Dear Colleagues,

As 2025 draws to a close, we're grateful for the many collaborations and shared discoveries that continue to drive innovation across our field. 

This year, Duke ECE celebrated major research advances and recognition across quantum computing, AI, semiconductors, metamaterials and more. Our faculty are developing quantum systems that promise to transform secure communications and computation, pioneering new approaches to edge computing that bring powerful AI to small, energy-efficient devices, and engineering metamaterials that manipulate light, sound and electromagnetic waves in unprecedented ways. 

We invite you to explore the 2025 ECE Impact Report to see more of the achievements and milestones of our faculty, staff and students that shaped an extraordinary year. 

Wishing you a joyful holiday season and wonderful start to the new year.

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

#17 & #18

computer engineering and electrical engineering graduate programs

U.S. News and World Report

$37.5M

research expenditures

in FY25

44 & 52

PhD students graduated and matriculated

in 2024-2025

21

IEEE Fellows

42% of tenured/tenure-track faculty members

$18B+ & $1B+

publicly traded market caps

of ECE startups IonQ and Evolv

AI/ML Research & Education

NSF Athena AI Institute

New AI/ML master's track

Discover all of the exciting activity happening across Duke ECE throughout 2025.

NSF CAREER Award to evaluate analog radio-over-fiber technology

ACM Distinguished Member

IEEE Edward J. McCluskey Technical Achievement Award

Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Research Fellow in Physics

Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE)

NSF CAREER Award to understand the potential of a 2D class of materials with high-performing characteristics.

Yiran Chen received nearly $11 million to lead a multi-institution collaboration to develop brain-inspired hardware neurons that could lead to faster, smarter and more energy‑efficient AI.

Ken Brown and the Duke Quantum Center received up to $4 million to begin designing a powerful 256-qubit quantum computer as part of a major NSF initiative for quantum technology.

Crystal Noel received a $2.66 million grant to build a 96-qubit quantum computer by 2027 that will inform parallel efforts to build quantum infrastructure and provide a powerful tool for researchers. 

Duke ECE researchers are advancing wireless technologies from lab theory to real-world networks. See how we are contributing to 6G research.

Aaron Franklin is transforming sustainable manufacturing with recyclable electronics printed at microscopic scales. See how the breakthrough works. 

Willie Padilla's group shows how agentic systems of large language models can tackle complex inverse design problems, fast-tracking discoveries once thought to take years. Find out how they did it.

The inaugural Athena Summit showcased Duke's leadership in AI and edge computing to visitors all over the country. See why industry is keen on strengthening its partnerships with Duke ECE.

Duke ECE welcomed more than 300 leading researchers for the 83rd Device Research Conference. Explore how this historic meeting is shaping the future of electronics. 

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