The Ohio State University | Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

& ALUMNI MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

A CULTURE OF

IMPACT: WELCOME FROM OHIO STATE ECE DEPARTMENT CHAIR, HESHAM EL GAMAL ALUMNI

A culture of caring: As I was reflecting on my first year of service as a chair, I could not think of a better description of The Ohio State University Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) program.

We deeply care about our scholar- than seeing the spark in their eyes as ship, the impact of our research on the they proudly discuss their research state of Ohio and the world, our com- results. We collectively decided to munity composed of outstanding staff put more focus on engaging our un- DIVERSITY and faculty, and above all, our students. dergraduate students in our faculty This care is exhibited in our commit- research activities. Toward this end, INCLUSION ment to offer our students a world the department is offering more sum- class educational experience extend- mer undergraduate research schol- ing beyond the classroom, the high arships and developing a strategy to QUALITY standards we hold ourselves to when strengthen the engagement of our conducting cutting-edge research, and faculty with student advising and ac- MENTORSHIP the collegial, supportive and inclusive tivities outside the classroom. culture we are very proud of. Last year, we held two department POSITIONING Our department has had a remark- retreats to discuss our strategic plan able year. Our faculty and research for taking the Ohio State ECE depart- role we should play on campus, state- scientists have been busy pushing ment to the next level. With over- wide, and the world. We continue the frontiers of our discipline on mul- whelming support, we agreed on the to be inspired by the insights of our tiple fronts, from securing the next following five pillars of “Diversity,” accomplished alumni base and plan generation of chips to the develop- “Inclusion,” “Quality,” "Mentorship,” to put additional efforts in reaching ment of bio-sensors, machine learn- and “Positioning.” I am very grate- out to celebrate their remarkable suc- ing tools, and new devices empow- ful for the passionate discussions cesses. The department is also very ering applications to benefit society, and engagement by our faculty and active in support of the College of En- it is hard to find a branch of ECE in staff that led to this vision for our gineering and the campus research which our scholarly contributions are future. Now, we turn our attention priorities in Cybersecurity, Mobility, not impactful. Among other recogni- toward developing and implement- Manufacturing, Medicine and Ma- tions, our research at Ohio State is ing policies and metrics guided by terials. Our quality is recognized by recognized by NSF-CAREER awards, these principles, allowing us to be university leadership and the sup- MURI Awards, several multi-million laser focused on our student-centric port we receive from the college and dollar awards from the Department mission. Among other things, we are the Office of Research is highly ap- of Energy, and a Center of Excellence holding focus groups among our stu- preciated. on Hardware Security from AFOSR/ dents to gain more insights on how I am very grateful for being part AFRL. to further develop our diverse and of Ohio State ECE, as we embark on For me, the most amazing part of inclusive culture. our next academic year. I am a firm our research endeavor is the trans- We recognize the importance of believer our exceptional “culture of formative impact on the minds of feedback while defining our path for- caring” will continue to inspire our our graduate and undergraduate ward. Last year, we engaged different faculty, staff and students to new students. Nothing is more satisfying stakeholders in discussions over the heights. ■

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2 | BITS & SPARKS ALUMNI MAGAZINE AWARDS A LOOK INSIDE

ALUMNI CULTURE

RESEARCH

24 Machine Learning And Cybersecurity

26 Next-Gen 36 ECE alumni 50+ 6 ECE Veteran Millimeter years of success Support Wave Devices 38 The future of 8 Making Strides 28 ECE undergrad WOSU, a history at Ford wins Goldwater in engineering Scholarship 9 Dotting the "i" 40 Subiksha in Destiny 14 Under the Radar 29 Alumnus named Madhavan 2019 Next-Gen Reshikeshan 10 MeetUp: CDME 16 Ohio State part Innovator Of of $7.5 million The Year 41 Saeedeh 11 Note from the MURI award Ziaeefard Alumni Society 30 ECE grad President 17 ECE team earns attracts 42 Academic $2.2 million electromagnetic improv collaborative awards energy grant 43 Sesquicentennial 31 El Gamal student scholars Hongping Zhao: Named National 18 Transformational Academy of 44 ECE banquet Energy Inventors Fellow 45 ECE honors Underwater 32 ESL Annual its retiring 20 Robotics Awards event Marathon Man 46 Buckeye Current 2020

49 Class of 2019

BITS & SPARKS FALL 2019 © The Ohio State University Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering

David D. Williams Hesham El Gamal Ryan Horns Dean, College of Engineering ECE Department Chair ECE/IMR Communications Specialist Michael V. Drake Kathleen Coen Laura J. Sanders, Ryan Horns University President ECE Development Officer Design and Layout FALL 2019 | 3 ALUMNI

“IF YOU’RE AN ELECTRICAL ENGINEER, THINK ABOUT THE AUTO INDUSTRY. IT’S A PLACE THAT NEEDS YOU AND IT’S A REALLY EXCITING PLACE TO BE RIGHT NOW.”

ECE ALUMNUS MATTHEW WOLFE

4 | BITS & SPARKS ALUMNI MAGAZINE 10

FALL 2019 | 5 OHIO STATE ECE LEADING IN VETERAN SUPPORT

Veteran. Student. Mother. Engineer. Buckeye.

fter serving in the Coast and universities are expecting a surge in Ohio and No. 8 nationwide. Guard for six years, Brandi in veteran enrollment unseen since ECE Chair, Hesham El Gamal, said A Downs found herself switch- World War II. Creating a welcome en- support for veterans is crucial as they ing from military life to that of an vironment for those service men and enter academia. atypical student at Ohio State. women is essential. “Many returning vets face serious A veteran, student, mother and According to the U.S. government, emotional challenges,” he said. wife, she began a new phase of her life veterans often experience enhanced Read on as Ohio State ECE alum- as a Ph.D. scholar in the electrical and feelings of isolation, or extended re- ni and current students explain why computer engineering (ECE) program. covery from physical and emotional they became Buckeyes and how their She is part of Professor Joel Johnson’s issues from serving in wartime. Many time here helped to deal with the tran- remote sensing team at Ohio State’s fail to graduate or succumb to depres- sition from carrying a weapon to car- ElectroScience Laboratory. sion or suicide. rying a book bag. While her trajectory in academia Ohio State’s reputation for veteran What they describe is an envi- is blossoming, the transition outside support is growing. College Factual cur- ronment of respect for their service, of military life is not always easy for rently ranks the university No. 4 nation- diverse resources, affordability and some veterans. With wars in Iraq and wide for veteran student support and most important, a community of sup- Afghanistan winding down and en- friendliness. The electrical engineering portive people. hancements to the GI Bill, colleges program is specifically ranked the best

6 | BITS & SPARKS ALUMNI MAGAZINE BRANDI DOWNS TYLER GROWDEN

While in the Coast Guard, Downs Growing up in Ohio, spent time training in Alaska, Flor- Growden knew he ida and Wisconsin as a machinery wanted to go to technician working inside battle- Ohio State. ship engine rooms. “Unfortunately, I was However, it was her time spent oper- a bit of a troublemaker in ating navigation systems for a search high school,” he admitted. and rescue station where she truly The chances of head- discovered a future in engineering. ing to college were not Downs chose Ohio State because of looking good for him. its strong engineering reputation and “My family didn’t in-state tuition assistance through the have the money to pay GI Bill program. for college either, so the By focusing on remote sensing, military was a good road Downs later learned what a great deci- to take,” he said. “The sion she made. The Ohio State Electro- Army gave me the dis- Science Lab is one of the most respect- cipline, motivation, and ed of its kind in the world. funding I needed to take Downs is researching remote sens- on college.” ing signals to make measurements of Although he shaped the environment, such as hurricanes up his behavior and or ocean wind speeds. This summer, refocused years later, her role as an Ohio State graduate Growden said, his high student takes her to the Arctic, as school grades remained she joins the international Multidis- an issue. He enrolled at ciplinary drifting Observatory for the Columbus State Community Col- Research Laboratory. Study of Arctic Climate (MOSAiC) lege (CSCC) because of its partner- What helped his career trajec- expedition to study sea ice in unprec- ship with Ohio State for transfer tory so much at Ohio State, he edented detail for the first time in his- students. said, was that any connections tory. “I attended classes there for he lacked personally, ECE made There is often a stigma surround- over two years and worked hard to up for because of its ties to NASA ing veteran students, Downs said, but maintain a 4.0 GPA so I could eas- and the Wright-Patterson Air she found Ohio State supportive of ily transfer to the ECE program at Force Base. her new role. Ohio State,” he said. “Without the military, I never “A lot of the professors are very The help of former ECE academ- would have made it to college. accepting of military people,” Downs ic advisor Susan Noble and Vet- Without CSCC, I never would said. “Some I’ve had really kind of val- erans Affairs helped facilitate his have made it to Ohio State. With- ue the background you have and what transfer. By 2010 he earned his un- out Ohio State, I never would you bring to the classroom.” dergraduate degree, but he didn’t have developed my passion for Dealing with a difficult childhood, stop there. He went on to earn his curiosity,” Growden said. “They Downs said she was lucky to have sup- MS degree in 2015 and Ph.D. in help with your transition from a portive grandparents on both sides of 2016 at Ohio State ECE. Then, he different world, back into soci- her family. They instilled in her a love stuck around and did a two-year ety. It can be difficult for soldiers of learning and a strong work ethic. postdoc with Prof. Paul Berger. to assimilate, because we are “As a child, I turned to reading as “During the second year of my used to having an easily defined a means of escape. Then, as I grew postdoc, I applied for a National purpose in life. We are used to a older, I realized a love of learning Academy of Sciences – National very regimented way of life. The was truly a vehicle that could take Research Council fellowship, which college experience is on the com- me wherever I wanted to go in life,” I was awarded,” Growden said. plete opposite end of the spec- she said. “I could meet any challenge Today, he is working in Wash- trum. I think Ohio State under- in my life if I learned enough about it ington DC conducting research in stands this fact, and they try to and made the internal decision to per- conjunction with the U.S. Naval reinsert you into society.” ■ severe through the difficulties.”

FALL 2019 | 7 MAKING STRIDES AT FORD

By Isabel Hall, ECE Student Public Relations Writer “I CAME INTO THE AUTO INDUSTRY BECAUSE OF THE Wolfe credits Ohio State for help- IMMENSE AMOUNT ing him smoothly transition into in- dustry, saying Buckeye resources and OF CHANGE THAT’S connections are like those at a large company, such as Ford. HAPPENING HERE.” atthew Wolfe, an alumnus His experience with the Institute who graduated in 2016 of Electrical and Electronic Engineers M from Ohio State, is using (IEEE), a technical professional soci- his electrical engineering degree to ety with a chapter at Ohio State, also The rise of autonomous and elec- excel at Ford amid a rapidly changing helped him prepare for a real-world trical vehicles created a lot of change auto industry. setting. He said the work he did ana- in the auto industry, Wolfe said. He Wolfe entered Ford’s College Grad- lyzing data in IEEE mirrors what he wanted in on that. uate Program after receiving his di- currently does at Ford. “The whole reason I came into the ploma, where he rotated positions Wolfe also credits Ohio State profes- auto industry is because of the im- for two years. Recently, he joined the sors who mentored him on knowledge mense amount of change that’s hap- company’s tech strategy and plan- outside of the classroom setting, which pening here,” Wolfe said. “This is a ning team, scoping out new or up- he now applies to his current work. Pro- space where I see so many different coming technology needs for future fessors Paul Berger and Steven Bibyk, things happening.” Ford models. he said, are among those who served as Wolfe, who also helps with Ford’s “It’s a really neat job because our major inspirations to him. recruiting efforts at Ohio State, said whole purpose is to make sure we are “[Berger] was just a great guy, easy these changes created a high demand up to date on everything that’s hap- person to talk to. Always kind of en- for electrical engineers in the auto pening,” Wolfe said. “We are talking couraged us to not let walls thrown industry, contrasting the traditional to universities, we are looking at dif- in front of us be obstacles. There’s need for mechanical engineers. ferent industries and speaking with always a way through,” Wolfe said. “… “If you’re an electrical engineer, our suppliers and seeing what is the [Bibyk] was a fantastic professor be- think about the auto industry because latest and greatest that’s coming out cause he was one of those folks who it’s a place that needs you and it’s a and what is going to come out down encouraged us to go out and learn and really exciting place to be right now,” the line.” explore more.” Wolfe said. ■

