Hamed Alkhathami receives Rackham International Student Fellowship

Hamed Alkhathami, master’s student in Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE), was awarded a 2024 Rackham International Student Fellowship. This fellowship is designed to support outstanding international students in their education and research.

Alkhathami is interested in using quantum information to advance wireless communication and signal processing. Prior to joining Michigan ECE, he received his BS from King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. After graduation, he researched indoor localization systems with acoustic transceivers and inertial measurement units during an internship at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Thuwal, Saudi Arabia.

Alkhathami’s internship research, combined with his undergraduate studies and elective courses, sparked his interest in signal processing, wireless communication, and cutting edge technologies in these fields.

In his master’s research with ECE Prof. S. Sandeep Pradhan, Alkhathami has moved toward quantum signal processing techniques, with an interest in advancing their applications in wireless communication systems.

“I believe that the integration of quantum mechanics into signal processing will revolutionize the efficiency and security of communication systems,” Alkhathami said.

“We are also working on a novel application of quantum information processing algorithms for inference on gene and protein regulatory networks. These are very complex problems where quantum signal processing is expected to give significant benefits,” added Pradhan.

The support of the Rackham International Student Fellowship will help Alkhathami finish his master’s thesis, after which he plans to pursue a PhD and a career as a professor. He hopes his research and teaching will help “bridge the gap between theoretical advancements and practical applications” in the academic community.

“I see myself as a lifelong learner, driven to deepen my understanding of the subject and redefine the boundaries of what is possible,” he said.