News

Congratulations to postdoctoral research fellow Lei Gu, PhD '19. Lei received the IEEE Power Electronics Society (PELS) PhD Thesis Talk Award. His talk, "Design Considerations for Radio Frequency Power Converters" can be viewed online at IEEE-PELS.org.

Dr. Lei Gu is a researcher in professor Juan Rivas-Davila's SUPER Lab.

The IEEE PELS Digital Media Committee invites video submissions for the IEEE PELS Prize Ph.D. Thesis Talk. The goal of this competition is to showcase Ph.D. projects to the entire power electronics community - both in academia and industry. Five IEEE PELS P3 Talks are awarded each year. (source: ieee-pels.org/images/files/pdf/P3_Talks_Write_Up_4-27.pdf) 

Read more about the P3 award

Please join us in congratulating Lei on his award!

Congratulations to EE MS candidate Nicolo Zulaybar! He is a recipient of the David L. Boren Fellowship.

As a Boren Fellow, he will study Mandarin at the Inter-University Program for Chinese Studies at Tsinghua University in Beijing. Through the fellowship, he intends to further improve his language skills by auditing Chinese lectures and getting involved with student organizations.

"It's an honor and privilege to receive this Boren Fellowship," Zulaybar said. "In this time of global challenges, it feels all the more urgent that people get involved with government to solve the problems facing their communities. I appreciate how Boren both supports my placement in federal service and prepares me for my role with cultural skills I can use to problem-solve with America's international partners. It complements my technical education in this way."

Zulaybar is from Los Angeles. He graduated from Stanford in 2018 with a bachelor's degree in chemistry. As an undergraduate, he was a research associate in Assistant Professor of Chemistry Yan Xia's Polymer Chemistry Lab, as well as a member of the Alpha Chi Sigma professional fraternity.

Nicolo is one of five Stanford students who are the recipients of the 2020 Boren Awards. Two are graduate students, and will receive David L. Boren Fellowships and three are undergraduates who will receive David L. Boren Scholarships.

Congratulations to Nicolo and his Boren Awards colleagues!

Excerpted from "Five Stanford students receive 2020 Boren Awards," June 25, 2020

Congratulations to Professor Thomas Lee. He has been awarded the IEEE Gustav Robert Kirchhoff Award for "pioneering CMOS technology for high-performance wireless circuits and systems."

The IEEE Gustav Robert Kirchhoff Award recognizes an outstanding contribution to the fundamentals of any aspect of electronic circuits and systems that has a long-term significance or impact.

Tom is the principal investigator of the SMIrC Lab, which has been a driving force in developing the theory of radio frequency (RF) CMOS integrated circuit design as well as in educating tomorrow's RFIC designers.

Please join us in congratulating Tom for this well-deserved recognition.

Related News

• EE125 Anniversary Event Videos

Congratulations to Professor Andrea Goldsmith, Stephen Harris Professor of Engineering. She has been awarded the IEEE Leon K. Kirchmayer Graduate Teaching Award. Her citation reads, "For educating, developing, guiding, and energizing generations of highly successful students and postdoctoral fellows."

The IEEE Leon K. Kirchmayer Graduate Teaching Award recognizes inspirational teaching of graduate students in the IEEE fields of interest.

Andrea's research interests are in information theory, communication theory, and signal processing, and their application to wireless communications, interconnected systems, and neuroscience. She is the director of Stanford's Wireless Systems Lab.

Please join us in congratulating Andrea!

Related News

• Andrea Goldsmith named dean of engineering at Princeton University

• Andrea Goldsmith wins the 2020 Marconi Prize

• EE125 Anniversary Event Videos

We are proud of our history of innovation and entrepreneurship, and of our ongoing mission to address major societal challenges. This includes diversity in research interests, research styles, and providing supportive mentorship. EE recognizes that we have significant work to do in these areas and we look to the entire EE community to improve our future.

The Department of Electrical Engineering supports Black Lives Matter, inclusion, and diversity. 

As engineers, engineers-in-training, and staff, we build upon and apply systems-thinking to major societal challenges, including climate change, health, and better communication.

The Department of Electrical Engineering strives to continue its success in innovation and research through the participation and inclusion of students, post-docs, and faculty from diverse backgrounds, experiences, religions, ethnicities, identities, genders, sexual orientation, and perspectives. We recognize diversity as central and critical to our mission to provide an inclusive environment and culture where all are welcomed, respected, and valued. Diversity in EE.