8 | BITS & SPARKS ALUMNI MAGAZINE DOTTING

THE 'I' IN Unger said seeing what he accom- plished gives him more confidence in where he is headed next. DESTINY: "I'm in my final semester. When I look forward in my career and think about how much I still have to learn, it can be daunting, for sure. When I ECE look back to where I was as an incom- ing freshman, however, I can appreci- STUDENT ate how much I have learned," Unger said. "Since I took some of my initial THOMAS classes in digital logic and computer UNGER programming, I knew that software engineering was the career I wanted to pursue. After landing some engi- By Ryan Horns neering internships, I now feel pre- pared to take on the responsibilities of a software engineer." With the challenges that come with hen Ohio State beat that Unger said the drive to succeed equal- undertaking an ECE major at the top team up north in Novem- ly in music as well as the classroom engineering school in the state, and W ber, ECE student Thomas turned out beneficial. the high rate of jobs available after Unger was there to put the proverbial As the semester winds down to its graduation, university advisors and cherry on top. final week, Unger offered some ad- wellness representatives encourage After years of dedication to The vice to other students about his time students to find hobbies to take their Best Damn Band in the Land, Unger at Ohio State. minds off their studies from time to strutted his sousaphone to dot the "i" "Having such a big-time commitment time. For Unger, his dream to dot the in Script Ohio, for two minutes of glo- like marching band actually forced me "i" offered a stabilizing focus. ry before 104,944 screaming fans in to be more organized with my time," he "Dotting the 'i' is an honor reserved the Ohio Stadium. said. "I tried to keep check lists of every- for fourth- and fifth-year members of For those unfamiliar with the sou- thing I had to get done on any given day, the sousaphone section of the march- saphone, or walking tuba, it's not the including homework, projects, exam ing band," he said. most convenient instrument. Playing studying, music checks for marching It's also highly competitive. something the size of a dorm fridge band, job interview prep, and other day- "Every member has to try out for lends itself to jokes: to-day tasks. This semester was pretty the band each season, so returning difficult from a workload standpoint, members are not guaranteed spots," Q: Why did the chicken cross the road? but I was able to succeed by staying or- Unger said. "We use a ranking sys- A: To get away from the tuba recital. ganized and trying to get ahead on as- tem based on how many games each Q: What does a tuba and a lawsuit signments when I had time." person marched as a regular member have in common? A: Everyone is A graduate of LaSalle High School on the field, versus as an alternate on relieved when the case is closed. in Cincinnati, Unger knew he wanted the sideline. Alternates can challenge to go into engineering. With anoth- regulars for their spots each week, so In an interview with the Cincinnati er goal set on joining the marching the rankings can change considerably Enquirer, Unger described the sousa- band, he knew he couldn't go wrong over the course of a season." phone as “a tuba you can wear. People in Columbus. Fulfilling his dream in the stadi- have back problems. You get sore with "I originally came to Ohio State as um was a lasting memory from Un- it hanging on your shoulder all day.’’ an undeclared engineering major and ger's time at Ohio State. The noise Unger's dedication to music is one decided on ECE," he said. "I was inter- from the crowd as the band steps thing, but juggling that as an ECE stu- ested in computers and wanted to un- onto the field for Script Ohio was a dent at Ohio State is another beast derstand how they worked, and to even- rush. It takes two minutes to dot the entirely. Regarded as one of the more tually get a job in the tech industry." "i," but a lifetime of planning. ■ challenging majors at the university, With graduation on the horizon,

FALL 2019 | 9 Join the next MeetUp event: meetup.com/OSUECE-Alumni/

THE COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING STRIVES TO BRIDGE THE NEEDS OF INDUSTRY WITH EDUCATION, RESEARCH, LABORATORIES, EQUIPMENT AND STUDENT RESOURCES. THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CENTER OF DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING EXCELLENCE (CDME) FITS THIS GOAL. Industry and academia both benefit from its focus: continuously developing new technologies into business prototypes ready for manufacturing. On Nov. 1, approximately 20 faculty, alumni and students from Ohio State’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) gathered for an after- hours tour of CDME during the ongoing ECE Alumni Society MeetUp social/tech event series. ■

“I THINK CDME IS GOING TO SET THE MODEL FOR MAKER SPACES, in terms of helping students launch entrepreneurial ideas. I’m anxious to see that.”

­—ECE Professor Steve Bibyk

10 | BITS & SPARKS ALUMNI MAGAZINE NOTE FROM THE EE/ECE ALUMNI SOCIETY PRESIDENT, ZIA MOHAMMED

EDUCATION FOR CITIZENSHIP. Ohio State instilled in us one of the core beliefs behind our motto: The work we do and the efforts we put in encompass a larger vision. A vision knowing we are part of a global stage.

As Buckeye engineers, it is our prerogative to ECE department. I fondly remember flipping pay it forward – to ourselves and our communi- through the alumni magazine and wanting to ties. From networking nights and MeetUps to re- get involved so I could give back to the commu- unions and Saturday morning tailgates, our global nity that provided me the opportunities I have community comes together to celebrate our com- today. Discovering the Alumni Society allowed mon values and Buckeye pride. for me to stay in touch with our department This year we continue upon the legacy of our post graduation and join one of the greatest ECE Alumni Society and shift into the digital networks possible. era. As our society grows, we are embracing new I graduated from Ohio State with degrees in ways of communicating and have started to live electrical engineering and computational neuro- stream our meetings for alumni around the globe science. Veering down the untraditional career to participate. Our committees are always look- path post-graduation, I shifted into the field of ing for fresh faces to get involved, help lead and product management at IBM Watson. One thing plan new events. Each graduate is automatically I came to realize after graduation is that your en- a member of the society and we are always open gineering degree opens you up to roles outside to hearing from alumni on their needs! of the traditional engineer job as industry val- I remember post-graduation in 2017, I want- ues your problem-solving abilities independent ed to stay in touch and get involved with the of the field.

INTERESTED IN GETTING INVOLVED AND MAKING A DIFFERENCE? Reach out to us at [email protected] and check out our website ece.alumni.osu.edu

FALL 2019 | 11 RESEARCH

OHIO STATE ECE: COMMUNITY OF PURPOSE WORLD RECORDS IN ENERGY EFFICIENCY

ADVANCING CLIMATE SCIENCE

LEADING AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE RESEARCH

DEFINING NEXT-GEN CYBERSECURITY

MACHINE LEARNING EXPLORATION

12 | BITS & SPARKS ALUMNI MAGAZINE 18RESEARCH

PICTURED: Ohio State launched its first-ever satellite CubeRRT into orbit this year.

PICTURED: ECE GRADUATE STUDENT, LUYAO XU FALL 2019 | 13 UNDER THE RADAR

ÇAĞLAR YARDIM WINS ONR YOUNG INVESTIGATOR AWARD FOR MARINE ATMOSPHERIC RESEARCH

By Ryan Horns “They won’t spot us,” The research has taken the hero jet pilot says his team to many inter- calmly. “We’re going ographic Electromagnetics esting locations over the under the radar.” and Marine Systems Labo- years, with the goal of im- It’s a scene right out of ratory (ATOM). proving communication The aircraft nosedives a Hollywood action film – In other words, Yardim systems, weather predic- toward the ocean below. although, it turns out, not helps ensure “flying under tion models and earth sci- The co-pilot grabs the that scientifically sound in the radar” remains a trick ence technologies through dashboard in fright. most coastal and marine of the past. He recently electromagnetics. environments. earned a $510,000 Office For Ohio State Ph.D. stu- Meanwhile, back at Çağlar Yardim is an as- of Naval Research Young dent Luyao Xu, the lure of enemy headquarters, the sistant research professor Investigator Award for his doing research and living blip of light tracking their at Ohio State, specializing research proposal, “Multi- on a ship in the middle of aircraft disappears from in low atmospheric condi- ple Grazing Angle Electro- the ocean for months at a the radar screen. tions through remote sens- magnetic Propagation and time was too strong to pass ing and applied signal pro- Scattering in Non-Standard up. She is a graduate re- “We lost him, sir!” the cessing. Based out of the Atmosphere Marine Meteo- search associate at ESL and enemy dispatcher shouts, ElectroScience Lab on Kin- rology and Space Program,” part of Yardim’s research banging the table with near Road, he also directs under the Marine Meteo- team at ATOM Lab. his fist. the Atmospheric & Ocean- rology and Space Program. Xu said, “When I first

14 | BITS & SPARKS ALUMNI MAGAZINE strong atmospheric duct shore and their location 50 from the Santa Ana winds kilometers out at sea. Oth- and I could Facetime with environmental parameters er research boats, autono- my parents at 45 kilome- critical to Navy and Marine mous underwater vehicles, ters away from the shore,” Corps operations. shore-based systems and Yardim said. “The next day, With prior ONR fund- aircraft traveled in between the atmospheric conditions ing, Yardim and his team to gather simultaneous at- completely flipped and we developed the Lower At- mospheric/oceanographic lost our entire cellphone mospheric Propagation and electromagnetic data. coverage within 5 kilome- System, or LATPROP, to “Essentially, so we could came to Çağlar, he told me ters of the shore.” measure electromagnetic measure the entire column, there was a chance we could He said finding a sense signals under non-stan- all the way from the bottom all go outside and stay on of stability between radio dard atmospheric condi- of the water to the upper at- the sea for months or so, and wave reception and atmo- tions and remote sensing mosphere,” he said. RADAR we could stay on a ship for- spheric conditions is key. of atmospheric refractivity. This is a big task, he said, ever and never get back to The ATOM team measures LATPROP has three requiring collaboration the land. I said, ‘That’s awe- the variations of refractivi- components. The first, between meteorologists, some. I want to do that.’” ty in the atmosphere. Right LATPROP-UWB, is a 2-40 oceanographers, experts Yardim said her focus as above the sea surface, GHz ultrawideband prop- from various engineering a team member is solid. these variations cause the agation loss measurement fields to fully understand “She carries things, propagating radar com- system deployed from re- the science behind it all. builds hardware and loves munication signal to bend search vessels off the east Working in this realm going to experimentation,” toward the Earth’s surface, and west coast. The second of science, he said, makes he said. effectively trapping the sig- is a heavily modified com- him appreciate teamwork. Together with Profes- nal in what is called an at- mercial marine radar sys- “One of the big advan- sor Robert Burkholder, mospheric duct. tem that basically turns a tages of working at the Yardim is on a multi-uni- That’s why the concept fisherman’s radar into a co- ElectroScience Lab is you versity research initia- of jet pilots flying close to herent-on-receive software can just go knock on the tive (MURI) project called the ocean without know- defined 25 kW real-time door of somebody. You can “CASPER,” or Coupled ing the ducting conditions research radar, with a high- talk to them and learn,” he Air-Sea Processes and to avoid radar detection is gain 10-foot diameter dish said. “That was one of the Electromagnetic Ducting a source of amusement for antenna. The third is a big incentives for me com- Research. The $7.5 million Yardim. drone developed to carry ing to Ohio State. The really project studies lower atmo- “Flying inside the duct, electromagnetic and mete- incredible working environ- spheric temperature, hu- where most enemy radar orological payloads to mea- ment and the know-how midity, sea surface condi- signals are trapped, is the sure the lower atmosphere, that has been accumulated tions, and how they affect last place you want to be, ocean surface conditions at ESL over the decades.” marine radar and commu- because the radar’s de- and electromagnetic sig- In the ECE department nication systems. tection range could easily nals simultaneously. at Ohio State, he said, stu- Their data helps improve have extended fivefold,” he Yardim and his team dents can take electromag- battlefield awareness, elec- said. “You want to fly right were based off the coast of netic theory, antenna de- tromagnetic propagation above the duct, not inside Malibu on a research plat- sign, microwaves, remote models, understanding of the duct. That’s why bat- form designed to flip from sensing, atmospheric prop- lower atmospheric process- tlefield awareness is indis- horizontal to vertical, with agation and signal process- es and air-sea interactions, pensable for the Navy." its stern 300 feet below the ing/parameter estimation as well as weather pre- According to ONR, the surface, providing a stable classes to learn more about diction codes for not only Young Investigator Award vessel for testing between this field.■ military use, but the local recognizes research in the weatherperson as well. broad thrust areas of atmo- Understanding how the spheric prediction, atmo- lower atmosphere affects ra- spheric effects, air-sea in- dio waves, Yardim explains, teraction, marine boundary will help advance long-dis- layer processes and space tance communications to environment. Emphasis is benefit society as a whole. placed on research aimed “When we were doing at improving data, analysis our experimentation off the and prediction systems for coast of California in 2018, describing and forecasting WATCH A VIDEO INTERVIEW WITH THE TEAM: the first day we had a very go.osu.edu/yardimvid

