The Grainger College of Engineering
Electrical & Computer Engineering

Omar Kazi

Omar Kazi

Degree: BS Electrical Engineering

Minor:  Chemistry

Scholarships/Achievements:  
Edmund J. James Scholar (2017 - 2021)
Intel Undergraduate Research Scholarship (2020 - 2021)
Sargent and Lundy Engineering Scholarship (2020 - 2021)
TechnipFMC Scholarship (2020 - 2021)
Jules D. Falzer Memorial Scholarship (2019 - 2021)
Russell E. Berthold Scholarship (2019 - 2020)
Fred S. Bailey Scholarship (2019 - 2020)
Freshman Engineering Scholarship (2017 - 2018) 

Student organizations/extracurricular activities:  Red Bison Ecological Restoration (Treasurer, 2018-2021)

What's next for you after graduation?  I will be pursuing my PhD in Molecular Engineering at the University of Chicago, with plans of researching materials and electrochemical systems for clean water and renewable energy.

Favorite memory from your time in ECE:  My favorite memory was my first time entering the classroom. It was a movie-like experience that I'm incredibly grateful to have had as an undergraduate!

Favorite ECE class:  ECE 444 - IC Design Theory & Fabrication with Minjoo Lawrence Lee.

Future plans?  I hope that in 5 years I will have completed my PhD at the University of Chicago. My career aspirations beyond that are to perform research in sustainable energy systems either in industry or a national lab such as Argonne or NREL. 

Special mention/thanks:  I would like to thank Minjoo Lawrence Lee for being an incredible mentor to me and sparking my interest in semiconductors and solar energy. Joan Brown was an amazing advisor who also helped me to navigate my interests. There were many other phenomenal professors in the department whose classes I loved including Brian T Cunningham and Richard Yi Zhang. Lastly, I would like to thank my family for their continuous support throughout my education. 

Advice for future Illinois ECE students:  There is an incredible amount of resources and opportunities in the ECE Department at Illinois which cannot be found elsewhere. It is up to you to take advantage of those and make the best of your time here. Never be afraid of asking questions or reaching out for help, and make sure to get involved in activities outside of class!