Reza Ghodssi, University of Maryland,
“For pioneering research on developing novel MEMS processes, fabrication, and technologies for micro, nano, and bio-devices and systems and their momentous impact on small-scale power, optical, and biomedical applications”
Dr. Ghodssi is the Herbert Rabin Distinguished Chair in Engineering in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) and the former Director of the Institute for Systems Research (ISR) at the University of Maryland (UMD). He received his B.S. (1990), M.S. (1992), and Ph.D. (1996) from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, focusing on developing novel fabrication processes and technologies for high aspect ratio MEMS structures and devices using x-ray lithography and electroplating. Dr. Ghodssi joined the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) as a post-doctoral associate in 1997 and continued at MIT as a research scientist until 1999. During his time at MIT, Dr. Ghodssi was one of the key MEMS architects of the widely known “
MIT Micro Engine” project: an interdisciplinary DoD-sponsored research program to develop the first button-size battery that resembled a commercial jet engine. He contributed significantly to the project by developing some of the key fabrication processes and system integration technologies.
Over the last twenty-five years at the University of Maryland, Dr. Ghodssi has focused on developing unconventional, integrative technologies and processes for small-scale energy conversion, chemical and biological sensing, and biomedical applications. His research group has developed various MEMS technologies for PowerMEMS devices and significantly advanced optical MEMS for chemical and biological detection. Furthermore, he pioneered several micro-nano-bio systems using biological nanoscaffolds for energy conversion and sensing, leveraging the unique properties of the tobacco mosaic virus. His group’s innovations in micro/nano devices have vastly improved bacterial biofilm detection and treatment, addressing critical healthcare challenges. These contributions are culminating in the development of ingestible devices and systems for real-time,
in vivo diagnostics and treatments, marking a significant stride in personalized medicine and biomedical applications.
Dr. Ghodssi’s association with the American Vacuum Society (AVS) traces back to 1991 when he delivered his first conference presentation, followed by an
AVS Graduate Research Award in 1995 during his Ph.D. studies. Since then, he has been actively engaged in the AVS community and served as the Program Chair Committee of the
AVS MEMS and NEMS Technical Group from 2002 to 2004. Dr. Ghodssi is a University of Maryland Distinguished Scholar-Teacher and a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the American Vacuum Society, and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). Dr. Ghodssi is President of the Transducer Research Foundation (TRF) and the recipient of several awards, including the 2002 National Science Foundation CAREER Award.