FALL 2019 | 15 ATILLA ERYILMAZ OHIO STATE PART OF $7.5 MILLION MURI AWARD TO EXPLORE MILITARY 'DATA FRESHNESS' By Ryan Horns This project, he said, aims to an- swer the following questions: Which information is most urgent? Which is the most valuable? What are the AS IT TURNS OUT, According to ONR, the MURI out- fundamental limits of achieving the lines the engineering concept called freshest information and how is that EVEN INFORMATION “network science,” a collaborative accomplished? Is the information still HAS A “USE BY” DATE. realm of research demanding the useful when it is communicated? broad-base expertise of scientists from “How do you, on the fly, determine wireless networks, information theory, what’s most important in a distribut- Wireless data hurtles around us signal processing and game theory to ed fashion?” Eryilmaz said. in real time. Devices must channel it, optimization, mathematics, physics, The collaborative MURI project is process it, decide what we see first, computer science and security. theoretical in nature, he said, but spe- even safeguard it from cyberattack. Eryilmaz said their work applies cifically applies to autonomous devic- In a military setting, speed and reli- to a wide net of wireless technolo- es in a military setting. ability become even more imperative. gies related to the Internet of Things As with any IoT technology under Intelligence may be outdated within (IoT), cyberphysical systems, and development, Eryilmaz said, cyber milliseconds. next-generation communication plat- security aspects must be fully investi- At Ohio State, Electrical and Com- forms. Military IoT applications could gated as well. Blocking those trying to puter Engineering Professor Atilla involve smart sensors for automated trick the system is essential. Eryilmaz is part of a multi-university security screening, security cameras According to Forbes, the unprec- team that recently won a highly com- or collecting data from aircraft and edented security challenges of the petitive five-year $7.5 million Multi- ground vehicles. Internet-connected devices are likely disciplinary University Research Ini- “This is a project where communi- to grow as their numbers potentially tiative (MURI) grant from the Office of cation and control coalesce. You have balloon to over 50 billion next year. Naval Research (ONR). The goal is to this large-scale distributed system, According to ONR, the general help explore this theoretical concept spread over a space, aiming to achieve MURI efforts involve teams of re- known as “data freshness,” through a collective goal. Without knowing searchers investigating high priority their proposal, “Science of Tracking, each other’s state, distributed devic- topics and opportunities intersecting Control, and Optimization of Informa- es have to decide to send their dy- more than one traditional technical tion Latency for Dynamic Cyber-Physi- namic information through a shared discipline. cal Military Systems.” channel," he said. "It’s about manag- “For many military problems this Collectively, the group also includes ing information more than anything, multidisciplinary approach serves Jeffrey H. Reed, Tom Hou, Wenjing because data keeps evolving at these to stimulate innovations, accelerate Lou, and Walid Saad of Virginia Tech; distributed devices, and it needs to be research progress and expedite tran- and Lizhong Zheng of Massachusetts communicated, but there are only so sition of results into naval applica- Institute of Technology (MIT). many resources for it." tions,” ONR reported. ■

16 | BITS & SPARKS ALUMNI MAGAZINE ECE TEAM EARNS $2.2 MILLION GRANT FOR TRANSFORMATIONAL ENERGY PROJECT

The team is led by Zhao and includes ECE and MSE professor, Siddharth Rajan; ECE professor Jin Wang; and Institute for Materials Research Executive Director, Distinguished University Professor and Neal A. Smith Professor of Elec- trical Engineering Steven Ringel. During the three year project, Ohio State will partner with HONGPING ZHAO STEVEN RINGEL SixPoint Materials, Inc., a California-based ma- terials manufacturer, which will focus on devel- oping GaN substrates. Zhao joined Ohio State in August 2017 through the IMR-led Materials and Manufactur- ing for Sustainability Discovery Theme. Zhao’s research interests focus on the growth and phys- ics of wide bandgap and ultra-wide bandgap semiconductor materials and devices, and the low-dimensional semiconductor nano-materi- als and devices for energy applications. In this project, Zhao’s group will develop MOC- VD growth of GaN films on native GaN substrates, SIDDHARTH RAJAN JIN WANG Rajan’s group will fabricate vertical GaN power devices, Ringel’s group will study defects in GaN films, and Wang’s group will develop packaging of esearchers at Ohio State are leading a GaN power devices and perform reliability testing. project recently awarded $2.2 million The Ohio State-led team received this funding R from the Department of Energy to devel- from ARPA-E’s OPEN+ program, which issues a op modern gallium nitride (GaN) semiconductor call to scientists and engineers every three years materials suitable for high-voltage power con- for transformational technology proposals ben- trol and conversion. efitting its mission. The 12 selected projects are The proposal, “GaN MOCVD Growth on Na- part of ARPA-E’s Building Reliable Electronics to tive Substrates for High Voltage (15-20 kV) Achieve Kilovolt Effective Ratings Safely program. Vertical Power Devices,” is one of 12 projects re- The award is the second of two high-profile ceiving $35 million in funding through the Ad- collaborations with Ohio State and DOE. Zhao's vanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (AR- team recently joined a $42 million government PA-E) OPEN+ program. project for innovative buildings research. “Today’s dominant power semiconductor de- “America’s energy landscape is constant- vices use Silicon, which suffers at high power ly evolving, and as new ways to generate and and high temperature operations. It is absolute- distribute power gain popularity, it’s critical ly critical to find alternatives to harness medi- we develop the tools to maximize their utility,” um-voltage electricity infrastructure for applica- U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry said in a tions across industry, transportation, on the grid Department of Energy release. “These ARPA‑E and beyond,” said Hongping Zhao, associate projects serve first and foremost to modernize professor in Electrical and Computer Engineer- how we move power around safely, reliably and ing (ECE) and Materials Science and Engineer- efficiently, creating a new set of capabilities for ing (MSE). “This project aims to develop wide tomorrow’s utilities and industry.” ■ bandgap semiconductor GaN materials grown on native GaN substrates that enables vertical Article by Mike Huson, IMR Public Relations power devices with switching voltages up to 15- Coordinator | Contact: [email protected] 20 kilovolts.”

FALL 2019 | 17

velop novel materials and as they help to further re- • Building America – 16 structures to address this duce the cost and improve selections for $11.5 issue." the quality of SSL products. million The proposal is a collab- This is the 13th round of • Development and he Ohio State Uni- orative project with Co-PI DOE investments in SSL validation of high versity was named and Professor Kathleen R&D. performance residen- T among the funding Kash from Case Western A total of 46 research tial envelope systems recipients in a recently Reserve University. teams were selected as a that provide moisture announced U.S. Depart- Zhao’s group is address- result of three fiscal year management and ment of Energy (DOE) $42 ing improved green and 2018 funding opportunity validation of high million project to support amber emitters based on announcements issued by performance enve- innovative residential and nitride materials through the Office of Energy -Effi lope specifications commercial building tech- an investigation of growth ciency and Renewable En- for performance and nologies for energy effi- parameters such as tem- ergy’s Building Technolo- durability ciency. perature, pressure, and mo- gies Office. • Heating, ventilation As part of the overall lecular ratios. Major focus areas under and air conditioning program, Ohio State Asso- “Energy efficiency is a each FOA address different (HVAC) installation ciate Professor in Electrical key driver of overall eco- issues, such as: and performance and Computer Engineering nomic efficiency and part • Buildings Energy • Gap analysis of build- Hongping Zhao is set to of DOE’s mission to in- Efficiency Frontiers & ing industry standard lead an almost $600,000 crease energy affordabil- Innovation Technolo- practices project for the research ity and energy security,” gies – 19 selections for Institute for Materials proposal “High Efficiency the DOE program release $19.5 million Research Director and InGaN Light Emitting Di- states. “The technology • Advanced separation ECE Professor Steven Rin- odes (LED) emitting Green, developed from these ear- technologies for dehu- gel made it his mission a Amber and Beyond.” ly-stage R&D projects is midification decade ago to make Ohio Zhao arrived at Ohio designed to help consum- • Innovative materials State a leader in materials State in 2017 as an Asso- ers and businesses save for thermal insulation science. ciate Professor with a joint energy costs and drive do- • High performance Zhao said facilities such appointment in the Depart- mestic economic competi- windows as Nanotech West, the Cen- ment of Materials Science tiveness.” • Advanced controls and ter for Electron Microscopy and Engineering. This project for Ohio automation in building and Analysis (CEMAS), the According to DOE, build- State is among 11 select- energy management Clean Room (SEAL), and ings use 75 percent of the ed for solid-state lighting • Innovative technolo- the university’s commit- nation’s electricity and ac- (SSL) research and devel- gies using natural gas ment toward establishing count for 40 percent of its opment, which support key • Solid State Lighting the metal organic chemical overall energy use. scientific advancements to (SSL) – 11 selections vapor deposition (MOCVD) “We are excited to be help accelerate LED and for $11 million capability for wide bandgap selected to tackle the chal- organic LED lighting prod- • Core technology semiconductors help solid- lenges that current LED ucts to significantly im- research for LEDs and ify Ohio State's influence. technology is facing. InGaN prove energy affordability organic LEDs (OLEDs) Additionally, her efforts are LEDs emitting in blue have for American families and • Proof-of-concept and tied to Ohio State's Materi- achieved high quantum businesses, ensuring the prototype develop- als and Manufacturing for efficiencies with commer- U.S. remains a global lead- ment for LEDs and Sustainability (M&MS) Dis- cialized products available er in SSL innovation. OLEDs covery Theme. ■ on the market. However, In total, the 11 selected • Advanced manufactur- LEDs emitting in green, projects will receive $11 ing R&D focuses on For more information on amber and longer wave- million and make a cost- chemistry and physics the selections visit the En- length still suffer from low share contribution for a of LED/OLED panel ergy Department’s Building efficiencies," Zhao said. total public-private invest- fabrication Technologies Office website. "In this project, we will de- ment of over $15 million, energy.gov/eere/buildings

FALL 2019 | 19 UNDERWATER ROBOTICS TEAM MAKING A SPLASH AT ROBOSUB 2019 By Ryan Horns

ompetitive water (ECE) student and member. designed to self-navigate Ohio State ECE students sports aren’t just This year, however, all through a series of tasks, are involved in a broad C for athletes at Ohio eyes are on Puddles – the mimicking ongoing re- scope of motorsport engi- State. team’s fitting name for a search in Autonomous Un- neering teams, from Eco- Outside Knowlton Hall larger competitive autono- derwater Systems. CAR and Buckeye Current this summer on campus, mous submarine officially “We design it so we can to the Baja Buckeyes, be- STEMbot went for a swim. debuting at the internation- throw it in the water and cause their technological Pizza was served. Onlook- al AUVSI RoboSub 2019 it does its own thing, com- knowledge offers a broad ers stopped by to watch competition in San Diego pletely on its own,” Human- platform of applications. and chat. this month, July 29 to Aug. 4. chuk said. Benji Justice, also in STEMbot is the Ohio The team is determined ECE student and team ECE, is the current team State Underwater Robotics to make a name for itself at member Blaine Miller is al- president. Team’s (UWRT) demo ve- the competition. The stu- ready reaping the benefits of "Joining the UWRT was hicle, a smaller submarine dents came close in 2018. joining the Ohio State group. probably the best decision I robot used to help draw at- “We’re really hoping this “I just got a job with Bat- made during my four years tention to the collaborative year we’ll be in the finals,” telle because they saw all of at Ohio State. I discovered engineering concepts ex- Humanchuck said. my work with acoustic sys- the team at the annual En- plored by the student group. UWRT is an interdis- tems within the electronics gineering Student Involve- “Not a lot of people know ciplinary student proj- of the robot,” he said. “This ment Fair,” he said. who we are, but we build ect group specializing in team is a great experience. UWRT performs a num- autonomous submarines,” the design, construction, It’s a great resume build- ber of STEM outreach Jennifer Humanchuk and operation of autono- er. People love to see that events in the Columbus said, a third-year electrical mous underwater vehicles you’ve been gaining re- community as a way of giv- and computer engineering (AUVs). Each vehicle is al-world experience.” ing back and generating

