Professor Achievements

Dr. Rui He

Dr. Rui He is an Associate Professor and the Ed and Linda Whitacre Faculty Fellow of electrical and computer engineering in the Edward E. Whitacre Jr. College of Engineering at Texas Tech University. Dr. He (the lead PI) and her collaborators, Dr. Liuyan Zhao of the University of Michigan and Dr. Xiaofeng Qian of Texas A&M University, were awarded an NSF grant for their project titled “Collaborative Research: Probing quasiparticle excitations in TMDC Moiré superlatices for revealing and understanding novel two-dimensional correlated phases.” The total project award is $762,450, with $257,821 for Dr. He.

This project probes correlated phases in moiré superlattices formed by stacking two transition metal dichalcogenides atomic layers vertically. The focus is to investigate the collective phonon, charge, and magnon excitations of correlated phases by using an integrated optical spectroscopy experiment and first-principles theory method. Dr. He's group conducts magneto-optical spectroscopy to study phonons, carrier-phonon interactions, and spin wave excitations in this new type of artificial structures made of simple and high-quality atomic crystals.

Dr. He's group at TTU has conducted pioneering research on Raman spectroscopy of layered magnet Crl3, which is the first ever 2D material showing ferromagnetic order in its monolayer limit. Their research findings have been published in leading scientific journals, including Nature Physics (2022), Nature Communications (2022, 2020, 2018), the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS, 2020), ACS Nano (2021), Nano Letters (2021), and Physical Review X (2020).

Dr. He's research interests include:
• Nano-Photonics
• Optical studies of nanostructures
• Raman spectroscopy of materials

Dr. Hongxing Jiang

Texas Tech University's Hongxing Jiang, a Horn Distinguished Professor, co-director of the Center for Nanophotonics, and an Edward E. Whitacre Jr. Chair in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, within the Edward E. Whitacre Jr. College of Engineering, was recently honored by the International SSL (Solid-State Lighting) Alliance (ISA) with its Global SSL Award of Outstanding Achievements for his invention of microsized light-emitting diodes, or microLED.

“It is my great pleasure and honor to receive this outstanding award,” Jiang said. “From a vision and dream of more than 20 years ago, it is fascinating to see that our original invention and development of microLED and microdisplay have led to such worldwide research and development efforts in this technology.”

MicroLED was first proposed and realized in 2000 by Jiang and his wife Jingyu Lin, a Horn Distinguished Professor, Linda F. Whitacre Chair in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, and co-director of the Center for Nanophotonics.

MicroLEDs and microdisplays have important applications in large, flat-panel displays with extremely high brightness and contrast, as already being demonstrated by companies including Sony and Samsung; in optical communications such as Li-Fi, a wireless communication technology that utilizes visible light to transmit data and position between devices; in medical and health for optogenetics and neuroscience; and in entertainment for augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) and 3D displays
with high resolution and high speed.

Jiang received the award jointly with Martin Dawson, the director of research in the Institute of Photonics at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland. Previous winners of this award include a Nobel laureate in Physics and recipients of the National Medal of Science and National Medal of Technology awards.

The International SSL Alliance (ISA) is a not-for-profit nongovernmental organization that operates as an independent legal entity to enhance public-private partnership and intensify global cooperation to accelerate and foster the sustainable development of SSL. It is an international alliance of regional alliances and associations, renowned universities and institutions and leading companies in the SSL field.

“From a vision and dream of more than 20 years ago, it is fascinating to see that our original invention and development of microLED and microdisplay have led to such worldwide research and development efforts in this technology.”

Dr. Hongxing Jiang

Dr. Ravindra Joshi

Professor Ravindra Joshi of Texas Tech's Electrical and Computer Engineering Department was selected as the William G. Dunbar Award recipient in April 2022. This award was first established at the 1982 High Voltage Workshop as the ″High Voltage Award,” and was renamed in 2002 to commemorate William G. Dunbar's lifetime of contributions to high voltage technology and his leadership in the High Voltage Workshops. The Dunbar Award is intended to recognize individuals for continuing contributions to high voltage research, development, or testing technology and for transferring that technology to the engineering and scientific community. Dr. Joshi was selected “For contributions to the science of electrical breakdown of liquids and biological applications of pulsed high voltage.″

Joshi also co-authored a new book titled, “Ultrashort Electric Pulse Effects in Biology and Medicine” published by Springer Nature. This book presents an overview of the current state of research on ultrashort electric field pulses of high intensity and their use in biology and medicine. It examines, in detail, the most recent and exciting advances in how nanosecond and picosecond electric pulses research has grown and expanded into new areas of bioengineering. Further, the book specifically focuses on electric pulses in the time domain, on intracellular effects as opposed to plasma membrane electroporation, and highlights the many bio-medical applications of these unique pulse effects. Some examples include electro-chemotherapy, possible wound healing, electrically activated calcium signaling, and possible immunotherapy. The authors initiated the unique exploration of ultrashort pulsed effects in biology and these perspectives foreshadowed directions that this research took, expanding into new areas that continue to be investigated.

