People

These achievements are a result of teamwork, emphasizing a collaborative approach in advancing knowledge and innovation. Each contributor has played a crucial role in shaping the outcomes we proudly present. 

Professor Samir Iqbal

Program Director (Rotator)

Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (TIP)

National Science Foundation (NSF)

Washington, DC, USA


Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Edinburg, Texas, USA


Education: 

Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA (2007)


Experience

I have had the privilege of holding significant roles in academia, nonprofits, military and program leadership across diverse institutions. Since 2021, I am serving as the Program Director for the America's Seed Fund Program, and Partnerships for Innovation Program within the TIP Directorate, and the cross-directorate Mid-Career Advancement Program at the NSF.  I am involved with a broad spectrum of scientific programs and initiatives to harness the nation's vast and diverse talent pool in advancing critical and emerging technologies that address pressing societal and economic challenges and accelerate the translation of research results from lab to market and society.  I interact with potential principal investigators, form and facilitate merit review panels, and recommend funding decisions across the entire breadth of U.S. science, engineering, and education disciplines.


In my academic journey, I have held the position of Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) in Edinburg, TX, since 2017. I was also the chair of the Department during this period.

  

My academic journey began as an Assistant Professor in the Departments of Electrical Engineering, and Bioengineering at the University of Texas at Arlington (UT-Arlington), and then as an Associate Professor. During this time, I also directed the Bioengineering Doctoral Fellowships Program and chaired/co-chaired a number of national/international events and conferences.  We spun out two start-ups from our work as well.


Prior to my roles at UT-Arlington, I served as a Post-Doc and Instructor at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. 

Leadership

Honors / Distinctions

Fellowships

Student Awards