Md. Mottaleb Hossain Awarded Competitive 2017 Student Travel Grant from IEEE

November 7, 2017 - CHTM

Md Mottaleb Hossain

Md. Mottaleb Hossain

OSE-ECE doctoral student Md. Mottaleb Hossain, has been awarded a competitive 2017 Student Travel Grant in the amount of $2000 from IEEE Photonics Society to attend Society's flagship conference, the 2017 IEEE Photonics Conference (IPC 2017). The IEEE Photonics Society awards up to 15 students with the travel award with the IEE Photonics Fund awarding up to 8 per year, totaling only 23 grants awarded for all student members nationwide. The conference has taken place on October 1-5, 2017 in Orlando, Florida, USA. Attending the 2017 IEEE Photonics Conference was a great chance for Mr. Hossain to share and exchange ideas, be published, and connect with fellow academia and industry professionals in the area of photonics. This specialized conference has significant impact on his professional development.

Mr. Hossain is pursuing a PhD in the Optical Science and Engineering (OSE) program at the University of New Mexico (UNM). Since 2012, he has been a Graduate Research Assistant with  UNM’s Center for High Technology Materials, to support research activities of ECE Professor Majeed M. Hayat. His research is focused on the algorithmic multicolor CMOS avalanche photodiodes for smart lighting applications, i.e., adaptive lighting system (e.g., smart room environment) and visible light communication system. These inexpensive devices are key components in future smart solid-state lighting systems that are expected to impact our productivity and energy sustainability dramatically. His research work is supported in part by the Center for Lighting Enabled Systems and Applications (LESA), a National Science Foundation (NSF) Engineering Research Center (ERC). From January to September 2016, Mr. Hossain worked on Sandia Enabled Communications and Authentication Network using Quantum Key Distribution (SECANT QKD) project at the Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT) at Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, USA. This work was funded by the United States Department of Energy (DOE). Mr. Hossain’s research outcomes have been published in peer reviewed IEEE journals and conferences.

 Mr. Hossain has excellent leadership and communication skills and has a strong interest in innovation. He served as the first Associate Vice President (AVP) of Student Membership at IEEE Photonics Society (IPS), IEEE for 2014-2016. He was the President of Optical Society of America's UNM Student Chapter for 2014-2015. He also served as the Vice President for 2013-2014. He worked with the Society to provide undergraduate and graduate students, who have an interest in the photonics field, with opportunities for educational, technical and professional development. The ultimate goal is to empower students to become effective leaders and active community members within the Society and the photonics community at large. Mr. Hossain is an active graduate student member of many professional and learned societies including SPIE, OSA, IEEE, IEEE Photonics Society (IPS), IEEE EDS, and Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB). 

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. He is very thankful to Stefi Weisburd (Outreach and Education Manager, UNM’s School of Engineering) who helped him to get involved in such outreach activities. He is a great asset to our outreach effort and he has been playing a key role in enhancing outreach at different institutions and events including National Museum of Nuclear Science & History, New Mexico State Fair, Big Brothers Big Sisters Discovery Festival at the Albuquerque Convention Center, NMNWSE Central Chapter Expanding Your Horizons, State Legislature (State Capitol building) in Santa Fe, Albuquerque Institute of Math & Science, Salam Academy, Jefferson Middle School, South Valley Academy, East San Jose Elementary School, Whittier Elementary, and Taft Middle School. His efforts have long-term impacts in building a pipeline and motivating high school students of different grades in STEM education. In addition, through his outreach activities he has become a source of inspiration for many of youngsters who one day may themselves become researchers and/or educators in the field of photonics. In recognition to his outreach service, he was nominated for the 2013 Sarah Belle Brown Community Service Award in Student Category at the University of New Mexico.

Mr. Hossain is the recipient of numerous academic and professionals awards and honors for his long term and potential contribution to the Optics and Photonics. These include the 2016 Professional Development Grant from GPSA-UNM, the 2015 and 2016 Doctoral Conference Presentation Awards from UNM, the 2015 IEEE Outstanding Graduate Engineering Student Award from the IEEE Albuquerque Section, USA (Region 6), and the 2014 SPIE Optics and Photonics Education Scholarship.

Mr. Hossain was born in Dinajpur, Bangladesh. He received his Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in Electrical & Electronic Engineering (EEE) from Khulna University of Engineering & Technology (KUET) in Bangladesh in 2009. He received his MS degree in Optical Science and Engineering from University of New Mexico (UNM) in 2015. Besides academics, he was involved with numerous co-curricular activities of EEE Department. He worked as a coordinator at IEEE Student Branch, KUET in 2006. He was elected as a Vice President of EEE Department Student Organization in 2008 to conduct departmental student activities. He worked as a Faculty member in undergraduate EEE Department at the Stamford University Bangladesh from 2009-2012. He was the founding counselor of IEEE Stamford U Student Branch in Bangladesh in 2012.