David Rancour

Dr. David Rancour is an Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering at the College of Engineering, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. His roles include teaching and advising students in fundamental and applied research projects. He holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering (Computer Engineering option) from the University of Vermont, an M.S. in Electrical Engineering (E/M fields and Digital Signal Processing) from Northeastern University, and a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering (Solid State Devices & Materials) from Purdue University.

His research focuses on defects in semiconductors, particularly developing advanced defect characterization techniques over 1000x more sensitive than standard methods. He has conducted studies on Gallium Arsenide thin films and silicon PIN diodes, while consulting for companies like M/A-COM, Inc., and IBM. Dr. Rancour also served as a U.S. Air Force officer, managing engineering aspects of radar systems and contributing to the design of TTL-based Optical Mark Readers and wafer stepper interfaces. He is an active member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Electron Devices Society.

He teaches courses such as ECE 311: Digital Electronics, ECE 413: Intro VLSI Design, and ECE 533: VLSI Design, emphasizing hands-on laboratory work and cutting-edge technologies. His involvement in the ECE 600: Master's Thesis course underscores his mentorship role in guiding graduate research. Beyond academia, he has industry experience in semiconductor fabrication and military hardware design.