Multifunctional Electronic Devices: Towards Sustainable Electronics

Abstract

In this talk, I will discuss multifunctional smart electronic devices which can perform the roles of multiple conventionally discrete components at once. These include in-memory sensing which combines between the sensing and storage functionalities, as well as smart actuators which can perform self-sensing and actuation in response to an external stimulus. By merging different traditionally discrete electronic components into multifunctional smart devices, we can contribute to realizing more area and energy-efficient devices with faster and more real-time data analysis and actuation capabilities, towards more sustainable electronics.

Brief Biography

Nazek El-Atab is an Assistant Professor ECE and the Principal investigator of the Smart, Advanced Memory devices and Applications lab (SAMA) at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Saudi Arabia. Prof. Nazek El-Atab received her Ph.D. degree in Interdisciplinary Engineering from the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, UAE, in 2017, under a cooperative program with the MIT and funded by the US Office of Naval Research. Prof. El-Atab’s research interest focuses on the design and fabrication of smart memory and electronic devices and their applications, including in-memory computing and in-memory sensing.

Prof. El-Atab has received several awards for her research, including the 2015 For Women in Science Middle East Fellowship by L’Oreal-UNESCO, the 2016 IEEE Nanotechnology Student Travel Award, the 2017 International Rising Talents Award by L’Oreal-UNESCO, and was portrayed in the 2019 “Remarkable Women in Technology” by UNESCO. Dr. El-Atab was also selected to participate in the 70th Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting in Germany, was selected among the 2020 UC Berkeley EECS Rising Stars, among the 10 Innovators under 35 by MIT Technology Review Arabia, 2020, and as a “NEOM Changemaker”, 2021. She has published over 40 papers in international peer-reviewed scientific journals and conference proceedings, 2 book chapters, 2 books and 9 filed U.S. patents. She is an IEEE Electron Devices Society Distinguished Lecturer. Her research has been highlighted extensively in international media including in IEEE Spectrum, National Geographic, BBC, MIT Technology Review, Sky News Arabia, MBC, etc.