Purdue ECE alumnus Dr. Farhan A. Baqai elevated to IEEE Fellow
Dr. Farhan A. Baqai, alumnus of the Purdue University Elmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Senior Research Manager at Apple Inc., has been elevated to Fellow status with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). This is the highest grade of membership the institute confers upon its members.It is a distinction reserved for select individuals whose extraordinary accomplishments have contributed importantly to the advancement or application of engineering, science, and technology, bringing the realization of significant value to society.
Baqai earned a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from Purdue in 1997 and a PhD in 2000. He was chosen for IEEE Fellow status for contributions in leadership in digital camera image processing. Baqai and his team have contributed several key technologies to Apple’s iPhone, iPad, and Mac cameras as well as to Sony’s CyberShot digital cameras. Recently, he led the research and the cross-functional development effort for Night mode in the iPhone 11 camera, which dramatically improves mobile lowlight photography. He credits his Purdue education as a big reason for his career success.
“The hallmarks of my Purdue experience included exposure to highly accomplished faculty; the opportunity to take on difficult problems that are theoretically rich yet practically important; and the experience of working with Jan Allebach, who not only showed me how to conduct rigorous research but also demonstrated by example the importance of ethics and volunteering,” said Baqai. “All of these have helped shape my approach towards leading a research team and solving real world problems. We are in the age of rapid technological change — no area stays relevant for too long. A Purdue education has provided me with life lessons and necessary tools to constantly re-invent myself.”
Baqai is a Senior Area Editor (2018-date) and past Associate Editor (2010-2014) of IEEE Transactions on Image Processing and a member of IEEE Signal Processing Society's Image, Video, and Multidimensional Signal Processing (IVMSP) Technical Committee. He holds more than 25 issued US patents with more than 15 patents pending. He was selected as a Purdue ECE Outstanding Electrical and Computer Engineer in 2021. This is the highest honor the School gives to its alumni.