20 | BITS & SPARKS ALUMNI MAGAZINE Watch an interview with the team: go.osu.edu/uwrt-osu-vid

FOLLOW THE TEAM Instagram/Twitter: @osu_uwrt Facebook: @osu.uwrt

more interest in the field of working in the Signal and robotics. At the Ohio State Conversion Technology de- Fair, the students annual- partment. ly design and build an ex- Another ECE student hibit to educate the local and team member, Gus community about marine Workman, said they take engineering. This involves their job seriously - they demonstrating smaller have to. AUVs like STEMbot, which “Safety is a big concern guests can engage with in a because it’s around water,” small pool. The team also he said. “You have to pre- presented at MakerX: The pare for the worst-case sce- Columbus Maker Expo, an nario. A lot of what we do is event showcasing all types making sure to put fuses in, of creators, and visit COSI so if (the robot) does short each year to educate chil- out we have no issue with dren about careers in en- it electrocuting somebody. gineering and give small I think it’s all about man- lessons in underwater ro- aging different systems, all botics – speaking on topics combining different elec- like buoyancy, achieving trical signals.” water tight housings, and Workman, a junior ma- basic electronics. joring in Computer Engi- As proof of the team’s neering and Chinese, joined STEM demo effectiveness, the team in 2017. His prima- Justice said he enjoyed get- student engineers toward a environment. ry responsibilities are work- ting to operate an under- common goal. “You’re working with ing with the firmware for water robot and talk to the Justice said URT helped people who think the same the compressor board. He team members about how him develop technical, way you do, who want to recently completed an in- it worked. leadership, business and experience the same chal- ternship at Garmin, where “I had never seen any- communication skills lenges that you like fac- he embedded software in thing like it. I was hooked. during his time serving dif- ing,” he said. aviation display units. Wanting to learn more, I ferent roles on the team – Humanchuk currently For those interested in decided to join and the rest plus three summer trips to designs the circuit boards joining the team in 2019, is history,” he said. San Diego for the RoboSub for the robot. Starting in members are often recruit- Students from a variety competition. the fall, she will help shape ed in the fall. The group of majors are responsible “My experience with the the vision of the team go- typically meets twice a for building every aspect team has really been an in- ing forward. week at the Center for Au- of the vehicles, includ- valuable, defining piece of “I joined the team be- tomotive Research on Sun- ing machining the hous- my experience here,” Justice cause I really like robots,” days and on campus once ings, soldering the circuit said. “I will never forget the she said, “and now next year a week. ■ boards, and developing memories made and lessons I’ll be the team president.” the software. What Miller learned with this team." During the summer of finds the most rewarding Miller said he enjoys the 2018 Humanchuk interned is collaborating with other collaborative engineering for Northrop Grumman

Find out more at uwrt.engineering.osu.edu and robonation.org/competition/robosub Interested in having The Underwater Robotics Team visit your classroom or STEM event? Contact [email protected]

FALL 2019 | 21 AWARDS

"I ALWAYS QUESTIONED HOW THINGS WORKED."

ECE UNDERGRADUATE BARRY M. GOLDWATER SCHOLARSHIP WINNER MIA ZHANG

22 | BITS & SPARKS ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2823

FALL 2019 | 23 CAREER AWARDS

VANESSA CHEN

n a world where technology is REAL-TIME MACHINE advancing faster than security, I changes are on the horizon. At Ohio State, electrical and com- puter engineering assistant professor LEARNING AND Vanessa Chen said smart technology is poised for another breakthrough. Her research focus is to convert data CYBERSECURITY into meaningful information and pro- tect it from cyberattack in real time. By Ryan Horns One day, every device must auto-

24 | BITS & SPARKS ALUMNI MAGAZINE “UBIQUITOUS SENSING AND matically be capable of perform- the design of wireless transceiv- ing its own cybersecurity and ma- COMPUTING, ers, analog neural networks as chine learning to support big data well as hardware-based cyberse- analysis. Chen said it is detrimen- LEADING TO RAPID curity. tal to protect internet-connected One of her students, Jack systems, including hardware, soft- Hsueh, is focused on low-pow- ware and data, from cyberattacks. GROWTH OF BIG er and secure sensory interfac- The National Science Founda- es for next-generation Inter- tion just named Chen among the DATA ANALYSIS, net-of-Things (IoT) devices. He prestigious 2019 Faculty Early became the first Ohio State stu- Career Development (CAREER) dent to win the prestigious ISSCC award winners. Her research pro- WILL POTENTIALLY Analog Devices Outstanding Stu- posal, “Bio-Inspired Sensory In- dent Designer Award in 2018. terfaces Incorporating Embedded TRANSFORM THE From a design standpoint, Classification and Encryption,” Chen's CAREER research embrac- earned $500,000 in new funding es machine learning and cyberse- over the next five years from its WORLD.” curity through the concept of ran- Electrical, Communications and domness. Cyber Systems (ECCS) program. According to the proposal ab- “Ubiquitous sensing and com- stract, data is automatically clas- puting, leading to rapid growth of sified and encrypted within the big data analysis, will potentially a battery,” Chen said. sensors, changed unpredictably transform the world,” Chen said. Instead, she is working to devel- into deterministic noise for trans- “Now, people are trying to turn ev- op a more energy-efficient circuit mission. erything into smart devices.” architecture to embed into ener- “The pipeline chaotic system The motivation to provide such gy-constrained edge devices, per- can be trained with time-varying real-time security within every forming classification and encryp- maps to enhance the strength smart device, she said, is because tion. An edge device is any piece of the security without creating each one is under threat of ma- of hardware that controls data observable patterns to counter licious attacks by transmitting flow at the boundary between two side-channel attacks,” Chen said. unencrypted data. Applications networks, such as routers, routing "This ensures data integrity and sending steady information for switches, integrated access devic- basic authentication for multi-lay- continuous health or weather es (IADs), multiplexers, metro- er security schemes from the edge monitoring, for example, are par- politan area networks (MAN) and sensors to the cloud while classi- ticularly vulnerable. wide area networks (WAN). fication algorithms are performed "The attacker may be able to re- "We can have a sensor that can locally in sensors to achieve rapid cord the confidential and private extract and encrypt critical fea- analysis and data reduction for information or change the results tures in situ and then only send wireless communications.” to broadcast a fake national disas- low-volume ciphered messages The transmitted data from the ter alert. So, it’s critical to protect to the central device, so the trans- device becomes unclonable, she the wireless data," Chen said. mission energy can be highly said, ensuring complete security.■ The technological drawback decreased to enable continuous for this, however, is the energy monitoring," she said. required to perform complex ma- As the director of the Energy-Ef- chine learning and encryption al- ficient Circuits and Systems Lab at gorithms. Ohio State, Chen mentors roughly “It’s hard to use the energy from half a dozen graduate students in the environment to power the de- the realms of low-power cognitive vice, because it would require a interfaces for world-to-informa- large and stable power source like tion computing. Lab work spans

FALL 2019 | 25 CAREER AWARDS

Ghalichechian recently earned the prestigious National Science Foun- NEXT-GEN MILLIMETER dation 2019 Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award. It provides $500,000 in new funding WAVE DEVICES over the next five years for his pro- posal, “CAREER: Understanding and By Ryan Horns Exploiting Non-linear Behavior of Phase-Change Materials for Millime- ter-Wave Applications.” Ghalichechian, who leads Ohio ew research at Ohio State The point is about rethinking the State’s Radio Frequency Microsystems could help lead to a new entire design and make-up of the ma- Lab, is marrying the concepts behind generation of radio fre- terials used to make such devices, materials engineering and electro- quency devices capable from the ground up. magnetics. He is working alongside Nof advancing space communications, For his efforts in this realm, Ohio first-year Ohio State Ph.D. student smart phones and even self-driving State Electrical and Computer Engi- Mark Lust and third-year Ph.D. stu- cars. neering Assistant Professor Nima dent Shangyi Chen.

PICTURED FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Shangyi Chen, Mark Lust, Nima Ghalichechian

26 | BITS & SPARKS ALUMNI MAGAZINE “THE PROPOSED WORK IS AMBITIOUS BUT POTENTIALLY TRANSFORMATIVE AS IT CHALLENGES Meanwhile, Chen is studying and exploiting the electrical properties THE CONVENTIONAL WISDOM IN DESIGNING SENSORS of VO2. She is designing a highly sensitive millimeter-wave camera AND DOMINANCE OF SEMICONDUCTOR-BASED using a pixelated array of sensors. “One pixel involved in the cam- MILLIMETER-WAVE DETECTORS. era is a thermal sensor called a mi- crobolometer. I will study the elec- trical property of phase change material VO2 to improve the sen- Together, they are performing neutralizing any gain achieved by sitivity of the sensor. In addition, I fundamental studies on phase- reconfiguration,” Ghalichechian will implement micro-electro-me- change materials and their appli- said. “In other words, despite the chanical systems (MEMS) suspen- cations in the millimeter-wave added functionality, losses (low sion process to further improve domain. Specifically, to create pas- efficiencies) are the Achilles heel the overall performance of the sive imaging sensors. of any radio-frequency reconfigu- sensor,” she said. Passive imaging sensors gather rable system often less discussed.” In addition to research, the and record naturally emitted or re- Their work, he said, is to ad- project includes the develop- flected energy from around them. dress these limitations. Phase- ment of new courses at Ohio For example, when the camera change materials are ideal for State, undergraduate and K-12 shutter opens on a digital camera, millimeter-wave reconfiguration summer programs and outreach the array of sensors inside records as they provide a path to achieve for under served students across the intensity of light striking them. low-loss microsystems. Central Ohio. The sensor passively collects light “The proposed work is ambi- Originally from China, Chen measurements, and the data is tious but potentially transfor- said her father is an engineer and processed into images. mative as it challenges the con- this became her interest as well. Instead of sensors detecting op- ventional wisdom in designing She started in Mechanical Engi- tical light, Ghalichechian said, their sensors and dominance of semi- neering and found her way toward work can lead to detecting electro- conductor-based millimeter-wave microsystems along the way. magnetic waves. Applications of this detectors. Currently, no accept- As a high schooler in Hilliard, research could advance medical im- able solution is available for mil- Lust said he found an interest in aging, navigation, and remote sens- limeter-wave imaging systems op- electromagnetics and physics ear- ing, to name a few. erating at the room temperature,” ly on and sought out working with The work is interdisciplinary Ghalichechian said. Ohio State's ElectroScience Lab as and centers upon using novel ma- As an undergraduate, Lust said an undergraduate. terial properties to address the he developed a “recipe” to deposit “Microfabrication, the process ongoing limitations of current mil- films on materials using “reactive is really interesting. The challenge limeter-wave devices, he said, such sputtering,” which is when vanadi- of the process too,” he said, “The as sensors and antennas. The milli- um atoms are ejected from a target designs must be realizable. We meter-wave band is defined as fre- and react with oxygen to form VO2 take on the challenge just to see if quencies between 30 to 300 GHz. on the substrate. His work also im- we can do it.” Ghalichechian said phase- proved accuracy for phase-change The CAREER Program offers change materials, such as vana- measurements post deposition. the National Science Foundation's dium dioxide or VO2, have been “The process is very sensitive most prestigious awards in sup- around for more than 50 years, to multiple parameters, so it took port of early-career faculty who but their uses remain elusive, es- quite a few iterations to get a good, have the potential to serve as aca- pecially when it comes to applica- repeatable result,” Lust said. “It demic role models in research and tions in the millimeter-wave band. was based on previous work in the education and to lead advances in “Reconfigurability and adapt- group, but I made improvements the mission of their department or ability are vital features of future in both the deposition and mea- organization. ■ agile millimeter-wave systems for surement processes.” sensing, imaging, and wireless Lust said his role in the project communications. However, when is to further analyze the recipe he radio-frequency systems are made created for depositing VO2 films reconfigurable they lose efficiency, on antenna arrays.

