News and Awards

Presented Paper at Annual Conference of the IEEE Industrial Electronics Society (IECON)

November 2024

Harris Nakajima

Harris Nakajima attended the Annual Conference of the IEEE Industrial Electronics Society (IECON) for the paper "Design and Fabrication of Wearable Sensors for the Measurement of Ammonia Concentration in Air".

In addition to his successful presentation, Harris was awarded the Graduate and Professional Student Senate (GPSS) Travel Grant, Clean Energy Institute Trainee Travel Grant, and ECE Student DEI Conference Travel Awards, allowing him to travel to Chicago with no cost!

IEEE-EMBS International Conference on Body Sensor Networks (IEEE BSN 2024)

October 2024

Zheng Liu, Xueyicheng Xu, Alexander Mamishev

From October 15th to 17th, 2024, Zheng Liu, Xueyicheng Xu, and Prof. Alexander Mamishev participated as authors in the prestigious IEEE-EMBS International Conference on Body Sensor Networks (IEEE BSN 2024) held in Chicago, Illinois. Recognized as a premier event in digital health sensors and systems, IEEE BSN 2024 provided a cross-disciplinary platform that united experts and leaders from academia, industry, healthcare, and non-profit organizations.



At the conference, Zheng Liu, Xueyicheng Xu, and Prof. Alex Mamishev presented their paper "Sensor Fusion for Non-Intrusive Adaptive Distancing of Visually Impaired Users." This groundbreaking work introduces an innovative motion obstacle avoidance system to assist visually impaired individuals in navigating their environment. By leveraging sensor fusion technology, the system enhances obstacle detection and helps prevent potential injuries more efficiently and conveniently.



The conference featured a highly selective single-track program, highlighting groundbreaking research on devices and sensors, hardware and software systems, predictive models, and data analytics for advancing healthcare and medical technology.

Industrial Training Assessment Center Lead Meeting

September 2024

Maxwell Stafford

On September 23rd and 24th, the University of Washington Industrial Training Assessment Center (UW ITAC) traveled to Nashville Tennessee to attend the ITAC Center Lead Meeting at the Association of Energy Engineer's conference. The UW ITAC representatives were Maxwell Stafford and Nathan Holterhoff, the UW ITAC Center Leads. This event was focused on creating and releasing additional resources for manufacturers to implement energy efficient projects within their own facilities. All of the ITAC Center Leads discussed the similarities and differences between each of the centers and how to optimize their individual program in terms of student opportunities and energy savings for manufacturers.

Image: All of the ITAC Center Leads from across the USA.

IAC Leadership Participates in 2024 IAC Directors Meeting in San Diego

September 2024

Prof. Alexander Mamishev / Prof. Rania Hussein

Many exciting changes to the program were announced. Follow this link to play "Where is Waldo?" game. INTERACTIVE PHOTO.

Admission to Berkeley

June 2024

Cynthia Yu

Congratulations to Cynthia Yu, who got accepted to graduate program at the School of Public Health at UC Berkeley!

Admission to Stanford University

June 2024

Archie Deng

Congratulations to our Alumna Archie Deng, who is going to continue her graduate studies at Stanford University!

ASHRAE Puget Sound Chapter Scholarship Award Winner

May 2024

Maxwell Stafford

Maxwell Stafford, Center Lead of the University of Washington Industrial Assessment Center, has received the 2024 ASHRAE Puget Sound Chapter Scholarship.

The scholarship was awarded to students who exemplified excellence across multiple facets. Their outstanding academic performance demonstrated a strong commitment to learning and a deep understanding of the HVAC&R field. Additionally, their essay responses showcased thoughtful insights, innovative ideas, and a genuine passion for advancing the industry as well as sustainability. Moreover, their active involvement in ASHRAE demonstrated leadership, dedication, and a desire to contribute to the community. Together, these qualities set them apart as deserving recipients of the scholarships, poised to make significant contributions to the field of HVAC&R in the future.

Maxwell Stafford is dedicated to HVAC through his energy-saving recommendations with manufacturers as part of the Industrial Assessment Center. He has also worked to reinstate the University of Washington ASHRAE Student Chapter within the Mechanical Engineering Department.

For more information, Click Here

Husky Sustainability Award Winner

May 2024

Maxwell Stafford

The Husky Sustainability Awards recognize individuals and groups across all University of Washington campuses who lead the way for sustainability at the University of Washington. This is the 15th year awards have been given by the UW Environmental Stewardship Committee.

The Husky Sustainability Awards are given to students, faculty and staff from the Seattle, Bothell and Tacoma campuses who show impact, initiative, leadership and dedication around sustainability.

Max Stafford, the Center Lead for the University of Washington Industrial Assessment Center, received the Husky Sustainability Award for 2024. As a lead he has been managing and mentoring a team of 20 undergraduate associates in conducting detailed energy assessments. These assessments yield significant financial and environmental benefits for local industries, while providing research and certificates to students who participate.

