan, Canada, Sept. 2006 - Aug. 2007
• Sessional Lecturer, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Saskatchewan, Canada, Sept. 2004 - Dec. 2006
• Postdoctoral Fellow, Mathematical Sciences Group, University of Saskatchewan, Canada, Sept. 2004 - Aug. 2006

Resident Instruction

• ECE 398MA, Introduction to Modern Communication with Python and SDR
• ECE 313, Probability with Engineering Applications
• ECE 463: Digital Communications Laboratory
• ECE 461: Digital Communications
• ECE 459: Communications, I
• ECE 211: Analog Circuits & Systems
• ECE 210: Analog Signal Processing

Research Interests

• Applied probability
• Mathematical modeling of polymers and biophysical systems; in particular: - configurational and statistical properties of lattice models for polymers - steric stabilization and sensitized flocculation of colloidal dispersions - adsorption and localization of random copolymers - ion transport
• AI usage
• Concept maps
• Response to Failure and Success in Engineering
• Improving study skills in undergraduate students.

Selected Articles in Journals

• J. Alvarez, M. Gara, E. J. Janse van Rensburg, and A. Rechnitzer ''Atmospheric Collapse in Self-Avoiding Walks: A Numerical Study using GARM," J. Stat. Mech., (2009) P12005.
• J. Alvarez and S. G. Whittington, ''Force-extension relations in adsorbing polymers subject to a force," J. Stat. Mech., (2009) P04016.
• J. Alvarez and C. E. Soteros, "Higher Order Morita Approximations for Random Copolymer Localization," Journal of Mathematical Chemistry, 45 (2009) 238-256.
• J. Alvarez and E. J. Janse van Rensburg, ''Directed Paths in a Layered Environment," J. Phys. A: Math. Theor, 41 (2008) 465003.
• J. Alvarez, E. J. Janse van Rensburg, C. E. Soteros, and S. G. Whittington, ''Self-avoiding polygons and walks in slits," J. Phys. A: Math. Theor, 41 (2008) 185004.
• J. Alvarez, E. Orlandini, C. E. Soteros, and S. G. Whittington, ''Higher Order Morita Approximations for Random Copolymer Adsorption," J. Phys. A: Math. Theor , 40 (2007) F289-F298.
• Juan Alvarez and Bruce Hajek, ''Kernel representations for flux and concentration in ion channel models with time-varying concentrations," J. Chem. Phys., Vol. 125, pp. 164703, 2006.
• Juan Alvarez and Bruce Hajek, ''Equivalence of trans paths in ion channels,'' Phys. Rev. E, Vol. 73, pp. 046126, 2006.
• Juan Alvarez and Bruce Hajek, "A queue with semi-periodic traffic", Advances in Applied Probability, Vol. 37, No. 1, pp. 160-184, March 2005.
• Juan Alvarez and Bruce Hajek, " On the use of packet classes in communication networks to enhance congestion pricing based on marks ", IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control, Vol. 47, Issue 6, pp. 1020-1026, June 2002.

