Rice University Electrical & Computer Engineering

Groundbreaking research from Rice University is gaining international recognition in Physics World.

A new feature highlights PrecisionView, an affordable AI-powered handheld endomicroscope developed by researchers at Rice University that has the potential to transform early cancer detection, particularly in low-resource healthcare settings.

We’re proud to see Ashok Veeraraghavan, Rebecca Richards-Kortum, Huaya Hou, Jimin Wu and other collaborators leading innovative work at the intersection of artificial intelligence, computational imaging and healthcare technology — advancing solutions with the potential for real-world global impact.

Congratulations to the research team for pushing the boundaries of engineering innovation and expanding access to life-saving diagnostics.

Read more: https://physicsworld.com/a/affordable-ai-powered-endomicroscope-lines-up-for-early-cancer-detection/

Recognition at the highest level.

Rice ECE congratulates Nakul Garg on earning the 2026 ACM SIGMOBILE Doctoral Dissertation Award, a distinguished honor recognizing exceptional doctoral research and innovation in mobile computing.

We are excited to see members of our community continue advancing technologies that shape the future of computing and communication.

Read more: https://engineering.rice.edu/news/nakul-garg-receives-2026-acm-sigmobile-dissertation-award

What if the walls around you could become part of a machine’s vision system?

Researchers from Rice ECE and collaborators have developed a new approach that turns ordinary matte surfaces into a "virtual screen," helping machines capture highly accurate 3D images of complex environments that include both shiny and matte objects.

The breakthrough could improve machine vision for applications ranging from autonomous vehicles and robotics to manufacturing and medical imaging.

🔗 Read more:

Converting matte surfaces into virtual screens enhances machine vision Rice researchers and collaborators developed a computational imaging method that uses a laser and a high-speed camera to capture complex scenes in three dimensions with exceptional speed and accuracy.

Big ideas, real-world impact. 🔬⚡

Researchers at Rice University and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center are advancing the future of early cancer detection with PrecisionView, an AI-powered handheld microscope designed to help clinicians spot cancer earlier and more accurately in real time. Led in part by Rice ECE Chair Ashok Veeraraghavan, the technology combines advanced optics and artificial intelligence to expand imaging capabilities and improve access to lifesaving diagnostics.

This is a powerful example of how innovation in electrical and computer engineering is driving breakthroughs at the intersection of healthcare, AI and imaging.

Read more about this exciting research:

AI-powered handheld microscope aims to spot cancer earlier Researchers at Rice and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have developed a compact, artificial intelligence-powered imaging device that could transform how clinicians detect cancer.

From national conferences to hands-on industry experiences, our undergraduate students in Rice University Electrical and Computer Engineering are taking their learning beyond the classroom. 🌎⚡

Our new Student Spotlight page highlights the conferences, competitions, and professional events our students have attended — and shares their reflections on what they learned along the way this year.

Hear directly from our students about the experiences shaping their academic and professional journeys:

Student Spotlight Fostering diversity and an intellectual environment, Rice University is a comprehensive research university located on a 300-acre tree-lined campus in Houston, Texas. Rice produces the next generation of leaders and advances tomorrow’s thinking.

Congratulations to Rice ECE seniors Mitchell Hoffman, Thomas Pickell, Yilan Ren, Kaan Yilmaz, and Justin Zia for earning the Bill Wilson Prize for Best Electrical and Computer Engineering Design for their senior design team, BEAMFORM! 👏

This prestigious award recognizes the department’s top senior design project and honors the legacy of Dr. Bill Wilson—a beloved professor, mentor and champion of student success whose impact on Rice ECE continues to inspire generations.

We are proud to celebrate Mitchell, Thomas, Yilan, Kaan and Justin on this outstanding achievement and the innovation, collaboration and technical excellence demonstrated through BEAMFORM.

From AI and embedded systems to robotics and advanced computing applications, Rice University students in the Master of Electrical and Computer Engineering (MECE) program are developing innovative solutions through their capstone projects.

