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ECE Newsletter – April 20, 2026

News  |  April 20, 2026

In this Issue

Latest News & Awards

Events/Seminar

Upcoming PhD Defenses

Student Organizations

Volunteering Opportunities

Job Opportunities

News

Ozcan and DiCarlo Labs Publish Paper on AI-powered Portable Biosensor for Cardiac Biomarker Testing 

Image Extracted from nature.com

UCLA’s Ozcan Lab, in collaboration with Dr. Dino Di Carlo’s lab, published a new paper on an AI-powered portable biosensor for rapid and multiplexed cardiac biomarker testing. This work demonstrates that combining colorimetric and chemiluminescent biosensing within a single paper-based test, together with neural network-based signal analysis, enables accurate multiplexed detection of three key cardiac markers (cTnI, CK-MB, and NT-proBNP) across clinically relevant concentration ranges, improving point-of-care diagnostics. 

Please see the paper and the news release. 

Photonics Spectra Magazine Highlights Ozcan Lab’s Research on Label-free Virtual Tissue Staining Leading to the Creation of Digital Twins in Histology

The Photonics Spectra Magazine recently reported an article highlighting Prof. Aydogan Ozcan’s research on label-free virtual tissue staining. Ozcan explained how transferring microscopy images into virtual tissue stains leads to the creation of digital twins in histology; these virtual stains can be produced by GPUs that accelerate image generation based on parallel analysis. Ozcan believes machine learning methods can sidestep human error and reagent contamination that may occur in laboratories performing traditional hematoxylin and eosin staining.

Please see the news release. 

Distinguished Professor Yahya Rahmat-Samii Delivers the Raj and Jeanette Mittra Distinguished Lecture at Penn State University

Distinguished Professor Yahya Rahmat-Samii delivered an hour-long Raj and Jeanette Mittra Distinguished Lecture titled “From Darwin to Swarms to Brainstorms: Evolutionary Optimization for Modern Electromagnetic Engineering Design.” The talk was held at Penn State University in State College, Pennsylvania, on Friday, April 10, 2026, and was sponsored by the Department of Electrical Engineering and the School of Engineering.

The Distinguished lecture highlighted the rapidly expanding role of advanced computational techniques in the optimal design of complex engineering systems, emphasizing the growing importance of Evolutionary Optimization (EO) methodologies over traditional brute-force approaches. It focused on nature-inspired algorithms, including Genetic Algorithms (GA), Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), and Brain Storm Optimization (BSO), explaining their underlying principles and recent advances. The presentation demonstrated the application of these techniques to a wide range of electromagnetic engineering problems: spanning space and planetary missions, medical and wireless devices, multifunctional and adaptive antennas, metamaterials, and nanostructures – while also assessing their practical advantages and limitations. In addition, it discussed the integration of machine learning and AI platforms to accelerate computational processes and further enhance optimization efficiency.

Awards

Boyue Du Wins Culture Impact Award at NVIDIA GTC Hackathon

Boyue Du, a Master’s student in UCLA’s ECE department, recently participated in the NVIDIA GTC 2026 Hackathon. During the event, he developed Symphonia Studio, an AI-powered classical music discovery and visualization web application. The project features composer recommendation based on user music preferences, guided listening with structure explanations, emotional music visualization, and instrument interaction visualization.

The project received the Culture Impact Award at the hackathon, and Du was awarded an HP ZGX NANO G1n AI workstation as the prize. 

Please see the project and the news release. 

Events/Seminars

Upcoming PHD Defenses

Student Organizations

Invitation to Mentor: Connect with the Next Generation of UCLA ECE Students

The UCLA chapter of Eta Kappa Nu (HKN) is launching its Spring Mentorship Program and is looking for alumni to help bridge the gap between academic life and industry reality.

We are seeking UCLA engineering mentors to:

This year, we are looking for Mentors that are UCLA HKN Alumni, UCLA ECE Master/PhD students, or UCLA EE/CE/CSE seniors.

