Dr. Yamuna Phal is an Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering at the Colorado School of Mines, holding a PhD from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). Before pursuing her doctoral studies, she gained industry experience as an analog research engineer at Finisar (now part of II-VI Inc.) and the Swedish Institute of Space Physics. Dr. Phal also holds a B.Tech. from the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IIT-R) and an MS in Electrical Engineering from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), where she was awarded the prestigious Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Fellowship. Dr. Phal’s groundbreaking work has garnered recognition through various scientific awards and publications, including a patent for VCD imaging. Her research has been prominently featured on the covers of Analytical Chemistry and The Journal of Physical Chemistry C.
In addition to her research achievements, Dr. Phal is passionate about teaching. She has been honored with several teaching awards, including the Harold Olsen Award for undergraduate teaching and the E. A. Reid Fellowship for excellence in engineering education. Her contributions have also earned her prestigious accolades such as the President of India Award, recognition as a MIT Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences Rising Star, and the Cadence Women in Technology Scholarship.