Six researchers in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering received innovation grants from the School of Engineering and Applied Science. These are among 21 projects funded by the latest round of innovation grants, totaling more than $3 million. Since 2008, innovation awards have enabled engineering faculty members to take their research in bold new directions that address critical issues in technology, health and the environment. The grants often fuel initial discoveries that lead to larger awards from external funding agencies.
Princeton Engineering’s Innovation Research Grants come from the University’s own resources, including Princeton’s endowment and other gifts for initiatives in engineering.
Addy Fund for Excellence in Engineering
The Addy Fund for Excellence in Engineering was established in 2017 by Lydia B. Addy and William M. Addy, a 1982 Princeton alumnus. These funds were awarded to:
- Alejandro Rodriguez, professor of electrical and computer engineering, for the project “Optimal photonic communication: Designs and limits to optical information processing” (also supported by the Katzson Fund and by funds from an anonymous donor)
- Dhruv Shah, a visiting research scholar in electrical and computer engineering, for the project “Guiding the robotics data flywheel via epistemic scaling curves”
J. Insley Blair Pyne Fund
Established in memory of physics and electrical engineering professor and Princeton graduate J. Insley Blair Pyne, this fund supports research bridging engineering and neuroscience. These funds were awarded to:
- Peter Ramadge, the Gordon Y.S. Wu Professor of Engineering and professor of electrical and computer engineering, along with Kenneth Norman, the Huo Professor in Computational and Theoretical Neuroscience, for the project “Neural mechanisms of how prior knowledge promotes new learning: An OPM-MEG study”
Helen Shipley Hunt Fund
Made possible by Helen Shipley Hunt, who earned a master’s degree in mathematics from Princeton in 1971, this fund supports engineering research with a focus on applied projects. Shipley Hunt funds were awarded to:
- Yasaman Ghasempour, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, for the project “Accurate and computation-efficient digital twin for wireless networks in 6G and beyond”
Additional Engineering Research Funds
Princeton’s Center for the Decentralization of Power Through Blockchain Technology (DeCenter) has funded a grant to Maria Apostolaki, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, for the project “Routing security for Ethereum.”
David Wentzlaff, professor of electrical and computer engineering, will pursue the project “The new nuanced Moore’s Law” with support from the Samberg Family Fund for Innovative Engineering, established by Deborah and Jeffrey S. Samberg ’88.
