Message From the Department Head - Spring 2024
Dear alumni and friends,
This year marks a thrilling chapter for ECE, brimming with innovation and celebration. As we launch the new Computer Science and Engineering program, our department is experiencing dynamic growth and poised for further expansion and success. Your unwavering support is the cornerstone of our vibrant community. Thank you for your integral role in our journey!
We’re excited to bring you the latest achievements and updates. Our faculty have made international news for groundbreaking initiatives. For example, ECE is leading the new $35.5 million semiconductor initiative and the National Science Foundation Broadband Wireless Access Center, Center to Stream Healthcare In Place, and Cloud and Autonomic Computing Centers. ECE faculty also play pivotal roles in a $20 million NSF Engineering Research Center for Quantum Networks and a $30 million NSF Science and Technology Center of New Frontiers of Sound. Five new faculty members will join us in the coming fall semester. And our students are thriving. Over 140 students graduated this spring, joining our esteemed alumni who continue to shape the forefront of technology.
Thank you for being part of this extraordinary community. Together, we push the boundaries of knowledge, leaving a lasting impact as we nurture the next generation of engineers.
Wishing you a fantastic summer and looking forward to reconnecting this fall!
Best regards,
Michael Wu, PhD, Fellow of IEEE
Kenneth Von Behren Professor and Department Head
Electrical and Computer Engineering
University of Arizona
Awards & Acknowledgements
We're delighted to share the awards and recognitions earned by our faculty, staff and students this year.
University Awards
Awards of Distinction
- Associate department head and associate professor Hal S. Tharp earned the Gerald J. Swanson Prize for Teaching Excellence Award
- Vice president for semiconductor strategy and professor Liesl Folks and associate dean of faculty affairs and professor Kathleen Melde earned the Women of Impact Award
College of Engineering Awards
Outstanding Students
- Ashley Tittelbaugh earned the Outstanding Senior Award
- Joshua Mack earned the Outstanding Graduate Student Award
- Joy Niu earned Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award
- Graduating ECE Engineering Ambassadors Raghad Alabagi and Jaret Rickel were recognized for their service
Faculty & Staff Excellence
- Regents professor Michael W. Marcellin earned the Teacher of the Year - Tenure/Tenure-Track Award
- Administrative associate Keli Brinke earned the Innovation Award
College of Engineering & Tech Launch Arizona Patent Medallion Recipients
- Professor Ivan B. Djordjevic was recognized for his Probabilistically Coded Fronthaul Networks patent
- Associate professor and Edward & Maria Keonjian Endowed Chair Wolfgang Fink was recognized for his Automated Network-On-Chip Design patent
- Regents Professor Marwan Krunz was recognized for his Dielectric Antenna Array and System patent
- Professor Salim Hariri was recognized for his Senior’s Virtual Assistant (SeVA) patent
Electrical and Computer Engineering Awards
Awards for Excellent Performance at the Student Interface
- Alan Loreto Cornídez earned the Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award
- Graduate academic advisor Tami Whelan earned the Outstanding Staff Award
- Professor Ali Akoglu and professor of practice Ratchaneekorn "Kay" Thamvichai earned Outstanding Faculty Awards
Distinguished Alumni
- Shashi Kiran Chilappagari, chief architect at DeGirum Corporation, received his ECE Ph.D. in 2008 under the direction of professor Bane Vasic
- Parthasarathy Sriram, chief systems software architect for Video Analytics Platforms and VP of engineering at NVIDIA, received his ECE Ph.D. in 1993 under the direction of regents’ professor Michael W. Marcellin
External Awards
Liesl Folks, vice president for semiconductor strategy and professor earned the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Magnetics Society's Distinguished Service Award
Professor Ming Li was selected as a IEEE Class of 2024 Fellow
Professor Janet Meiling Roveda, was selected as a American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) Fellow