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 Initiatives.


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

Kin Chung Fong

Understanding Superconductivity With Graphene

ECE/COS Associate Professor Kin Chung Fong published his research on “Superfluid Stiffness of Twisted Trilayer Graphene Superconductors” in Nature. Written in collaboration with researchers at Harvard and MIT, Fong uses ideas from resonant circuits to measure superfluid stiffness, providing deep insights into the nature of unconventional high-temperature superconductivity.

Patent for AI-Driven Wireless Beam Management

ECE Principal Research Scientist Michele Polese, Assistant Professor Francesco Restuccia, and Professor Tommaso Melodia were awarded a patent for “Coordination-free mmWave beam management with deep waveform learning.”

Institute for the Wireless Internet of Things Hosts Industry Conference, Showcases Research

The Institute for the Wireless Internet of Things highlighted its leadership role in wireless and smart connected systems research at its two-day conference, “Toward Open 6G Networks.” The institute plays an essential role in fostering partnerships between industry, government, and universities to develop wireless technologies for the future.

Sustainability Research Recognized at ACM/IEEE Supercomputing Conference

ECE Associate Professor Devesh Tiwari and a group of his PhD students were recognized at the ACM/IEEE Supercomputing Conference for four papers focused on cutting-edge solutions to address the climate challenge of the massive energy usage of quantum and high performance computing.