ECE Highlights and Research

Electronic Circuits and Systems

This program involves the study and design of microwave, radio frequency (RF), analog, mixed-signal (combined analog and digital), and digital electronic circuits and systems. Emphasis is on the development, analysis, and implementation of integrated circuits for applications such as wireless and wireline communication systems, microwave and millimeterwave communication and radar systems, and interfaces between computers and sensors. A large effort on RF MEMS (micro-electro-mechnical-systems) emphasizes RF tunable filters and reconfigurable antennas, ultra-fast and very high reliability RF MEMS devices.

Electronic Devices and Materials

Focus on the fundamental physics and device applications of advanced electronic and optoelectronic devices, MEMS, as well as on the science and engineering of new materials and device structures at the micro-, nano-, and atomic scales. The program also explores broader applications in revolutionizing electronics, optoelectronics, and medicines.

Photonics

Programs encompass interdisciplinary activities in optical science and engineering, optical materials and device technology, optical communications, computer engineering, and photonic systems.

Communication Theory and Systems

Emphasis ranges from abstract theory and performance analysis to system design and implementation. A broad range of issues in communication systems is studied:

Computer Engineering

Program encompasses study of systems both from a hardware and software perspective. It promotes the knowledge and skills in the areas of hardware and software that the modern-day computer engineer requires in order to make optimum system tradeoffs in design. This approach also enables engineers to consider all paths towards the resolution of outstanding research issues. One focus is embedded system design, which has grown into far more than the study of pure microprocessors. Due to advances in technology and miniaturization, exciting new devices incorporate wireless communications and myriads of embedded sensors together with processing and storage capabilities. Areas of interest include:

Intelligent Systems, Robotics, and Control

This highly interdisciplinary field focuses on the application of advanced mathematical, statistical, and information-theoretic computer science and algorithmic methods to the problem of analysis and modeling of complex non-deterministic and uncertain human-interactive systems and environments. Opportunities exist for cross-disciplinary interactions with other departments and research units at UC San Diego. Areas of interest include:

Nanoscale Devices and Systems

Program ranges from fundamental science at the atomic to nanometer scale to the integration of nanoscale structures into systems for electronic, photonic, and biological applications. Areas of interest include:

Signal and Image Processing

 

Program encompasses issues related to the modeling of signals, starting from the relevant physics, developing and evaluating algorithms for extracting information from the signal, and implementing these algorithms in both software and hardware. Theoretical areas include:

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ECE News Briefs

Appointment of Prof. Alexander Vardy to the Jack Keil Wolf Endowed Chair in Electrical Engineering

 

Professor Alexander Vardy has been appointed as an inaugural holder of the Jack Keil Wolf Endowed Chair in Electrical Engineering. This distinguished appointment is a direct reflection of Professor Vardy's high standing in the field and regards by the UC San Diego academic community.

Prof. Zhaowei Liu Receives Young Investigator Award

SPIE Member Prof. Zhaowei Liu is one of five photonics researchers receiving a Young Investigator award from the U.S. Office of Naval Research.
The award will fund his research in ultrafast blue and green LEDs for underwater optical wireless communication.

The Young Investigator Program seeks to identify and support academic scientists and engineers who are in their first or second full-time tenure-track or tenure-track-equivalent academic appointment and who show exceptional promise for doing creative research. The program aims to attract outstanding university faculty members to the Department of Navy's research program, support their research, and encourage their teaching and research careers.

 

Qualcomm Innovation Fellowship 2013

ECE students Lele Wang and Minghai Qin (faculty advisors - Prof. Paul Siegel and Prof. Young-Han Kim) won one of the 8 Qualcomm Innovation Fellowships.

Out of 138 submitted proposals (from 15 schools) the judges first selected 33 finalists, then they selected the 8 winning teams (acceptance rate: 6%) who were awarded a $100,000 Fellowship each. The competition was so strong that this year for the first time they also recognized two additional teams with an Honorable Mention and a $50,000 grant each.

 

ECE Alumni, Dr. Stephen Pappert, Awarded Secretary of Defense Award for Excellence by Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta

Dr. Stephen Pappert, an ECE Alumni advised by Profesor Paul Yu, is being recognized for his outstanding efforts supporting the Advanced Components for Electronic Warfare Program Team.  The team was a joint partnership between the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.  They developed and implemented the Advanced Components for Electronic Warfare Program, which will help ensure the United States maintains the technological superiority in electronic warfare well into the future.

Prof. Sujit Dey named Faculty Director of the von Liebig Entrepreneurism Center

Prof. Sujit Dey has been named faculty director of the von Liebig Center for Entrepreneurism and Technology Advancement. The von Liebig Entrepreneurism Center offers pre-seed funding and business advisory services to researchers and students developing innovative technology at universities throughout Southern California. To read more go to http://www.jacobsschool.ucsd.edu/news/news_releases/release.sfe?id=1332

 

2012 IEEE Signal Processing Society (SPS) Best Paper Award

Prof. Bhaskar D. Rao and David P. Wipf have been selected for the 2012 SPS Best Paper Award for "An Empirical Bayesian Strategy for Solving the Simultaneous Sparse Approximation Problem" IEEE Transaction on Signal Processing, Volume: 55, No. 7, July 2007.

Prof. Andrew B. Kahng named 2012 ACM Fellow

ACM has recognized 52 of its members for their contributions to computing that are fundamentally advancing technology in healthcare, cybersecurity, science, communications, entertainment, business, and education. Prof. Kahng was recognized for contributions to physical design automation and to design for manufacturability of microelectronic systems. To read more go to: 

http://www.acm.org/news/featured/fellows-2012

 

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