News  |  October 24, 2025

Professor Abeer Alwan was a keynote speaker at the 10 International Workshop on Speech and Language Technology in Education

Professor Alwan was a keynote speaker for the 10th International Workshop on Speech and Language Technology in Education (SLaTE) held in August 2025 at Nijmegan, the Netherlands. The talk was received very well and she will give another keynote on the topic at the IEEE ASRU (Automatic Speech Recognition and Understanding) workshop in December, 2025.

Faculty Spotlight: Professor Iyer on the 3D InCites Podcast at iMAPS 2025

We are pleased to share that Professor Subramanian Iyer, Director of the UCLA Center for Heterogeneous Integration and Performance Scaling (CHIPS), was recently featured on the 3DInCites Podcast at iMAPS 2025. In this interview, Professor Iyer discusses advanced packaging, heterogeneous integration, and the evolving landscape of microelectronics manufacturing.

Listen to the full interview on Apple Podcasts.

IEEE Spectrum Covered a Recent Paper of Ozcan Lab: “Optical Generative Models”

IEEE Spectrum covered a paper by Ozcan Lab, published in Nature on “Optical Generative Models”. A shallow and fast digital encoder first maps random noise into phase patterns that serve as optical generative seeds for a desired data distribution; a jointly trained free-space-based reconfigurable decoder all-optically processes these generative seeds to create, in a snapshot, images never seen before.

Please see the article, paper and press release.

Four Papers from Professor Yang Zhang’s Team Accepted to ACM UIST 2025

Professor Zhang’s team had four papers accepted to ACM UIST 2025 – highlighting UCLA ECE’s growing impact in Human-Computer Interaction and Ubiquitous Computing research.

1. CoSight: Exploring Viewer Contributions to Online Video Accessibility Through Descriptive Commenting.

Lead PI: Xiang (Anthony) Chen (UCLA HCI Lab)

This paper presents a system that encourages viewers to post structured descriptive comments
on YouTube videos, enriching the experience for blind and low-vision audiences. The user
study shows how participatory design can scale accessibility improvements beyond
professional captioning.

2. Accessibility Scout: Personalized Accessibility Scans of Built Environments.

Lead PI: Yang Zhang (UCLA HiLab)

This research created a human-AI collaborative annotation system for people with limited mobility, moving beyond static ADA checklists with an LLM-based system that learns each user’s mobility profile and flags personalized accessibility barriers from everyday photos. This research also conducted longitudinal user studies to investigate the growing strength of personalized LLM as a powerful tool to assist people with disabilities. Video

3. Invisibility Cloak: Personalized Smartwatch-Guided Camera Obfuscation.

Lead PI: Yang Zhang (UCLA HiLab)

This paper presents a novel privacy mechanism that uses smartwatch as a signal guide to enable real-time, personalized camera masking. It lets users obfuscate privacy-sensitive pixels while keeping AI-vision utilities intact—demonstrating that privacy and utility of vision AI can coexist in smart environments. Video

4. LuxAct: Enhancing Everyday Objects for Visual Sensing with Interaction-Powered Illumination.

Lead PI: Yang Zhang (UCLA HiLab)

This paper introduces “interaction-powered LEDs” that let ordinary objects emit identifiable light patterns for sensing and communication without batteries or chips. These signals are captured by off-the-shelf cameras, enabling sustainable, low-cost, and robust object sensing—a leap toward scalable “programmable materials.”

About UIST 2025

The ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology (UIST) is one of the premier conferences in the field of Human–Computer Interaction, founded in 1988. Organized by the ACM SIGCHI and SIGGRAPH communities, UIST brings together researchers and practitioners interested in the design, development, and evaluation of innovative user interfaces and interactive systems.

Each year, UIST highlights cutting-edge advances across hardware, software, and interaction techniques—spanning areas like augmented and virtual reality, haptics, fabrication, and AIdriven interfaces. The conference is known for its high selectivity, with an acceptance rate typically around 20–25%, ensuring a strong emphasis on technical innovation and rigorous evaluation. Over its 35-year history, UIST has served as a launchpad for transformative ideas that shape the future of human-computer interaction and interface technology.

UCLA Integrated Sensor Laboratory demonstrated the First Fully-Integrated Broadband 380-440 GHz receiver with On-chip Antennas

UCLA Integrated Sensors Laboratory led by Prof. Aydin Babakhani has demonstrated the first fully-integrated broadband 380–440 GHz receiver with on-chip antennas, fabricated in GlobalFoundries 90 nm SiGe BiCMOS. This work was presented at the 2025 IEEE BCICTS conference. The compact 1.9 mm² chip integrates an on-chip local oscillator, mixer, low-noise amplifier, and envelope detector, achieving a 21 dB conversion gain with a 378 GHz LO.

