Kexin “Kathy” Li

After graduating with her doctoral degree in electrical and computer engineering in 2022, Kexin “Kathy” Li started working as a postdoctoral research scientist at Columbia University’s Columbia high-Speed and Millimeter-wave IC Lab.

Now she’s ready to begin her tenure-track role as an assistant professor of electrical engineering in the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University. Li was drawn to the Fulton Schools due to the institution’s strong presence in microelectronics education and research.

“The engineering programs have earned a remarkable reputation, and the caliber of individuals available for collaboration is remarkable,” she says.

As a faculty member, Li is eager to educate the next generation of electrical engineers.

In the Fall 2023 semester, she will teach students in EEE 335 Analog and Digital Circuits. In the course, students will learn the fundamentals and tools needed for electronic and mixed-signal circuit design.

“I am looking forward to collaborating with students,” Li says. “Guiding and mentoring them to achieve success in their academic pursuits brings great fulfillment.”

In addition to instructing electrical engineering students, Li will also conduct research in microelectronics. She is specifically interested in leveraging the advanced capabilities of new nanomaterials and semiconductor devices to push the limits of what’s possible in emerging circuit and system technologies.

Li was selected to participate in Rising Stars in EECS 2022, a workshop for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers with historically marginalized or underrepresented genders interested in pursuing academic careers. Launched at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2012, the annual event has since been hosted at the University of California, Berkeley, Carnegie Mellon University, Stanford University, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and the University of Texas at Austin.

Li’s academic accomplishments resulted in collaborations with several research labs. She has worked as a research intern in the Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories and has collaborated with researchers from Boeing, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and HRL Laboratories. She also has seven published articles in journals such as the Journal of Applied Physics and the IEEE Journal of the Electron Devices Society and nine conference proceedings, including work from the 2023 IEEE BiCMOS and Compound Semiconductor Integrated Circuits and Technology Symposium and the 2022 Device Research Conference.

When she’s not working, Li enjoys swimming, playing the violin and traveling with her family.

Meet the newest faculty members of the Fulton Schools of Engineering here.

Written by TJ Triolo