A landmark $57 million commitment from the Lamond family has named the Pierre R. Lamond Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Duke University. In this short video, discover how the gift will transform the department and support groundbreaking research.

Dear Colleagues,

Last month, we announced news of a transformational gift from the Lamond family that will accelerate Duke ECE's work in semiconductors and advanced computing. In this newsletter, we look more closely at the depth of expertise already within our faculty, highlighting the work and perspectives that have built a strong foundation in semiconductor research over the past decade.

The featured video at the top offers insight into why the Lamond family invested in Duke and how we are positioning the department to contribute at scale to national priorities. You'll also find a series of faculty profiles that display the breadth of our work, spanning devices, materials, circuits and systems, as well as the integration of semiconductors with emerging technologies like AI. Additional features highlight how our faculty are enabling energy-efficient edge AI, bringing intelligence closer to where data is stored.

These stories underscore our commitment to building a collaborative, forward-thinking semiconductor program that connects fundamental research with real-world impact. 

Hai "Helen" Li, PhD
Chair of Electrical and Computer Engineering,
Marie Foote Reel E’46 Distinguished Professor

Discover how Yiran Chen draws inspiration from the human brain to rethink semiconductor hardware design. 

Learn how Aaron Franklin is studying nanomaterials to push electronics past silicon with printable, scalable devices. 

See how Hai "Helen" Li is rethinking hardware architectures to power scalable, sustainable AI and intelligent edge systems.

Learn how Tania Roy is exploring emerging materials that can enable new hardware architectures for AI, sensing and imaging.

Find out how Haozhe "Harry" Wang is developing new methods to manufacture nanoelectronic materials with atomic-scale precision through both additive and subtractive processes.

The Athena AI Institute, led by Yiran Chen, convened global leaders at a summit in Abu Dhabi, UAE. See how those conversations are advancing the hardware and collaborations needed to scale up edge AI worldwide.

The lab of Tingjun Chen is using the physics of wireless signals to deliver powerful AI to tiny edge devices. Find out how they are working to cut energy use while boosting speed and intelligence.

Haozhe "Harry" Wang's lab used Google's Gemini 3 Deep Think to solve a complex challenge in materials science: optimizing fabrication methods for crystal growth. See how he's integrating AI into his lab to break new ground in semiconductor research.

Brown, a pioneer in the fields of quantum computer architecture and ion-trap quantum computing, will lead DQC for the next two years. His impressive record of research, teaching and translation ensures that DQC will remain at the forefront of the field.

Follow @DukeECE on LinkedIn for more!

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