It was a tremendous honor to find out that I had won the Edward K. Rice award for outstanding M.S. student in 2012. It actually took me a bit by surprise in fact, because I was not the one who initiated the application and nomination. My PhD advisor, Prof. Rahmat-Samii, nominated my name for the award after I completed my masters thesis. This award is given annually to one masters student out of t...

I was recently awarded a prestigious National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellowship. The NDSEG Fellowship is a "highly competitive, portable fellowship that is awarded to U.S. citizens and nationals who intend to pursue a doctoral degree." This fellowship is sponsored by the Department of Defense. On average, only 8% of EE student applicants are offered a fellowship, and this...

The hard part was finally over. My original plan in college was to live life as my parents had always encouraged me. Do your best, keep good friends close, and never, ever give up. Coming in the University of Houston (UH), I did not dream that I would be leaving at the top of my class. When I received the email asking whether I could participate as the banner bearer for the Cullen College of Engin...