We’re excited to launch a new webpage showcasing these projects and highlighting the creativity, technical expertise and real-world impact of our MECE students.

Explore the site to learn more about the projects, the teams behind them and how Rice ECE students are preparing to lead the future of technology and engineering.

🔗

MECE Capstone Fostering diversity and an intellectual environment, Rice University is a comprehensive research university located on a 300-acre tree-lined campus in Houston, Texas. Rice produces the next generation of leaders and advances tomorrow’s thinking.

🎉 Celebrating excellence in Electrical and Computer Engineering at Rice Engineering!

Congratulations to our outstanding students recognized in this year’s Engineering Student Awards:

👏Emma Berdou (B.S., Class of 2027) — REA Outstanding Student Award
👏Haoming Chen (B.S., Class of 2027) — Louise J. Walsh Scholarship
👏Julieta Nava-Granados (Ph.D., Class of 2029) — REA Travel Grant
👏Lee Guiberson (B.S., Class of 2028) — Louise J. Walsh Scholarship
👏Maria Herrera(B.S., Class of 2028) — Louise J. Walsh Scholarship
👏Nicholas Hu (B.S., Class of 2027) — Chevron Scholarship
👏Daniel Kim (B.S., Class of 2028) — Louise J. Walsh Scholarship
👏Edwin Low (B.S., Class of 2026) — REA Research Excellence Award
👏Leo Marek (B.S., Class of 2026) — REA Outstanding Student Award
👏Anderson Roy Phillips (Ph.D., Class of 2026) — REA Travel Grant
👏Ekam Singh (B.S., Class of 2026) — Louise J. Walsh Scholarship
👏Yiran Sun (Ph.D., Class of 2027) — REA Travel Grant
👏Issy Tsai (B.S., Class of 2028) — Louise J. Walsh Scholarship
👏Giovanna Veras (B.S. , Class of 2026) — REA Leadership Excellence Award
👏Kushal Vyas (Ph.D., Class of 2028) — Hershel M. Rich Invention Award
👏Jing Wang (Ph.D., Class of 2027) — REA Travel Grant
👏Justin Xia (B.S., Class of 2026) — REA Leadership Excellence Award
👏Luna Zhou(B.S., Class of 2028) — Louise J. Walsh Scholarship
👏Haolin Zhu (B.S., Class of 2027) — Chevron Scholarship

These recognitions reflect the depth of talent, leadership, and innovation within the ECE community. We’re proud to see our students honored for their academic excellence, research impact, and contributions across Rice Engineering.

Student Awards 2025-26 Fostering diversity and an intellectual environment, Rice University is a comprehensive research university located on a 300-acre tree-lined campus in Houston, Texas. Rice produces the next generation of leaders and advances tomorrow’s thinking.

🚀 Driving innovation at the intersection of engineering and medicine

The Houston Methodist–Rice Digital Health Institute (HMRDHI) recently hosted its inaugural High-Impact Industry Collaboration Day—bringing together leading clinicians, engineers and industry partners to tackle some of the most pressing challenges in digital health.

From curated matchmaking sessions to real-world clinical insights, the event highlighted how intentional collaboration can accelerate the translation of research into meaningful patient outcomes. By connecting academic expertise with industry innovation, HMRDHI is helping move breakthrough technologies from the lab to real-world application.

🔗 Read more:

HMRDHI hosts an inaugural high-impact industry collaboration day | George R. Brown School of Engineering | Rice University HMRDHI co-directors, Ashutosh Sabharwal (left) and Khurram Nasir (right), welcoming attendees to the HMRDHI Industry Translation Day.

Celebrating excellence in electrical and computer engineering 👏

Rice University’s chapter of Eta Kappa Nu (IEEE-HKN) has inducted a new class of outstanding students, recognizing their achievements in scholarship, character and leadership. As one of the most prestigious honor societies in engineering, HKN membership highlights students who are shaping the future of the field.

Join us in congratulating these remarkable students and learn more about their accomplishments:
🔗 https://eceweb.rice.edu/news/eta-kappa-nu-inducts-new-members-rice-university