MSU engineer earns top NSF early career award

February 23, 2012

STARKVILLE, Miss. – A member of Mississippi State University’s engineering faculty will receive research funding from one of the National Science Foundation’s most prestigious programs.

Pan Li, an assistant professor in electrical and computer engineering, earned a 2012 NSF Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award. Beginning in August, the five-year, $450,000 grant will help fund his research in improving the efficiency of mobile cloud computing.

“Dr. Li’s research could help make mobile cloud computing a more reliable, user-friendly computing platform,” said Sarah Rajala, dean of the Bagley College of Engineering (BCoE). “As someone who travels a lot, I know how beneficial cloud computing can be, and I look forward to seeing how Pan’s work will help improve the next generation of this technology.“

Li has been an active researcher since joining the BCoE in 2009, being named principal investigator of four funded projects during his first two years with the college. The CAREER award marks his third grant award from the National Science Foundation.

“Earning a CAREER awards means a lot to a young faculty member and the development of his career,” Li said. “Receiving this award will not only help further my research, but also have broader impacts with the work that I do.”

In addition to his work at Mississippi State, Li is also active in IEEE, the world’s largest electrical engineering society, serving as a member on numerous committees, a journal reviewer, and an editor for a variety of society publications. He holds a doctoral degree from the University of Florida and a bachelor’s from Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China.

The National Science Foundation is a federal agency devoted to promoting the advancement of science and technology for the nation’s welfare. It rates the CAREER program as its most prestigious award programs for early-career faculty who integrate research and education. For more information, visit www.nsf.org.

For more information about the BCoE, visit www.bagley.msstate.edu. Additional information about Mississippi State can be found at www.msstate.edu.