Ashok Veeraraghavan, a computer engineer and professor of Indian descent, has received the esteemed Edith and Peter O’Donnell Award in engineering, a leading academic recognition in Texas. The Texas Academy of Medicine, Engineering, Science, and Technology (TAMEST) grants this award to promising researchers in the state. Veeraraghavan, a professor at Rice University’s George R. Brown School of Engineering, was selected for his groundbreaking imaging technology aimed at revealing the invisible.
This accolade is bestowed annually upon outstanding researchers in various fields, including medicine, engineering, biological sciences, physical sciences, and technology innovation. Veeraraghavan’s revolutionary imaging technology earned him this year’s engineering award, according to TAMEST.
Hailing from Chennai, Veeraraghavan joyfully accepted the award, crediting his team’s innovative research at Rice University’s computational imaging lab spanning the last ten years. Their research encompasses the entire imaging process, from optics and sensor design to machine learning processing algorithms, addressing imaging challenges beyond current technologies’ capabilities.
Veeraraghavan’s research focuses on developing solutions for imaging scenarios where the target visualization is hindered by light scattering in participating media. He highlighted challenges such as fog affecting driving visibility, clouds obstructing satellite imaging, and skin hindering biological imaging. Overcoming these challenges is at the core of his lab’s work, which has made significant strides in imaging through scattering media.
Luay Nakhleh, the Dean of Engineering at Rice, praised Veeraraghavan’s accomplishment, emphasizing its significance for the university. Ramamoorthy Ramesh, Rice’s Executive Vice President for Research, commended Veeraraghavan’s contributions, noting the broad impact of his research across various fields such as human health, microscopy, national security, and autonomous vehicles.