Dr. Joshi's research interests include:
• Pulsed Power and High Power Microwaves
• High Field Transport and Semiconductor Modeling
• Electrophysics
• Bio-electrics

Dr. Sangsik Kim

Dr. Sangsik Kim is an Assistant Professor of electrical and computer engineering in the Edward E. Whitacre Jr. College of Engineering at Texas Tech University. He received a $500,000 grant from the Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) Award given by the National Science Foundation (NSF) for his project, “Scalable Integrated Nanophotonics with subwavelength Gratings.”

Photonic integrated circuits (PIC) have innovated a wide range of optical applications, including quantum processing, biochemical sensing, and light detection and ranging (LiDAR). As electronics, increasing the chip density is critical for advancing PICs but limited by the wave nature of light. At Texas Tech, Dr. Sangsik Kim will lead a team to explore the various subwavelength grating (SWG) metamaterials to push the boundaries of photonic integration density. SWGs have engineering capabilities for index contrast and anisotropic nature, and various next-generation SWG schemes will be investigated for reducing optical crosstalk. Diverse SWG photonic components, including in-plane metalens, will also be developed and integrated to hybridize photonic and microfluidic systems. This project also aims to support a rich hands-on experience with PICs, allowing TTU students to explore future photonic technologies.

The CAREER Program offers the NSF's most prestigious awards in support of early-career faculty who have the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education and to lead advances in their organization's mission.

Dr. Kim's research interests include:
• Nanophotonics
• Frequency Combs and Nonlinear Optics
• Metamaterials and Plasmonics
• Silicon Photonics

Dr. Donald Lie

Dr. Donald Lie is the Keh-Shew Regents Chair in Electrical and Computer Engineering and a professor in the Edward E. Whitacre Jr. College of Engineering at Texas Tech University. He was recently awarded the Whitacre Engineering Research Award by the Edward E. Whitacre Jr. College of Engineering.

The Whitacre Engineering Research Award recognized his achievements in research over the past five years—particularly in the areas of Rf/Analog Integrated Circuits and System-on-a-Chip (SoC) design. Lie was also commended for his 61 journal articles, eight patents, success in securing research funding from industry and defense agencies, and his fellowship in IEEE.

Thank you, Dr. Lie, for helping the Whitacre College of Engineering strengthen its Community of Scholars and for your commitment to our college and the recognition you bring to our university.

Dr. Lie's research interests include:
• Low-Power RF/Analog Integrated Circuits & System-on-a-Chip (SoC) Design and Test
• Interdisciplinary Research on Medical Electronics, Biosensors, & Biosignal processing

Dr, Andreas Neuber  

Dr. Andreas Neuber is a Paul Whitfield Horn Distinguished Professor, AT&T Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Co-Director of the Center for Pulsed Power and Power Electronics in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in the Edward E. Whitacre Jr. College of Engineering at Texas Tech University. He was recently honored by the IEEE Pulsed Power Conference with its Peter Haas Award for his “dedication to educating and empowering the next generation of pulsed power engineers through his own renowned research program and his leadership of the Texas Tech University's Center for Pulsed Power and Power Electronics.”

The Peter Haas Award is given to individuals who have made outstanding accomplishments in the pulsed power field through the development of important applications or areas of activity including research, education, and information exchange. The award was established at the 6th IEEE Pulsed Power Conference in honor of Peter Haas who was recognized at the 2nd IEEE Pulsed Power Conference “for many contributions to a strong and vigorous pulsed power program through sound management, steadfast conviction, and farsighted technical acumen.” It is funded by the IEEE Nuclear and Plasma Sciences Society's International Pulsed Power Conference budget and is presented at the IEEE International Pulsed Power Conference Awards Banquet.

Dr. Neuber's research interests include:
• HV Electric Breakdown
• Gaseous Electronics
• Materials Under Shock
• High−Power Microwaves
• Pulsed Power Technology

The Symposium on Fusion Engineering (SOFE) is a biennial event that is organized and sponsored by the Fusion Technology Standing Committee of the IEEE Nuclear & Plasma Sciences Society (NPSS). The 3.5-day meeting highlights advances in magnetic and inertial fusion energy science and engineering focusing on technical areas including fusion development in both large research and development experimental fusion reactor facilities and basic r esearch in fusion concepts, systems, components, and materials. SOFE is an international conference that is open to all engineering, physics, and material science disciplines involved in the pursuit of both magnetic and inertial confinement fusion.

The Pulsed Power Conference (PPC) has a history dating back to 1976 and this biennial conference provides a premier forum for the exchange and dissemination of technical information on pulsed power technology and engineering. The meeting is organized by the NPSS's Pulsed Power Science and Technology (PPS&T) subcommittee. The 3.5-day event consists of oral/poster presentations and technical discussions across all areas of pulsed power science, technology, and applications.

The 23rd IEEE Pulsed Power Conference and the 29th IEEE Symposium on Fusion Engineering were held virtually on December 13-16, 2021. Dr. Stephen Bayne, a Professor and the Chair of the Texas Tech Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) Department, and Dr. John Mankowski, a Professor of the Texas Tech ECE Department, were the PPC/SOFE Treasurer and PPC Technical Program Chair, respectively.

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