Refereed Conference Papers and Presentations

• Gladstone, J. R., Alvarez, J., & Cromley, J.. (Under review). Learning from those who’ve been there: How peer testimonials shape post-exam responses. In Y. Song (Chair), The cultural and interpersonal process of academic socialization in high school and college students. Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association (AERA), Toronto, Canada.
• Erica Goodwin, Jonathan Liu, Max Fowler, Juan Alvarez, Jenny Amos, Benjamin Cosman, Yael Gertner, Diana Franklin, "Exploring the Impact of Gender and Affective Factors on Performance in Discrete Mathematics", SIGCSE Virtual 2026 Papers.
• Shao,.V., & Alvarez, J., & Mironenko, O., WIP: Evaluating a Course-Specific AI Assistant to Support Learning in an Electromagnetics Course, accepted to 2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Charlotte, NC.
• Mironenko, O., & Alvarez,. J., & Shao, V., Promoting Authentic Student Work through Video Presentations in the Age of Generative AI, accepted to 2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Charlotte, NC.
• Alvarez, J., Mironenko,. O., & Shao, V., Empowering Engineering Undergraduates through Faculty Mentorship, accepted to 2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Charlotte, NC.
• Alvarez, J., & Gladstone, J., & Cromley, J., WIP: Intervention to Improve Students’ Emotional and Study Strategies Responses to ECE Exam Success and Failure, accepted to 2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Charlotte, NC.
• Moon, T, & Alvarez, J., WIP: Bringing Modern Communication Systems to Juniors: A Work-in-Progress Course Using Python and SDR, accepted to 2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Charlotte, NC.
• Amos, J. R., & Gertner, Y., & Alvarez, J., & Cosman, B. (2024, June), Board 13: Work in Progress: Exploring Student Disposition in a Foundational Conservation Principles of Bioengineering Course  Paper presented at 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon. 10.18260/1-2--46687
• Shao, V. V., & Alvarez, J., & Mironenko, O. (2025, June), WIP: Gamification as an Engagement Tool in ECE Courses 2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition , Montreal, Quebec, Canada . 10.18260/1-2--57415
• Mironenko, O., & Alvarez, J., & Shao, V. (2025, June), Promoting undergraduate student success through faculty mentoring, 2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Montreal, Canada.
• Gertner, Y., & Alvarez, J., Fowler, M., & Evans, C., & Amos, J. R. & , WIP: Students’ reflections on their Sense of Belonging and Motivation in a CS Discrete Math course., accepted to 2025 ASEE Annual Conference.
• Gertner, Y., & Alvarez, J., Fowler, M., & Evans, C., & Amos, J. R. & , WIP: Students’ metacognition and how it relates to their performance in conceptual problem-solving introductory Engineering courses., accepted to 2025 ASEE Annual Conference.
• Ye, Z., & Gladstone, J., & Cromley, J., & Alvarez, J., WIP: Students’ Emotional and Study Strategies Responses to ECE Exam Success and Failure, accepted to 2025 ASEE Annual Conf.
• Gladstone, J., & Cromley, J., & Alvarez, J., & Ye, Z., & Daukenova, A., & Shastri, P., & Sun, S. & Price, R. (2024, June), Response to Failure and Success in an ECE Course, 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon.
• Alvarez, J., & Mironenko, O., & Shao, V. (2024, June), Promoting Undergraduate Student Success through Faculty Mentoring in Engineering Education, 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon.
• Shao, V., & Mironenko, O., & Alvarez, J. (2024, June), Enhancing Understanding and Retention in Undergraduate ECE Courses through Concept Mapping, 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon.
• Gertner, Y., & Alvarez, J., & Amos, J. R. & Cosman, B. (2024, June), How do students spend their time studying in a CS Discrete Math course?, 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon.
• Amos, J. R., & Gertner, Y., & Alvarez, J. & Cosman, B. (2024, June), Enhancing Motivation and Mindset Through Reflective Pedagogy: A Case Study of a Foundational Conservation Course, 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon.
• Alvarez, J., & Amos, J. R., & Gertner, Y., & Cosman, B. (2023, June), Identifying Student Profiles Related to Success in an Analog Signal Processing Course Paper presented at 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Baltimore , Maryland.
• Mironenko, O., & Alvarez, J. (2023, June), Assessing the Impact of Weekly In-class Pop Quizzes on Student Performance in a Fundamental ECE Course Paper presented at 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Baltimore , Maryland.
• Gertner, Y., & Alvarez, J., & Cosman, B., & Amos, J. R. (2023, June), Identifying Student Profiles Related to Success in Discrete Math CS Courses Paper presented at 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Baltimore , Maryland.
• Gertner, Y., & Alvarez, J., & Cosman, B., & Amos, J. (2022, August), Understanding Student Learning Profiles in Second Year Problem-Solving Engineering Classes Paper presented at 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Minneapolis, MN.
• J. Alvarez and B. Hajek, " Reversible Markov chain models for ion channels", Proceedings of the 38th Annual Conference on Information Sciences and Systems, pp. 1371-1376, March 2004.
• J. Alvarez and B. Hajek, " Observations on using marks for pricing in multiclass packet networks to provide multidimensional QoS", Proceedings of the 2000 Conference on Information Sciences and Systems, Vol. II, pp. TP2-16 to TP2-21, March 2000.

Recent Courses Taught

• ECE 210 - Analog Signal Processing
• ECE 211 - Analog Circuits & Systems
• ECE 313 (MATH 362) - Probability with Engrg Applic
• ECE 398 MA - Intro Modrn to Comm Python SDR
• ECE 459 - Communications Systems
• ECE 461 - Digital Communications