We are also planning an in-person get-together in late May for mentors and mentees in the Spring (food provided!) to help build community and connect face-to-face.

Whether you are working in hardware, software, or research, your experience is invaluable to the next generation of Bruins.

How to Join:
If you are willing to mentor a student this Spring Quarter, please fill out this brief form.

Volunteering Opportunities

2026 IEEE International Microwave Symposium Student Volunteer Opportunity

The organizing committee for the 2026 IEEE International Microwave Symposium (IMS) invites undergraduate and graduate students working in RF, microwave, and related areas to participate as student volunteers at IMS 2026.

The IMS is the flagship conference of the IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society (MTT-S), and the 2026 event will be held in Boston, Massachusetts. It promises to be an exciting opportunity for students to engage in cutting-edge research, network with professionals and academics, and gain valuable experience helping organize a premier international conference.

The IMS organizing committee is seeking enthusiastic, responsible undergraduate and graduate students who are eager to contribute their time and energy in exchange for an enriching professional experience.

Applications: 

Please contact yanghyokim@umass.edu, pmohanku@mathworks.com, and a.nagulu@northeastern.edu for more information.

Job Opportunities

Aerospace Corporation Communication Architectures Modeling and Analysis Engineer Opportunity

The Aerospace Corporation in El Segundo, CA is seeking a BS, MS, or PhD level new grad for the Communication Architectures Modeling and Analysis Engineer position in the Communication Architectures Department (CAD). CAD has three main lines of work: the department performs trade studies, analyses, and simulations to optimize the overall communications performance of terrestrial, satellite, launch vehicle, and ground-based systems. CAD also guides the development of spectrum regulations and policies to assure critical wireless systems have access to necessary spectrum resources. Finally, CAD is actively engaged in the development of RF communications prototypes, especially those involving commercial LEO satellite systems.​ 

Please see the application.

Nanyang Technological University Singapore Faculty Recruitment Outreach Trip

Nanyang Technological University Singapore will host an early-career information session for graduating PhD students and postdoctoral researchers interested in exploring faculty opportunities at NTU.

Solidigm Internship Opportunity

Solidigm, a leading SSD company advancing cutting-edge AI technologies, is currently opening an internship position for senior graduate students. This internship has the potential to convert to a full-time offer upon strong performance.

Internship Requirements:

Can be remote. 
Please email Lei Chen at Lei.Chen@solidigm.com if you are interested in this internship opportunity. 

Faculty Positions: Electrical Engineering ITAM (Mexico City)

The Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at ITAM (Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México) invites applications for Tenure-track Assistant Professors, postdoctoral fellows, and Visiting Professors in the following areas:

Requirements

Application Instructions
Review of applications begins immediately. Please submit the following documents to enlaceadministrativodai@itam.mx:

California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) Hiring for Assistant Professor Positions

The Department of Computer Engineering and Computer Science (CECS) at California State University, Long Beach invites applications for three tenure-track Assistant Professor positions in Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, Cybersecurity, or closely related areas, beginning August 17, 2026.

Application Submission and Deadline
For full position descriptions and the application portal, please visit:

Review of applications will begin January 20, 2026, and the position will remain open until filled or recruitment is canceled.

Cellular SOC Design Verification Engineer – Entry Level at Apple

Do you have a passion for invention and self-challenge? This position gives you an opportunity to be a part of one of the most cutting edge and key projects that Apple’s Silicon Engineering Group has embarked upon to-date. As a Design Verification Engineer on our team, you’ll be at the center of the verification effort within our silicon design group responsible for crafting and productizing state-of-the-art Cellular SoCs!

You will have the opportunity to contribute to the verification effort of a set of complex SOCs delivering the Cellular solution. You will integrate multiple sophisticated IP level DV environments, craft highly reusable best-in-class UVM based test bench, implement effective coverage driven and directed test suites, deploy new tools and methodologies to deliver chips that are right-first-time. By collaborating with other product development groups across Apple, you can push the industry boundaries of what cellular systems can do and improve the product experience for our customers across the world!

