Ludvik Alkhoury - ECE PhD Student of the Month - October 2021
Ludvik Alkhoury is a Ph.D. candidate in the Helen and John C. Hartmann Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering of the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT). Alkhoury works under the advisement of Professor Moshe Kam, Dean of Newark College of Engineering, in signal and image processing, detection and estimation, physiological signals and signs, and wearable sensors and devices. Alkhoury served as the president of the NJIT’s Graduate Student Association (GSA) for the academic year 2019-2020. He shares his experience.
What attracted you to NJIT?
When I was searching for potential colleges to pursue my doctoral degree at, I was thoroughly looking for the benefits and experience that I would earn at the institution. I was fascinated by the how much NJIT had to offer. Not only is NJIT the home of high research activity faculty, but it also houses a very diverse population (ethnicity and background). I was certain that this will maximize my academic experience, widen my horizon, and introduce me to different cultures.
What do you think would be an impactful move in your research area?
One of the projects that I am working on aims to improve the performance of Computer-Aided Semen Analysis (CASA) systems to automatically compute more accurate motility parameters that will help in diagnosing fertility. It would be very impactful to “predict” infertility and the onset of testicular cancer, based on some motility parameter that can be calculated from time-lapses records of semen samples.
If you have been a Teaching Assistant, please describe your teaching experience.
I serve as the lab instructor of FED101-GEN where we introduce students to as many engineering fields as possible to help them decide what major they are going to pursue. From my humble experience, highly believe that the teaching process comprises of three elements: (1) positive class atmosphere, (2) delivery through crystal-clear examples, and (3) student feedback for continuous improvement. In the first-class meeting, students are nervous since both the class subject and the professor are new to them. Therefore, I always spare a good time of my first lecture to introduce myself and share my hobbies with the students, and then ask them to take turns to introduce themselves. This ice-breaker activity is a fun approach to help students to get to know each other and feel more comfortable. To make my lectures more interesting, I complement them with illustrative examples. Students’ feedback is as an essential indicator of how well the message was conveyed. Before I start the new class materials, Before I start the new class materials, I collect anecdotal feedback from students. The materials that will be covered during the upcoming class are selected accordingly.
My favorite part about teaching is inspiring and helping students push their limits, challenge themselves, and achieve their goals. For instance, one of my students decided to challenge himself and build a smart robotic hand whose fingers can be activated with voice commands. With his hard work and dedication and my mentorship, this student competed and won both the “Judge Panel Award” and “Audience Choice Award at the Spring 2021 NCE First Year Showcase.
What are some of the most mesmerizing moments during your time in the ECE Department and at NJIT?
As Henry Ford said, “chop your own wood and it will warm you twice.” The two memories that I can never forget are (1) when my first journal paper was approved for publication and (2) when I received the Lisa A. Peirce Student Leader of the Year and the GSA was named the Student Organization of the Year (during my tenure). These achievements give me hope and always remind me that nothing is hard to achieve when you put your heart and mind to it.
Where do you (hope to) see yourself in five years?
Five years down the line, I see myself as a faculty in a high-research activity institution, advising students, and diving more into wearable devices and biomedical sensors.
Please recommend a trick to keep good mental health during trying times.
Ph.D. journey is like a sinusoidal waveform – it has ups and downs. During the tough times, nothing can help more than sharing your experience and struggle with a colleague that is going through the same process since (s)he can relate to you. Do not wait to join a graduate club, get involved with campus activities, and make new friends. During your times of success try to enjoy it to the max, get recharged, and ready for the next challenge.