News | June 16, 2025
Professor Babakhani’s Group Publishes Paper on a Robust Bidirectional Communication and Power Transfer Over Single Loosely Coupled Inductive Link
Professor Babakhani’s group recently published a paper on robust bidirectional communication and power transfer over a single, loosely coupled inductive link. An external wearable communicates and powers the battery-less implant at a distance of 11cm.
H. J. Sharemi, I. Habibagahi, R. P. Mathews and A. Babakhani, “Robust Communication and Power Transfer over a Single Loosely Coupled Inductive Link for Miniaturized and
Batteryless Sensing Devices,” in IEEE Sensors Journal, doi: 10.1109/JSEN.2025.3573248.
Please see the paper.
Ozcan and Jarrahi Labs Publish Paper on Designing a Novel Waveguide Using Optimized Diffractive Surfaces
UCLA’s Ozcan Lab and Jarrahi Lab recently published a new paper in Nature Communications on universal diffractive waveguide designs that can match the performance of conventional dielectric waveguides and achieve various functionalities.
Please see the paper.
Ozcan Lab and UCLA School of Public Health Publish Paper on Fine Particulate Matter Emissions From Electric Vehicle Fast-Charging Stations
In collaboration with the UCLA School of Public Health, Ozcan Lab published a new paper in ScienceDirect on fine particulate matter emissions from electric vehicle fast charging stations.
Please see the paper.
Awards
Associate Professor Sam Emaminejad Receives the 2024-2025 Undergraduate Research Faculty Mentor Award
Associate Professor Sam Emaminejad has been selected as a recipient of the 2024–2025 Undergraduate Research Faculty Mentor Award. This recognition is based on nominations from undergraduate researchers participating in UCLA’s Undergraduate Research & Creativity Showcase and honors faculty who have had a meaningful impact through mentorship. Emaminejad is the only faculty member from the School of Engineering to receive this award this year.
Assistant Professor Yang Zhang Receives Google Research Scholar Award
Assistant Professor Yang Zhang has been selected as a recipient of the 2025 Google Research Scholar Award, in recognition of his continued contributions to sensing technologies that enable natural interactions between people and ambient intelligence — smart devices that seamlessly integrate into and enhance users’ experiences in the physical world. As part of an ongoing collaboration with Google, Zhang’s team is developing visual speech recognition and reconstruction techniques that allow users to communicate with AI systems silently — without using voice. This approach not only helps preserve user privacy but also remains robust in noisy environments. The first system from this project was published at CHI 2024, where it received an Honorable Mention Award (top 5% of submissions). The technology is now being deployed on smartphones through collaboration with Google, paving the way for real-world applications that could benefit billions of users globally.
Assistant Professor Leo Zhou Receives Google Research Scholar Award
Assistant Professor Leo Zhou has received a 2025 Google Research Scholar Award for his work in quantum computation — a new paradigm of computing that leverages quantum mechanical effects to solve problems beyond the reach of conventional computers. The award, which supports world-class research by early-career professors globally, includes a prize of $60,000 unrestricted funds. Zhou was one of only five recipients selected by Google this year in the field of quantum computing, recognizing his leading contributions in the theory and engineering of quantum algorithms. His research group is developing quantum algorithms for real-world challenges across domains such as optimization, high-dimensional statistics, and materials simulation. He has also collaborated with hardware teams, including those at Google, and uncovered evidence of quantum speedups for combinatorial optimization on actual quantum devices. This prestigious award will support Zhou’s ongoing efforts to explore quantum computational advantages in optimization through both theory and experiment.
William Huang and Daniel Yang Receive the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Award
Assistant Professor Yang Zhang’s student, William Huang, has been awarded the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship (GRFP) Award for his work on user modeling in the era of AI.
In addition, Daniel Yang has also been selected as an NSF GRFP recipient, recognizing his exceptional potential for future research contributions.
Events/Seminars
6/16
Visitor Seminar
Speaker: Raphaël Frank
Time: 10-11 am
Room: Maxwell Room
Upcoming PhD Defenses
7/18
Ph.D. Defense
Ph.D. Student: Chunru Fan
Committee Chair: Jia-Ming Liu
Committee Members: Mona Jarrahi, Chee Wei Wong, Ya-Hong Xie
Time: 3-5pm
Room: Faraday Room
Title of Dissertation: Broadband Graphene-Based Plasmonic Photodetectors with Enhanced Response
Scholarship Opportunities
Bonenfant International Travel Scholarship
Do you know a promising engineering or physical sciences student planning to study abroad next semester? The Bonenfant International Travel Scholarship offers a US$9,000 award to support global experiences that align with academic and professional goals.
