Mohammad Moghimi
What year did you start at NIU? 2019
Where is your hometown, and where do you reside now?
I am from Tehran, Iran, and I currently reside in DeKalb.
Which department do you teach in? Electrical Engineering
Are you a member of or hold a position within a professional organization? If so, what organization? What is the purpose of that organization and how does being part of this organization benefit you in your role at NIU?
I am an active member of IEEE and SPIE. These are international organizations for electrical and optical engineers. I serve as reviewers for their journals and interact with professionals in the field to find new opportunities. Also, my students present our research achievements in SPIE and IEEE conferences. This will help us to expose our research to potential collaborators.
What do you do to relax or recharge?
I usually spend time with family and read books. I also like to travel and explore new places.
Where did you attend college and what degree(s) have you earned?
My degrees include: Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana; M.S. in Electrical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran; and B.S. in Electrical Engineering, K. N. Toosi University of Technology, Tehran, Iran.
What do you like about working at NIU?
I like the emphasis on hands-on learning, and also CEET’s Microelectronics Research and Development Lab, also known as the cleanroom lab. Not many colleges have a lab at this level. The environment is very friendly and supportive among the faculty. I like how curious the students are. I’m teaching students the state of the art in micro/nano electronics. They are so excited to learn about the next generations of electronic devices. For example, they learn what’s going on inside their cell phones and laptops.
Tell us about a research or engaged learning project you have led.
One project I have been working on in the college’s Microelectronics Research and Development Lab, with my team of grad students, is research on microelectronics and microsystems to develop a wearable home health monitoring device that helps doctors remotely monitor heart patients 24/7 from the comfort of their homes. The device sends continuous data to the patient’s cell phone and, in turn, to the doctor.
What do you hope students take away from your class?
I want my students to understand the basic theories but also put the theory into practice so they can contribute to a company and take the lead in industry in the future.
Who has influenced your professional path?
My high school teachers and university advisors had substantial impact on my professional career. They encouraged me and told me how engineering can help our society and solve problems.
What did you want to be when you were growing up? Are you currently doing it? If not, what changed your path?
When I was young I was curious about how everyday items like radios, TVs and telephones worked. I would take apart the radio to see if I could figure it out how it worked. One of my high school teachers recommended electrical engineering. At college, I became interested in microsystems and microelectronics. I wanted to understand how the tiniest computer CPU chips could be so powerful.
What community organizations are you involved in?
I closely work with NIU’s Division of Outreach, Engagement and Regional Development to attend in high schools and community colleges in Illinois and talk to students and families about our engineering program. I want to inform them about opportunities in engineering and what career paths they could have.
Mohammad Moghimi is an assistant professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering in the College of Engineering and Engineering Technology