College of Engineering Professors Recognized as Mentors During University Awards Ceremony

News Release — April 1, 2022 — Two Utah State University College of Engineering professors were recognized for their work as mentors during the 2022 USU faculty awards ceremony on Thursday.

Rose Hu, a professor of electrical and computer engineering and associate dean for research, received the Outstanding Graduate Mentor of the Year Award. This award recognizes USU mentors who have done notable work helping graduate students prepare for a professional career.

Hu directs the Communications Network Innovation Lab, and her research includes next-generation wireless system design and optimization, Internet of Things, cyber physical systems, and artificial intelligence in wireless networks.

Since joining Utah State in 2011, Hu has advised seven doctoral researchers, eight Ph.D. students, 10 visiting Ph.D. students, and six master’s students. Her research has been sponsored by NSF, DoD, DOE, Intel and others. She has published three books, four book chapters, 135 journal articles, and 150 refereed conference papers. She also holds 30 patents.

Associate professor of biological engineering Elizabeth Vargis received the Undergraduate Research Mentor of the Year Award, which recognizes faculty members who have focused on research mentorship and acted as role models in the field of research.

Vargis has the largest number of undergraduates who have received Utah State Undergraduate Research and Creative Opportunities (URCO) awards, and she has received an NIH Research Enhancement Award for $400,000 to support undergraduate researchers in her lab. Vargis also serves as the faculty adviser for the Society of Women Engineers. In her eight and a half years at Utah State, she has mentored 49 undergraduate researchers and eight graduate students.

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Contact: Dr. Rose Hu, rose.hu@usu.edu, 435-797-0322

Dr. Elizabeth Vargis, vargis@usu.edu, 435-797-0618