Afsana Anjum Akhi, a Master’s student of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE), University of Dhaka, has been awarded the prestigious IEEE Electron Devices Society (EDS) Masters Fellowship 2025 in recognition of her outstanding academic excellence and research achievements.

She has made history by becoming the first-ever female student from Bangladesh and Southeast Asia to receive this global honor. Since its inception in 2007, the IEEE EDS Masters Fellowship has been presented annually to promote, recognize, and support graduate-level study and research in the field of electron devices.

The IEEE EDS Fellowship recognizes students who demonstrate exceptional research ability, active involvement in supervised research projects, and a proven record of academic distinction in engineering. This year, only two Master’s students worldwide received the award — Afsana Anjum Akhi from the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh, and Vivek Tallavajhula from the University of Texas at Austin, USA. Both were elected through a highly competitive global process for their remarkable academic records and potential to make meaningful contributions in the field.

Supervised by Dr. Mainul Hossain, an Associate Professor in the Department of EEE, University of Dhaka, Afsana’s research focuses on understanding the electrical behavior of ultra-low-power and steep-switching III-V devices at the nanoscale through TCAD simulations. In addition, she is developing numerical models for FET-based sensors using novel two-dimensional (2D) heterostructures.

This remarkable accomplishment marks a significant milestone for Bangladesh, underscoring the nation’s growing presence and potential in the global semiconductor research arena. The University of Dhaka, along with the Department of EEE and the Faculty of Engineering and Technology, takes immense pride in Afsana’s success — a milestone that not only brings international recognition to the institution but also inspires young researchers, particularly women in STEM, across Bangladesh to pursue excellence in advanced scientific research and innovation shaping the future of semiconductor technology.