Koushanfar wins young investigator award

Farinaz Koushanfar, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering and of computer science, has won a 2009 Office of Naval Research (ONR) Young Investigator Program (YIP) award. Koushanfar’s proposal was one of 15 selected from a pool of 193 for the prestigious award.

 She will receive a three-year research grant up to $510K.

ONR’s young investigators are considered among the top academic researchers in the country. The young investigator program has been in place at ONR since 1985, recognizing research achievements, potential for continued outstanding research efforts, and strong support and commitment from their respective universities and research institutions.

The program recognizes academic scientists and engineers who have received a doctorate or equivalent degrees within the past five years and who show exceptional promise for doing cutting-edge research. Its objectives are to attract outstanding faculty members of institutions of higher education to the Department of the Navy’s research program, support their research, and encourage their teaching and research careers.

Koushanfar received her Ph.D. in electrical engineering and computer science from the University of California-Berkeley in 2005. She joined Rice in 2006. She is the recipient of the National Science Foundation CAREER Award and was named to MIT Technology Review magazine’s 2008 list of the world’s 35 top young innovators.