Minimum Qualifications:

Preferred Qualifications:

Application details:

1. Please include your current GPA with your resume

2. Please send resume directly to Junhui Lou at j_lou@apple.com

Carnegie Mellon University – ECE Faulty Position

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University invites applications for tenure-track, research-track, and teaching-track faculty positions at all ranks on our Pittsburgh campus. Although we welcome applicants in all areas of ECE, this year we are particularly interested in candidates whose research focuses on machine learning and artificial intelligence.

Our top-ranked department offers a highly collaborative environment, world-class research infrastructure, and strong support for interdisciplinary scholarship. Applicants should hold a PhD in a relevant field. Application review will begin shortly and will continue until the positions are filled.

Faculty application link: https://apply.interfolio.com/174597
When applying, please also email Andrea Zanette at zanette@cmu.edu

Hiring PhD Interns/FTE for Training and Inference of Foundation Models in AWS Neuron Science

From Amazon Web Services Neuron Science:

Our team in AWS AI Research is looking for a couple of PhD FTE/interns passionate about advancing fundamental research in foundation models. Our algorithm team focuses on developing innovative solutions in the topic of Algorithm-System for LLMs (efficient model design, training, inference) LLM-for-System (LLMs and agents that write optimized kernels). These efforts require both a strong theoretical foundation and a practical understanding of topics such as foundation modeling, distributed optimization, model compression, and machine learning systems. We work closely with system researchers to ensure our algorithmic solutions are compatible with system and hardware constraints, training and testing end2end in accuracy and speed. At the same time, the algorithmic innovation we bring can contribute improving systems and future hardware feature to incorporate.

Basic Qualifications

Preferred Qualifications

Selected Publications

This year, our team has published multiple papers that bridge the gap between theory and practice in LLM research. We also actively collaborate with system and hardware engineers across the AWS organization to deliver tutorials. Below is a list of recent publications:

We also collaborate more system-oriented topics like publications below 

If you are excited to push the boundaries of foundation model research and make impactful contributions, we would love to hear from you! We also constantly hire full-time PhDs. Please send your CV to Youngsuk Park pyoungsu@amazon.com |  youngsuk@cs.stanford.edu (cc Kaan Ozkara kaanozka@amazon.com) with a short paragraph of your interest.

Part time Project with Professor Pirouz Kavehpour

We’re seeking an expert developer for a project‑based engagement (not hourly) to build and optimize scalable applications, deploy on Azure Cloud, and integrate GPU‑accelerated embedding software. This role requires deep technical expertise, independence, and the ability to deliver high‑quality solutions within defined project milestones.

What You’ll Work On

Requirements

Nice to Have

How We Work
Project‑based milestones, clear acceptance criteria, frequent check‑ins, and code reviews.
We value pragmatic engineering, performance, and maintainability.

Send your information to: Prof. Pirouz Kavehpour—Pirouz@seas.ucla.edu

Electrical/Computer Engineering Intern at Sophia Space

A well-funded deep-tech startup in Pasadena is seeking Electrical/Computer Engineering Interns to help develop its AI-powered product prototypes. The interns are expected to blend electronics hardware and embedded software to build groundbreaking AI infrastructure in space. Roles are available full-time or part-time starting immediately, with the option to continue part-time (~10–15 hrs/week) during the academic year.

Please see this link for more information regarding this position.

Newsletter Submissions

To be included in future newsletters, please send the latest news, awards, publications and any upcoming PhD oral defenses to the Chair’s assistant, Winda Mak, at wmak@seas.ucla.edu. Please include “newsletter submission” in the subject line. The ECE newsletters will be sent bimonthly on the first and third Mondays of the month. Please ensure all submissions are received by the Wednesday before distribution to be included in the newsletter.