Virginia Tech’s Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering has achieved a new height of excellence: reaching the No. 2 spot in the U.S. News and World Report rankings for best global universities.

Rising two spots from the 2022 report, this new ranking in electrical and electronic engineering, highlights Virginia Tech’s continued growth in research and reputation.

“Our department is home to many internationally recognized experts in their respective disciplines, including cybersecurity, photonics, power electronics, power systems, quantum engineering, software systems, space science and engineering, and wireless communications and networks,” said Harpreet S. Dhillon, interim department head and the W. Martin Johnson Professor. “With this rather rare combination of breadth and depth, we are well-posed to tackle complex transdisciplinary societal challenges while maintaining a strong presence in each of these disciplines.”

These rankings are determined by specific measurable and objective outcomes, such as:

  • Global and regional research
  • Publications, journal articles, papers, and numbers of citations
  • International collaborations

Whether pushing the boundaries of wireless communication and semiconductor technology, or advancing artificial intelligence and the future of the electrical grid, the electrical and computer engineering department contributes to progress across the globe. Its faculty represent half of the inaugural faculty cohort for the Virginia Tech Innovation Campus, including one of Clarivate’s most highly-cited researchers, Walid Saad, noted artificial intelligence (AI) and digital twin expert whose work spans globally with Japan. 

Its faculty also have established and support high-profile initiatives and an institute with research happening across the university:

In addition, multiple research groups like the Power and Energy Center, Space@Virginia Tech, Wireless@Virginia Tech, and the Center for Power Electronics Systems, make numerous contributions to electrical and computer engineering research. The department’s research expenditures have grown exponentially over the last decade, supporting research across all four of the university’s research frontiers: health, quantum, AI, and security.

Health

Tackling the next frontier of medicine and health requires innovation, and Associate Professors Xiaoting Jia and Wei Zhou are up for the challenge.

  • With proprietary, thermally-drawn fibers used for electrical stimulation, drug delivery, and imaging, Jia is working to solve memory loss caused by Alzheimer’s disease.

  • Zhou takes minimally invasive to the next level — the nanoscale. Utilizing microscopic nano-optoelectrodes, which are tools that interface with the human body, Zhou is working to develop a personal wearable device that can track the biochemical and electrical data from inside cells.

Quantum

In the electrical and computer engineering department, quantum isn’t a space age idea.it’s technology, tools, and opportunities that will impact the global future.

  • As the J. Byron Maupin Professor of Engineering, Wayne Scales is working to meet the growing demand for a quantum-trained workforce. Scales is supported by a nearly $1 million grant to train faculty members, acquire equipment, and develop quantum curricula in addition to replicating Virginia Tech’s quantum experiential learning lab at Virginia State University.

  • Assistant Professor Linbo Shao is using a “quirky” quantum behavior to transform thermal detection. The mid- and long-wavelength bands of radiation he studies are key to night vision, monitoring body temperature, spotting forest fires, and tracking rackets, missiles, and airplanes.

Artificial intelligence

More than a buzzword, artificial intelligence is a useful tool and research playground for Angelos Starvrou and Ruoxi Jia.

  • Stavrou is playing games with AI to level up their security capabilities as part of a multi-agent training exerciser. The exerciser is a unique combination of real, emulated, and simulated networks that simultaneously run millions of game variations, training AI agents to best attack and defend against cyberattackers.

  • Jia, whose research was featured in the New York Times, works to improve machine learning algorithms by studying how to improve the data machine learning is trained on. She’s identifying high-quality data sources while eliminating biased data with the goal of creating better AI-powered products and services for all.

Security

At Virginia Tech, security research centers ensure communities are prepared to face global threats, including cybersecurity, which both Professor Lingjia Liu and Assistant Professor Wenjie Xiong excel in.

  • As the director of Wireless@Virginia Tech, Liu aims to support secure and open wireless networks. His research, funded by the Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund, is centered on developing an intelligent testing framework for open radio access networks, using reservoir computing, a machine-learning approach by how humans process information.

  • Xiong, a Commonweath Cyber Initiative faculty fellow, focuses on keeping hardware secure through understanding the “attack surface” – where and how a system is vulnerable. She utilizes a dual perspective that analyzes software and hardware to get into the mindset of an advanced attacker, and explores vulnerabilities in power supply or system outputs.

“This ranking is a strong testament to the high productivity of our impressive faculty and the ground-breaking impact of the research conducted in the department over the past decade,” said Dhillon. “This recognition reinforces our global reputation, positioning Virginia Tech as a leading choice for high-quality faculty, staff, and students from around the world.”

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