ECE students receive IEEE awards

Five electrical and computer engineering students received awards at 2012 IEEE Columbus Spring Awards Banquet. Yazan Alsmadi and Pat Wensing received IEEE Service Awards for their service and contribution to the IEEE Graduate Student Body at OSU. Electrical and computer engineering undergraduates Jessica Burk and Gilbert Chiang received IEEE Service Awards for their service to IEEE @ OSU and Robert Zupke received the Academic Excellence Award in recognition of his academic achievement.

Graduate Student Awards

IEEE GSB is the first graduate student branch within IEEE—the world’s largest professional association for the advancement of technology—and it was established right here at The Ohio State University. Alsmadi is the department ambassador for IEEE GSB and Wensing is the co-president and co-founder. Paul Berger, professor of electrical and computer engineering, is the group's faculty advisor.

Yazan Alsmadi is a PhD student in electrical and computer engineering and a graduate research associate in the Power Electronics and Electric Machines Laboratory. Alsmadi received a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Yarmouk University, Jordan in 2009, with academic distinction and first of class. He worked as a visiting scholar in 2009-2010 in the electrical engineering department at Ohio State. He is advised by Longya Xu, professor of electrical and computer engineering.

Pat Wensing is PhD student in the electrical and computer engineering and a graduate research associate at the Humanoid Robotics Laboratory. Wensing was the top graduate of the spring 2009 class at The Ohio State University, where he received his bachelor’s degree in electrical and computer engineering. He is advised by ECE Professor Emeritus David Orin.  

Undergraduate Student Awards

Burk and Chiang are co-presidents of IEEE @ The Ohio State University and lead the effort to host IEEE’s Region 2 Student Activities Conference at Ohio State. The conference brought more than 250 students from 25 colleges and universities to Columbus to meet and engage in leadership training, student paper competitions, robotics competitions, and other competitive events. Berger also serves as faculty advisor to IEEE @ The Ohio State University.

Jessica Burk recently received the GE Leadership Award from the Ohio State Women in Engineering program for her service to the Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers. She will graduate in June and plans to work at GE Lighting in Cleveland, OH.

Gilburt Chiang is a member of the Society of Asian Scientists & Engineers and the Ohio State Solar Car Team. Chiang will graduate in June and plans to further his education at Cornell University in the fall. 

Robert Zupke is president of Eta Kappa Nu, the honorary society for students majoring in electrical engineering, as well as being an officer of IEEE @ The Ohio State University. Zupke will graduate in June and plans to work at Apple.


photos by Paul Berger, professor of electrical and computer engineering