The School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) is home to the Opportunity Research Scholars Program (ORS), an undergraduate research experience that takes a team-based approach and matches 3-4 undergraduates with a graduate mentor to work on a research project. Students commit to the team for two-consecutive semesters, attend academic enrichment workshops, engage in team-building activities, and participate in a research poster competition at the end of the spring semester.
This fall, ORS students attended the Semiconductor Research Corporation (SRC) conference, TECHCON 2023 (September 10-12), in Austin, Texas. TECHCON provides undergrads, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers with a unique educational opportunity for traditional course work, cutting-edge research, and direct interaction with the semiconductor industry. Scholars work on industry-relevant research with SRC-funded faculty who are recognized experts in their fields.
Georgia Tech ECE ORS students swept the competition; earning the top three undergraduate awards presented at TECHCON 2023. The winners were Hanna Khor (1st Place), Janet Tocho (2nd Place), and Adrian Candocia (3rd Place).
TECHCON 2023 ORS winners Hanna Khor (1st Place), Janet Tocho (2nd Place), and Adrian Candocia (3rd Place).
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ORS Student Winners Research Presentation Overviews
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Hear from the Winners
Hanna Khor, third-year electrical engineering major, presenting her 1st winning research titled, "Additive Manufactured 6-to-1 Cascaded Wilkinson Power Combiner for 5G Internet of Things Backscattering Communications.
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"Through the project I engaged in an iterative design cycle of simulation, fabrication, and testing of the device to ultimately show a proof of concept. The TECHCON conference was a great opportunity to present the project and connect with a wide range of industry representatives on technical topics. What I’ve realized is that technology is evolving before our eyes, and we truly have the chance to shape the future - attending the conference only amplified how excited everyone is about advancements in communications, semiconductors, energy, etc."
Hanna Khor - First Place Winner TECHCON Undergraduate Award
"I am extremely grateful that I was given the opportunity to attend SRC and thoroughly enjoyed my time there. Through my time as an ORS student, and specifically at SRC, I was able to meet students, faculty, and industry professionals who I would not have met otherwise. Getting involved in research has not only helped me to build my personal network but it also has helped to inform me of news and technological advancements going on in the world of ECE. Learning more about all the possible fields that derive from ECE and intersections with ECE has made me even more excited about potential career paths that I can pursue in the future."
Janet Tocho - Second place winner at TECHCON
“I enjoyed presenting my work to the appropriate audience, from event coordinators to university faculty members in my field. Also, connecting with industry personnel exposed me to opportunities that await me after graduation. I appreciate the ORS Program and the SRC JUMP program for granting me this incredible opportunity to present my work.”
Adrian Candocia - Third place winner TECHCON Undergraduate Award
3rd Place Undergraduate Winner, Adrian Candocia presenting his poster titled, "Feature Importance Analysis for a Personalized Thermal Comfort Model Using Meta-Learning".
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ORS students attending were part of a group of over 180 SRC-funded Research Scholars selected from nearly 500 applicants to attend the two-day conference. The experience included an invitation-only opening party, keynote speaker conference address from Dr. Laurie Locascio, Undersecretary of Commerce and Director of NIST, a career fair, technical sessions, a closing banquet, and much more.
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