S. K. Ramesh, Ph.D., is a professor of electrical and computer engineering at California State University, Northridge (CSUN) and the former director and lead principal investigator of the AIMS2 Program supported by a multi-year grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s HSI-STEM program. AIMS2 has received several national and international awards for improving student success with high impact practices including undergraduate research and peer mentoring. It was selected as the 2019 baccalaureate program of the year and named the 2019 Example of Excelencia by Excelencia in Education. Ramesh served as dean of California State University, Northridge’s College of Engineering and Computer Science from 2006 to 2017, where he established several innovative programs focusing on renewable energy, assistive technology and advanced manufacturing. Prior to joining CSUN, he was professor of electrical and electronic engineering at California State University, Sacramento, where he served as the department chair from 1994 to 2006.
He served on the ABET Board of Directors as the Director of the Engineering Area Delegation and was a member of ABET’s Inclusion, Diversity and Equity Advisory Council. Additionally, Ramesh is an experienced Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Program Evaluator (PEV) and has performed several ABET accreditation visits in the U.S. and internationally. Ramesh has been an active IEEE volunteer for 38 years and served on several Boards, including the IEEE Board of Directors, IEEE Educational Activities Board (EAB), the IEEE-HKN Board of Governors, IEEE Publications Services and Products Board (PSPB), IEEE Awards Board (AB) and the ABET Board of Delegates. Key leadership roles include his service as the 2016-2017 IEEE Vice President of Educational Activities and the 2016 IEEE-HKN President (Electrical Engineering Honor Society).
His many recognitions include the John Guarrera Engineering Educator of the Year, William Johnson International award for leadership and contributions to the profession and the IEEE Region 6 Community Service award. Ramesh’s professional interests are in fiber optic communications, and he received the BE (Honors) degree from Regional Engineering College, Tiruchirappalli (REC, Trichy) and now NITT, in 1981, and the MSEE and Ph.D. degrees from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, in 1983 and 1986, respectively. Ramesh was elevated to the grade of IEEE Fellow in 2015 “for contributions to entrepreneurship in engineering education.”