This scholarship supports U.S.-based students enrolled at accredited universities who will participate in semester-abroad programs. Established in 2012 in memory of Paul A. Bonenfant, the scholarship honors his belief that international experiences enrich both personal and professional development through cross-cultural engagement and collaboration.
We invite you to encourage qualified students to apply.
Eligibility Criteria Applicants must:
- Be enrolled in an engineering and/or physical sciences program
- Have a minimum 3.0 GPA (or equivalent)
- Be a U.S. resident
- Have applied or been accepted to a study abroad program of at least 6 weeks
- Demonstrate interest in optics-related research and applications
- Be willing to document their experience via blogs and/or social media
Application Materials
- Responses to short-answer questions about optics and the study abroad experience
- A CV/resume (max 4 pages)
- Budget showing how the scholarship will be used
- GPA certificate
- Two letters of recommendation
This is an incredible opportunity for students to deepen their education, broaden their worldview, and build a global network.
Know a student who fits the criteria? Please share this opportunity with them and encourage them to apply.
Please see the website.
Women in Spectrum Scholarship
The Diversity in Spectrum Council (DISC) is currently accepting applications for the Women in Spectrum Scholarship program, designed to further develop the pipeline of talented women engineers entering fields related to spectrum and communications.
Spectrum Scholars will be awarded a $1,500 scholarship as well as up to $1,500 travel stipend to attend the 2025 IEEE MILCOM conference in Los Angeles, CA.
Eligibility: Current undergraduate or graduate students majoring in electrical engineering at an ABET-accredited university in the United States
Deadline: June 25, 2025
Please see the application.
Job Opportunities
RFA Electric
Are you ready to build something that actually matters? We’re on a mission to dominate the electromagnetic spectrum by applying powerful AI to radio design – and we’re hiring the brightest minds to do it.
We are a Los Angeles startup team of veteran RF engineers and world-class AI researchers backed by top-tier investors engaged with blue-chip aerospace and defense primes and the US Government.
We are seeking BS/MS/PhD interns, graduates, and experienced engineers in the fields of:
Large language model design, fine-tuning, benchmarking, and inference
Business development and government relations (yes engineers wanted)
Knowledge of RF and analog systems, or signal processing, is a plus.
Apply now to join the team building the radios that win battles before they start.
Internship Opportunity: Keysight Technologies
Keysight Technologies is looking to hire 4 PhD EE/ECE or MS EE/ECE interns in each of the 4 locations below. These internships are an opportunity for site teams interns to create a core technology project solution, then present those solutions as a competing contest against the other site intern teams at the end of their 3 month internships. The winning team will receive a cash prize. Keysight is in the process of actively reviewing and screening applicants for all positions. All interns will start on June 2 for the 3 month project work with the potential to be extended 6-9 additional months. For the selected interns, Keysight offers local site housing in addition to standard hourly pay.
The following locations have open positions:
Colorado Springs, Colorado: PhD Students, Masters Students
Santa Rosa, California: PhD Students, Masters Students
Boeblingen, Germany: PhD Students, Masters Students
Interested students should apply online and email their resume to Mari O’Neill for US jobs: maria.oneill@keysight.com
Email Marcella Clusellas for the Germany jobs: marcella.clusellas@keysight.com
Job Opportunity: Harvey Mudd College Visiting Assistant Professors of Electrical Engineering 2025-26 (MS/Ph.D.)
Harvey Mudd College invites applications for Visiting Assistant Professors for our general engineering program for the 2025-26 academic year, with a possibility to renew for the 2026-27 year by mutual agreement. The Department of Engineering seeks candidates with a Ph.D. in electrical engineering or a related field who excel in teaching in a broadly-based undergraduate curriculum. Exceptional candidates with an M.S. and/or late in their Ph.D. program will be considered. Industrial or other practical experience in the field is valued.
The Department of Engineering seeks candidates who can teach one or more of the following courses:
ENGR084 HM – Electronic and Magnetic Circuits and Devices
Introduction to the fundamental principles underlying electronic devices and applications of these devices in circuits. Topics include electrical properties of materials; physical electronics (with emphasis on semiconductors and semiconductor devices); passive linear electrical and magnetic circuits; active linear circuits (including elementary transistor amplifiers and the impact of non-ideal characteristics of operational amplifiers on circuit behavior); operating point linearization and load-line analysis; electromagnetic devices such as transformers.
