Engineering Innovations

Explaining Trustworthy AI & Self-Driving Labs with Purdue PhD Candidate Akshita Kamsali
In this episode of Engineering Innovations from Purdue’s Elmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, host Kristin Malavenda interviews fifth-year PhD candidate Akshita Kamsali, who works with Professor Avi Kok on deep learning with a focus on computer vision and natural language processing. Akshita shares how her engineering background and Purdue exchange experience led her to pursue a PhD at Purdue, and how her research evolved from optics to AI. She explains her work on understanding and improving the reliability of deep learning models used in sensitive areas such as medicine and security, and discusses her Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory internship exploring large language models for multimodal “self-driving labs,” emphasizing challenges such as safety, security, transparent object sensing, accuracy, and efficiency. Akshita also reflects on the realities of the PhD journey, advising, and career plans.

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Purdue University's Elmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, founded in 1888, is one of the largest ECE departments in the nation and is consistently ranked among the best in the country.

What does it take to turn a big research idea into a real device and a paper in Nature?
In this episode of Engineering Innovations, we talk with Purdue ECE PhD student Connor Devitt about research that could help shape the future of 5G and 6G wireless communication. The conversation explores how tunable chip-scale filters work, why they matter for future mobile networks, and what it was like to push this project from concept to fabrication to publication. Along the way, we also get a look at the day-to-day life of a Purdue ECE PhD student, from lab work and device testing to setbacks, breakthroughs and the long road of research.

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Purdue University's Elmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, founded in 1888, is one of the largest ECE departments in the nation and is consistently ranked among the best in the country.

Engineering Innovations: The Internet, but Make it Quantum

Host Kristin Malavenda interviews Purdue ECE associate professor Joseph Luken about engineering “spooky action at a distance” into real technology, including quantum communication networks and the future quantum internet. Luken explains how the quantum internet would transmit qubits and distribute entanglement, why networking is essential for scaling quantum computing and sensing, and why Einstein objected to entanglement until Bell’s later experimental tests supported quantum predictions. He describes quantum key distribution (QKD), how it detects eavesdropping, and how it contrasts with post-quantum cryptography, arguing for pursuing both given the risk of future quantum attacks. Luken discusses recent industry momentum, predicts fault-tolerant quantum computing may arrive within 10 years, and emphasizes integrated photonics as critical to moving quantum systems off optics tables and reducing loss.
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Purdue University's Elmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, founded in 1888, is one of the largest ECE departments in the nation and is consistently ranked among the best in the country.

AI and Visual Data Compression: Insights from Purdue ECE Professor Maggie Zhu
In this episode of Engineering Innovations, host Kristin Malavenda explores the fascinating world of visual data compression with Professor Maggie Zhu of Purdue University's Elmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering. They discuss how AI is revolutionizing the efficiency of image and video compression, the challenges and opportunities it presents, and how these advancements impact industries ranging from healthcare to entertainment. Tune in to learn about the latest research and future possibilities in AI-driven compression.
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Purdue University's Elmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, founded in 1888, is one of the largest ECE departments in the nation and is consistently ranked among the best in the country.

Understanding the Environmental Impact of AI with Dr. Yi Ding
Hosted and produced by Kristin Malavenda
In this episode of Engineering Innovations, host Kristin Malavenda talks to Dr. Yi Ding, an associate professor at Purdue University's Elmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering. They discuss the immense energy consumption of modern AI systems like ChatGPT, which could soon account for up to 12% of US electricity usage. Dr. Ding's research focuses on the broader environmental impacts of AI, including carbon emissions, water consumption, and biodiversity. They delve into how AI models and data centers contribute to these issues and explore strategies for developing sustainable AI systems. Dr. Ding sheds light on policy implications, data transparency, and industry practices that need to change for a more sustainable future. The episode also touches on Dr. Ding's personal journey into this research and her pedagogical approach to mentoring students.
00:00 Introduction to Engineering Innovations
00:14 The Energy Cost of AI
00:32 Meet Dr. Yi Ding
01:00 Understanding AI's Energy Hunger
03:16 Inside Data Centers
04:22 Beyond Energy: Carbon, Water, and Biodiversity
08:26 Dr. Yi Ding's Research Journey
10:32 Balancing Performance and Sustainability
15:00 The Role of Policy and Regulation
16:07 Future of AI and Sustainability
22:18 Mentorship and Personal Insights
27:15 Conclusion and Farewell

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Purdue University's Elmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, founded in 1888, is one of the largest ECE departments in the nation and is consistently ranked among the best in the country.