Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering
Northeastern University College of Engineering
Student looking through microscope

Research

Collaborative and Interdisciplinary Research

The Electrical and Computer Engineering department nourishes a vibrant research environment motivated by our dedicated faculty and graduate students. Our research programs are funded by many government agencies, including the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Institute of Health (NIH), the Office of Naval Research (ONR), the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR), Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Department of Homeland Security, and numerous local and national industries.

Research activities at the ECE Department can be classified by research areas and by research centers and institutes. The department offers eight research areas of focus and is either the lead or partner of nine research centers and institutes.

Faculty also conduct research in their labs. View faculty profiles to learn about their research, including work being conducted in their laboratories. Also, view our Annual Reports and college-wide research efforts.

Quick Facts

$52M

external research awards (FY2024)

91

tenured/tenure-track faculty

12+

research centers and institutes (leading or affiliated with)

Research Strengths

Our research strengths encompass the full gamut of cutting-edge ECE technologies: embedded systems and internet-of-things, robotics and cyber-human systems, networking (mobile/wireless as well as the Internet of the future), big data analytics and machine learning. Northeastern’s historic strengths in ECE include communications and digital signal processing, power and control systems, power electronics, RF/microwave magnetic materials, device technologies, and computer engineering.

Biomedical Research and Collaborations

Northeastern ECE faculty are engaged in a range of biomedical projects in collaboration with fellow world-class researchers in the Boston-area medical community. These projects span all disciplinary areas and include MEMS/NEMS sensors for biological detection; applications of wireless technology in biomedical implants; biomedical imaging hardware and signal processing; brain-computer interface technologies; disease detection and tracking; and many more.

Recent News

More News
Image for Shrivastava Awarded NIH R01 Grant for Creating Smart Implants for Managing Brain Disorders
Faculty

Shrivastava Awarded NIH R01 Grant for Creating Smart Implants for Managing Brain Disorders

ECE Associate Professor Aatmesh Shrivastava was awarded a $1.2M grant from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke for “Transforming Brain Disorder Management through Ultra-Low-Power ML Implants.”

Image for Advances Quantum Computing Communication Using Magnons
Faculty

Advances Quantum Computing Communication Using Magnons

ECE Assistant Professor Xufeng Zhang is developing small-scale magnetic systems utilizing tiny quantum waves called magnons to help future quantum computers communicate with one another.

Image for Patent for Radar Technology That Enhances 3D Imaging and Signal Clarity
Faculty

Patent for Radar Technology That Enhances 3D Imaging and Signal Clarity

MIE/ECE Professor Jose Martinez Lorenzo was awarded a patent for “Millimeter-wave massive MIMO FMCW radar with binary-phase-coded OFDM.”

Image for Sherman Awarded NIH Career Development Grant to Advance Neurofeedback Therapy for Knee Osteoarthritis Pain
Faculty

Sherman Awarded NIH Career Development Grant to Advance Neurofeedback Therapy for Knee Osteoarthritis Pain

Assistant Professor David Alexander Sherman, jointly appointed in the physical therapy, movement, and rehabilitation sciences, as well as electrical and computer engineering, has received a prestigious K23 Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award from the National Institutes of Health, a five-year grant supporting his research into neurofeedback therapies for knee osteoarthritis pain.