Mojgan Daneshmand was awarded the 2018 Martha Cook Piper Research Prize.
Mojgan Daneshmand has been awarded one of the two 2018 Martha Cook Piper Research Prizes given by the University of Alberta.
The prestigious award recognizes two faculty members in the early stage of their careers who enjoy a reputation for original research and show outstanding promise as researchers.
"I'm very excited," said Daneshmand, who holds the Canada Research Chair in Radio Frequency Microsystems for Communication and Sensing. "This award has been given to someone in our department only once before, so I'm very honoured."
Daneshmand was awarded the prize for her work in radio frequency (RF) microsystems for communication and sensing. She applies RF sensing and communication to energy systems, wireless and satellite payloads, and biomedical devices.
Her research has two distinct real-world applications: sensor and communication technology.
"The sensors can be used anywhere we need to look into chemical and material variation with no contact. For example in biomedical or oil sands," explained Daneshmand. "For communication, we improve the devices that could communicate this data."
Daneshmand says awards like this are important for building up not just the reputation and credibility of her team and department, but the University of Alberta itself.
"When we are awarded something like this, the field starts recognizing the university as a source of specific information," she said. "It also attracts students to come to our university, which produces more research, so it feeds back into itself."
Daneshmand added that the award is a joint effort between her and her research students.
"The students were really the ones who did the work," she said. "This accomplishment is thanks to the work the students do in the lab."
Daneshmand joined the Faculty of Engineering in the department of electrical and computer engineering in 2008 as an assistant professor.