Research Overview

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Research Focus Areas

Research in UD’s ECE department is diverse. Our interdisciplinary, diverse, modern research environment allows us to conduct fundamental and applied research in a range of subjects, from photonics to internet technologies. Faculty research can be divided into three broad areas:

Joint and secondary faculty appointments exist with Physics, Mechanical Engineering, and Computer Science. We encourage entrepreneurship through coursework and partnerships with Horn Entrepreneurship, the creative engine for entrepreneurship education and advancement at UD. We also have a strong history of intellectual property and start-up companies that grow from faculty research, facilitated by a close relationship with UD’s Office of Economic Innovation & Partnerships.

Refer to the Faculty Matrix to see the faculty who perform research in each of these areas.

Computer Engineering

Computer engineering at UD focuses extensive efforts on the design of computer processors and computing systems, including their interconnections and security, as well as foundational topics in artificial intelligence (AI). In the area of processors, UD has made significant design contributions to processors that allow hundreds of thousands of processors to be incorporated into a single system. In the area of computing systems, UD research and education encompasses many topics, ranging from new ways to develop software to critical issues of system security. UD computer engineering continues to excel in areas such as wireless networking and network-based computing. Innovations in AI range from new methods in information retrieval to efficient explainable AI to AI infrastructure.

Subareas at UD are:

  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Computer systems
  • Cybersecurity
  • Network science

Nanoelectronics, Electromagnetics & Photonics

Nanoelectronics, electromagnetics and photonics (NEP) at UD span a wide spectrum of research—from exploring the fundamental nature of materials to building next-generation electronic and photonic devices, integrated circuits, and systems. Our large, dynamic community of faculty and graduate students drives cutting-edge programs in areas such as high-efficiency solar cells, novel light-emitting, modulating, and detecting devices, antennas, advanced hardware platforms for AI, optical interconnects, quantum computing, and millimeter/terahertz-wave imaging. Graduate students benefit from access to state-of-the-art cleanroom and nanofabrication facilities, enabling hands-on innovation at every level. Our graduates go on to impactful careers across academia, industry, and government laboratories.

NEP Subareas at UD are:

  • Electromagnetics and Photonics
  • Semiconductor Devices
  • Energy and Power
  • Integrated Circuits and Systems
  • Quantum Computing and Sensing

Related: UD’s Nanofabrication Facilities

Signal Processing, Communications & Controls

At UD, the Signal Processing, Communications & Controls group develops the theory, algorithms, and systems that move, interpret, and act on information. Our researchers advance computational imaging, wireless and networked communications, computational signal processing, and biomedical systems. Working across applied mathematics, optimization, deep learning and software/hardware prototyping, we collaborate in domains ranging from healthcare and remote sensing to autonomy and smart infrastructure. Graduates pursue impactful careers in academia, government, and industry.

  Research Themes:

  • Statistical & Computational Signal Processing
  • Sparse/compressive sensing and graph signal processing
  • Data Science, machine learning, and artificial intelligence (deep, probabilistic, and trustworthy/robust methods)
  • Tensor and low rank approximations
  • Sensing, Imaging & Remote Sensing
  • Radar/SAR and MIMO radar; SONAR, passive and cooperative sensing
  • Biomedical/acoustic/physiological/MRI/CT
  • Lidar and 3D time-of-flight imaging
  • Underwater acoustics and oceanography
  • Communications & Networking
  • Massive MIMO, mmWave/THz, and 5G/6G systems; non‑terrestrial networks (satellite/NTN)
  • Network security and resilience
  • Coding and information theory (source/channel coding, capacity approaching codes, quantum error correction, and fault-tolerant quantum computation)
  • Control, Autonomy & Robotics
  • Systems biology
  • Human-in‑the‑loop systems, surgical/medical robotics, and assistive autonomy
  • Cyber-physical and safety‑critical systems

    Application Domains:
  • Wireless communications and spectrum systems (5G/6G, NTN, IoT)
  • Autonomous vehicles, UAVs, and intelligent transportation
  • Healthcare & biomedicine (digital health, medical imaging, physiological monitoring)
  • Environmental & Earth observation (SAR/remote sensing, Lidar, climate and ocean monitoring)
  • Defense & security (EW, guidance, tracking, TomoSAR)


    Training & Outcomes:
    Students build strong foundations in probability and stochastic processes, optimization, information theory, linear systems and control, and machine/deep learning—paired with hands‑on experience in Python/C/C++, SDRs, GPUs, and FPGAs. UD’s ECE faculty span early‑career to senior scholars and collaborate widely across campus and with external partners. Alumni pursue careers in academia, national laboratories, startups, and established industries in communications, robotics, healthcare, and defense.