University of Arizona Electrical and Computer Engineering

Big news for undergraduate AI research! Faculty at the University of Arizona have secured a $498,627 NSF grant to launch a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) site focused on AI systems and efficiency. 🙌

Starting summer 2027, assistant professors Huanrui Yang (PI) and Jyotikrishna Dass (Co-PI) will lead the AI Research for Intelligent Systems and Efficiency (ARISE) program, bringing eight undergraduates to Tucson each summer for hands-on research alongside ECE faculty mentors.

Students will dive into three interconnected areas: AI applications, efficient algorithms and hardware systems, with each participant co-mentored across at least two tracks for a true "full-stack" view of AI development.

"This is a gateway for undergraduate talent in the U.S. to know that exciting research opportunities exist at the intersection of AI software and hardware systems – and we are leading it in the state of Arizona," said Dass.

Over ten weeks, ARISE students will take part in AI boot camps, research seminars, professional development workshops, and collaborative projects – with the program integrating into UROC's broader mentorship network and complementing ECE's growing AI curriculum, including ECE 425/525 and the AI SPARK workshop series and AI IGNITE showcase.

Read more about the new program: https://ece.engineering.arizona.edu/news-events/faculty-win-nsf-grant-launch-ai-research-program-undergraduates?publication=20260807&utm_campaign=University+of+Arizona+Electrical+and+Computer+Engineering&utm_content=Big+news+for+undergraduat&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook

Congratulations to ECE Assistant Professor Travis Sawyer, named a 2026-2027 Fulbright Scholar! 🌟

Sawyer will partner with researchers at Utsunomiya University in Japan to advance endoscopic technology for early detection of gastrointestinal cancers — work that sits at the intersection of optics, photonics, and global health.

"Now more than ever, it's important to facilitate international cooperation, and scientific research is an avenue to strengthen those partnerships," Sawyer said.

Sawyer holds a joint appointment in the James C. Wyant College of Optical Sciences. He's one of seven U of A faculty members selected for the prestigious Fulbright Scholar Program this year.

Read more: https://ece.engineering.arizona.edu/news-events/sawyer-named-fulbright-scholar-study-early-cancer-detection?publication=20260804&utm_campaign=University+of+Arizona+Electrical+and+Computer+Engineering&utm_content=Congratulations+to+ECE+As&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook

As part of the University of Arizona's Summer Engineering Academy (SEA), the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering hosted the Semiconductor Design, Fabrication, and Applications commuter camp for local high school students.

Led by ECE Assistant Professors Soheil Salehi and Pratik Satam, campers explored the science of semiconductor materials, learned how integrated circuits are designed and fabricated, and discovered how semiconductor technologies power applications ranging from smartphones to renewable energy systems.

Participants also toured the University of Arizona's new Nano Fabrication Center, its semiconductor cleanroom and the UArizona Future Factory. In the adjacent virtual reality laboratory, they used Apple Vision Pro headsets to explore digital twins of the cleanroom and its advanced equipment.

A special thank you to Zach Eyde, a University of Arizona alumnus and engineer at Intel, for sharing valuable industry perspectives with the students. We also extend our sincere appreciation to Greg Book for leading the Nano Fabrication Center cleanroom tour and providing participants with an inside look at semiconductor fabrication.

We are grateful for the generous support of our sponsors, Arm and Intel, as well as everyone who helped inspire the next generation of semiconductor engineers and innovators!

Thanks to the students who helped: Harish Kumar Dharavath, Muhtasim Alam Chowdhury, Harper Gibbs, Md Sadman Shahil, Adrian Drake De la Pena and Josh Dean. Along with ECE staff members Leo Enfield and Rozanne Canizales.

Earlier this year, the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering honored Raymond J. Oglethorpe, class of 1966, as its 2025 Distinguished Alumni at a reception on April 10. 🎉

After earning his Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from the U of A, Oglethorpe held senior executive roles at IBM and Harris Corporation before joining America Online (AOL) in 1992. He helped transform AOL into a commercial phenomenon, serving as president until 2002. During his presidency, AOL grew to more than 24 million subscribers, with more than half of all U.S. households acquiring internet access through the platform.

Oglethorpe left AOL to co-found The Learning Alliance in 2009, a nonprofit improving education and literacy in Indian River County, Florida.

"A STEM education gave me the tools to help build something that connected millions of people, but the most rewarding work of my life has been giving back," Oglethorpe said at the reception. "I'd encourage every student here to think not just about what technology can do for your career, but what it can do for your community."