ENGR085 HM – Digital Electronics and Computer Engineering
Design and implementation of digital systems. Topics include levels of abstraction, Boolean algebra, combinational logic, sequential logic, finite state machines, hardware description languages, computer arithmetic, C and assembly programming, embedded systems, and microarchitecture. Lab practices include simulation, prototyping, and debugging.
ENGR151 HM – Analog Circuit Design
Design and analysis of electronic circuits based on semiconductor devices (e.g. pn diode, MOSFET, BJT), particularly linear amplifiers including operational amplifiers and associated building blocks. Includes a laboratory focused on experimental realization and measurement of electronic devices and circuits.
ENGR079 HM – Introduction to Engineering Systems
An introduction to the concepts of modern engineering, emphasizing modeling, analysis, synthesis, and design. Applications to chemical, mechanical, and electrical systems.
Visiting Assistant Professors will also advise sponsored projects in the Engineering Clinic program. Advising student teams through the Engineering Clinic program requires site visit travel and regular meetings with students, student leaders, project sponsors, and the Engineering Clinic staff.
The salary is $85,000 for 9 months of teaching responsibilities.
Applicants should submit: a cover letter, a curriculum vitae, and the names of at least three references. Candidates should provide evidence of excellence in teaching and the ability to increase students’ hands-on engineering skills. For full consideration, applications should be received by May 19, 2025, but applications will be accepted until the position is filled.
Any questions may be sent to: eng-visitor-2025-l@g.hmc.edu
Please see the posting.
Job Opportunity: Postdoctoral Scholar at UCLA Center for Advanced Surgical and Interventional Technology
Position description:
Are you passionate about advancing the frontier of healthcare technology? Dr. Bijan Najafi’s renowned research team at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) invites applications for a Postdoctoral Researcher position. This role offers the opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge studies in remote patient monitoring, frailty, dementia, and wearable technologies designed to empower older adults to live independently and age in place.
We are seeking a highly motivated individual with a Ph.D. in Biomechanics, Kinesiology, or a related field. The ideal candidate will have expertise or familiarity in:
• Wearable technologies for human motion analysis
• Motion tracking systems
• Gait and balance assessments
• Muscle activity monitoring and motor disability evaluation
Start Date: As soon as possible
Qualifications:
Basic qualifications: PhD
Preferred qualifications: Ph.D. in Biomechanics, Kinesiology, or a related field.
Application Requirements:
Document requirements
• Curriculum Vitae – Your most recently updated C.V.
• Cover Letter – Limited to two pages, summarizing your career goals and prior research relevant to human movement analysis.
• Statement of Research (Optional)
• Reference check authorization release form – Complete and upload the reference check authorization release form
• Sample Publication – A sample of a relevant prior publication.
Reference requirements
• 3-5 required (contact information only)
Please see the full posting.
Internship Opportunity: Design Verification Engineer Intern at Apple
Apple is seeking a Design Verification Engineer intern in their first year of an MS degree and will graduate either in Dec 2025 or May 2026.
Position description:
Through this experience, you will learn all aspects of a large scale SOC design, complex verification test benches, different types of SOC architectures, multiple high speed protocols, industry-standard low power architecture, best in class DV methodology, verification on accelerated platforms, knowledge on Cellular protocol, FW- HW interactions, complexities of multi-chip SOC debug architecture, etc.
Please send your resume to j_lou@apple.com if interested.
Internship Opportunity: Ayar Labs
Ayar Labs is in search of a number of summer interns. The internships span several areas, including circuit design, photonics, computer vision/AI, data science, and hardware engineering.
For more details and to apply, students can visit: Ayar Labs Internship Opportunities.
Job Opportunity: Cellular SOC Design Verification Engineer – Entry Level at Apple
Description
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 benches, implement effective coverage-driven and directed test suites, and 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!
Through this experience, you will learn all aspects of large-scale SOC design, complex verification test benches, different types of SOC architectures, multiple high-speed protocols, industry-standard low power architecture, best-in-class DV methodology, verification on accelerated platforms, knowledge of Cellular protocol, FW-HW interactions, and the complexities of multi-chip SOC debug architecture.
