This paper introduces the main ideas and program objectives for High Speed Systems Engineering (HSSE). HSSE (funded by NSF CISE-EAI)1 has been proposed by our team as a new and viable platform for integrating engineering education, research and development. This approach identifies and integrates the common aspects, methodologies, and knowledge bases in Networking, Communication, RF, Microwave, VLSI, Electromagnetic, Optics, and Optical Communication/Networking into a series of classes to be added to a regular/traditional EE program. We will introduce our plans and current implementations of HSSE at the department of electrical and computer engineering at Iowa state University. Our recent work is presented that shows very promising trends in utilizing High Speed Systems Engineering as integrating pedagogical and research platforms to train modern engineers and future researchers. The newly developed classes and changes in the curriculum will be introduced and discussed. We will show how the new HSSE laboratory (with an electronically controlled optical backbone and high speed measurement capabilities) is enhancing interaction between faculty, graduate and undergraduate students. Finally the paper will examine how HSSE has been successful in encouraging students from all undergraduate levels (freshman to senior) to participate in learning and experimenting in the State-of-the-art laboratory and are encouraged to be involved in research and graduate studies.