Honoring Excellence: Investiture Ceremony Celebrates ECE Faculty Achievements

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) at the University of Wisconsin–Madison recently held an investiture ceremony to honor faculty who have been awarded prestigious named professorships. The event, attended by leadership from the College of Engineering as well as colleagues and family of those honored, celebrated the extraordinary accomplishments and ongoing contributions of these faculty members. College of Engineering Dean Ian Robertson and ECE Department Chair Susan Hagness delivered remarks highlighting the significance of these honors in advancing groundbreaking research and driving innovation that addresses global challenges.

Investiture ceremonies have a long history in academia, originating from English universities as a formal way to confer titles and recognize scholarly achievement. Today, they represent one of the highest honors a university can bestow upon its faculty, underscoring their commitment to academic excellence. Named professorships provide essential resources that enable faculty to undertake bold research initiatives, drive innovation, and elevate the university’s global impact. These positions also stand as a testament to the generosity and foresight of donors who champion the advancement of knowledge and education in electrical and computer engineering.

The newly invested professors in the ECE department exemplify the highest standards of scholarship and innovation. Through their efforts, they are propelling technological breakthroughs and cementing ECE at UW–Madison’s reputation as a global leader in both education and research.

Faculty honored during the December 3, 2024 ceremony:

Full Professors:
Antoine-Bascom Professor Mikhail Kats
Grainger STAR Professor Luke Mawst
Gene Amdahl Professor Umit Yusuf Ogras
Keith and Jane Nosbusch Professor in Engineering Education Giri Venkataramanan
Grainger Professor Zongfu Yu

Associate Professors:
Grainger Institute for Engineering Associate Professor Kassem Fawaz
Jay and Cynthia Ihlenfeld Associate Professor Dimitris Papailiopoulos

Assistant Professors:
Mark and Jenny Brandemuehl Assistant Professor Jeremy Coulson
Dugald C. Jackson Assistant Professor Jennifer Choy
Dugald C. Jackson Assistant Professor Dominic Gross
Dugald C. Jackson Assistant Professor Kangwook Lee
Dugald C. Jackson Assistant Professor Chu Ma
Dugald C. Jackson Assistant Professor Ramya Korlakai Vinayak
Dugald C. Jackson Assistant Professor Ying Wang
Thomas A. Lipo Assistant Professor Mahima Gupta
Thomas A. Lipo Assistant Professor Jinia Roy
Charles Ringrose Assistant Professor Bhuvana Krishnaswamy