The following links are from our students, colleagues and friends. We include them to provide education and support to our community. 

If you have questions, insights, or edits, please contact us via info@ee.stanford.edu.

RELATED RESOURCES

• Diversity in EE statement 
• Black Lives Matter, Stanford Student Affairs
• Coalition of Black Student Organizations Asks to University Administration on Campus Police 

Educational resources for anti-racism:

• The New Jim Crow: Mass incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander
• Biased by Jennifer Eberhardt
• The Case for Reparations by Ta-Nehisi Coates
• Anti-racism resources for white people: Resource guide compiled by Sarah Sophie Flicker and Alyssa Klein for white people to deepen their anti-racist work.
• Confronting white supremacy: Educational resource sheet put together by educators to discuss and dismantle white supremacy in the classroom.
• Resource Hub for Black History and Activism: Google Drive compiled by Charles Preston, filled with books and other important work by Black activists and readings on a range of topics.
• Beyond the Hashtag: How to Take Anti-Racist Action in Your Life: Article written by Zyahna Bryant about how to take steps towards non-performative activism and anti-racist actions.
• Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
• The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin
• When Affirmative Action Was White: An Untold History of Racial Inequality in Twentieth-Century America by Ira Katznelson
• The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America by Richard Rothstein
• Locking Up Our Own: Crime and Punishment in Black America by James Foreman
• The Red Record by Ida B. Wells
• The Souls of Black Folk by W. E. B. Du Bois

Support for Stanford students: 

• Centers for Equity, Community, and Leadership
• Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is available regardless of location. Students can call CAPS 24/7 at 650-723-3785.
• The Bridge Peer Counseling Center offers counseling by trained students 24/7 at 650-723-3392.
• The Graduate Life Office (GLO) is available during office hours at 650-736-7078 or 24/7 at 650-723-8222, pager ID number 25085.
• The Office for Religious Life offers spiritual guidance for students at 650-723-1762.
• If you are aware of someone in distress, contact CAPS or the Office of the Dean of Students.

Congratulations to our 2020 graduates

The Department of Electrical Engineering would like everyone to celebrate and congratulate all 2020 graduates!

It's been a challenging spring quarter, but you all made it through! Please join us to reflect on all of the work you did to get here. It hasn't been easy, and we want every student to know that we value your contributions and look forward to seeing where you go. Congratulations!

CONGRATULATIONS 2020 GRADUATES! From Dean Widom, Professor Stephen Boyd, Student Services, and others! youtu.be/kme9svWjo5A

 

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Celebrating our graduates provides an opportunity to spotlight many awards and outstanding contributions by individuals. 

 

Design Awards

Undergraduate students that receive the Student Design Project Awards, have demonstrated novel innovation in their capstone projects. The 2020 recipients are Rohan Deshpande, BS '22 and Kao Kitichotkul, BS '22.

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Centennial Teaching Assistant Award

The Centennial Award recognizes tremendous service and dedication in providing excellent classroom instruction. Students and faculty nominate outstanding teaching assistants throughout the year. The department is fortunate to have many highly skilled teaching assistants!

• Jonathan Jia-An Mak, MS '20, BS '19
• Lars Thorben Neustock, PhD '21
• Chris Strong, MS '21

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Ford Scholar Award

Milind Jagota, MS and BS '20 has received the Ford Scholar Award. Ford Scholars have the highest total GPA and Engineering GPAs in the School of Engineering and are pursuing an advanced degree. Milind will receive a Ford Scholar award certificate and $1,500 check. 

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James F. Gibbons Outstanding Student Teaching Award 2020

The James F. Gibbons Award for Outstanding Student Teaching Award highlights students who have been nominated by faculty and peers for their extraordinary service as teaching assistants. We are deeply appreciative of the commitment to learning and sharing that our students display.

Congratulations to Elaine Chou, PhD '21, MS '18, Trisha Jani, MS '20, and Jonathan Lin, MS '20 and BS '19!

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Chair's Award for Outstanding Contributions to Undergraduate Education:

This year's award recognizes Professor Joseph Kahn! In recognition of the tireless work he has done in the area of undergraduate education and contributions to the success of the department. Thank you!

 

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Frederick Emmons Terman Engineering Scholastic Award

The Terman Award is presented to the top 5% of each senior class in the School of Engineering. We are pleased to congratulate our 2020 Terman Scholars for their outstanding work.

