Impact Report 2025

Iowa State launches new certificate in cyber security engineering

Letter from the chair

Dear alumni, colleagues and friends,

As we close another extraordinary year, I am delighted to share this reflection and celebration of the remarkable ways Iowa State University’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECpE) continues to shape the future. This time of year naturally invites gratitude and connection, and there is truly so much to celebrate within our ECpE family.

Our students remain at the heart of everything we do, and their achievements inspire us every day. This year, the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded $3.7 million in scholarships to recruit and support master’s students interested in cybersecurity — an exceptional investment affirming both the quality of our programs and the promise of the next generation of cybersecurity leaders.

Our faculty have continued to push the boundaries of discovery in wireless communication, machine learning cybersecurity, biomedical engineering, renewable energy integration and beyond. Their innovative work is earning national recognition and helping solve some of society’s most pressing challenges. Among this year’s many highlights:

• NSF CAREER Awards – Cheng Wang and Shana Moothedath
• Named Fellows – Mohammad Tayeb Al Qaseer, ASNT (American Society for Nondestructive Testing) Fellow
• Endowed Professorships – Timothy Bigelow (Northrop Grumman Professorship in Honor of Fred W. O’Green) and Aditya Ramamoorthy (John Ryder Professorship in Engineering)
• New Online Undergraduate Certificate – Cybersecurity

We were honored to welcome Thomas Bluth (B.S. electrical engineering, ‘89) as our Spring 2025 Commencement speaker and proud to celebrate Swami Sivasubramanian (M.S. computer engineering, ’02) as a College of Engineering Alumni PACE Award recipient.

And, as always, the dedication of our staff remains the steady force keeping our department thriving. Their hard work, care and unwavering commitment to student and faculty success make the daily magic of ECpE possible.

As we enter the holiday season, we extend our heartfelt thanks for your partnership, encouragement and generosity. The Future Is What We Do — and it is brighter, bolder and more meaningful because of you.

Wishing you and your loved ones a joyful holiday season and a wonderful year ahead.

With warm regards and deep gratitude,

Ashfaq Khokar,
Palmer Department Chair in Electrical and Computer Engineering

ECpE by the numbers 2024-25

Honors and Awards

Boosting cyber skills to build workforce

Iowa State University has launched a new, online undergraduate certificate in cybersecurity designed to strengthen the skills of current cybersecurity professionals, particularly those with a two-year associate’s degree, and expand Iowa’s cybersecurity workforce.

“There is a need,” says Doug Jacobson, Sunil and Sujata Gaitonde Professor in Cybersecurity, a University Professor in electrical and computer engineering, and director of the university’s Center for Cybersecurity Innovation and Outreach (CYIO). “It can be hard to get qualified people in this area of critical national importance. This program provides a way to upskill the current workforce and create pathways for those with two-year degrees.”

Jacobson emphasized the certificate program aligns with the Iowa State land-grant mission by educating a new population of students and building the state’s workforce.

“We don’t want to replace what the community colleges are offering,” he says. “We want to provide upskilling to the
incumbent workforce.”

Electrical engineering Ph.D. student and Iowa Army National Guard Sergeant veteran, Jacob Eisbrenner is leading early-stage research on PRISM (Prosthetic Retinal Implant via Spiking Microelectronic Circuits), an effort aimed at creating a biomimetic prosthetic retina.

“The human retina performs complex preprocessing, edge detection and mathematical operations before signals ever reach the brain, which has been no small task to replicate,” says Jacob.

“Jacob has impressed me with his creativity and perseverance, says Meng Lu, ECpE associate professor. “His work on biomimetic retinal prosthetics bridges cutting-edge semiconductor technology with biology, reflecting both innovation and vision.”

Jacob’s research combines semiconductors, opto-electronics and a generalized understanding of neuromodulation to recreate retinal fuction using microelectronic circuits, a challenge requiring breakthrough in stability and circuit architecuture.

“My passion lies in bridging the gap between engineering and biology to create innovative solutions that improve people’s lives,” Jacob says.

Creating innovative tools to improve mental health

As a learner and collaborator, Mitchell Kabenda thrives in environments where ideas grow through teamwork.

“I enjoyed contributing to Neolth’s (a digital health company) Global Ambassador Innovation Challenge where I developed a front-end user interface to help young adults reflect on decisions impacting their mental health,” says Mitchell.

Whether designing software, managing products or leading projects, Mitchell’s goal is clear: build technology that makes a meaningful difference.

“Right now, that means working on projects that put well-being back in people’s hands, so they have more control over their health,” she says. “If I can help build or enhance tools that make even a small difference, that’s success to me.”

Mitchell is a 2024 Young Innovators in Behavioral Health awardee and is currently pursuing a second degree in computer engineering.