Electrical & Computer Engineering Department - Colorado State University

ECE Professor Mahdi Nikdast is leading a new effort to help build communication infrastructure to power the future of artificial intelligence. 🖥️

With enormous amounts of data at the heart of the AI revolution, he is working to make data movement faster, more scalable, and more energy efficient.

“This work is not only about making faster chips,” said Nikdast. “It is about building the communication foundation needed for the next generation of AI systems.”

Read more:

ECE professor reimagining computing systems for rise of generative AI - Walter Scott, Jr. College of Engineering ECE Associate Professor Mahdi Nikdast is leading a new project to build the communication foundation needed for the next generation of AI systems.

📣 It’s official: CSU is THE PLACE for cybersecurity education and research!

We have been designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Research from the National Security Agency. Fewer than 100 schools in the nation have earned this designation.

The recognition opens a host of networking and research opportunities across campus, including the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Systems Engineering, and Computer Science.

🔗 Learn more:

CSU designated as National Center of Academic Excellence in cybersecurity The NSA designated Colorado State University as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Research (CAE-R) in April.

The newly deployed regional radar and advanced rainfall forecast system provides more accurate and timely warnings about heavy rainfall, potential flooding, and runoff impacts.

Developed in collaboration with NOAA and Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC-San Diego, the cutting-edge forecast system leverages pioneering atmospheric research from CSU’s Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere, or CIRA. It also builds on four decades of radar technology innovation led by University Distinguished Professor V. Chandrasekar in the ECE department.

🔗 Read more: https://engr.source.colostate.edu/csu-key-partner-in-groundbreaking-system-to-advance-atmospheric-river-forecasting/

📸 A short-range X-Band radar is installed on Rocky Ridge in western Contra Costa County, California on December 8, 2022. It’s one of six new radars that form the foundation for a forecast system designed to improve prediction of heavy rainfall and runoff in the Bay Area. Credit: Contra Costa County Public Works, Flood Control Division

CSU key partner in groundbreaking system to advance atmospheric river forecasting - Walter Scott, Jr. College of Engineering CSU researchers are major contributors to a new system recently deployed in the California Bay Area that delivers more accurate forecasts of rainfall, runoff, and flooding caused by the region’s frequent atmospheric rivers.

As the university assesses the impacts of yesterday’s strong winds, it’s a timely reminder of the importance of power grid resilience in the face of extreme weather.

ECE Assistant Professor Zongjie Wang is leading research that addresses this challenge by helping modernize the nation’s aging power infrastructure.

She and her collaborators are working to create a smarter, more efficient, and reliable power grid as part of the new Grid Modernization Initiative housed at CSU’s Energy Institute.

Her latest paper – published in Scientific Reports, part of the Nature portfolio – outlines a novel framework to help transmission and distribution systems coordinate decisions across the grid. The approach supports more efficient, reliable operations as the energy landscape evolves.

“As more people adopt solar panels, electric vehicles, and other distributed energy resources, we’re pulling together many pieces to simplify these systems and ensure they work together seamlessly,” said Wang.

➡️ Read more about Wang’s findings and her efforts to modernize the grid:

CSU research proposes new solution to advance nation’s power infrastructure - Walter Scott, Jr. College of Engineering New research led by Colorado State University highlights a critical need for system-level thinking and innovation in shaping the electric power grid of the future. The paper, recently published in Scientific Reports, is part of the university's new Grid Modernization Initiative.

🤖 Want to learn more about Electrical and Computer Engineering at CSU?

It’s not too late to sign up for Experience ECE, an event geared toward high school, transfer, and first-year CSU engineering students!

Saturday, February 28th
8:30 AM to 1:00 PM
📍 Scott Bioengineering Building

During this event, you'll get to meet with student design teams, hear from our alumni panel, tour labs, and learn about electrical and computer engineering careers.

Ready to engineer a world of difference?

🔗 Get more details and register now: https://www.engr.colostate.edu/ece/undergraduates/experience-ece/

📷️ Highlights from 2025 Experience ECE event

Local families gathered at Foothills Mall last week for a free, hands-on STEM 🔬 festival celebrating Black History Month.

ECE was front and center at the event, which was co-hosted by the Walter Scott, Jr. College of Engineering.

Keith Eilor, electrical engineering senior and member of the ECE Outreach team, taught attendees how to build their own LED flashlights. 🔦

“If this wasn’t invented, we wouldn’t have the smartphones and the monitors we use today,” Keith said. “Anyone can learn this stuff. It just takes time. It takes time and effort.”

➡️ Read more and watch the event video!

Black History Month event brings hands-on STEM to Fort Collins families Families gathered at Foothills Mall for a free, hands-on STEM festival celebrating Black History Month by connecting kids with CSU engineering students and faculty.

Electrical engineering student Cullen Aasmundstad-Williams dreams of working in the power industry one day. 💡

As the newly named recipient of the IEEE Power and Energy Society scholarship, he is one step closer to that goal.

🔗 Learn more about the award and Cullen’s experience as an engineering student at CSU. https://engr.source.colostate.edu/student-spotlight-five-questions-with-ece-scholarship-recipient-cullen-aasmundstad-williams/