• Anthony S. Degleris, BS '20
• Milind Jagota, MS and BS '20
• Joe Lou, MS (CS) and BS '20
• Alex Mallery, BS '20
• Eajer Toh, MS '21, BS '20

 

 

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Tau Beta Pi (TBP) Teaching Honor Roll (The Engineering Honor Society)

This award recognizes engineering instructors for excellent teaching, commitment to students, and great mentoring. Professor Mary Wootters received this award for her excellent instruction and commitment – please join us in congratulating Mary for her extraordinary teaching!

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Tau Beta Pi (TBP) Honor Roll (The Engineering Honor Society)

Anthony S. Degleris, BS '20
Milind Jagota, MS and BS '20
Joe Lou, MS (CS) and BS '20
Jacob Meisel, MS and BS '21 
Michael Oduoza, MS '22 and BS '21
Eajer Toh, MS '21, BS '20
Chris Wu, BS '20 and MS '21

Not pictured: Michal Adamkiewicz, Erick Blankenberg, Wyeth Coulter, Collin Cremers,  Rahul Lall, and Vineet Edupuganti.

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Phi Beta Kappa

Seven EE students were elected to Phi Beta Kappa for their academic excellence and breadth of their scholarly accomplishments. Congratulations to all!

Zach Belateche, BS and MS '20
Anthony S. Degleris, BS '20
Milind Jagota, MS and BS '20
Joe Lou, MS (CS) and BS '20
Eajer Toh, MS '21, BS '20
Cole Winstanley, MS and BS '20

Not pictured: Gregorio Lopes, MS and BS '20 

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Undergraduate Degrees with Distinction

In recognition of high scholastic attainment, distinction is awarded by the University to the top 15% of the graduating class based on cumulative grade point averages calculated at the end of Winter Quarter. Congratulations!

Zach Belateche, BS and MS '20
Anthony S. Degleris, BS '20 
Milind Jagota, MS and BS '20
Joe Lou, MS (CS) and BS '20
Alex Mallery, BS '20
Eajer Toh, MS '21 and BS '20
Chris Wu, BS '20 and MS '21 

 

Not pictured: Gregorio Lopes

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EE Honors

These undergraduate students maintain a grade point average of at least 3.5 in Electrical Engineering courses and conduct independent study and research at an advanced level with a faculty mentor, graduate students, and fellow undergraduates. Congratulations!

Yap Dian Ang, MS (CS) and BS '20
Anthony S. Degleris, BS '20
Milind Jagota, MS and BS '20
Alex Mallery, BS '20

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2020 Graduates, be sure to add your page to the EE Yearbook!

The EE Yearbook is for all 2020 graduates and walk-through participants. The PDF yearbook will be available to the public in early July 2020 on our EE website: ee.stanford.edu/2020-graduates

 

 

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Related Links

• Stanford Undergraduate Departmental Awards
• Undergraduate University & National Awards

Professor Gordon Wetzstein and first authors Isaac Kauvar (EE PhD candidate) and postdoctoral researcher Tim Machado, have developed an optical technique that can simultaneously record the activity of neurons spread across the entire top surface of a mouse's cerebral cortex, a key part of the brain involved in making decisions. Their article, "Cortical Observation by Synchronous Multifocal Optical Sampling Reveals Widespread Population Encoding of Actions" was published in the journal Neuron.

The researchers call their system Cortical Observation by Synchronous Multifocal Optical Sampling, or COSMOS. In addition to studying motor control and decision making, the team is also using COSMOS to study sensory perception in animals and as a screening technique to develop better psychiatric drugs.

The prototype COSMOS system is relatively simple to build and costs less than $50,000, which is hundreds of thousands of dollars cheaper than other optical systems for recording neural population dynamics. To encourage further adoption and development of the technique, the authors have built a website with instructions to help other researchers build their own COSMOS systems.

The bifocal microscope uses a single camera to capture two movies of neural activity at the same time: one focused on the sides of the brain, and the other focused on the middle, to provide a side-by-side view shown in a video. The researchers then computationally extract signals – reflecting the timing, intensity and duration of when neurons fire – from both of these movies to obtain a comprehensive measurement of neural activity across the whole surface.

Excerpted from Stanford News, "Stanford researchers develop an inexpensive technique to show how decisions light up the brain", June 2, 2020.

"COSMOS Reveals Widespread Population Encoding of Actions", first authors Isaac Kauvar, EE PhD candidate (photo credit: Daphna Spivack) and Tim Machado, Bioengineering postdoctoral researcher.

