Professor Ray Chen received an Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI) award worth $4.75 million. Dr. Chen is the lead in a collaborative project to build a laser system.  The system can be used for biomedical sensors and air-borne and space-borne communications.Three other colleges are involved. Fabian Pease at Stanford will work on 3D nano-membrane lithography.

Professor Alan Bovik, ECE alumni Dr. Umesh Rajashekar, UT psychology professor Larry Cormack, and Dr. Ian van der Linde are attempting to answer 2 fundamental questions on the way to creating intelligent artificial sight: What do people look at? and What do people look for?

UT Alumnus: Steve Poizner

The Norman Hackerman Advanced Research Program (ARP) received $16.7M from the 80th Texas Legislature and granted almost 20% of it to engineering projects at The University of Texas at Austin. Projects funded at UT-ECE are:

Professor Ray Chen received an Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI) award worth 4.75 million dollars. Dr. Chen is the lead in a collaborative project to build a laser system.  The system can be used for biomedical sensors and air-borne and space-borne communications. Three other colleges are involved. Fabian Pease at Stanford will work on 3D nano-membrane lithography.

Dr. Gregory L. Fenves, international expert in structural engineering and former chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, has been appointed dean of the Cockrell School of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin.

Fenves’ appointment, which follows an international search, is effective Sept. 1. Fenves, 51, replaces Dr. Ben Streetman who served 12 years as the Cockrell School dean.

R. Gary Daniels—ECE adjunct professor since 1999 and strong friend of ECE since his days as Senior VP at Motorola—was recently named an ECE Fellow for his service to the department. Daniels came to us via the External Advisory Committee, which he chaired. There he tackled operational and educational issues and raised $1M in start-up money to help recruit a senior faculty member. He is also a popular teacher, famous for his first lecture of the semester—an inspirational slide show of his house, boat, and cars.

ECE's External Advisory Committee recognized Professor Gary Hallock with the annual High Gain Award. The High Gain Award was established to recognize exceptional contributions to the mission of the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering. Gary is an inspiring teacher and a stalwart champion for the Department. says Chairman Tony Ambler. In the past year alone, he developed an undergraduate course and revamped our graduate recruitment efforts. He always steps up.

Professor Hao Ling and his team are developing algorithms that would use radar to detect human activities inside an enclosed space, such as inside a building. The algorithms would convert the radar signals to virtual renderings similar to that of a video game. Eventually, the technology could end up in a device that could be mounted on a vehicle and would monitor activities in a building as it traveled down a street.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) announced that two of UT-ECE's assistant professors have been awarded 2008 Young Faculty Awards. The awards were established to identify the next generation of researchers working in microsystems technology.