Joseph Jaja Announces Retirement

Professor Joseph Jaja has announced his retirement from the ECE Department after more than 40 years of service. Jaja joined the ECE faculty in 1983 as an Associate Professor in computer engineering. Prior to joining UMD, he served on the faculty of Penn State University. He earned a BS in Mathematics from the American University of Beirut in 1974 and a Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics from Harvard University in 1977. He holds joint appointments with ECE and the University of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies (UMIACS).

During his tenure with ECE, Jaja served in a variety of roles. From 1988 to 1994, he was the Associate Director for Research for the Institute of Systems Research (ISR). From 1994 to 2014, he served as the Director of UMIACS.

In 2018, he accepted the position of Interim Chair of the ECE Department, a one-year assignment that turned into four years. He guided the department through the pandemic years, successfully leading the transition from in-person to remote learning and providing support and resources for students, faculty and staff who were facing numerous challenges during those years. During his years as Interim Chair, the department hired eight new faculty members, launched a new EE curriculum, revamped the ECE honors program, completely revised and updated the ECE Plan of Organization and Bylaws, and established several endowed ECE undergraduate labs.

Jaja’s research interests include high performance computing, machine learning with applications to neuroscience, and data science. Over the years, he has graduated 29 Ph.D. students and published hundreds of journal and conference papers. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and the Association of Computing Machinery (ACM).

"Professor JaJa's dedication and passion have profoundly shaped the ECE Department and the careers of many students, including myself. His unwavering commitment to excellence in teaching and research has set a high standard for all of us,” says David Bader (ECE Ph.D ’96), Distinguished Professor at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, and 2022 inductee in the A. James Clark School of Engineering Innovator Hall of Fame.

Sangchul Song (ECE Ph.D. 2010, Corporate Vice President for Samsung Electronics and ECE 2023 Distinguished Alum) adds, “It was my privilege to have the opportunity to pursue my Ph.D. under Professor Jaja’s guidance, witnessing firsthand how my lousy "draft" paper magically turned into a beautiful "photo-ready" version after his edits!”.

In July 2024, Jaja was elevated to Professor Emeritus. Post-retirement, he plans to continue research in his fields and mentor graduate students.

In addition, Jaja will further his collaboration with FDA researchers on new methods for AI medical devices through the University of Maryland Institute for Health Computing (UM-IHC). As a strategic partner with Montgomery County, Maryland, the UM-IHC combines computational expertise and biomedical research with the aim of improving the quality of life and health for all citizens of Maryland and beyond.

“Professor Jaja’s innovative approach to high performance computing and data science has not only advanced the field but also inspired us to push the boundaries of our own research,” notes Bader.

Song agrees, “as he embarks on this new chapter of his life, may it be as fulfilling and impactful as the high-performance algorithms he has crafted.”

Published August 26, 2024