Wu Receives IEEE Rigas Award

This article was adapted from a news release from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

Min Wu, a professor of electrical and computer engineering with an appointment in the University of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies, is the 2019 recipient of the Harriett B. Rigas Award from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Education Society.

The award recognizes outstanding female faculty who have made significant contributions to undergraduate education and the global engineering community.

Wu was specifically recognized for excellence and outstanding leadership in signal processing, education and mentoring.

“I feel honored being selected to receive this prestigious IEEE award named after Harriett Rigas, a woman pioneer in engineering and education,” says Wu. “I’d like to convey my appreciation to the many students I’ve had the privilege to teach, mentor or collaborate with, and to see them grow and succeed. I’d also like to thank a number of caring colleagues and mentors—male and female—who’ve helped me in various stages of life and career.”

Wu came to the University of Maryland in 2001, teaching and conducting research in information forensics and security, multimedia signal processing, and sensing analytics.

She was instrumental in establishing the “Women-in-ECE” program to help female students foster a sense of community and peer support. She served as the organization’s faculty adviser for more than a decade.

Wu has also provided substantial mentoring of junior colleagues—both at UMD across multiple academic departments and colleges, and through IEEE technical activities. She engaged more than 30 undergraduates in research and served as the thesis adviser for 20 graduate students.