When it comes to engineering, there is always something new to learn according to Kafi Hassan, adjunct professor in the College of Engineering and Computing.
Hassan won the District of Columbia Council of Engineering and Architectural Societies Engineer of the Year Award (DCCEAS), which recognizes engineers that achieve successful accomplishments in advancing the technical and professional aims of engineering and architectural professions. He was nominated by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE), which he has been a part of for almost three decades.
“Winning this award means a lot to me,” said Hassan. “It was a great honor to be selected and recognized by my peers and fellow engineers for the DCCEAS 2023 Engineer of the Year Award.”
Hassan’s distinguished career spans almost 30 years with Bell Laboratories and Sprint/T-Mobile. He was actively involved in the design, development, and deployment of 1G, 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G wireless network systems and his engineering achievements have earned him many professional awards including Bell Labs President’s Gold Award, Bell Labs President’s Silver Award, Bell Labs Mobility Solutions President Recognition Award, and Sprint’s (now T-Mobile) Network Development and Engineering Leadership and Excellence Awards.
Hassan also serves as an IEEE Distinguished Lecturer, travelling to local and international schools to promote STEM education and support student developments. Somehow, he also finds time to teach CEC undergraduate and graduate courses. Since 2007, he has dedicated time to help students gain practical engineering knowledge from the industry.
“Dr. Kafi Hassan has been instrumental in training generations of students the skills needed to succeed as engineers in the field of 5G and wireless communications,” said Pelin Kurtay, associate chair in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. “His classes focus on not only teaching the theory but also reinforcing learning through practical examples and hands-on activities. He commonly shares industry grade tools and equipment with his students, thereby exposing them to state of the art tools. We are very lucky to have him.”
Hassan credits having great teachers throughout his schooling that encouraged his interest in math and science, leading to his strong interest in engineering from an early age.