Five new faculty join ECE
(From left) Jyotikrishna Dass, Bo Liu, Jesus Ubaldo Quevedo-Torrero, Han Xu and Huanrui Yang join ECE for the 2024-25 academic year.
The University of Arizona Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering has added five new instructors for the 2024-2025 academic year. In total, the College of Engineering hired 12 new faculty members.
The instructors are joining at a time of growth and progress for the college, said Kathleen Melde, associate dean of faculty affairs and inclusion. Enrollment and research expenditures are increasing, and important initiatives are beginning and continuing.
“We selected this new faculty class to engage and mentor a growing number of students, advance research in diverse engineering disciplines, and support crucial efforts,” said Melde. “I’m delighted this group of insightful and inspiring hires is joining the college.”
Jyotikrishna Dass
Jyotikrishna Dass, ECE assistant professor, holds a PhD from Texas A&M University. He joined the college from Rice University, where he was a research scientist and postdoctoral scholar. Dass has co-authored more than 10 publications and one patent. He integrates machine learning, parallel computing and hardware design to develop algorithms and systems for edge computing, enabling devices in remote locations to process data and perform actions in real time.
Dass, who is dedicated to imparting knowledge, breaking down barriers, and bringing about societal change, has found a welcoming environment in the UA College of Engineering.
“From the moment I embarked on my PhD journey, I held a vision to inspire the next generation of thinkers, doers and innovators,” said Dass, who also is captivated by the diverse Sonoran Desert ecosystem, especially the prospect of snow and skiing.
Bo Liu
ECE associate professor Bo Liu holds a PhD from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He has worked at Amazon Research, Auburn University and Philips Research. Liu is a senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence and an associate editor of Machine Learning Journal. He has co-authored over 25 journal papers, 20 conference papers and one patent application.
The university’s reputation for student quality and research appealed to Liu, along with opportunities to collaborate in areas such as robotics and autonomous driving. Liu also plans to advance his research in decision-making, neural-symbolic and agent-centric AI, and computational neuroscience.
He appreciates Tucson for its beautiful sunsets, local food and attractions, such as the Pima Air and Space Museum.
Jesus Ubaldo Quevedo-Torrero
Jesus Ubaldo Quevedo-Torrero joined the ECE department from the University of North Texas. A professor of practice, he holds a PhD from the University of Houston. Previously, Quevedo-Torrero was chair and associate professor of computer science at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside.
Quevedo-Torrero feels at home in an environment similar to Culiacán, Mexico, where he grew up and appreciates that the university partners with companies in the region to overcome some of the most difficult engineering challenges.
“The ECE faculty has been very welcoming and accommodating, and I just feel at home, appreciated, energized and excited to work for the UA,” said Quevedo-Torrero.
Han Xu
ECE assistant professor Han Xu earned a PhD from Michigan State University and is co-author of 16 publications researching trustworthy and robust artificial intelligence, including data and copyright protection.
His work focuses on developing methods to protect AI and ensure its safe and reliable operation.
“I focus on AI trustworthiness due to its potential for counterintuitive mistakes and misuse by malicious users,” Xu said.
Huanrui Yang
Huanrui Yang joined the ECE department from the University of California, Berkeley, where he was a postdoctoral scholar. He holds a PhD from Duke University and is the co-author of approximately 30 publications, with a research focus on efficient deep learning for computer vision, speech recognition and natural language processing.
The assistant professor has found a friendly and supportive academic environment at the university.
“I would love to collaborate with other faculty members to bring codesigned solutions of AI algorithms, systems and hardware to make AI usable for the general public,” Yang said.