FALL 2019 | 27 ECE UNDERGRAD WINS GOLDWATER SCHOLARSHIP by Ryan Horns,

Mia Zhang, an electrical and computer engineering (ECE) undergraduate at The Ohio State University, just earned the most prestigious national award for STEM students.

communities,” she said. Zhang is among four said. “Witnessing the evo- Asking questions from Ohio State honors stu- lution of technology and peers, upperclassmen, and dents recognized by the how it completely changed teachers was essential for Barry M. Goldwater Schol- our lives as I was growing vised by Dr. Jonathan Song, her growth, she said. arship and Excellence in up intrigued me, which Assistant Professor in the “Meeting new people Education Program. eventually motivated me to Department of Mechanical who have the same in- This is only the second study engineering.” and Aerospace Engineering. terests and goals as I do, time in university history Zhang said it's the re- "Mia is truly an excep- hearing their experienc- in which all four Buckeye al-life applications of sci- tional student in terms of es, and receiving advice nominees won; the last oc- ence, which continue to her intelligence and drive on how to navigate in the currence was 2007. Juniors motivate her professional for excellence. I am de- field of engineering had Caroline Jipa, Thomas goals to discover how to lighted that the Goldwa- been very helpful to me Porter, Vilas Winstein, improve and change peo- ter Foundation recognizes by establishing a support and Zhang were all named ple's lives in a positive way. the same qualities in Mia system,” Zhang said. 2019 Goldwater Scholars. This is what led her to the and awarded her this most It is estimated more Each receives an award to Ohio State ECE program. illustrious scholarship," than 5,000 students ap- cover the cost of tuition, “I chose electrical engi- Song said. "Her future plied for their university's fees, books, and room and neering because of its ubiq- could not be brighter." nomination for the award. board up to a maximum of uity in our lives, as many Zhang’s advice for her However, each institu- $7,500. things involve electricity,” fellow students is to stay tion may only nominate Even at a young age, Zhang said. “I was excited to curious and motivated in four students. In total, 496 Zhang said, her academic study ECE and find out my their chosen paths. scholarships were awarded drive was motivated by a specific interest.” “I would encourage ev- to sophomores and juniors simple curiosity over how Zhang is a junior in the eryone to explore various on the basis of academic technology works – and ECE program, looking to opportunities to gain new merit from a field of 1,223 more importantly, how it can earn an MD/PhD degree in experiences and to believe mathematics, science, and benefit society as a whole. biomedical engineering in in your hard work and com- engineering students nom- “I have always been pas- order to conduct transla- mitment. There are many inated by colleges and uni- sionate about math and sci- tional and clinical research resources and programs versities nationwide. ence, and ever since I was using micro/nanoscale tech- that will help you discover Since the award's incep- young, I always questioned nology for medicine and your passion in local, na- tion in 1986, Ohio State how things worked,” she biology. Her research is ad- tional, and international has produced 60 Goldwa- ter Scholars. ■

For more information on the Goldwater Scholarship, visit goldwater.scholarsapply.org. Students interested in applying for the Goldwater Scholarship or other nationally competitive awards should contact [email protected].

28 | BITS & SPARKS ALUMNI MAGAZINE ALUMNUS

s society increas- ingly depends upon NAMED 2019 A technology to over- come its adversities, rec- ognizing young scholars is NEXT-GENERATION imperative. With this in mind, Ohio State’s Office of Research INNOVATOR OF and the Corporate Engage- called a “memristor,” ment Office named electri- which he said takes inspi- cal and computer engineer- ration from the human THE YEAR ing (ECE) alumnus Wesley brain to solve challenges Thio among the two win- in modern computers. ners of the 2019 Next Gen- “They have a lot of poten- eration Innovator of the tial as we transition into an probes or cardiac pacemak- Year awards. artificial intelligence-driv- ers to identify abnormal Thio received his ECE en world where machine behavior such as arrhyth- undergraduate degree learning becomes used for mia much more efficiently.” from Ohio State and is cur- critical applications, such Thio’s undergraduate rently pursuing a graduate as self-driving cars and diag- research studies at Ohio degree in electrical and nostic medicine,” Thio said. State centered on batter- computer science at the “They work as an electronic ies and self-powered wear- University of Michigan. neuron synapse, and can be able technologies. He was He said Ohio State pre- used to build chips that per- awarded Ohio State’s Tech pared him well for his form image recognition and Hub 2017 Student Project ents, with three pending. work today. data classification.” Grant and was selected According to the Of- “One of the things I The Buckeye sees the fu- as a semi-finalist for the fice of Research, the Next learned while working at ture of this technology as 2018 Lemelson-MIT Stu- Generation Innovator of Ohio State is to never be critical for next-generation dent Prize for his research the Year award honors stu- afraid of tackling challenges healthcare. in development of flexible dents (undergraduate and that could improve people’s “I hope in the long term batteries powered by elec- graduate) or postdocs, to lives,” Thio said. “Ohio State I can pursue a startup that trochemical fabrics. help recognize the inno- also has a unique collabora- utilizes this type of technol- He completed an intern- vation and entrepreneur- tive culture that has taught ogy in order to efficiently ship at the Università degli ship they contribute to the me how to work effectively perform medical imaging,” Studi di Catania in Catania, development or commer- with others to solve prob- he said. “This would be a Italy in 2015 studying cha- cialization of a new tech- lems. These are skills that fulfilling accomplishment otic circuits, and interned nology in Ohio. It may also will help me in the years to to me, especially if it leads at the National Taiwan recognize a trainee-ini- come, and will be import- to quicker life-saving diag- University in 2016 study- tiated start-up company ant factors in helping me noses. It may even be pos- ing solid state devices. His whose success is a result of accomplish my goals.” sible to develop new med- work in electronics and entrepreneurial talent, cre- Thio is currently fo- ical tools by combining batteries has resulted in 11 ativity and energy. ■ cused on a technology this technology with brain publications, and six pat-

PICTURED FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: R. Scott Osborne, Wesley Thio, and Dr. Morely Stone

FALL 2019 | 29 ECE GRAD ATTRACTS ELECTROMAGNETIC AWARDS

and Implantable Technol- ogies Lab (WIT) at Ohio State’s ElectroScience Lab- oratory (ESL). Kiourti said Guido is al- ready an asset to the ESL the brain during normal, team, working on devel- everyday life situations oping wireless and bat- then it’s possible that we teryless brain implants can begin to better under- designed to record neural stand the underpinnings of signals. disorders such as epilepsy, hopped on the electromag- Learning about Kiourti depression and anxiety, netic wave as a Ph.D. student and the WIT Lab, Guido Parkinson’s, addiction, and in Ohio State's Department said, really opened up new many others.” of Electrical and Computer doors. While she loved how Engineering (ECE). “When I first found her physics offered answers ot quite satisfied It’s clear her change in lab, it seemed too good to to thought-provoking sci- with the opportu- focus is already paying off. be true, but luckily here entific questions, she said, N nities for hands-on Guido recently won I am today,” Guido said. electromagnetic engineer- applications as a physics the prestigious and high- “I was really impressed ing creates applications student, Katrina Guido ly-competitive 2019 Na- with how even the rest of to solve those dilemmas decided to follow her muse tional Defense Science and her research is primarily plaguing society. into graduate school as an Engineering Graduate (ND- focused on implementing For the next three years, engineer at Ohio State. SEG) Fellowship Award. various technologies to Guido is working to earn Her goal now is to find She also won the Best Post- help people.” her Ph.D. at ESL. In the ways to use her technical er Award at the Chronic Guido wants to advance meantime, she's already abilities for good. Brain Injury Research Day the existing technology to- learned to take every single “I knew I wanted to do sponsored by the Ohio ward studying neurologi- day as a new adventure as a something with my life that State’s Discovery Themes cal disorders. student at Ohio State. helped people, and I have Initiative, and this sum- “The brain-computer in- “I used to try to plan ev- always been interested in mer was selected to attend terface technology current- ery aspect of my life, but I how the electrical impulses the National Institutes of ly in existence has way too would never have imagined in our brains allow us to do Health BRAIN Initiative many downsides to be con- I’d end up where I am to- everything from breathe to Summer Course. sidered close to being fea- day," she said. "So, I’m going think complex thoughts,” Guido is studying under sible for normal, everyday to take the next few years Guido said. “So, I started the guidance of ECE As- use. My current research as they come and see where looking for research that sistant Professor Asimina aims to address some of my experiences take me.” ■ was aligned with both of Kiourti at the Wearable these issues,” Guido said. these ideas.” “If we can get a clearer She took a chance and picture of how electrical signals propagate through

30 | BITS & SPARKS ALUMNI MAGAZINE NEEDS EL GAMAL HEADLINE NAMED NATIONAL ACADEMY OF INVENTORS FELLOW

innovation in creating or facilitating outstanding in- ventions and innovations that have made a tangible impact on quality of life, economic development and the welfare of society.” El Gamal is a world-re- understanding your behav- nowned information theo- ior, pre-download the ma- rist and inventor, with key terial on your device and contributions to wireless when you click it to watch communications, game it, it’s already there and and Electronic Engineers; n Ohio State Uni- theory and machine learn- you’re not competing on 31 other IEEE fellows were versity scientist ing. He holds 15 U.S. pat- that spectrum.” named Fellow of the NAI A was awarded the ti- ents. He is the ninth Ohio Morley Stone, senior this year. tle of Fellow by the Nation- State inventor chosen as a vice president for research The 2018 Fellows were al Academy of Inventors. fellow of the NAI. at Ohio State, congratulat- inducted on April 1, 2019, Hesham El Gamal, His most recent work fo- ed El Gamal. as part of the Eighth An- chair of the Department cuses on improving and op- “Dr. El Gamal has nual Conference of the Na- of Electrical and Comput- timizing smartphones and pushed research forward tional Academy of Inven- er Engineering, was one of other mobile technologies to in ways that have made life tors in Houston. In honor 148 academic inventors to more easily stream content. more enjoyable and tech- of his accomplishments, El receive the honor this year. “Imagine you are a nology more accessible,” Gamal was presented with The award is given to ac- ‘Game of Thrones’ fan, for Stone said. “This award is a special trophy, medal and ademic inventors and inno- example, and you are wait- a testament to the inno- rosette pin. ■ vators who have “demon- ing for the new season to be vation happening across strated a prolific spirit of released—the first episode Ohio State.” always crashes because ev- El Gamal is also a Fellow erybody is trying to stream of the Institute of Electrical it at the same time,” he said. “Our technology would, by

FALL 2019 | 31 ESLESL ANNUALANNUAL AWARDSAWARDS EVENTEVENT

hio State's ElectroScience Laborato- because of Eric Walton,” Lee said. ry (ESL) celebrated its top faculty and ECE alumna Dana Kohlgraf-Owens said she O staff accomplishments of 2018 during was an undergraduate working with Walton in its annual awards event Dec. 6 at the Blackwell 2004-2005. His mentorship helped her on the Inn on campus. path toward an engineering career she has en- Based on Kinnear Road, ESL is a major cen- joyed ever since. ter-of-excellence in Ohio State’s College of Engi- Alumnus Adam Hueve said Walton had a tre- neering. Established in 1942, it remains one of mendous impact on his career in RF engineering. the largest radio frequency and optics research “At the time I really didn’t have any clear ca- laboratories in the world. reer direction,” he said. “(He) really showed me ESL’s most distinguished annual honor, The a new field that I didn’t know anything about.” George Sinclair Award, went to retired Electrical Today, Hueve is an RF engineer at Wright-Pat- and Computer Engineering Research Scientist terson Air Force Base, still using many of the Eric Walton. skills Walton taught him. According to the center, Walton’s work over Walton is a distinguished Fellow of IEEE, Fel- the years contributed major technical advance- low of Antenna Measurement Techniques As- ments toward automotive radars and antennas, sociation, and received AMTA’s Distinguished noise radar (an area he pioneered), scattering Achievement Award. He is also respected for his signature analysis, processing of antenna/RCS mentorship of many graduate and undergradu- test range probe data, wavelet-based time-fre- ate students, as well as junior researchers. quency analysis (a major breakthrough), and The George Sinclair Award recognizes an near-field focusing of range probe data for map- individual for distinguished technical contri- ping stray signals in antenna/RCS test ranges (a butions and service to ESL. Criteria includes new territory in range diagnostics). faculty who display international recognition ECE alumnus Eugene Lee said it was an hon- for outstanding technical contributions, lead- or to work under Walton’s mentorship as a grad- ership on large ESL projects, administrative uate student at Ohio State for almost a decade. and leadership toward moving ESL into new “I spent six years as his graduate student and research areas, as well as facilitating funding many years as his research colleague. Eric has to meet current and future challenges of elec- been there for me, not only professionally, but tromagnetic technology. personally as well. I am the engineer I am today

32 | BITS & SPARKS ALUMNI MAGAZINE ESLESL ANNUALANNUAL AWARDSAWARDS EVENTEVENT

ABOVE AND BEYOND STAFF AWARD: Jennifer McCord, Human Resources Asso- ciate at ESL, whose efficiency, reliability and positive interactions with faculty and staff were spotlighted this year.

