Pamela Abshire has been appointed chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Stony Brook University. Her term will begin on September 1, 2025.
Before joining Stony Brook, Abshire was a faculty member in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Maryland, College Park. She also held roles with several research centers, including the Institute for Systems Research, Fischell Institute for Biomedical Devices, Maryland NanoCenter, Maryland Robotics Center, and Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program.
Abshire holds a bachelor’s degree in physics from the California Institute of Technology. She worked as a research engineer at Medtronic’s Bradycardia Research Department prior to earning her master’s and doctoral degrees in electrical and computer engineering from Johns Hopkins University. During her graduate studies, she worked with Professor Andreas Andreou in the Sensory Communications and Microsystems Lab.
Her research is recognized internationally and spans VLSI circuit design and bioengineering. Abshire focuses on integrated circuits that draw from biological principles, exploring how performance can be balanced with resources in both natural and engineered systems. Her work includes hybrid devices that combine CMOS technology with MEMS, optoelectronics, microfluidics, and biological elements.
Andrew Singer, dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Stony Brook University, said: “Professor Abshire is an outstanding scholar and visionary leader. We look forward to seeing our Department of Electrical Engineering grow under her leadership and innovation.”
Abshire has received recognition for her contributions to teaching, research, and service. She became a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) in 2018 for her work on CMOS biosensors. Other honors include an NSF CAREER award, IEEE Northern Virginia Section’s Volunteer of the Year Award, University of Maryland’s Invention of the Year award for “Cell Sensor Based Pathogen Detection,” Distinguished Scholar-Teacher designation at Maryland in 2021, and co-founding The Academic Life mentoring program.
She has authored over 160 publications and holds three patents. Her service includes roles on advisory committees for organizations such as the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Emerging Technology and Research Advisory Committee (2008-2018), Board of Governors for IEEE Circuits and Systems Society (2013-2018 & 2024-2026), IEEE Fellow Committee (2019-2021 & 2025-2026), as well as leadership positions for major conferences like the IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems (2017), IEEE International Midwest Symposium on Circuits and Systems (2023), Microsystems Exploratory Council for DARPA Microsystem Technology Office, and Technical Program Co-Chair for the 2025 IEEE Biomedical Circuit and Systems Conference.
Abshire succeeds Leon Shterengas who served as interim chair.