Minimum Qualifications
- BS in Electrical Engineering (EE) or Computer Science (CS) is required
- Object-Oriented Programming
- Coursework in Digital Design
Preferred Qualifications
- MS in Electrical Engineering (EE) or Computer Science (CS)
- Must graduate by June 2025
- Coursework in Computer Architecture, Networking Protocol
- Should be a great teammate with excellent communication and problem-solving skills and the desire to seek diverse challenges
- Programming experience in SystemVerilog, Python, and C++
Pay & Benefits
At Apple, base pay is one part of our total compensation package and is determined within a range. This provides the opportunity to progress as you grow and develop within a role. The base pay range for this role is between $121,900 and $183,600, and your base pay will depend on your skills, qualifications, experience, and location.
Research Opportunity: Geothermal Technology Development (UCLA)
The research group of Professor Sergio Carbajo at UCLA is seeking a highly motivated
graduate engineering student to contribute to an exciting geothermal technology research project for 1-2 months during Winter Quarter. This is an excellent opportunity to gain hands-on research experience and earn university research credit.
Project Overview:
This project, under the direction of Professor Carbajo, focuses on developing innovative technologies to enhance geothermal energy extraction and super deep drilling. The selected student will play a key role in the design and modeling of novel technology.
Responsibilities:
- Utilize CAD software to design and refine components for direct energy drilling and geothermal rigging systems.
- Contribute to the modeling and analysis of hydrodynamic and electromagnetic phenomena within the system.
- Collaborate with the research team to interpret simulation results and contribute to project discussions.
- Document research findings and contribute to technical reports or presentations.
Qualifications:
- Currently enrolled graduate student in Electrical Engineering (EE) or Mechanical Engineering at UCLA.
- Experience with CAD design software (e.g., SolidWorks, AutoCAD, Fusion 360).
- Interest or experience in hydrodynamics and electromagnetism.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Expertise with Field-Effect Transistors (FETs) or Metal-Oxide Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistors (MOSFETs).
Benefits:
- Earn university research credit.
- Gain valuable research experience in a cutting-edge field.
- Opportunity to contribute to a real-world energy solution for climate change.
- Work alongside experienced researchers and faculty at UCLA, including Professor Sergio Carbajo.
Time Commitment:
1-2 months during Winter Quarter, with flexible scheduling to accommodate academic
commitments.
To Apply:
Interested students should submit their resume/CV and a brief statement of interest (one paragraph) outlining their relevant skills and experience to johnfstrike@gmail.com. Please include “Geothermal Research Application” in the subject line. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.
Electronics/PCB Development Undergraduate Internship Opportunity
Employment Period: Year-round
Location: On-campus
Approximate hours per week: 5+ hours
Duration: 6-24 months
Salary / Pay rate / Stipend: $20/hour
Relevant Website: https://www.edroplets.org/
Job description
Digital microfluidics is a technology that enables programmable control over individual droplets using electrical signals on a chip, which has been transforming wet labs towards the era of lab-on-a-chip. You will develop electronic control circuits for operating digital microfluidics chips. This is a highly engineering-oriented project, which requires independent schematic design, PCB layout design, PCB manufacturing, and assembly outsourcing for various circuits and electronic systems. You will also work with the mechanical design and software development team guided by graduate students to create multiple products. These products will be used by numerous digital microfluidics researchers and startups around the world through an open-source platform (edroplets.org).
For domestic students (US Citizen or Permanent Resident), the payment may be a stipend from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program.
For international students, the payment will be through a regular research fund.
For those who prefer research credits over stipends, SRP 99 or MAE 199 is also possible.
What you will get:
(1) You will experience creating a real-world electronic product for a transformative technology, which will be used by lots of real users!
(2) You will get hands-on experience and training in schematic/PCB/electronics design and development
(3) You will learn the basic knowledge and industry status of digital microfluidics, and participate in translating ground-breaking research into real-world products
(4) You may become a co-author of resulting journal and conference publications
Quality & skill desired:
(1) A strong and genuine interest in electronics is essential. If you are a DIYer who loves working with electronics and wants to build something impactful, this is a perfect project for you.
(2) Enjoy working in a team with different expertise is essential. The ability to articulate your work to non-technical team members is essential.
(3) Experience with Altium Designer, KiCAD or other PCB design software is a plus. Experience with LabView is a plus. Experience in making a PCB from design to manufacturing is a huge plus.
(4) No experience or knowledge of digital microfluidics is required
Interested? Please send your resume to Professor CJ Kim (cjkim@ucla.edu) and Leo Wang (wangqining265@gmail.com). If there’s a good match, you will be invited to an interview.
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.