ABOVE AND BEYOND STUDENT AWARD: ESL Graduate Research Associate Matthew Buchanan was selected for his efforts and ac- complishments in remote sensing investiga- tions and international conference participation throughout 2018. Faculty pointed out his abili- ty to foster a community at ESL, as well as his Students, faculty and staff at ESL were also sense of humor. highlighted for their achievements in 2018 through the following honors: ABOVE AND BEYOND RESEARCHER AWARD: Alexandra Bringer was selected for her ex- BEST DISSERTATION AWARD: cellent service to the ESL community and con- Jeonghwan Park, “Investigations of GNSS-R tributions to the Soil Moisture Active Passive for Ocean Wind, Sea Surface Height, and Land (SMAP) program. Surface Remote Sensing.” Park is advised by ECE Professor Joel Johnson. The ESL awards committee this year was made up of Research Scientist Chris Ball, Nima BEST PAPER AWARD: Ghalichechian, Teh-Hong Lee and Christo- L. Duncan, Brian Dupaix, J.J. McCue, B. pher Neese. Mathieu, M. LaRue, V.J. Patel, M. Teshome, M-J ESL faculty, research scientists, and students Choe, and Waleed Khalil for their work, “A 10- are involved in all aspects of electromagnetic bit DC-20-Ghz Multiple-Return-toZero DAC with and RF technologies, including satellite and >48-db SFDR,” published in the IEEE Journal of ultra-wide-bandwidth communications, optics, Solid-State Circuits. remote sensing, ground penetrating radar sys- tems. antenna engineering, electromagnetic BEST PAPER AWARD -RUNNERS UP: compatibility and interference, as well as com- R.K. Rasel, CE Zuccarelli, QM Marashdeh, putational methods and measurements. ■ LS Fan, FL Teixeira for the work, “Toward Mul- tiphase Flow Decomposition Based on Electrical Capacitance Tomography Sensors,” published in PICTURED FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: ESL Director Richard the IEEE Sensors Journal. Ridgway (pictured right in each photo), hands awards to Alexandra Bringer, Graeme Smith and Eric Walton. K. Ren, J Chen, RJ Burkholder, for the work, “A 3-D Uniform Diffraction Tomographic Al- gorithm for Near-Field Microwave Imaging Through Stratified Media,” published in the IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation.

FALL 2018 | 33 CULTURE

ECE: POWERING TOMORROW

34 | BITS & SPARKS ALUMNI MAGAZINE 23

PICTURED: RICHARD AND ROBERT ROBBINS FALL 2019 | 35 OHIO STATE ECE ALUMNI CELEBRATE 50+ YEARS OF SUCCESS rom wartime defense said seeing all these places after so helping youngsters earn badges in systems, to pioneering many years really struck a chord. radio, electronics and electricity. computer and radar "One thing that hit me today, “It’s more fun than you can development, every when we started out this meeting, imagine,” he said. table at the annual De- I couldn't remember the names of Alumnus Larry Rennie ('65) Fpartment of Electrical and Com- any of my professors," he said. was on the soccer team at Ohio puter Engineering alumni dinner Simply coming back to his State back in the 1960s. He said holds a depth of stories. old stomping grounds in Cald- not many people knew what the Fortunately, that's what the well brought back unexpected sport was at the time. So, his team night is all about – telling stories, memories. would practice on the fields near a shared history. "I don't know where it came the football stadium the day of Originally organized as an eve- from. I don't know why all of a games. People on their way to the ning to celebrate 50-year alumni sudden I started thinking of all stadium would see this game of of the Department of Electrical these guys, but they taught us soccer and wonder what the heck and Computer Engineering, the well," Rhodes said. "These peo- it was they were playing. dinner on Oct. 5 this year expand- ple were really excellent profes- Twin alumni, Richard and Rob- ed to include graduates anywhere sors. Great teachers. They cared ert Robbins ('68), attended the about you. Isn't that amazing? night as well. Out of the blue. These things Richard, of Powell, Ohio, is re- came into my head." tired from IBM and has two grown “YOU HAVE GOOD Alumnus James Cook ('65, '67, daughters – both Buckeyes. His '70) said he feels fortunate having secret to keeping up the tradition? MEMORIES. MY JOB, gone to Ohio State. His father-in- “When they graduated from law once asked him which courses high school, I told them they could AND THE PROFESSORS were the most important to his ca- go anywhere they want for college, reer. He said all of them. but I am only going to pay tuition AND EVERYBODY “It was confidence. I got confi- for Ohio State,” he laughed. dent I could solve any problem if I Just in case there were any had enough time,” he said. questions, Robert joked, he is in- HERE, IS TO HELP KEEP Cook and his wife Sharon were deed related to his twin brother. celebrating their 50th wedding an- After a career in government en- THE SAME SPIRIT. TO niversary at the dinner. gineering, he started a small com- “That’s the most important pany in the late 1970s making test HELP CREATE THE thing that happened about me equipment for telephone compa- coming to Ohio State,” he said, nies. He worked there happily for SAME MEMORIES FOR pointing to her. “We met.” over 30 years and retired in 2008. Other alumni were celebrating ECE Chair and Professor Hesh- birthdays and anniversaries that am El Gamal said the simple fact THE STUDENTS.” night. Together, the group spoke the 50-year alumni dinner keeps about fireballs in the labs; past gaining attendance is because the mistakes and success in research, department must be doing some- from 1968 to 1958. They represent and lifelong friendships made. thing right. an extended family of Buckeyes A longtime aircraft engineer, “You have good memories. You scattered around the world. alumnus Jack Stieg ('60) said he connect with it. My job, and the Ohio State ECE/EE Alumni So- led an interesting career. professors and everybody here, is ciety member Mark Morscher “My seat was often just a folding to help keep the same spirit. To ('89) said the point of the dinner camp stool, right between the two help create the same memories for was simple at first, to keep ECE pilots. There were occasional thrill- the students,” he said. “I am grate- alumni updated and engaged in ing rides. Probably the most fun job ful that you are here.” their alma mater. I ever had,” he said. “If something El Gamal remarked how the More than that, he said, seeing went wrong, the pilot would turn alumni may have noticed on the the labs and facilities gives them to me and say, ‘What do you think tours that Caldwell looks exactly a chance to talk with current stu- of that?’ and he expected an intel- the same as when they graduated dents about research and simply ligent answer. Occasionally, I was 50 years ago. reminisce. The tours that day in- able to provide one." “We kept it that way just for cluded Dreese and Caldwell labs. Retired 20 years, Steig now you,” he said to laughter. ■ Alumnus Gene Rhodes ('63) enjoys being a Boy Scout leader,

FALL 2019 | 37 38 | BITS & SPARKS ALUMNI MAGAZINE “IT’S GOING TO BE ALL HANDS ON DECK. WE WANT AND NEED TO EXPAND THE ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING TALENT AROUND US.”

with new faces. He said the entire me- dia and communications industry stands to take a hit if this trend isn’t re- versed. They depend upon novel ideas and technological advancements. “There is a growing demand for broadcast engineers,” Michael Meadows said, WOSU Chief of Technology. “It’s all about the men- n 1900, when Morse code still Rieland said WOSU is offering torship experience. I would have ruled the airwaves, a rogue elec- new summer internships and fellow- benefited from that when I was in trical engineering student holed ships, showing students the pathway school. That specific engineering himself up in a room at Ohio toward rewarding careers in broad- knowledge is going away.” IState to follow his research muse. cast engineering. WOSU set-up a one He said Ohio State engineers can His experimental work became the million dollar endowment to support find welcoming careers in radio fre- quiet beginnings of what we know as student educational opportunities quencies, signal propagation, anten- WOSU Public Media today. within the stations. na design, digital equipment, trans- That student,Robert Marriott, “We are beginning to re-forge the mitters and consultation at radio and born in Richwood, Ohio, would go on historic links WOSU has had to many television stations across the country. to become one of the most celebrat- Ohio State academic areas and this International students are espe- ed wireless innovators in the United new relationship with electrical engi- cially being courted, Meadows said, States. He was among the first to work neers takes us back to our roots as a as they often have more difficul- in the field of radio communications. broadcast station," he said. ty finding summer internships or Tom Rieland, general manager of WOSU was operated under Ohio careers that don’t require security WOSU, said it’s this shared history State electrical engineering facul- clearance. with Ohio State he wants to tap back ty until 1927. The post-World War I WOSU provides a variety of broad- into. In October 2018, he announced boom in radio broadcasting marked cast services to Central Ohio: the 89.7 a $29 million plan to build a new a new high in scientific achievement NPR News FM station that started in WOSU headquarters at the corner of for the university, bringing this new 1949; the only classical music station in 14th and Pearl streets as part of the thing called radio to life. Columbus, and the community PBS sta- 15th + HIGH project – a proposed hub Hesham El Gamal, Chair Ohio tion. The WOSU facilities are currently of activity on campus Ohio State dubs State’s Electrical and Computer En- in the basement of the Fawcett Center “University Square.” Ground breaking gineering (ECE) Department, said he located on Olentangy River Road. for the new facility starts in April. wants to help, not only by showing Not only will the new location at With the expansion, Rieland said, how ECE integrates into all forms of 14th and Pearl offer WOSU room to comes a need for the next generation modern technology, but by guiding grow, Rieland said, it provides a bet- of Ohio State electrical engineers to graduates toward different industries ter platform for engaging and collabo- help lead the way. and opportunities they might not rating with the Ohio State community “We’re taking on a huge technical have thought of before. and Columbus. project over the next two years, mov- “We would like to be a department Ohio State engineering students ing into these new facilities,” Rieland that helps the city,” El Gamal said. interested in joining WOSU intern- said. “It’s going to be all hands on deck. It’s become serious, Rieland said. ship and fellowship opportunities can We want and need to expand the elec- Experienced broadcast engineers are apply via the Student Job Board and trical engineering talent around us.” retiring and they aren’t being replaced Engineering Career Services. ■

