San Marcos,
28
June
2017
|
08:30 AM
America/Los_Angeles

Becoming Embedded at Cal State San Marcos

By David Ogul

I enjoy hearing from former students telling me that they are working at a top tech company and are using the same principles they learned in my class.”

-- Dr. Ali Ahmadinia
 

He’s only been teaching at Cal State San Marcos for a little more than a year, but Dr. Ali Ahmadinia, a professor in the Department of Computer Science, already is having a huge impact.

Just months after he arrived, Ahmadinia launched a grant-funded research project with three of his students to develop a cellphone-size, embedded device to measure air quality and monitor indoor pollutants. While wrapping up that project, Ahmadinia is working with others in revising Department of Computer Science curriculum to include a stronger focus on engineering as CSUSM develops its degree programs in software and electrical engineering.

Ahmadinia earned his Ph.D. from the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany, and worked as research assistant in Fraunhofer Institute of Integrated circuits before moving to the United Kingdom to serve as a research fellow at the School of Engineering and Electronics at the University of Edinburgh. He came to CSUSM in February 2016 from Glasgow Caledonian University, where he was a senior lecturer in embedded systems. His research has been published in more than 100 international journal and conference publications, and his private industry background includes designing sensor devices for deep sea oil and gas pipeline monitoring systems, along with energy management systems for buildings.

Ahmadinia says the best part about CSUSM is the students.

“The students are much more motivated at Cal State San Marcos than what I’ve seen in other places,” Ahmadinia said. “And it shows. I enjoy hearing from former students telling me that they are working at a top tech company and are using the same principles they learned in my class.”