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Power Electronics
Power electronics covers conversion, control, and integration of electric energy in modern systems. Work spans DC–DC, inverters, motor drives, and wide-bandgap devices for EVs and renewables. The power systems laboratory in 20-104 supports hands-on design and testing. Employers include semiconductor, automotive, and energy firms.
Key contacts: Professors Dolan, Poon, and Taufik.
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Electric Power Systems
Electric power systems focus on generation, transmission, distribution, protection, and control as the grid transitions to low-carbon resources. Students model microgrids, renewables, storage, and smart-city infrastructure using industry-grade labs. Employers include utilities, EPC firms, and renewable developers. The Microgrid research team offers project opportunities.
Key contacts: Professors Dolan, Poon, Poshtan, and Taufik.
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Robotics, AI & ML for Robotics
Robotics at Cal Poly centers on safe, reliable autonomy for ground, aerial, and manipulator platforms. Topics include motion planning, control, perception, learning, and human-robot interaction for real-world deployment. Coursework and labs emphasize cyber-physical systems and field experimentation. Research projects span multi-robot systems, safety-critical control, and AI-enabled behaviors.
Key contacts: Professors Farzan and Hua.
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Integrated Electronics and VLSI
Integrated electronics and VLSI design cover analog, mixed-signal, and digital circuit design from specification through layout and verification. Students prototype ASICs and test chips through MOSIS, using professional EDA tools and lab equipment. Applications include sensors, communications, compute, and power management ICs.
Key contacts: Professors Aggarwal, Chakraborty, Ghamari, Kundu, and Prodanov.
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Computer System on a Chip
Computer System-on-Chip design integrates CPUs with configurable FPGAs and accelerators on a single die. Students explore hardware–software co-design, embedded systems, high-level synthesis, and performance optimization for application-specific computing. Projects target real-time signal processing, vision, and networking. Coursework uses modern toolchains and development boards for end-to-end prototypes.
Key contacts: Professors Aggarwal, Chakraborty, Ghamari, and Kundu.
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Radio Frequency and Microwave
RF and microwave design addresses components and systems operating above 1 GHz, including antennas, amplifiers, filters, and links. Students use advanced CAD and measurement with vector network and signal analyzers, sources, and chambers. Facilities include screen rooms and two anechoic chambers for characterization and validation.
Key contacts: Professors Arakaki, Derickson, Nayeri, and Prodanov.
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Computational Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Image Processing
Computational intelligence and machine learning focus on modeling, optimization, and decision-making from complex data. Students study neural networks, reinforcement learning, and control of multi-input multi-output systems, alongside image and signal processing. Emphasis is on efficient algorithms and deployment on embedded or GPU platforms.
Key contacts: Professors Yu and Zhang.
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Controls
Controls research develops methods for modeling, design, and real-time implementation of feedback systems. Topics include adaptive and robust control (H-infinity and mu-synthesis), safety-critical control using control barrier and Lyapunov functions, optimization-based MPC, and learning-based control via reinforcement learning and system identification. Applications span autonomous vehicles, robotics, power and energy systems, and networked cyber-physical systems.
Key contacts: Professors Farzan and Yu.
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Signal Processing
Signal processing develops algorithms for acquisition, filtering, feature extraction, and modulation across audio, communications, and sensing. Students implement real-time pipelines on software-defined radios and DSP boards, validating performance with lab instruments and datasets. Applications include wireless, biomedical, and robotics systems, with attention to robustness and efficiency.
Key contacts: Professors Hua, Pilkington, and Yu.
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Small Satellite Systems (CubeSat)
Small satellite system design engages students in end-to-end CubeSat development, from mission definition and subsystem design to integration, test, and operations. Work emphasizes communications, ADCS, power, and ground systems, with flight-like processes. The group hosts the annual CubeSat workshop each April and collaboration with industry partners.
Key contacts and projects: Professor Nayeri; see polysat.org.
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Photonics
Photonics combines electronics with lightwave systems for sensing, communications, and computing. Active research includes LIDAR, silicon photonics, and optical interconnects, supported by modeling and fabrication resources. Students design, simulate, and characterize components and links in dedicated labs. Students also participate in industry-aligned projects and field demonstrations.
Key contacts: Professors Derickson, Jin, and Kloosterman.
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Biomedical Electronics, Imaging and Microfluidics
This research applies electrical engineering to healthcare technologies. Projects span portable instrumentation, OCT imaging, biosensors, and lab-on-a-chip devices, with growing emphasis on healthcare IoT and embedded devices for wearables and point-of-care systems. Students design low-power edge hardware, secure connectivity, and data pipelines, then prototype, acquire data, and validate with clinical or benchtop workflows.
Key contacts: Professors Aggarwal, Derickson, Ghamari, and Hua.
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