FALL 2019 | 39 ECE SPOTLIGHT SUBIKSHA MADHAVAN RESHIKESHAN Story by Isabel Hall and Ryan Horns, ECE Communications

eople choose things I am very interest- where they study ed in, which I don't think I based on a variety would have been able to do of factors, and it’s if I went into industry. Here, Poften a difficult decision to I have the freedom to dwell make. For Subiksha Mad- deeper into things that fun- havan Reshikeshan, it was Reshikeshan said. damentally interest me, easy. Research led her toward earning Apply she did. Today, Illindala which I find I am really liking here." a Ph.D. from Ohio State. serves as her Ph.D. advisor on a va- Choosing power systems engi- As a young student in India, riety of research projects associated neering was more a result of find- Reshikeshan was drawn early on with Ohio State’s Center for High ing herself, Reshikeshan said, as op- toward electrical power systems Performance Power Electronics posed to following the crowd. As an engineering. While other students (CHPPE), a facility focusing on new undergraduate, power engineering went off seeking the newest techno- technologies in power electronics wasn't a popular field. logical trends, she saw a different and systems. She is part of a group "Power is a very old system. It's opportunity to make a difference. studying flexible distribution of en- been around for hundreds of years "The thing that drew me toward ergy and storage resources. now. There are more fields develop- power engineering is we see prob- Within CHPPE, Reshikeshan also ing new, like communications - every lems with the electrical grid around does research on evaluating the ro- day wireless communications is de- us every day," she said. bustness of power system config- veloping something new," she said. In India, for example, power urations, in which she tries to find Her advice to ECE undergraduate cuts happen regularly during peak microgrid islands to handle distur- students seeking more direction in seasons. bances, which are also not suscepti- their careers? Follow their hearts. "They could not meet the de- ble to collapse. "I feel if something interests you, mands," Reshikeshan said. "They Another project she is working you should take it up irrespective if had the technology, they had the on involves distributed generation you see a future for it or not. You can resources, but the deployment was penetration in the electric grid; make a future for it, if you are really missing somewhere. You just have trying to figure out how multiple interested in it. It's not really neces- to plan properly and ensure things smaller generation units, which sary to stick to the conventions." get deployed. That is something help tackle high energy demand, Illindala sees a strong future for that an engineer needs to do. That could fit into a distribution grid. her in academia. is what drew me to this field." After earning her Ph.D., Reshi- “Subiksha is a quick learner. She While conducting work for her keshan wants to continue new re- has the potential to become a bril- undergraduate thesis at the Indi- search while working in academia liant teacher and researcher," he said. an Institute of Technology Madras, and then start pursuing teaching. Working with Illindala has been Reshikeshan discovered the power One thing is certain, she said, a great experience, Reshikeshan engineering research of Ohio State coming to Ohio State as a graduate said. He is always stressing the im- Electrical and Computer Engineering student truly changed the trajecto- portance of becoming an indepen- Associate Professor Mahesh Illinda- ry of her life for the better. dent researcher while working to- la. Interested in his achievements, "A good Ph.D. program can help ward her doctoral degree. she decided to contact him about you get confidence," Reshikeshan “Once you’ve graduated, you no studying under his guidance. said. "I feel if you are fundamental- longer have your advisor to always “He was the one who said ‘Ap- ly interested in science then you fall back upon or take advice on ply to Ohio State and come here. It should take up research. For me, it your papers. You’ve got to start pub- would be good to have you here,’” has helped me get time to explore lishing by yourself,” she said. ■

40 | BITS & SPARKS ALUMNI MAGAZINE ECE SPOTLIGHT SAEEDEH ZIAEEFARD Story by Isabel Hall

ith her ex- something she finds very tensive important no matter what education, class they are in. Saeedeh “I like my students to ZiaeefardW is used to being come and talk to me. I in the classroom as a stu- think effective communi- dent at Ohio State. where she studied marine engineer- cation is very important However, now she steps into a ing. She then moved to China and and it doesn’t matter if it’s a tech- new role - faculty member. worked for a ship building company, nical communication class or it’s a Ziaeefard joined Ohio State's Elec- helping to monitor quality assured- technical class like a control or robot- trical and Computer Engineering ness. ics,” Ziaeefard said. “Sometimes the (ECE) department as a lecturer in After spending five years doing way that I teach may not be the same September 2018 and currently teach- industry work, Ziaeefard decided to method as what a student learns, but es two courses. apply to schools in the United States with effective communication we While instructing at the under- and ended up attending Michigan can come to a point where we both graduate level is new to her, Ziaeef- Tech University, where she studied agree, and (the) student will under- ard credits both students and faculty mechanical engineering with a focus stand and learn more effectively. At colleagues for helping to make the in controls and robotics. She earned the end of the day, I want everyone transition smooth. both a master’s and Ph.D. from the to learn something from my lectures “I think all the students here at Ohio university. Her husband recent- when they go out of my class.” State are very sharp, and they take ly moved to Columbus for his job, Going into teaching was a leap of their classes very seriously... and that’s which is what led her to explore new faith, Ziaeefard said, but she is enjoy- good. As a teacher, when I go to class I opportunities at Ohio State. ing the experience and discovering it see their interest and it motivates me Although she is focused on teach- may be her passion. to come up with new ideas for my lec- ing, research still remains an inter- “I always wanted to work in a com- tures,” Ziaeefard said. “I really like this est. While she has no current plans pany. I did have that experience, but department. Everyone is really friend- to conduct new projects, in a few now I think I like teaching because ly, so my transition from being a stu- years she wants to research robotics I like to tell students about the fun- dent to being faculty was very easy.” and controls, then share her findings damentals. So, if they are doing any Ziaeefard's academic past has with future students. research, they have learned those taken her all around the world. She Outside of her ECE course mate- building blocks and concepts related earned a master’s degree at Amirk- rial, Ziaeefard hopes her students to their research,” she said. ■ abir University of Technology in Iran, learn effective communication,

“I think all the students here at Ohio State are very sharp, and they take their classes very seriously... and that’s good. As a teacher, when I go to class I see their interest and it motivates me to come up with new ideas for my lectures.”

FALL 2019 | 41 brought to Fishbowl Improv included ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT TALENTS AN ENGINEER expanding its social media presence CAN POSSES IS THE ABILITY TO THINK ON HIS FEET. and doing flyer campaigns on cam- pus, both of which helped increase the attendance at the group's bi-week- Jackson Donaldson takes this the- Theater. He enjoyed it so much he ly shows. ory to a whole new level. Not only is he tried out for Fishbowl Improv, a stu- While it’s admittedly difficult for a fourth-year in electrical engineering dent comedy organization, the very Donaldson to balance performing at Ohio State, he is the president of a next semester. with his engineering class workload, student-run comedy group. Fast forward, Donaldson is now he said the challenge is worth it. Im- Always interested in comedy, it president of Fishbowl Improv. prov provides him with a well-needed wasn’t until he started exploring per- “When I got in the group, I always break and a bit of freedom. formance as a way to navigate the was really engaged with it,” Donald- “Improv is very fun because you stress of college, did he find an entire- son said. “Last year I was the treasur- just make stuff up and you perform in ly new path – improv. er, and I wanted to be on the e-board front of people,” Donaldson said. “A lot A high school friend told him of the group just because I thought I of times, in engineering and college in about student improv groups at Ohio had good ideas and could make the general, you’re always just studying… State. Unsure of what it actually en- group more well-known and bigger Fishbowl gives me an outlet to be cre- tailed, Donaldson took a class his first on campus.” ative and do whatever I want.” semester through the Department of Some of the changes Donaldson With an eye on the future, Donald- son hopes to continue incorporating comedy into his post-graduate life; he has an engineering position with Proctor & Gamble lined up and cred- its his experience within the Ohio State ECE department for helping him land the job. “ECE here has given me a very valuable thought process on every- thing,” Donaldson said. “It’s just taught me how to think about things in a new way, and I think I’ve been able to apply the thought process of electrical engineering and the prob- lem solving of it to a lot of different things I’ve done.” ■

Story by ECE Student PR Writer, Isabel Hall

42 | BITS & SPARKS ALUMNI MAGAZINE OHIO STATE 2019 ership training and opportunities to serve as a university ambassador. “I look forward to celebrating this wonderful milestone with the en- SESQUICENTENNIAL tire Buckeye community and with our Sesquicentennial Scholars — the next generation in Ohio State’s proud STUDENT SCHOLARS tradition of service and excellence,” Drake said. Greenbaum plans to focus on radar applications in space as her academic ore than a motto at Ohio “(These) students share an extraor- career progresses, hopefully pursuing State, graduates face a dinary passion for our university and her studies further at the ElectroSci- responsibility born out will participate in a special leadership ence Lab. DaWit majors in electrical of its founding land- program as part of our 150th anniver- engineering, with an interest in neu- Mgrant mission to improve society in sary,” Ohio State President Michael V. roscience. honor of its sesquicentennial. Drake said. The total 150 students come from Two Buckeye majors in electri- Since its founding in 1870, he said, 5 continents, 9 countries, 22 states in cal and computer engineering were Ohio State has empowered genera- the U.S. and 42 counties across Ohio named Ohio State Sesquicentenni- tions of Buckeyes to become lead- and represent every campus and col- al Student Scholars in their quest to ers and create ideas that change the lege in the university. Most impor- help further their communities in world. The Sesquicentennial Student tantly, their Buckeye passion brings 2019. ECE students Mathias Dawit Scholar Leadership Program builds them together to drive the land-grant and Sarah Greenbaum were among upon this legacy by providing par- mission forward. ■ the 150 students named this year. ticipants a $2,500 scholarship, lead-

FALL 2019 | 43 FIFTH ANNUAL IEEE WINTER BANQUET 2019 anagement is doing things sponsors like ArcelorMittal, Vertiv, ing ideas from graduates to keep the right. Leadership is doing Marathon, CAT, Texas Instruments, company vital. Its ties to Ohio State M the right things. Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories are strong. He said the company em- These are the words Shubho Bhat- and Honda attend each year to help ployed 51 Buckeye co-ops this past tacharya shared at Ohio State’s Fifth bridge the gap for students seeking summer and provided 23 capstone Annual Institute of Electrical and employment or internships. projects to students within the Col- Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Winter As IEEE members, El Gamal said, lege of Engineering. Banquet held Jan. 25 at the Long- everyone in the room is tied together Bhattacharya said their education- aberger Alumni House. by a collective goal. al life should focus on going from re- Associate Chief Engineer at Honda “We are very passionate about active to creative. If they can remove North America, Bhattacharya served what we do here,” he said. the technical barriers they face, it al- as keynote speaker. Bhattacharya told the engineering lows more room for new ideas. His advice to electrical and com- students their learning does not end In 2015, the Honda and Ohio State puter engineering (ECE) students? after graduation. They must keep Partnership announced a new direc- Live with a sense of purpose. striving to know more. tion to build upon innovations in the “Ohio State has prepared you to “Do what you are passionate about mobility industry to benefit society. be successful in any situation,” Bhat- and your life will be filled with joy and Honda companies involved in the tacharya said. “The most important you will have a true sense of mean- partnership with Ohio State include thing now is to learn for the rest of ing,” he said, “and then make people Honda R&D Americas, Inc., Honda of your life. You are here to make the successful in your orbit.” America Mfg., Inc. and Honda North world a better place.” At Honda, Bhattacharya said, the America, Inc. During the banquet, IEEE Ohio State Chapter Presi- role of electrical engineering re- ArcelorMittal was presented the dent Autumn Mathias said the Win- mains vital. It is a part of important IEEE “Undisputed Champion Donor ter Banquet is an opportunity to say applications in every vehicle, from Award.” thank you to industry sponsors and lighting systems to control systems Founded in 1884, IEEE is current- faculty mentors for their support and more. ly the world’s largest technical pro- throughout the year. Also attending Even on the factory floors, he said, fessional society. The organization were Ohio State ECE Assistant Profes- facility high voltage power engineers helps students grow in the engineer- sor and IEEE Faculty Advisor Tawfiq are important in preventing downtime ing process of creating, developing, Musah, ECE Department Chair Hes- and malfunctions. Even the painting integrating, sharing, applying knowl- ham El Gamal, IEEE Columbus Chair system robotics depend upon intense edge about electrical, electronic, and Carl Lee, and numerous student offi- electrical engineering skills. information technologies, and sci- cers. Moving forward, Bhattacharya said, ences for the benefit of humanity and Industry representatives from Honda relies on new game-chang- the profession. ■

For students interested in learning more about Ohio States IEEE Chapter, head online to: ieee.osu.edu