Jaskirat Singh Virdi, Benyamin Fallahi Motlagh, Aydin Babakhani, “A Fully-Integrated 380-440 GHz Receiver with On-Chip Demodulator in 90nm SiGe BiCMOS”

Assistant Professor Ian Roberts’ Students, Samuel Li & Jeong Min Kong, Presented at the IEEE Military Communications Conference

Samuel Li and Jeong Min Kong, Ph.D. students in Assistant Professor Ian Roberts’ Lab, gave paper and poster presentations at the IEEE Military Communications Conference this month in Los Angeles.

Awards

Professor Frank Chang is the recipient of the 2025 John Fritz Medal

Professor Chang was awarded the John Fritz Medal in 2025 for his
significant contributions to engineering.

The John Fritz Medal was established by the American Association of Engineering Societies (AAES) in 1902 as the highest award in the engineering profession and has been referred to by AAES as the “Nobel Prize” in Engineering.

Professor Chang is one of just two UCLA faculty to have received this medal. The other recipient was Professor Asad M Madni, who received this honor in 2023.

Assistant Professor Ian Roberts’ Student, Ethan Ge, Received the 2025 Internet Research Initiative Award

Ethan Ge was one of the nine prize
winners of the 2025 Internet Research Initiative Award at UCLA. His work aims to create a remotely accessible wireless platform for education and research.

Please see the list of prize winners for 2025-2026.

Assistant Professor Ian Roberts’ Student, Jeong Min Kong, Received an Amazon AI PhD Fellowship

Jeong Min Kong, a Ph.D. student in Assistant Professor Ian Roberts’ lab, was 1 of the 15 students selected to receive an Amazon AI Ph.D. Fellowship via the UCLA Amazon Science Hub. The other winners are Arthur Khodaverdian, Arturo Moises Flores Alvarez, Beril Alyuz Yilmaz, Chenchen Ye, Hossein Khalili, Lucas Bandarkar, Shan Yu, Sicheng Mo, Yannah Melle, Yihang Chen, Yixin Elaine Wan, Yunfan Li, Yuntian Wang, Zewei Zhou.

Events/Seminars

Upcoming Ph.D. Defenses

Fellowships

CISAC at Stanford University Fellowship Program

The Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC) at Stanford University is seeking applicants for its 2026-2027 Fellowship Program. Every year, CISAC offers approximately eight to ten fellowships to predoctoral students, postdoctoral scholars, and junior faculty members who are researching topics related to international security, nuclear security, biosecurity and digital security that contain elements of policy-relevance.

The application deadline is December 3, 2025. Interested candidates can learn more here. Any questions, contact cisacfellowship@stanford.edu.

UIRA Event

The Undergraduate Interdisciplinary Research Association (UIRA) at UCLA (@uirabruins) is excited to announce Routes to Research, an event designed to help undergraduates explore how to get started in research and connect with researchers on campus. If you are actively conducting research (as an undergrad or grad student), we invite you to present at our event to share your current research projects, field questions from undergraduates about the research process, and offer insights into their respective fields. Our goal is to encourage more “informal” chats with undergrads to learn more about the many fields of research. If you’re interested in presenting or attending Routes to Research, please fill out the interest form by 10/28. We hope to see you there!

Student Organizations

HKN ECE Career Fair

We are thrilled to announce that the annual UCLA ECE Career Fair hosted by HKN is happening October 24 (Friday)! This is a fantastic opportunity to network with top companies, learn about potential internships and full-time roles, and explore exciting career paths.

Event Details
Date: October 24
Location: Ackerman Grand Ballroom
Time: 9:45 – 10:15 (HKN members only)
10:15 – 14:00 (General Admission)

The following companies will be there: Cadence, Qualcomm, Marvell, Infineon, OSI Systems, HRL Laboratories, Aerospace Corporation, LADWP, Analog Bits, Spectrant LLC, RFA Electric To ensure a smooth check-in process, please RSVP using the following form: link. You will be required to sign in at the door for entry. We look forward to seeing you there and helping you connect with these amazing companies!

Submit your research & get published in UCLA’s Undergraduate Science Journal (Volume 39)

Hello Bruins!

Have you completed a research course at UCLA (SRP 199, 198, URSP, URFP) or a summer program like Amgen scholars, that required you to write a final paper? Or have you written a manuscript or thesis as part of your undergraduate research? If so, your work may be eligible for publication in Volume 39 of the Undergraduate Science Journal (USJ), UCLA’s premier student-run STEM research journal! We welcome submissions from undergraduates across all STEM disciplines who have conducted research at UCLA or
under the mentorship of a UCLA faculty member.

SUBMIT HERE! (https://forms.gle/jEQM7HWzHtNSWYgG7)

Priority Submission Deadline: Sunday, December 14, 2025 at 11:59 PM PST
Final Submission Deadline: Wednesday, January 7, 2026 at 11:59 PM PST

Publishing with USJ is a great way to share your work with the UCLA scientific community and strengthen your research profile for graduate school, medical school, or industry opportunities! Follow us on Instagram @usjucla for updates, and email us at usjucla@gmail.com if you have any questions!

