Prof. Arya Menon

Howdy! I am an Assistant Professor in the Electromagnetics and Microwave Engineering group at the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas A&M University. My primary academic interest is to develop technologies to advance electromagnetic (EM) systems for ever-increasing, data-intensive sensing applications. My research interests include radars and radiometers, sensor calibration techniques, and intelligence in EM sensors. Prior to joining the faculty at Texas A&M in Fall 2023, I was a postdoctoral fellow at the same institution and worked on data generation for wireless AI applications. My Ph.D. dissertation focused on combining radar and radiometer data for characterization of embedded dielectric layers in applications like security sensing. My research has earned multiple awards including nomination as a Protégé at the Texas Academy of Medicine, Engineering, Science and Technology (TAMEST) 2023 Annual Conference, selection as a 2022 DARPA Riser, the 2020 ARTFG Roger Pollard Student Fellowship (Silver), and the 2019 IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society Graduate Fellowship. I obtained my Ph.D. from Oregon State University, M.S.E.E. from the University of South Florida, and B.E. in Electronics and Communication Engineering from Manipal Institute of Technology in 2021, 2016, and 2014 respectively.

In addition to research, I am a passionate educator and teaching is my primary motivating factor for pursuing a career in academia. My teaching philosophy is captured by BEIM – Building Basics, Engineering Excellence, Inculcating Interpersonal skills, and Mindful Mentorship – and is influenced by my experiences as a student and a teaching assistant. My goal as an engineering educator is to use this teaching philosophy to empower students for success. I was awarded the 2018 Provost’s Award for Outstanding Teaching by a Graduate Teaching Assistant in the STEM category at the University of South Florida for my efforts in helping develop the laboratory component for the undergraduate electromagnetics course.

My mentoring approach centers mindfulness – with relation to careful observation of the student, knowledgeable and fully aware of the potential of each student – as the guiding principle. My hope is that this approach will not only benefit my students but also present learning opportunities for my own personal and professional growth. A prospective student can expect such an environment in my research group.