People

Laura Andre is a PhD candidate and Rackham Merit Fellow in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE). She received her undergraduate degree in Physics from St. Mary’s College of Maryland, and was born and raised in Washington, DC. Under the direction of Dr. Stephen Rand, her current research is focused on laser cooling of solids. In addition to the ECE GSC, she is also involved in graduate student recruiting and is an officer in the Optics Society at the University of Michigan. Outside of academics, Laura enjoys backpacking, sailing, paddle boarding, rock climbing, and photography.   

Tamanna Bhatia joined the University of Michigan in the Fall of 2019 to pursue her Master’s in Electrical and Computer Engineering-Power & Energy area after completing her undergraduation from India. She is also a part of Graduate Society of Women Engineers (GradSWE) and the Indian Student’s Association (ISA). During her free time you would find her with her friends or in the pool but during breaks, she loves to explore the US! 

David Geroski entered the University of Michigan in the Fall semester of 2016, and works with Professors Kamal Sarabandi and David Dowling in remote sensing. In addition to this, David has been serving as a part of the ECE Graduate Student Council since the Winter of 2018. David can often be found volunteering at the local animal shelter, working to get local dogs adopted by great families, and perennially rooting for the Michigan Football and Basketball teams! Go Blue!

Demba Komma started the PhD program in Fall 2019, and joined the GSC board to co-lead the buddEEs program. He received his B.S degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Mississippi in 2016, and worked as a Research Engineer at Ford Motor Company prior to joining Michigan. In his free time he enjoys watching sitcoms, general outdoor activities, and  respectful political/philosophical conversations.

Kang Liu graduated from Harbin Institute of Technology, China in May 2016, and entered the University of Michigan afterwards. He works in Stochastic Systems and Control with Professor Semyon Meerkov. In the Winter semester of 2020, he joined the ECE Graduate Student Council as Publicity Officer. He is a lifelong FC Barcelona fan, and he also enjoys reading.

Nathan Louis is a PhD candidate in the Electrical & Computer Engineering Department. He completed his B.S in Electrical Engineering at Kennesaw State University before coming to Michigan. His research focus is in Computer Vision, particularly object tracking, video object detection, and video understanding. Nathan is also a part of the Graduate Society of Black Engineers and Scientists (GSBES). In his spare time he enjoys weight lifting, running, and outdoor activities with friends. 

Haley Northrup started the ECE PhD program in Fall of 2019, after working for three years at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. At University of Michigan, she works with Dr. Emily Mower Provost (CSE) on speech, mental health, and machine learning applications. Haley is also a member of Graduate Society of Women Engineers (GradSWE) and Ensemble of CSE Ladies+ (ECSEL+). In her free time, she enjoys yoga, hiking, cooking, traveling, and spending time with friends. 

Kwesi Rutledge is a PhD Candidate working with Professor Necmiye Ozay in the area of Correct-By-Construction Control. He received a Master’s degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of California San Diego prior to starting his PhD program. He is also a member of the Graduate Society of Black Engineers and Scientists as well as the Michigan – Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation program planning committee. In his free time, he loves to run (sprints), bike, and read.

Frank Salas began his graduate study at the University of Michigan in the Fall semester of 2016. Frank received his B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He is currently a PhD candidate and a Rackham Merit Fellow working with Professor Anthony Grbic on Metamaterial design. In his free time he hangs out with his wife and daughter, and he attempts to be handy by trying to fix things around the house.

Andrew Wintenberg is a PhD candidate in the Electrical & Computer Engineering Department where he works with Professors Necmiye Ozay and Stephane Lafortune in the areas of Correct-By-Construction Control and Discrete Event Systems. He received his B.S. in Electrical Engineering and Mathematics from at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville. In his spare time, he enjoys hiking, cooking, programming, and video games.