We look forward to reading your work!

Women+ in Quantum seminar

Women in Quantum is hosting a Seminar and Networking event on Wednesday, October 29th, at PAB 4-708! Our speaker is Dr. Kayleigh Cassella from Atom Computing. Please see the attached poster for details. Everyone is invited to attend the seminar!

RSVP-ing is highly encouraged!
Research groups and individuals can also schedule a lab tour or one-on-one meetings with the speaker (also via RSVP).

Schedule:
3:30 – 4:00 pm: Coffee and cookies – PAB 4-708
4:00 – 5:00 pm: Seminar – PAB 4-708
5:00 – 6:30 pm: Happy Hour!!!

Join us on the 3rd floor patio of PAB for Happy Hour and the opportunity to network with other Women+ in
Quantum and the speaker!

Job Opportunities

Postdoctoral Researcher: Modeling and Stability Analysis for Modern Power Systems

Please see this link for more information regarding this position.

Postdoctoral Researcher: Bulk Power Systems Multi-timescale Operation, Modeling and Simulation

Please see this link for more information regarding this position.

Researcher II/III: EMT Modeling, Simulation and Analysis for Large-Scale Power Systems

Please see this link for more information regarding this position.

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

• GPU Embedding Service (Containerized)—FastAPI (Python), ML/embeddings, Docker + NVIDIA Container Toolkit, Azure GPU (VM/AKS/ACI), CI/CD with Azure Container Registry (ACR).
• Triage Pipeline with DB & Integrations—Node.js/TypeScript (workers/cron), PostgreSQL (SQL, locks), REST API integration, Azure services (Blob, AI Search, Webhooks).
• Website Integration & Admin UI—Next.js 15 (App Router, API routes, Server Actions), TypeScript + React, PostgreSQL queries, UI/UX for job tables & status.

Requirements

• Expertise in Next.js 15, Node.js, TypeScript, React, and PostgreSQL.
• Hands‑on experience deploying to Azure (preferably using ACR, AKS/ACI, Web Apps, andmanaged services).
• Proficiency with containerized GPU workflows (Docker, NVIDIA Container Toolkit).
• Strong understanding of REST APIs, background workers/cron, SQL performance (indexes,
  locks), and secure auth patterns.
• Track record of independently delivering production‑grade solutions on schedule and tospec.

Nice to Have

• FastAPI and Python ML/embeddings experience.
• Azure AI Search, Blob, and Webhooks integrations.
• CI/CD pipelines (GitHub Actions or Azure DevOps).
• Admin UI/Design System experience for operational dashboards.

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

The University of Alabama is in search of Professors

If you are completing your PhD this year (or who have recently graduated) that are interested in opportunities to continue your research careers on the tenure track, the University of Alabama is in search of an assistant professor.

Electrical and Computer Engineering – Assistant Professor – 527587 – Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States

The search is currently active and they’ll begin reviewing applications received through the online submission system in the next few weeks.

They are also recruiting at the Associate and Full Professor levels. Those links with further details are below:

Electrical and Computer Engineering – Associate Professor – 527631 – Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States

Electrical and Computer Engineering – Professor – 527632 – Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States

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.

ECE Telecom Faculty Position at Texas Tech University

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in the Whitacre College of Engineering at Texas Tech University invites applications for a full-time, 9-month, tenure-track, open-rank (Assistant/Associate/Full Professor) to begin January 16, 2026.

Please see this link for more information regarding this position.

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:
BS in EE or CS is required
Object Oriented Programming
Coursework in Digital Design

Preferred Qualifications:
MS in EE or CS
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, C++

Application details:

1. Candidates must be graduating this December
2. Please include your current GPA with your resume
3. Please send resume directly to Junhui Lou at j_lou@apple.com

Engineer or Project Manager at DMF Lighting

DMF Lighting designs and builds industry-leading LED downlighting that sets the standard for flexibility, performance, and quality. Founded over 30 years ago, DMF has grown into a leader in the lighting industry, driven by a passion for innovation and customer service.

Our in-house engineers constantly push the boundaries of lighting, delivering products that combine exceptional performance with beautiful design. At DMF, we believe in a collaborative, forward-thinking culture that empowers our team to bring creative ideas to life and make a lasting impact. If you’re looking for a company where creativity and innovation are part of the DNA, DMF is the place for you.

We currently have the following openings available:

Electrical Engineer, Sr. Electrical Engineer, Embedded Firmware Engineer, Mechanical Engineer I, Mechanical Engineer, Project Manager

Website: www.dmflighting.com

Please see this link for more information regarding these positions.

Contact: Helen Portillo, Human Resources Generalist at HPortillo@dmflighting.com

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.