UW-Madison ECE

An interdisciplinary team at UW–Madison has demonstrated a dynamically tunable metasurface that could help bring powerful biochemical sensing technologies out of the laboratory and into the field.

In a new paper published in 𝘓𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵: 𝘚𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 & 𝘈𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴, researchers demonstrated a dynamically tunable metasurface capable of scanning for molecular "fingerprints" in the mid-infrared spectrum. This is an important step toward compact, portable spectroscopy systems for applications ranging from pathogen detection and hazardous gas monitoring to microplastic identification and rapid biochemical analysis.

The work was led by Professor Filiz Yesilkoy and collaborators, including postdoctoral researcher Samir Rosas, visiting scholar Furkan Kuruoglu, Professor Yuri Kivshar, and colleagues from Argonne National Laboratory and the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay.

This research showcases the power of collaboration across electrical and computer engineering, biomedical engineering, physics, and nanofabrication to advance next-generation sensing technologies.

Among the many contributors were several members of the UW–Madison Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, including Professor Mikhail Kats, PhD students Yihong Chen and Shenwei Yin, and research associate Jin-Woo Cho.
Read on:
https://engineering.wisc.edu/news/tunable-metasurface-could-bring-powerful-molecular-sensing-from-the-lab-to-the-field/

UW-Madison College of Engineering

Tunable metasurface could bring powerful molecular sensing from the lab to the field - College of Engineering - University of Wisconsin-Madison Mid-infrared spectroscopy can identify the molecular composition of unknown samples by their “fingerprints” at different wavelengths, allowing scientists to look beyond visible light’s band within the electromagnetic spectrum. The resulting compositional data is valuable for...

ECE Teaching Faculty Joe Krachey has earned Distinguished Status, the highest designation for teaching faculty at UW–Madison. This honor recognizes Krachey’s outstanding contributions in the classroom and his deep commitment to student success.

Among his many contributions, Krachey plays a central role in guiding students through senior design courses. Under his mentorship, students move beyond theory to tackle complex, real world challenges, developing innovative solutions while strengthening skills in teamwork, communication, and project management.

See this work in action in our short video featuring the ECE Capstone Design experience:
https://youtu.be/Ob1gk1eMTBs?si=6OMLQVyxm4SqOI2c

ECE Professor Dan van der Weide and research team members Henry Czupryna and Ion Kolkhuis Tanke had a successful demonstration of multi-component microwave field imaging on planar antenna arrays this week at the IEEE International MTT Symposia - IMS - IMS in Boston.

The demonstration drew significant attention, including a visit from Nobel laureate John Martinis, a pioneer in quantum computing.

For more on research at UW-ECE:
https://engineering.wisc.edu/departments/electrical-computer-engineering/research/

UW-Madison College of Engineering

On May 1, ECE welcomed students, alumni, faculty, and friends to the Spring ECE Capstone Design Open House.

Held at the end of each fall and spring semester, the event highlights the culmination of months of hands-on work across senior capstone design courses. Student teams demonstrated innovative systems that reflect both technical depth and real-world problem solving.

The open house underscores the value of experiential learning as students move beyond theory to design, build, test, and refine complex hardware and software systems while gaining experience in teamwork, project management, and communication. These skills are essential preparation for careers across engineering, research, and entrepreneurship.

In addition to the instructors, a panel of ECE alumni judges evaluated projects and selected winners. The continued involvement of alumni as judges, mentors, and industry representatives remains a defining feature of the event. Their insights help students connect their work to broader applications and emerging trends while strengthening the ECE community.

The Capstone Design Open House is a powerful reflection of the innovation, collaboration, and applied learning that define ECE at Wisconsin.

UW-Madison College of Engineering
Wisconsin Alumni

Showcasing innovation at the Spring 2026 ECE Capstone Design Open House - College of Engineering - University of Wisconsin-Madison On May 1, 2026, the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Wisconsin–Madison welcomed students, alumni, faculty, and friends of the program to the Spring ECE Capstone...

