2024 ECE department awards showcase vibrant academic community

With the culmination of another year of remarkable achievements in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, faculty, staff, and graduate students came together for a program honoring excellence within ECE. Awards were presented to recognize outstanding contributions and accomplishments that have shaped our department’s trajectory over the past year. From groundbreaking research endeavors to exemplary teaching and mentorship, each awardee embodied the spirit of innovation and dedication that defines our academic community. Awards were presented by ECE Department Chair and Philip Dunham Reed Professor Susan Hagness.

Gerald Holdridge Teaching Excellence Award: Nathan Strachen 

This award recognizes outstanding performance and contributions to the department’s teaching mission by instructors.  Outstanding performance includes excellent teaching and instruction, application of creativity such as developing or adapting innovative teaching methods or techniques, and contributions to improvement of teaching by others.  Graduate student Yizhou Lu described Assistant Professor Strachen’s contributions, noting that they “have had a profound impact on the learning experiences of his students, inspiring them to excel academically and pursue their interests in the field of Electrical and Computer Engineering.”

Gerald Holdridge TA Teaching Excellence Awards: Gokhan Cakal, Harish Babu Batchu, Zhewen Pan, Wenda Feng 

The Holdridge TA Teaching Excellence Award recognizes outstanding performance and contributions to the department’s teaching mission by Teaching Assistants. Outstanding performance includes excellent teaching and instruction, as well as application of creativity such as developing or adapting innovative teaching methods or techniques. The four teaching assistants were described collectively as dedicated, gifted teachers, who are knowledgeable, enthusiastic and approachable.

Harold Peterson Outstanding Dissertation Award – Di Wu 

This award recognizes the excellence of a student’s individual contribution to their field of inquiry during the PhD study, as evidenced by the PhD dissertation. Wu’s dissertation was titled, Power-Efficient Computer Architecture via Unary and Approximate Computing. According to Assistant Professor Joshua San Miguel, “Di’s PhD dissertation is a rare feat, encompassing ten peer-reviewed publications at major venues in computer architecture, low-power electronics and design automation, all the while tackling important technological challenges with a unique, novel approach (unary computing) that breaks all conventional wisdom of modern computing. ” Wu was unable to attend the event as he is now an Assistant Professor at the University of Central Florida.

Department Graduate Student Service Award: Tanuj Kumar 

This service award recognizes an exceptional graduate student who makes a difference within the ECE department, the UW-Madison campus, or the community, beyond their scholarly pursuits and assistantship or fellowship appointment. Many of our graduate students volunteer their valuable time in meaningful ways by providing their time, perspectives, support and leadership. According to ECE Department Administrator Katrina Olson, “Tanuj Kumar has exemplified an exceptional commitment to enhancing the graduate student experience within our department. His leadership role as the President of the Graduate Student Association (GSA) in Electrical and Computer Engineering is a testament to his passion for fostering a supportive and inclusive environment for all graduate students….he has actively collaborated with fellow officers and other graduate student organizations to promote cross-departmental communication and engagement. “

Outstanding Graduate Student Mentor:  Jennifer Choy 

This award recognizes excellence in mentoring of graduate students, which includes providing effective scientific mentorship, fostering a diverse, equitable and inclusive graduate student work experience, and providing opportunities for students to present, perform, and publish their work in a professional setting.  Assistant Professor Choy is described by her graduate students as, “an outstanding graduate mentor who sets high standards and good research practices for herself, and guides her students to do the same. She is also as invested in her students to grow as people and future generation researchers.”

ECE Outstanding Assistant Professor Mentoring Award: Irena Knezevic 

This award honors exemplary dedication to cultivating excellence in peers, inspiring growth, and fostering a collaborative academic community through mentorship. When speaking about the recipient, Patricia and Michael Splinter Professor and Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professor Irena Knezevic, former mentee, Associate Professor and Grainger Institute Fellow Line Roald, stated, “Irena has been an indispensable source of help, confidence, and no-nonsense advice.”

Department Administrative Service Award: Allyson Crowley 

The Department Administrative Service Award recognizes the significant contributions made by ECE’s administrative staff throughout the year that positively impact the student and faculty experience. This award was presented to Allyson Crowley for marketing and communication efforts that have not only showcased the achievements of our faculty and students but have also facilitated meaningful engagement with prospective students, alumni, and the wider community.

Department Faculty Service Award: Dominic Gross 

This award puts a spotlight on Assistant Professor Dominic Gross’ successful efforts as the Chair of the ECE Graduate Recruiting, Admissions, and Fellowships Committee. With over 1100 graduate student applications this year, Gross led an initiative to revamp the admissions process behind the scenes. Gross has been in integral part of growing the department’s PhD program and recruiting talent from all over the world which resulted in an incoming class of 40 PhD students for fall 2024.

Department Faculty Service Award: Susan Hagness

A second, surprise Faculty Service Award was given to ECE Department Chair Susan Hagness. Professor Hagness has served as chair for nearly six years, during which, the number of students, faculty and staff have increased at a rapid rate. Throughout her time as chair, which included the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Hagness created and maintained an environment where learning, innovation and an inclusive community have flourished.

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