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2025 Rice Engineering Magazine Cover

The 2025 issue of Rice Engineering and Computing Magazine is here!


In our 50th anniversary issue, we celebrate the deep and growing connection between engineering and computing. From our early breakthroughs in high-performance computing to today’s advances in AI and data science, Rice has long been at the forefront of computing innovation. This edition highlights some of the people, ideas, and investments shaping what’s next.

Rice Engineering and Computing Welcomes
19 New Research and Teaching Faculty Members

Rice University’s George R. Brown School of Engineering and Computing is growing and excited to welcome new faculty. As a testament to our steadfast commitment to excellence in research, teaching, and mentorship, the school has added 19 new research and teaching faculty members this academic year.

This cohort of new faculty—spanning eight of the school’s nine departments—expands the school’s research and teaching expertise in the key focus areas of health and well-being, computing and AI and sustainability and resilience. The growth also aligns closely with Rice’s ambitious 10-year strategic plan to become a premier research and teaching institution.

All new faculty started at Rice on July 1, 2025,except where otherwise indicated.

Read Full Bios →

Tenured
Geoffroy Hautier
Geoffroy Hautier Trustee Professor of Materials Science and NanoEngineering
Research Expertise: Uses high-throughput computational approaches to design and discover materials for photovoltaics and quantum science.
Robert LiKamWa
Robert LiKamWa Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Research Expertise: Designs computing systems with enhanced visual and spatial features for mobile and extended reality.
Shihong Lin
Shihong Lin Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Research Expertise: Develops membrane and electrochemical separation approaches for sustainable water treatment.
Judy Wang
Huixia (Judy) Wang Chair and William Marsh Rice Trustee Professor in Data Science
Research Expertise: Builds mathematical and statistical models for biomedical problems and flood prediction.
Tenure-track
Aamand Anders
Aamand Anders Assistant Professor of Computer Science
Research Expertise: Solves theoretical problems related to differential privacy and learning-augmented algorithms.
Alexander Davydov
Alexander Davydov Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Research Expertise: Examines reliable control of complex engineering systems and neural networks.
Alireza Fallah
Alireza Fallah Assistant Professor of Computer Science
Research Expertise: Explores machine learning theory, game theory, and mechanism design.
Nakul Garg
Nakul Garg Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Research Expertise: Creates wireless technologies with sustainable AI systems for low-power sensing.
Tong Geng
Tong (Tony) Geng Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Research Expertise: Focuses on brain-inspired physical AI and computer architecture.
Amanda Nash
Amanda Nash Assistant Professor of Bioengineering
Research Expertise: Applies immunoengineering and molecular diagnostics to treat cancers and brain injury.
Wei Qiu
Wei Qiu Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Research Expertise: Utilizes AI/ML to identify biomarkers for aging and enhance healthcare efficacy.
Kelsey Swingle
Kelsey Swingle Assistant Professor of Bioengineering
Research Expertise: Engineers biomaterial-based drug delivery for vaccines and women's health.
Sang Ri Yi
Sang-ri Yi Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Research Expertise: Formulates computational methods to quantify hazard resilience of urban infrastructure.
Yirui Zhang
Yirui (Arlene) Zhang Assistant Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Research Expertise: Develops electrochemical materials to control energy storage processes.
Xinyi Zhang
Xinyi (Cindy) Zhang Assistant Professor of Statistics
Research Expertise: Builds machine learning methods for large-scale health sciences and neuroimaging.
Non-tenure Track
Amirpooya Dardashti
Amirpooya Dardashti Assistant Teaching Professor
Focus Areas: Workplace communication strategies tailored for engineering students.
Jorge Loyo
Jorge Loyo Assistant Teaching Professor
Focus Areas: Sustainable water purification and sustainable design courses.
Thanh Nguyen
Thanh Nguyen Professor in the Practice
Focus Areas: Engineering project management and developing high-performing teams.
Gina Pizzo
Gina Pizzo Lecturer in Statistics
Focus Areas: Linear regression and statistical methods for data science applications.