Congratulations to Jayant Charthad, PhD, and his co-authors on receiving the IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Circuits and Systems 2020 Best Paper Award.

Jayant's work presents a mm-sized implantable device for the electrical stimulation of peripheral nerves. Using ultrasound as a wireless power transfer and data communication modality, the implant achieved >10x improvement in the ratio of tissue depth to implant volume compared to state-of-the-art systems. The implant includes a custom-designed integrated circuit to enable precise wireless programming of stimulation parameters. The device could have applications in the treatment of a range of conditions such as epilepsy, autoimmune diseases, chronic pain, and urinary urge incontinence.

To read more about the research, please visit arbabianlab.stanford.edu.

Related News

• Amin's Research Team Powers Tiny Implantable Devices, December 2017.
• EE PhD Candidates Steven Bell and Jayant Charthad receive Centennial TA Award, June 2015.

Professor Shanhui Fan and Sid Assawaworrarit (PhD candidate) recently published "Robust and efficient wireless power transfer using a switch-mode implementation of a nonlinear parity-time symmetric circuit" in Nature Electronics.

They have been working on improving the distance of a wireless charger. Previously they were able to transmit electricity as an object moved, but it wasn't practical.

In their new paper, the researchers show how to boost the system's wireless-transmission efficiency to 92%. The key, Sid Assawaworrarit explained, was to replace the original amplifier with a far more efficient "switch mode" amplifier. Such amplifiers aren't new but they are finicky and will only produce high-efficiency amplification under very precise conditions. It took years of tinkering, and additional theoretical work, to design a circuit configuration that worked.

The new lab prototype can wirelessly transmit 10 watts of electricity over a distance of two or three feet. Shanhui says there aren't any fundamental obstacles to scaling up a system to transmit the tens or hundreds of kilowatts that a car would need. He says the system is more than fast enough to re-supply a speeding automobile. The wireless transmission takes only a few milliseconds – a tiny fraction of the time it would take a car moving at 70 miles an hour to cross a four-foot charging zone. The only limiting factor, says Shanhui, will be how fast the car's batteries can absorb all the power.

Though it could be many years before wireless chargers become embedded in highways, the opportunities for robots and even aerial drones are more immediate. It's much less costly to embed chargers in floors or on rooftops than on long stretches of highway. Imagine a drone, says Shanhui, that could fly all day by swooping down occasionally and hovering around a roof for quick charges.

Excerpted from "Stanford researchers one step closer toward enabling electric cars to recharge themselves wirelessly as they drive"

Related

• Wirelessly Transmitting Electricity
• Shanhui Fan and Avik Dutt "trick" photons into acting like electrons
• Shanhui Fan's radiative panels cool fluids below air temp with zero evaporative losses and almost no electricity use

Professor Jelena Vučković announced as the CLEO 2020 James P. Gordon Memorial Speaker. Jelena is the Jensen Huang Professor in Global Leadership in the School of Engineering, Professor of Electrical Engineering and by courtesy of Applied Physics. She leads the Nanoscale and Quantum Photonics Lab, and is a director of Q-FARM, Stanford-SLAC Quantum Science and Engineering Initiative.

Jelena's research focuses on studying solid-state quantum emitters, such as quantum dots and defect centers in diamond, and their interactions with light. Her team is transforming conventional nanophotonics with the concept of inverse design, by designing arbitrary optical devices from scratch using computer algorithms with little to no human input. These efforts aim to enable a wide variety of technologies ranging from silicon photonics to quantum computing.

The Optical Society (OSA) Foundation memorial speakership pays tribute to Dr. James P. Gordon for his numerous high-impact contributions to quantum electronics and photonics, including the demonstration of the maser.

CLEO 2020 is an all-virtual web conference this year. All are invited to view Dr. Vuckovic's talk and ask questions remotely. There is no fee for CLEO attendees, simply register for online participation. You can also watch previous talks from Gordon speakers by visiting osa.org/Gordon.

Jelena's talk will be on 11 May 2020 at 2pm PDT.

Related

• "Jelena Vučković and Olav Solgaard are creating an accelerator that fits on a chip," January 2020
• "Jelena Vučković has been awarded the 2019 IET A F Harvey Engineering Research Prize", December 2019
• "Jelena appointed inaugural Jensen Huang Professor in Global Leadership", June 2019