Md. Mottaleb Hossain wins 2015 ABQ IEEE Outstanding Graduate Engineering Student Award

May 11, 2015

MottalebCHTM and OSE-ECE graduate student, Md. Mottaleb Hossain, has won the 2015 IEEE Albuquerque Section Outstanding Graduate Engineering Student Award. The award was presented at the IEEE–Sigma Xi annual awards banquet on May 11, 2015 at the UNM Continuing Education building. Mottaleb’s citation, which appears on the award, states that it is “For achieving excellence in scholarly research work on linear mode CMOS compatible p-n junction silicon avalanche photodiodes to be used in smart-lighting systems as well as for excellent leadership, communication and outreach skills in motivating youngsters in the field of engineering, especially in optical science and engineering.” Mottaleb received his BS degree in Electrical & Electronic Engineering from Khulna University of Engineering & Technology, Bangladesh in 2009.

He received his MS degree in Optical Science & Engineering from University of New Mexico in 2015 and is now pursuing a Ph.D. in Optical Science and Engineering at the University of New Mexico. He works with Electrical and Computer Engineering Professor Majeed M. Hayat on high speed/responsivity detectors to be used in smart-lighting applications. His research work is supported in part by the National Science Foundation under Smart Lighting Engineering Research Center. He was also the recipient of several awards and grants including the 2014 SPIE Optics and Photonics Education Scholarship for his long term and potential contribution to the Optics and Photonics, the People’s Choice award in the student poster competition at CS/ECE Tech Day 2014 at UNM, 2013 & 2014 travel grants from the UNM Student Conference Award Program (S-CAP), a 2013 Research, Project and Travel (RPT) grant from the Office of Graduate Studies at UNM, and a 2013 SPIE student travel grant to present his paper at SPIE Optics + Photonics Conference.

While being active in his research, Hossain has been a mentor to a number of undergraduate and high school students working on research projects at CHTM. Over the years, he has donated his time to many outreach activities at CHTM and Optical Science & Engineering. Mottaleb has excellent leadership and communication skills and has a strong interest in innovation. He is the President of the Optical Society of America's UNM Student Chapter (OSA-UNM) for 2014-2015. He also served as the Vice President of the OSA-UNM Student Chapter for 2013-2014. He is an active graduate student member of many professional and learned societies including SPIE, OSA, IEEE, IEEE Photonics Society (IPS), IEEE EDS, and the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB). Read more about Mr. Mottaleb’s research, awards, publications, outreach activities, and background at http://www.unm.edu/~mottaleb77.