Innovators, Researchers, and Mentors
Learn from Professors Who Are Changing the World
At the USC Viterbi School of Engineering, our faculty are more than world-renowned researchers. They are dedicated mentors, collaborators, and innovators working alongside students to solve society’s most complex challenges. From artificial intelligence to sustainability, Viterbi faculty lead groundbreaking discoveries while guiding students to build technical skills, conduct research, solve real-world problems, and prepare for careers in engineering.
Interested in studying engineering at USC Viterbi? We offer first-year and transfer sessions so you can learn more about our programs in-person and virtually.
Visit Viterbi Engineering and Computer Science
Meet the Faculty
USC Viterbi engineering faculty are not only world‑renowned researchers but also dedicated mentors who guide students from day one. They lead groundbreaking projects in areas such as aerospace, AI, and environmental systems, while helping students build technical skills, confidence, and real‑world experience.
Many faculty hold prestigious honors, including National Academy of Engineering membership, NSF CAREER Awards, and fellowships in professional societies
Engineering Breakthroughs that Matter
Satyandra Gupta
Aerospace & Mechanical Engineering
Developing advanced robotics and manufacturing systems that transform industry.
Phebe Vayanos
Artificial Intelligence
Harnessing AI and optimization to address challenges from homelessness to environmental conservation.
Noah Malmstadt
Chemical Engineering
Applying microfluidics and biomaterials research to healthcare and sustainable manufacturing.
Burcin Becerik-Gerber
Civil & Environmental Engineering
Using data and intelligent systems to create smarter, more sustainable buildings.
Mahta Moghaddam
Electrical & Computer Engineering
Using advanced sensing technologies to better understand Earth and its changing environments.
Maja Mataric
Computer Science
Pioneering socially assistive robotics that improve rehabilitation, education, and healthcare.
Adam Smith
Environmental Engineering
Advancing technologies that recover energy and resources from water systems.
Garrett Reisman
Astronautical Engineering
Explore and optimize human performance in space habitats where astronauts execute various hands-on tasks in teaming with AI-based autonomous systems
Interested in studying engineering at USC Viterbi? We offer first-year and transfer sessions so you can learn more about our programs in-person and virtually.
Visit Viterbi Engineering and Computer Science
Innovation & Research
USC Viterbi faculty are leading innovation across disciplines and engineering breakthroughs that matter. Undergraduate students begin participating in research alongside faculty much earlier than many students expect. Across discipline, our faculty drive innovation in areas such as:
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Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
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Sustainability and Clean Energy
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Biomedical Engineering and Healthcare
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Space, Robotics and Advanced Manufacturing
Through a collaborative, interdisciplinary approach, faculty connect ideas across filed creating real-world impact and preparing students for the future of engineering.
Find out more about opportunities through our Center for Undergraduate Research in Viterbi Engineering (CURVE):
CURVE (Undergraduate Research)
Making a Global Impact
Healthcare Innovation: A pacemaker without surgery?
USC Viterbi’s Qifa Zhou and team’s ultrasound breakthrough could change heart care- A wearable, noninvasive device uses sound waves and gene therapy to regulate the heartbeat, no implants required.
A Tiny System That Thinks Like a Brain and Runs on Thin Air
Inspired by how the brain processes sight and touch simultaneously, a new device born in a Viterbi lab senses, encodes, and learns from the world around it using nothing but the energy that world provides.
The Breakthrough That Could Power Tomorrow's Technology
USC researchers invent a chip design method that could accelerate the design of the next generation of wireless devices, from 5G phones to autonomous vehicles, by unlocking designs that traditional chip engineering could never reach.
Behind the Scenes of Cutting-Edge Engineering Research
A tour with Paul Ronney, Chair of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering, through three laboratories that ask the same fundamental question: how does fluid move, and why?
New Material Could Transform Quantum Technology
New research from the Mork Family Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science at USC Viterbi shows how the organization of electrons can reshape how a material responds to light – opening previously inconceivable possibilities for optical and quantum technologies.
No Time for Trial and Error: How to Speed Up the Discovery of the Next Super-Alloy
Researchers at USC and partner institutions have discovered a tungsten-based alloy that maintains extraordinary strength at temperatures up to 1400 °C – and they found it in an afternoon’s work.
Mentorship at the Core
At USC Viterbi, mentorship is not an add-on, but it is fundamental to the student experience. Small class sizes and accessible professors allow students to build mentoring relationships beginning in their first year. Professors work closely with students in labs, classrooms, office hours, and research teams to provide guidance that extends beyond academics:
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Personalized mentorship and career advising
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Undergraduate research opportunities starting as early as the first year
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Open office hours and collaborative learning environments
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Support for graduate school, entrepreneurship, and career pathways
This connection ensures that student aren’t just learning from faculty, but are learning with them.
“My faculty advisors are helpful, supportive, and patient, which has been so important for my learning and growth as a young researcher. I’m looking forward to continuing my research and exploring other fields of research as I continue to meet other research fellows and professors.”
Michaela DowdUSC Viterbi Undergraduate, Class of 2027
Where Faculty and Students Innovate Together
USC Viterbi’s ECE Celebrates Innovation at 2025 MHI Research Festival
From live demos and poster sessions to lab tours, the 15th MHI Research Festival highlighted USC ECE’s pivotal role in powering the nation’s innovation and the value of student research.
Students Pitch Transformative Ventures for Los Angeles and Beyond
Hosted by CEE with the generous support of the Das family, the annual competition invites entrepreneurial students from across the university to develop and pitch impactful startup ideas informed by civil and environmental engineering concepts.
10 Projects, 10 Solutions: Student Engineers Tackle Everyday Problems
From self-driving skateboards to robot butlers and more, USC Makers Hosted Spring 2026 Showcase turning ideas into reality and celebrating its 10-year anniversary
Interested in studying engineering at USC Viterbi? We offer first-year and transfer sessions so you can learn more about our programs in-person and virtually.
Visit Viterbi Engineering and Computer Science