For more information, Click Here

Graduate and Professional Student Senate & Clean Energy Institute Travel Grant

March 2024

Harris Nakijima

Harris Nakajima participated in the International Conference on Latest Advancements in Economics, Engineering, and Medical Sciences (EEMS) and International Conference on Renewable Energy and Electrical Systems (ICREES) in March of 2024 to present his papers “Design and Optimization of Wearable Sensors for the Measurement of Ammonia Concentration in Air” and “Gamification of Research Experience in a Large Academic Laboratory”. In order to partake in these travels, Harris was awarded two travel grants from the University of Washington, one from the GPSS and another from the CEI to help cover the costs of travel and registration.

For more information on the award. Click Here

Stemilt Growers Scholarship

March 2024

Nathan Holterhoff

Nathan Holterhoff was awarded the Stemilt Growers Scholarship through the Washington Apple Education (waef.org) to continue his education at the University of Washington. WAEF scholarships are sponsored by the tree fruit industry through fundraisers, memorial scholarships, and annual donations totaling over $1 million. Nathan and his family have a long history in the fruit industry and this scholarship serves as recognition for their work.

For more information on this award click here

Husky Sustainability Awards

May 2023

Alexander Mamishev

The Husky Sustainability Awards recognize individuals and groups across all University of Washington campuses who lead the way for sustainability at the University of Washington. This is the 15th year awards have been given by the UW Environmental Stewardship Committee.

The Husky Sustainability Awards are given to students, faculty and staff from the Seattle, Bothell and Tacoma campuses who show impact, initiative, leadership and dedication around sustainability.

For more information Click Here

Husky Sustainability Awards

May 2023

Harris Nakajima

Harris Nakajima was one of the first students to join the newly reestablished UW Industrial Assessment Center (UW IAC) in 2022. As part of the center, he has shown a deep commitment to sustainability. The UW IAC offers energy and waste assessments to manufacturers in Washington state. Nakajima has led more than 20 assessments, identifying energy-saving and waste reduction opportunities. He’s also served as a mentor to new students joining the center, and helped to foster a culture of sustainability within the center and at facilities participating in UW IAC assessments. He’s been a lead writer of the Center's online training program on sustainability, and led outreach efforts to identify eligible facilities for the assessment program.

The Husky Sustainability Awards recognize individuals and groups across all University of Washington campuses who lead the way for sustainability at the University of Washington. This is the 14th year awards have been given by the UW Environmental Stewardship Committee.

The Husky Sustainability Awards are given to students, faculty and staff from the Seattle, Bothell and Tacoma campuses who show impact, initiative, leadership and dedication around sustainability.

For more information, Click Here

Mary Gates Research Scholarship

October 2022

Stefhany Alves

The Mary Gates Research Scholarship is a UW scholarship for undergraduate students involved in research in various disciplines, offered twice a year. Stefhany was awarded the scholarship for her project, "Project Stoma," the development of "a medical app for stoma patients to get a precise fit for their wafers and to have better care."

"I applied for the scholarship and wrote an essay about why I think my research related to my field of study and how I intend to continue to work on it throughout the year. When you apply, you must say which quarter you want the scholarship applied to. And you have to commit to presenting at the Research symposium and take at least one credit during Summer Quarter."

For more information on the scholarship, click here.

NWCIT Award for Aspirations in Computing, National Honorable Mention, Regional Affiliate Award Winner

February 2022

Risha Jhangiani

Each year, the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) recognizes students and educators for their accomplishments and goals in computing and technology. The Award for Aspirations in Computing "honors 9th-12th grade women, genderqueer, or non-binary students for their computing-related achievements and interests, and encourages them to pursue their passions", granting various prizes, including scholarships and internship opportunities.

For more information about the award, click here. Each year, the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) recognizes students and educators for their Each year, the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) recognizes students and educators for theirrecognizes students.

OSAP James A. Cottone Award for Excellence in Investigative Research

July 2021

Sep Makhsous

The Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention (OSAP) is a dental membership association "solely focused on dental infection prevention and patient safety education and training." Sep was awarded the 2021 Dr. James A. Cottone Award for Excellence in Investigative Research for his abstract: "Evaluating Aerosol Persistence During Dental Procedures Using a Real-Time Network of Sensor."

For more information about the award and OSAP, click here.

Vikram Jandhyala and Suja Vaidyanathan Endowed Innovation Award in Electrical Engineering

May 2018

Sep Makhsous

The Vikram Jandhyala and Suja Vaidyanathan Endowed Innovation Award in Electrical Engineering is a UW ECE award that "supports students with an entrepreneurial spirit." Sep was awarded the award for working on his graduate degrees in electrical engineering while completing his MBA and creating DietSkan. This handheld nutritional intake device earned him the invitation to be on SharkTank.

For more information on the award, click here.

International Society of Women Engineers’ Undergraduate Research Poster Competition, 1st Prize

October 2017

Molly Foley

The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) is "the world’s largest advocate and catalyst for change for women in engineering and technology." Its collegiate poster competition encourages women to showcase their research projects in engineering. Molly was selected as one of ten global finalists in the undergraduate poster competition for her abstract on her SEAL research project. She was ultimately awarded first prize at the international SWE WE17 Conference for her poster.

For more information about SWE and its competitions, click here.