Recognizing leadership, service and impact in ECE

As the 2026 academic year drew to a close, the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) at the University of Wisconsin–Madison gathered faculty, staff, and graduate students to celebrate a year defined by innovation, service, and excellence in teaching and mentoring. The annual ECE department awards program recognizes individuals whose outstanding contributions have strengthened the department and advanced its mission.

From pioneering discoveries and transformative classroom experiences to dedicated service that sustains and enriches the ECE community, each awardee reflects the talent and commitment that distinguish the department. Awards were presented by ECE Department Chair Susan Hagness.

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Gerald Holdridge Teaching Excellence Award for Teaching Assistants – Sharar Muhtasim, Yi-Hua Chung, Immanuel Williams, Eric Weber, and Subham Sabud (pictured with Susan Hagness)

Recognizing outstanding performance and contributions to the department’s teaching mission, this award highlights Teaching Assistants who demonstrate excellence in instruction as well as creativity through innovative or adapted teaching methods.

Harold Peterson Outstanding Dissertation Award – Samuel Belling and Md Abdullah-Al Kaiser (not pictured)

Honoring exceptional doctoral research, this award is presented to PhD students whose dissertation demonstrates significant originality, depth, and impact within their field.

Sam Belling’s thesis was titled, “Quantum Transport in Open Electronic Systems: Dual-Potential Electrodynamics and Dissipation in the Brownian Motion Limit,” and Md Abdullah-Al Kaiser’s thesis was titled, “Energy-Efficient Mixed-Signal Hardware for In-Sensor and In-Memory Computing.” Kaiser was unable to attend as he now serves as Analog IC Design Engineer for Apple in Sunnyvale, California.

Department Administrative Staff Service Award – Financial Specialist Mira Kwiecien

Behind the scenes, dedicated staff help keep the department running smoothly. This award honors ECE administrative staff whose exceptional contributions throughout the year have meaningfully enhanced the experiences of students, faculty, and staff peers.

Department Faculty Service Award – Assistant Teaching Professor Eduardo Arvelo and Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professor Azadeh Davoodi

Recognizing dedicated service, this award honors faculty members whose contributions to the department, university, and broader academic community have made a lasting and meaningful impact.

Gerald Holdridge Excellence in Teaching Award – Assistant Professor Haihan Sun

Celebrating excellence in instruction, this award honors faculty who advance the department’s educational mission through innovative teaching approaches and a strong commitment to student learning.

Faculty Excellence Award for Mentoring of Graduate Students – Associate Professor Dominic Gross (not pictured)

Great mentors leave a lasting mark on the next generation of scholars. This award honors ECE faculty members who demonstrate exceptional dedication to mentoring graduate students, fostering their academic, professional, and personal growth.

Faculty Excellence Award for Mentoring of Pre-tenure Faculty – Harvey D. Spangler Professor Nader Behdad

The strongest academic communities are built by faculty who invest in the success of others. This award recognizes senior faculty members who provide outstanding mentorship to junior colleagues, offering guidance, support, and inspiration that help shape their early academic careers.

Graduate Student Award for Excellence in Service – Paridhi Gupta (not pictured)

Highlighting leadership beyond the classroom and lab, 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.

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