44 | BITS & SPARKS ALUMNI MAGAZINE ment, it was perhaps the first "When he told OHIO STATE professionally bad news of my term as chair. I can’t say me about his enough about his contribu- ECE HONORS tions to the department.” retirement, it ECE Associate Professor was perhaps Steve Bibyk said Valco is ITS RETIRING one of those people everyone the first is glad exists; a person who enjoys diving deeper into professionally MARATHON MAN problems, who possesses the bad news of my patience and work ethic to pursue the details and see term as chair. I ure, engineers are known for their love of details. each dilemma resolved. He However, at Ohio State, one man’s reputation pre- said Ohio State’s Solid State can’t say enough S cedes him. program owes its existence about his After more than three decades in the Department of and success to Valco, who Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE), its staff, helped give it life with ECE contributions to faculty and administrators honored the work of retir- Professor Steve Ringel. ing Associate Professor George Valco. “I appreciate all your ef- the department.” fort, and I appreciate you be- Colleagues and friends would turn around on Tues- ing able to do all the jobs that ­—ECE Chair say Valco's professional day and Thursday, and teach most people are not fond of Hesham El Gamal legacy is an admirable one, it to the other students.” doing,” Bibyk said. filled with a curiosity for Fayed stayed on as TA Valco said the friendli- details many engineers over the next four or five ness of the Ohio State ECE easily overlook. When oth- years, until he finished department helped make his ers see a mountain of work, his Ph.D. career vibrant. he sees a challenge. More “Without that course, “I will miss the people, than that, it's his drive to al- without the opportunity particularly. It’s been a great ways do the right thing that George gave me to be his environment, a very friendly defines him as a person. TA, I would have struggled department,” he said. “I’m go- ECE Professor Ayman a lot to pay my way through ing to miss you all.” Fayed said without having school,” Fayed said. “He was Who knows, Valco said, Valco as a professor many extremely crucial for my there could be another official years ago, he may not be life and career in general.” role for him at the department where he is today. Any story about Valco, in the future, but joked, “only As an international stu- of course, must reference part time or temporary.” ■ dent, Fayed showed up at his love for long-distance Ohio State knowing he was running. Not only because accepted to the program, it shines a light on the lev- but also knowing he had no el of his drive, but also money to pay for the gradu- because he dedicates the ate degrees he sought. Valco same effort toward mara- took the graduate student thons as he does to his role under his wing and hired at Ohio State. GEORGE him as a Teaching Assistant, “I think George is the which covered tuition costs, only person left in the de- VALCO only after sensing Fayed had partment who knows the the drive to do well (even if difference between an ob- he lacked the experience). jective and an outcome,” “I only had something Associate Professor Betty like $20,” Fayed said. “Ev- Lise Anderson said, then ery Monday of every week joked, “So, basically, we’re George would take me to the all going to die.” clean room in Dreese Lab “I do have mixed feelings and spend maybe 10 to 12 about this,” ECE Chair Hes- hours teaching me the lab ham El Gamal said. “When process as a student. Then, I he told me about his retire-

FALL 2018 | 45 BUCKEYE CURRENT 2020

THE 2019 BUCKEYE CURRENT TEAM

BACK TO ITS ROOTS

By Ryan Horns

he core of Buckeye Current, most in 2020 – the Isle of Man Tourist cycle from the ground up, plus adding the electric motorcycle rac- Trophy Race, situated between the is- a second project for more students to ing team at Ohio State, is lands of Great Britain and Ireland. get involved with. the thrill of engineering. To After the 2018 season, students “That was our big question for this Tbuild a winning bike. on the team realized something was year. Do we rebuild and try to go back That’s why they are going back to missing. Reclaiming that missing to Pike’s Peak? Or maybe do some oth- their roots. piece is their mission for 2020. Hayes er road race?” Hayes said. “We decided Mason Hayes, team operations announced Buckeye Current is not go- we are an engineering team, not sim- manager and Materials Science Engi- ing to race in 2019. Instead, the team ply a modification or rebuilding team.” neering major, said Buckeye Current is spending the next year raising Based out of the Center for Auto- is returning to the race that matters funds, designing a brand-new motor- motive Research at Ohio State, Buck-

46 | BITS & SPARKS ALUMNI MAGAZINE Watch short video interview with the team: http://go.osu.edu/current2020vid

eye Current is made up of interdisci- torcycle team. If I get to apply that lat- ically for that race. But it’s not as well plinary engineering students. They er on to a job, great. If not, I’m having known. It doesn’t have that aura that independently manage, fundraise, fun right now.” the Isle of Man has. If you race bikes, design, build, and professionally race Quincey Patterson, fourth-year Ag- you go to the Isle of Man. Nobody on electric motorcycles on both the na- ricultural Engineering major, said they the team now has ever been to it.” tional and international stage. are realistic about their goals and what Many of those student engineers The point is to create the next gen- they want out of Buckeye Current. who took the team to such heights eration of high-tech automotive engi- “It’s an electric motorcycle and a graduated, and are now employed at neers through the design and manufac- race bike. We want to go fast. We want places like Cummins, Honda, Bosch turing of a cutting-edge electric vehicle. to win,” he said. “So, a big part of that is and Harley-Davidson. Electrical and Computer Engineer- how we are going to generate enough After the 2018 race up Pike’s Peak ing team member, Chris Liu, spent power to win in an appropriate form was cut short by a crash, Hayes said, 2018 characterizing battery cell op- factor. That ties in a lot toward what it was a prime opportunity to explore tions for the 2018 Pikes Peak bike, and I’m studying. It helps take it from the new options. conducting statistical simulations for classroom into a real-world place.” This leads to the second goal of the 2020 motorcycle. The results of Buckeye Current Buckeye Current 2020. Students ar- The goal for Buckeye Current, as al- back up this notion. Ohio State be- en’t allowed to ride the race bike be- ways, remains educational. came the only U.S. collegiate team to cause it’s too powerful and requires “The reason I came to Ohio State podium at the Isle of Man TT placing an expert’s touch. So, they launched a is because it’s a really huge campus third in both 2013 and 2014, with an new project to design and build their and there are a lot of opportunities I average speed of 90.4 and 93.4 mph, own electric dirt bike. can explore. I’m an engineering ma- respectively, besting both profession- “We wanted to do something on a jor, first of all. I really like designing, al and university competitors. smaller scale. Something that anyone especially software engineering,” Liu Looking for a different challenge, could take out on a test ride. Let them said. “I think the work I do here relates they picked their next target - the get on an electric vehicle,” Hayes said. to the work I want to do after I gradu- Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in “The hope is that it becomes sort of a ate. That’s why I got involved in this Colorado, the most grueling road race lead-in project, where people who ha- project. To get hands-on experience. the nation has to offer. ven’t been on the team yet can come To better prepare myself for future in- Buckeye Current spent the next in and learn in a low risk environ- ternships, or full-time positions.” year building a bike to compete at the ment. If they break a component, or Applied Mathematics major Ty- challenging road race that leads over something doesn’t work, it’s not mis- ler Stoltzfus said the experience of 14,000 feet straight up a mountain. sion-critical for the race bike.” working on an electric motorcycle1 is Through crashes during testing and Financially, Hayes said the team exciting in itself. adverse road conditions, the team has what it needs for its base-level “How many people get to work on podiumed in both 2015 and 2016 and plans, but they’re always looking for an electric motorcycle in college?” he won the electric class in 2017. more financial support to purchase said. “There are maybe a handful of “Pikes Peak is a really interesting components, test their designs and schools who have anything like this race,” Hayes said. “It’s difficult. You outsource to ensure the highest quali- program. Nobody’s got an electric mo- have to really gear your vehicle specif- ty vehicle is produced. ■

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT BUCKEYE CURRENT, DONATE TO ITS CAUSE, OR JOIN THE TEAM AT THESE LINKS: org.osu.edu/buckeyecurrent/ •facebook.com/BuckeyeCurrent/ • instagram.com/buckeyecurrent/ •org.osu.edu/buckeyecurrent/sponsors/forms-and-documents/

FALL 2019 | 47 THE mineral found in stardust ed the system. It does reach the goal.” helped electrical engineers Electrical and Computer Engineer- at Ohio State win a large- ing (ECE) professors Xu and Jin Wang, DREAM scale power efficiency proj- along with Assistant Professor Julia Aect sponsored by the United States De- Zhang, make up the Ohio State team partment of Energy. that created the first, next-generation, SYSTEM “The dream system now is in front of silicon carbide-based medium voltage us,” Longya Xu said, director of Ohio megawatt level converter -A 7 kV, 1 MVA State’s Center for High Performance Pow- SiC based Modular Multilevel Convert- er Electronics (CHPPE). “We have operat- er, or MMC. ■

Watch a video of the team explaining their groundbreaking power efficiency work online.go.osu.edu/CHPPE-MMC

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48 | BITS & SPARKS ALUMNI MAGAZINE DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL & COMPUTER ENGINEERING

SPRING GRADUATE & UNDERGRADUATE CLASS of 2019!

FALL 2018 | 49 OHIO STATE ECE STUDENTS ON CAMPUS THIS SUMMER HELPED RECREATE THIS ICONIC PHOTO OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS PRESUMABLY TAKEN ON CAMPUS IN 1893. Showcasing the diversity blossoming in the field today are, clockwise from top, Xiaodan Wang, Peng Peng, Yue Zhang, Mark Lust, Reza Karim, Yousef AlHassoun, Yahia Ahmed Shabara and Xintong Lyu. (Photo: Ryan Horns)

TAILGATE WITH THE EE/ECE ALUMNI SOCIETY AND THE COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING HOMECOMING WEEKEND: SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5TH.

Join the EE/ECE Alumni Society as we game. The event promises good food, fun, celebrate our alma mater with fellow and festivities for all ages. For more details and engineering classmates at the College of registration, visit engineering.osu.edu/events Engineering tailgate from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. by September 27th. prior to the Ohio State vs Michigan State

50 | BITS & SPARKS ALUMNI MAGAZINE I-O! ECE Priorities SUPPORT

RECRUIT OUTSTANDING FACULTY: WAYS TO GIVE The new faculty we are recruiting will perform cutting-edge ECE research to There are many ways to give impact our future in autonomous vehicles, smart robotics, cancer treatment, to the Department of Electrical concussion prevention/diagnosis, energy systems, and the internet-of-things. and Computer Engineering, Support from our alumni is crucial for helping us to provide startup funds including establishing an and endowed chair support to enable these innovations and endowed chair endowed or support fund, or positions to attract outstanding new faculty. contributing to the ECE fund of your choice. STUDENT-LED INNOVATION: Our graduate students are the driving force behind Ohio State’s research You can contribute directly progress. Their success builds not only their future career, but also the university’s to an ECE fund through reputation and our nation’s critical technologies. Support from our alumni helps The Ohio State University us to provide fellowships for the graduate program that enable these students to Online Giving secure website concentrate on their research rather than day-to-day financial concerns. giveto.osu.edu. Visit our list of ECE department program UNDERGRADUATE ACCESS: support and scholarship funds Department scholarships enhance the ability of our students to pursue their to find out more: dreams of an ECE education. These are especially important during freshman ece.osu.edu/alumni/support and sophomore years, as students build their skills to pursue future internships and co-ops. We are proud of the generous support ECE alumni have provided to our undergraduate students and hope to build upon this success to further reduce college costs for deserving students in our programs. CONTACT US Please contact Katie Coen, MODERN LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS: ECE Director of Development, ECE facilities are meeting the needs of our student body, but face challenges at [email protected] or moving forward. The replacement of Caldwell Laboratory is a long-term goal; (614) 688-2212, with any more immediate needs include smaller renovations of the Control Systems questions or to discuss giving Laboratory, relocation of the electronics group, improvements in equipment for opportunities. the sophomore teaching laboratories, enhancements to the laboratory space for our project-based master’s program, and the creation of a “maker” space for our undergraduate students to pursue their innovative ideas. Alumni support helps us meet our facility needs going forward. OTHER OPPORTUNITIES: Many opportunities exist for our alumni to make significant impacts. These include endowments to support annual awards recognizing outstanding performance by our graduate or undergraduate students, support for expansion of the ECE-led Humanitarian Engineering program (including support for students to participate in humanitarian projects) and support for the ECE K-12 Engineering Outreach Program that has already taught more than 13,500 young students across Ohio about STEM topics applicable to society.

FALL 2018 | 51 NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID COLUMBUS, OHIO Permit No. 711 Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering 205 Dreese Laboratories, 2015 Neil Avenue Columbus, OH 43210-1272

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52 | BITS & SPARKS ALUMNI MAGAZINE