Utkarsh is one of 85 student members of SPIE, the International Society for Optics and Photonics, who were awarded scholarships in May 2026. Singh was recognized for his potential contributions to optics, photonics, and related fields.

Yi Ding has been named project lead for the Software Water Intensity project, a new initiative launched within the Green Software Foundation (part of Linux Foundation). The project aims to develop a consistent way to measure the water consumed by software, similar to how organizations now measure software’s carbon footprint.

Bhave was recognized for his contributions to microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). MEMS technologies are used in many everyday systems, from smartphones and cars to medical devices and advanced scientific instruments.

At the center of the work is a quantum effect known as photon blockade, a phenomenon in which light is controlled so that photons, the smallest particles of light, pass through a system one at a time or in carefully controlled groups. This degree of control is important because many quantum technologies rely on the ability to generate and control light with extreme precision.

The fellowship, established in 2024, supports outstanding doctoral students in Purdue’s College of Engineering who are preparing for high-impact careers beyond academia. Okafor is one of five graduate students selected for the latest cohort.

Roth was recognized “for contributions to the development of multiscale and multiphysics computational techniques for the analysis and design of quantum information technologies.”

Raghunathan was honored by Princeton University’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering with its Distinguished PhD Graduate Alumnus Award and served as the department’s 2026 graduate commencement speaker.

Lundstrom succeeds Arvind Raman, who was confirmed May 18 by the U.S. Senate as undersecretary of commerce for standards and technology. Raman also will serve as director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

The concentration blends the technical foundation of electrical and computer engineering with industry-connected experience in the gaming world. Students in the program will participate in an Xbox Game Camp, where they will be paired with Microsoft mentors, gain insight from industry professionals and explore the technologies behind modern gaming experiences.

Purdue University’s Haitong Li has received a National Science Foundation CAREER Award to develop new computing chips and systems that could help future artificial intelligence (AI) reason, solve complex problems, and respond more effectively in real time while consuming less energy.