Dr. Andrew Y.J. Szeto Makes Gift to Engineering
Pictured L to R: Kate Carinder, Dr. Andrew Y.J. Szeto, and Dean Eugene Olevsky
On behalf of the College of Engineering, we are pleased to announce that Dr. Andrew Y.J. Szeto, Emeritus Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at San Diego State University and former Chair of the Department has made a $50,000 gift to the Rehabilitative Engineering and Assistive Technology Program at SDSU to support travel, senior design projects, graduate student projects, stipends, etc., in the program.
Dr. Szeto joined the College of Engineering faculty in 1983, served as the Department's Graduate Program Advisor from 1988-1992, and served as Chair of the Department from 1997 to 2001. Prior to joining SDSU, he was on the faculty of Biomedical Engineering at Louisiana Tech University where he led their rehabilitation engineering research and development efforts. He has held industrial positions with the Northrop Grumman Corporation (2010), Tanner Research & Development (2001), La Jolla Technology, Inc. (1982), and Hughes Aircraft Company. Dr. Szeto received a B.S. degree in 1971 from the University of California, Los Angeles, the Master of Science (1973) and the Master of Engineering (1974) in Electrical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley, and the Ph.D. in Man-Machine Systems and Bioengineering from the University of California, Los Angeles, in 1977. His research has been supported by the National Science Foundation and National Institute for Disability Related Research on electrocutaneous stimulation for artificial sensory communication, quantifying the speed of tactile information processing, assistive technology development, and rehabilitation engineering. He has published over 70 full length journal papers, book chapters, and abstracts on these and other related subjects. Dr. Szeto's teaching interests include analog IC design, biomedical instrumentation, and rehabilitation electronics.
During 1999-2001, he served as the President-elect, President, and Past President of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society after serving previously as its Vice President for Financial Planning, member of its Administrative Committee, General Conference Chair for the 1993 and 1998 Annual International Conferences, and Awards Committee Chair. He is a member at various times of IEEE, Tau Beta Pi, Sigma Xi, the Biomedical Engineering Society, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, and American Society for Engineering Education. In recognition of his professional activities, Dr. Szeto was elected fellow of the Biomedical Engineering Society (2005); Fellow of the American Institute for Medical & Biological Engineering (March 2002); and Fellow of the IEEE for "Contributions to Rehabilitation Engineering" (Jan. 2002). He also was chosen as the “Most Influential Professor” by the College’s valedictorian in 2006, 2016, 2017 & 2018.
As a student who always liked math and science, Dr. Szeto discovered engineering when he used recycled batteries and parts from a hardware store to build a DC motor and entered it in his middle school’s science fair, and thus began a lifelong career in education, engineering and science. According to Dr. Szeto, much of his professional and financial fulfillment can be attributed to SDSU. In gratitude for the career that he has enjoyed at SDSU, he is paying it forward by providing opportunities for others to achieve their dreams.
The College of Engineering is grateful to all those who provide much needed philanthropic support. If you know of anyone who might have an interest in supporting the College of Engineering, please contact Kate Carinder, Senior Director of Development, College of Engineering at [email protected].
