The Min H. Kao Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science is welcoming five new faculty members for the 2025–26 academic year, adding their expertise and collaborative spirit to the Tickle College of Engineering.
Mohamed Akrout
Assistant Professor
Akrout received his PhD in electrical and computer engineering from University of Manitoba and worked as research scholar at the University of California San Diego (UCSD) and Technical University of Munich (TUM). His current research interests include signal processing for inverse problems, wireless communication, physically consistent antenna design, and machine learning for healthcare applications. He was the recipient of the doctoral scholarship and the postdoctoral fellowship from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) in 2022 and 2024, respectively. His work has been published in a variety of top venues in machine learning and signal processing and in communications.
“I am excited to join UT as a new faculty member. My research in energy-efficient communication systems aligns well with the department’s strong expertise in power and electronics, and I look forward to pursuing interdisciplinary collaborations in this area. With the EECS department experiencing remarkable growth, I am looking forward to contributing to its continued success. I am also greatly enjoying the natural beauty around Knoxville.” – Akrout
Dongsheng Ding
Assistant Professor
Ding joins UT after completing a postdoctoral position at the University of Pennsylvania. He previously received his PhD in electrical engineering from the University of Southern California. His research focuses on application of principles and tools in optimization and control to the study of machine decision-making. Ding develops principled methodologies that enable reinforcement learning and generative modeling to operate under specific requirements, such as safety and fairness.
“Advancing AI means building systems that are not only capable, but also aware of the requirements that should guide their decisions.” – Ding
Nasir Eisty
Assistant Professor
Eisty joins UT from Boise State University, where he was an assistant professor in the Computer Science Department. He earned his PhD and master’s degrees in computer science from the University of Alabama. His research focuses on empirical software engineering, software quality assurance, including areas such as software testing, peer code review, and software metrics, scientific/research software engineering, and the application of AI in software engineering. Eisty has professional experience working with prestigious institutions such as Los Alamos National Laboratory and the National Center for Supercomputing Applications. Additionally, he has contributed to the academic community by presenting tutorials and organizing workshops at various conferences. Notably, Eisty was honored with the Better Scientific Software 2020 Fellow Award by the US Department of Energy.
“I’m excited to join the University of Tennessee for its strong academic legacy, the collaboration with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and my deep appreciation for the stunning Smoky Mountain region. I’m thrilled by the possibilities ahead to conduct impactful research, spark new collaborations, and engage fully in a dynamic and welcoming academic community.” – Eisty
Hao Huang
Assistant Professor
Huang obtained his PhD in electrical and computer engineering from Texas A&M University in 2022. Prior to joining UT, he worked as a postdoctoral researcher at Princeton University. He holds a master’s degree with honors in electrical engineering from the University of Southern California and a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Harbin Institute of Technology, China. Huang’s research interests include power system resilience, cyber-physical security, and the application of artificial intelligence in smart grids, with the aim of realizing resilient, secure, and intelligent modern power and energy systems. He is a recipient of the Thomas Powell Fellowship, and his work has been recognized with the 2023 Wiley Top Cited Article and Wiley Top Downloaded Article.
“Theoretical research combined with real-world implementations will accelerate the transformation of technology, and I believe that UT offers tremendous opportunities to make it happen.” – Huang
Xiongye Xiao
Assistant Professor
Xiao earned his PhD in electrical and computer engineering from the University of Southern California (USC) in 2025. Prior to that, he received his bachelor’s degree from the College of Control Science and Engineering at Zhejiang University in 2019.
Xiao’s research focuses on machine learning, neural operators, and complex networks. He is particularly interested in AI for science—applying AI to neuroscience and materials modeling—and science for AI, using insights from physical and biological systems to inform the development of more robust and interpretable AI models. During his PhD, Xiao authored over 20 peer-reviewed papers, including multiple publications in top-tier machine learning venues. He was recognized with the Best Research Assistant Award and the Outstanding Research Assistant Award from USC.
“I’m thrilled to join UT’s EECS department, which is actively growing its strengths in AI and interdisciplinary research. I look forward to contributing to a collaborative environment that bridges foundational AI and real-world scientific discovery.” – Xiao
Contact
Rhiannon Potkey (rpotkey@utk.edu)