🔗: https://ece.engineering.arizona.edu/news-events/raymond-j-oglethorpe-eces-2025-distinguished-alumni?publication=20260701&utm_campaign=University+of+Arizona+Electrical+and+Computer+Engineering&utm_content=Earlier+this+year%2C+the+De&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook

Congratulations to our 4️⃣ outstanding students who were recognized this year for their hard work and dedication. 🎉

🌟 ECE senior Briana Shannon Curley
🌟 SFWE senior Megan Zupancic
🌟 Graduate student Sujan Ghimire
🌟 ECE teaching assistant Alex Romero-Lozano

Their success shines alongside 17 outstanding undergraduate seniors, nine top graduate students, and 10 high-achieving teaching assistants honored by the College of Engineering for excellence in academics and research. 🏆

🔗: https://ece.engineering.arizona.edu/news-events/college-recognizes-ece-student-achievements?publication=20260615&utm_campaign=University+of+Arizona+Electrical+and+Computer+Engineering&utm_content=Congratulations+to+our+4%EF%B8%8F&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook

A solar-powered balloon built by UA students has circled the globe – twice. 🎈🌍

The K7UAZ Amateur Radio Club launched StratoCat on March 22, and it's been riding the jet stream ever since, tracked in real time by amateur radio operators around the world.

After a failed attempt last fall, the team did a full failure analysis, redesigned key components, and came back stronger. The result? Two laps around the Earth on a shoestring budget.

"Projects like this teach you more than engineering," said club treasurer and ECE student Briana Curley. "They teach you how to solve problems, trust your team and keep going when things don't work the first time."

Read more about the launch: https://ece.engineering.arizona.edu/news-events/student-built-radio-transmitting-balloon-circles-globe-twice?publication=20260610&utm_campaign=University+of+Arizona+Electrical+and+Computer+Engineering&utm_content=A+solar-powered+balloon+b&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook

A cross-disciplinary workshop brought together 10 expert presenters from the Department of Radiology & Imaging Sciences and the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering to explore how AI and machine learning are reshaping the future of health care.

ECE highlights from the program included:

➡️ Machine learning for multi-modal image synthesis, Abhijit Mahalanobis
➡️ VR and haptic feedback in surgical training, Jerzy Rozenblit
➡️ AI-driven medical image understanding, Eungjoo Lee
➡️ AI-enabled extended reality and digital twins in healthcare, Ehsan Azimi
➡️ Predicting patient responsiveness to cancer treatment based on imaged markers, Marwan Krunz
➡️ Reliable and privacy-preserving medical imaging systems Ravi Tandon

…and much more across diagnostics, image optimization, and cancer treatment prediction.

Thank you to every speaker and attendee who made this event such a success. The intersection of AI and medicine has never felt more energized.

Technology startup Ampira, co-founded by ECE student Kian Sadat and Franke Honors College classmate Safiya Tarazi, took part in the western regional finals of the Hult Prize competition at the University of Arizona on April 17 and 18. Ampira develops hearing aids designed for use in underserved communities.

"Our goal is to create a new, basic product that incorporates aspects of modern technology like automatic calibration and remote fitting," said Sudat.

Read more about their startup: https://ece.engineering.arizona.edu/news-events/ece-student-co-founded-startup-competes-1m-hult-prize?publication=20260526&utm_campaign=University+of+Arizona+Electrical+and+Computer+Engineering&utm_content=Technology+startup+Ampira&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook

Last week we celebrated at the University of Arizona AI Hardware Design League Awards Ceremony! We are so proud of all our participants and extend our heartfelt congratulations to this year's winners of our international competition. Your hard work and innovation are truly inspiring!

This year’s winners are announced here: https://github.com/prismlabarizona/AIHDL-2026/

A huge thank you to our distinguished panelists for sharing their expertise and insights:
➡️ Pratik Satam — University of Arizona
➡️ Aned De Leon Flores — University of Sonora
➡️ Richard Quiroz — Cadence
➡️ Atul Kwatra — Intel
➡️ Jovan Andjelich — ChipMango

We also want to give a special shoutout to the founder of AI-HDL and our host, ECE professor Soheil Salehi, and our panel moderator, department head Michael Wu, for an engaging event and informative panel discussions.

Last but certainly not least, a sincere thank you to our generous sponsors — none of this would have been possible without your continued support!

We are already looking forward to what's next for AI-HDL! Interested in joining AI-HDL for the 2026-27 academic year? Fill out this form: https://bit.ly/43ofC6u

Congratulations, Class of 2026! 🎉 Years of hard work and late nights have finally paid off! We're so proud of our newest ECE alumni. 🎓 We wish you the best of luck in all your future endeavors and don't forget to stay in touch! 🐻⬇️

Keep the celebration going by viewing our 2026 Yearbook and award-winning students: https://ece.engineering.arizona.edu/news/celebrating-class-2026?publication=20260515&utm_campaign=University+of+Arizona+Electrical+and+Computer+Engineering&utm_content=Congratulations%2C+Class+of&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook