Sedki Riad, professor of electrical and computer engineering in the College of Engineering at Virginia Tech, has been conferred the title of “professor emeritus” by the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors.

The emeritus title may be conferred on retired professors, associate professors, and administrative officers who are specially recommended to the board by Virginia Tech President Timothy D. Sands. Nominated individuals who are approved by the board receive an emeritus certificate from the university.

A member of the Virginia Tech community since 1979, Riad was principal or co-principal investigator on research grants that studied communications and electronics exceeding $11 million over the course of his career. He wrote or co-wrote more than 350 peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, and reviews.

In addition, Riad served on proposal review panels for the National Science Foundation and journal article reviews for the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. He held leadership positions in several professional organizations, including chair of the USA National Commission of the International Union of Radio.

Riad is a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers. In 2011, he received Virginia Tech’s Alumni Award for Excellence in International Research.

In the classroom, Raid taught both undergraduate and graduate courses on subjects to include: electromagnetics, radio engineering, measurements and synthesis, network analysis, and electronics. He directed the academic work of 21 master’s degree and 18 doctoral students.

Riad directs the Virginia Tech-Middle East and North Africa Graduate Program, the university’s cooperative program for students in the Middle East and North Africa through which they earn advanced degrees from Virginia Tech in electrical and computer engineering and computer science.

He received his bachelor's degree and master’s degree from Cairo University in Egypt and a Ph.D. from the University of Toledo.

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