A strong showing for WiscWind at this year’s Collegiate Wind Competition.

A team of University of Wisconsin–Madison students earned second place overall and took first in the project development contest, presenting to industry judges and testing their turbine during the three day event in Vallejo, California.

The team includes students from across disciplines, including electrical and computer engineering, whose work on the turbine’s generator and electrical system was critical throughout the competition. When technical challenges arose in the wind tunnel, team members collaborated to diagnose issues and make real time adjustments that allowed them to continue competing.

Competitions like this highlight the value of hands on, interdisciplinary experiences that broaden the student journey and prepare students for impactful careers.

UW-Madison College of Engineering

Full story: 🔗

WiscWind team places second in Collegiate Wind Competition - College of Engineering - University of Wisconsin-Madison A team of students from the University of Wisconsin–Madison won second place in the 2026 Collegiate Wind Competition and took first in the project development portion of the contest. Students...

Congratulations to Line Roald, Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at UW–Madison, on receiving the Distinguished Faculty & Staff Postdoc Mentoring Award from the UW–Madison Postdoctoral Association.

This recognition reflects the profound impact of her mentorship, both in advancing research excellence and in supporting the professional and personal growth of postdoctoral scholars. As shared by Research Associate Wenqian Jiang, her guidance goes far beyond the lab, combining deep expertise, thoughtful leadership, and a genuine commitment to the success of others.

To learn more about Roald and see the full list of awardees:
https://grad.wisc.edu/2026/05/26/postdoc-excellence-awards-highlight-outstanding-postdocs-and-faculty-mentors/

UW-Madison College of Engineering

Barry Van Veen, the Lynn H. Matthias Professor Emeritus in electrical and computer engineering, was formally recognized for receiving the IEEE Signal Processing Society Carl Friedrich Gauss Education Award.

The award honors educators who have made pioneering and significant contributions to signal processing education. Van Veen’s impact includes advancing active-learning approaches in the classroom, mentoring generations of students, and strengthening graduate and online programs within the department. His broader reach includes teaching AI and machine learning courses and sharing knowledge through his All Signal Processing YouTube channel.

The award was presented at the 2026 IEEE International Conference on Acoustics, Speech, and Signal Processing in Barcelona, Spain.
Read the original announcement:
https://engineering.wisc.edu/blog/barry-van-veen-earns-ieee-signal-processing-society-education-award/

New data from UW–Madison highlights a meaningful shift in college affordability. About two-thirds of undergraduates are now graduating debt free, up from roughly half a decade ago, thanks to expanded financial aid, donor support, and programs such as Bucky’s Tuition Promise and Bucky's Pell Pathway.

This article from The Cap Times describes how the effort is a strong example of how targeted investment and early financial clarity can open doors for students.

How two-thirds of Badgers graduate from UW-Madison debt free Over the past decade, Wisconsin’s flagship public university has increased how many undergraduates earn degrees without student loan debt.

Congratulations to the 2026 UW-Madison College of Engineering Graduate Student Mentoring Award recipients. The college recently recognized 25 faculty, postdocs, and graduate student mentors for their outstanding contributions to mentorship and for fostering a strong sense of belonging across the community.

Special recognition to ECE Associate Professor Dominic Gross, who received an Honorable Mention for Excellence in Department Success Support. His leadership in ECE graduate student recruiting and admissions has strengthened outcomes for incoming students and ECE research efforts. According to ECE Professor Susan Hagness, "Professor Gross has expertly juggled this important role in support of our entire graduate student research training mission while continuing to grow his research program, investing in the progress and wellbeing of his PhD students, and sustaining his excellence as a teacher and mentor.”

College recognizes graduate mentoring excellence - College of Engineering - University of Wisconsin-Madison The College of Engineering recognized 25 faculty, postdocs and graduate student mentors at the second annual Graduate Student Mentoring Awards reception on May 14, 2026. The awards recognize faculty, postdocs...