Biography

Dr. Mary Mehrnoosh Eshaghian-Wilner has over 26 years of research experience in various areas within the field of Computer Engineering. Additionally, she has worked in the area of patent law for several years. She has published numerous scientific papers, including two books, and has handled the prosecution and infringement analysis of many complex U.S. and international patents. Dr. Eshaghian-Wilner currently is a Professor of Engineering Practice at the Electrical Engineering-Systems Department at the University of Southern California (USC), and since 2004 has been an Adjunct Professor of Electrical Engineering at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Prior to joining UCLA, she was a tenured full Professor and Department Head at the Computer Engineering Department of Rochester Institute of Technology.

Professor Eshaghian-Wilner received her B.S. degree in Biomedical and Electrical Engineering (1985), M.S. degree in Computer Engineering (1985), her Engineers degree in Electrical Engineering (1988), and her Ph.D. in Computer Engineering (1988), all from USC. She holds a J.D. degree from the Northwestern California School of Law, and has graduated Cum Laude with an LL.M. degree from the Thomas Jefferson School of Law. She is admitted to the State Bar of California and the Washington, D.C. Bar, and is registered as a Patent Attorney with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Professor Eshaghian-Wilner is best known for her pioneering contributions to three areas of Optical Computing, Heterogeneous Computing, and Nanoscale Computing. In the area of Optical Computing, she produced one of the first theses that dealt with the computational aspects of optical interconnects for VLSI chips. The OMC model was developed by Professor Eshaghian-Wilner as part of her Ph.D. work, and since then, many architectures and algorithms have been designed by on that model.

In the area of Heterogeneous Computing, Professor Eshaghian-Wilner is the editor of the field's first book, "Heterogeneous Computing," and she is the co- founder of the IEEE Heterogeneous Computing Workshop. The NSF-funded Cluster-M model was developed by her team, as one of the first paradigms for executing heterogeneous applications to systems. The Cluster-M mapping is still the fastest known algorithm for mapping arbitrary task graphs onto arbitrary system graphs.

In the area of Nanoscale Computing, one of Professor Eshaghian-Wilner's most notable results involves the design of highly interconnected multiprocessor chips with spin waves that possess an unprecedented degree of interconnectivity that was not possible previously with electrical VLSI interconnects. These designs have a great potential to be used as part of miniature implantable devices for biomedical applications and nanomedicine. Professor Eshaghian-Wilner serves on the editorial board of Journal of Nanomedicine and Nanotechnology, and is a founding series co-editor of "Nature Inspired Computing" for Wiley & Sons. She has edited the first book of this series, "Bio-inspired and Nanoscale Integrated Computing".

Professor Eshaghian-Wilner's most recent area of research is in Technology Law. She is investigating how various forms of emerging technologies may be impacted by, and come into conflict with, U.S. and international policies and laws. For example, Pervasive (heterogeneous/ubiquitous) computing and nanotechnology are two emerging technologies in which she an extensive scientific background. While these two technologies are entirely different from each other, they both are seemingly invisible, one in terms of interconnectivity and the other in terms of size. They can therefore introduce continuously magnifying challenges to policies and laws that protect rights and property.

Professor Eshaghian-Wilner has founded and/or chaired numerous IEEE conferences and organizations, including the IEEE Women in Engineering affinity division of the Coastal Los Angeles Section. She is the recipient of several prestigious grants and honors including a teaching award for being voted as the best teacher by her engineering students. Professor Eshaghian-Wilner is a nominee for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring.