ECE News

At Michigan State University, excellence is measured not only by recognition, but by the impact our work has on people, communities and the future. That commitment to discovery, service and connection is central to MSU’s land-grant mission and the spirit of Spartans Will.

Thirteen Michigan State University College of Engineering faculty members were among those honored Sept. 29 during MSU’s 2026 Faculty Investiture and State of the University at the Wharton Center for Performing Arts.

My interest in quantum computing started for a pretty simple reason: The mathematical symbols looked really cool and complicated.

At the time, I did not know what most of them meant. But I wanted to.

We expect our phones, cars and other connected technologies to know where they are and to communicate wherever we go. The Global Positioning System, or GPS, helps make that possible, but the satellite signals GPS uses can’t reach everywhere. Inside buildings, underground and among tall buildings, those signals can be blocked or disrupted. Now, Michigan State University researchers have demonstrated how wireless systems can work together without relying on GPS.

Michigan State University’s College of Engineering welcomed new faculty members across its academic departments, programs and administrative units throughout 2026.

What if the food on your plate could be tailored to your body — taking into consideration your individual nutritional needs, how your body processes different foods and even what you like to eat? That is the idea behind precision nutrition, an emerging field that brings together nutrition, agriculture, engineering, food science and technology to better understand how food affects individuals and how the food system can deliver healthier, safer and more sustainable food.

As quantum technologies move from research laboratories toward real-world applications, Michigan State University is helping prepare the next generation of students to take part.

More than 200 researchers, industry leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers and government partners gathered in East Lansing on Aug. 11 for the 2026 Mobility Summit, themed “Michigan Moves: Building the Next Mobility Economy.”

John Albrecht has been named interim associate dean for research for the College of Engineering at Michigan State University. His appointment begins Sept.1, 2026. Albrecht has been a professor in the Departments of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Chemical Engineering and Materials Science since 2012. He has served as the executive director of the University Research Organization (URO) in the MSU Office of Research and Innovation since 2022 and will continue in the leadership role while serving as interim with the college.

For decades, silicon has been the foundation of modern electronics because it is abundant, relatively affordable and well suited to the precise control of electrical current that makes computer chips possible. But today’s most advanced systems, from AI hardware to high-power and quantum technologies, are pushing silicon harder than ever, demanding more speed, more power and operation in hotter, harsher environments. As those demands grow, heat has become a major bottleneck: silicon remains essential, but it does not move heat nearly as well as diamond, making it harder to keep next-generation devices cool, compact and reliable.