Professors
Dr. Christophe Bobda
![Dr. Christophe Bobda](https://smartsystems.ece.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2019/06/Bobda_banner_sm.jpeg)
Professor
Professor Bobda received the Licence in mathematics from the University of Yaounde, Cameroon, in 1992, the diploma of computer science and the Ph.D. degree (with honors) in computer science from the University of Paderborn in Germany in 1999 and 2003 (In the chair of Prof. Franz J. Rammig) respectively. In June 2003 he joined the department of computer science at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg in Germany as Post doc, under the direction of Prof Jürgen Teich. Dr. Bobda received the best dissertation award 2003 from the University of Paderborn for his work on synthesis of reconfigurable systems using temporal partitioning and temporal placement. In 2005 Dr. Bobda was appointed assistant professor at the University of Kaiserslautern. There he set the chair for Self-Organizing Embedded Systems that he led until October 2007. From 2007 to 2010 Dr. Bobda was Professor at the University of Potsdam and leader of The working Group Computer Engineering.
Profesor Bobda is Senior Member of the ACM. He is also in the program committee of several conferences (FPL, FPT, RAW, RSP, ERSA, RECOSOC, DRS), the DATE executive committee as proceedings chair (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010). He served as reviewer of several journals (IEEE TC, IEEE TVLSI, Elsevier Journal of Microprocessor and Microsystems, Integration the VLSI Journal) and conferences (DAC, DATE, FPL, FPT, SBCCI, RAW, RSP, ERSA), as guest editor of the Elsevier Journal of Microprocessor and Microsystems and member of the editorial board of the Hindawi International Journal of Reconfigurable Computing. Dr. Bobda is the author of one of the first most comprehensive books in the rapidly growing field of Reconfigurable Computing.
Graduate Students
Max Panoff
![Max Panoff](https://smartsystems.ece.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2021/10/peuwnq8gs0sscwgg-scaled.jpg)
PhD Student
I am a third-year Ph.D. student in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. I earned my B.E.with a Concentration in Robotics and a Minor in Social Sciences from Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, NJ. During my time here at the University of Florida I was awarded the Graduate School Preeminence Award at University of Florida and have assisted in running two classes: IoT Security and Microprocessor Applications 2.
Abigail N. Butka
![Abigail N. Butka](https://smartsystems.ece.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2022/12/headshot.jpg)
PhD Student
I am currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering with Dr. Bobda here at the University of Florida. At my prior university, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering and a Master’s degree in Electrical engineering. I have a long history with robotics, having competed in numerous competitions and participating in internships with Robotic Research, a DoD contractor. During my internship experience I worked with the CEO of the company to write an STTR proposal on protecting robotics communication buses with physical hardware security. These experiences showed me just how important securing hardware from hardware-based attacks is, and how easy launching these attacks can be to perform without adequate security. Finding ways to secure the hardware for robotics applications and industrial control systems has become my current research interest.
Antonio Hendricks
![Antonio Hendricks](https://smartsystems.ece.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2022/11/Antonio_Hendricks_Image.jpg)
PhD Student
I joined the Smart Systems Lab as a Ph.D. Student and Graduate Research Assistant at the University of Florida in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department under the supervision of Dr. Christophe Bobda at the start of the Fall 2022 semester. I completed my Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Engineering with a focus on Machine Intelligence and Autonomous Robotics Systems at Florida Polytechnic University in Lakeland Florida. During my graduate career I plan to focus my research on safe autonomy and machine intelligence of advanced robotics surgery systems, utilizing modern methods of deep learning and computer vision.
Peter E. Mbua
![Peter E. Mbua](https://smartsystems.ece.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2022/11/Peter_Mbua_Image.png)
PhD Student
I am working on a Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Florida under the supervision of Dr. Christophe Bobda. I had my bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering and my Master of Engineering in Power Systems at the University of Buea, Cameroon. I have solid industry experiences in the oil & gas, and telecommunications sectors as a Production Technologist and Electrical Systems Design Engineer respectively. I am currently working on ways to integrate FPGAs into Openstack.
Muhammed Kawser Ahmed
![Muhammed Kawser Ahmed](https://smartsystems.ece.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2022/02/20191108_163322-e1644211910215.jpg)
PhD Student
I am currently pursuing my doctoral degree in Computer Engineering under Dr. Christophe Bobda at the University of Florida, Gainesville. I completed my B.Sc. in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet.
I am working as a graduate assistant under Dr. Christophe Bobda in his Smart Systems Lab. (Sep 2020 – present)
Peter Forcha
![Peter Forcha](https://smartsystems.ece.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2024/07/Forcha_window.jpg)
PhD Student
Peter Forcha is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Florida, under the supervision of Dr. Christophe Bobda. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering at the University of Buea in Cameroon and completed his Master of Engineering in Power Systems at Makerere University in Uganda. Peter’s research is focused on building hardware accelerators for machine learning. Additionally, he shares a passion for other machine-learning applications, such as computer vision and natural language processing.
Audrey M
PhD Student
Description Coming Soon
Wade Fortney
![Wade Fortney](https://smartsystems.ece.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2024/09/IMG_20240530_210759137-rotated.jpg)
PhD Student
Description Coming Soon
Minchul Jung
![Minchul Jung](https://smartsystems.ece.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2024/07/2-photos-added.jpeg)
Masters Student
Description Coming Soon
Alex Perez
![Alex Perez](https://smartsystems.ece.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2024/07/alex_perez_image.jpeg)
Masters Student
Description Coming Soon
Alumni
Erman Nghonda
![Erman Nghonda](https://smartsystems.ece.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2020/01/profile_erman.jpeg)
Alumni - Ph.D.
I am pursuing a Ph.D. in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Florida, under the supervision of Dr. Christophe Bobda. I obtained a bachelor in Computer Science at the University of Douala, and a master’s at the University of Yaounde 1 in Cameroon. I started a Ph.D. in Computer Engineering at the University of Arkansas before transferring to University Florida. I am currently working on developing a non-invasive Distributed Smart Camera system for immersion technologies, including 360° image analysis for scene understanding.
Sujan Kumar Saha
![Sujan Kumar Saha](https://smartsystems.ece.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2019/11/Sujan.jpg)
Alumni - Ph.D.
I am Sujan Kumar Saha. I am currently pursuing my Ph.D. in Computer Engineering under the supervision of Dr. Christophe Bobda at the University of Florida, Gainesville. I completed my B.Sc. in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET). I obtained my Masters in Computer Engineering from the University of California, Riverside.
I am working as a graduate research assistant at Smart Systems Lab at the University of Florida. (January 2019 – present)
DANIELLE TCHUINKOU KWADJO
![DANIELLE TCHUINKOU KWADJO](https://smartsystems.ece.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2019/11/profile_Danielle.jpg)
Alumni - Ph.D.
I am a third-year Ph.D. student in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. I obtained a bachelor’s and master’s in Computer Science at respectively the University of Douala and the University of Yaounde 1 in Cameroon. I started my Ph.D. at the University of Arkansas and transferred in summer 2019 to the University of Florida. In my free time, I enjoy reading, watching tv, and exercise.
JOEL MANDEBI
![JOEL MANDEBI](https://smartsystems.ece.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2020/10/joel.jpg)
Alumni - Ph.D.
I am pursuing a Ph.D. in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering under the supervision of Dr. Christophe Bobda. I obtained a bachelor and master in Computer Science at the University of Yaounde 1 in Cameroon, and started a Ph.D. in Computing Engineering at the University of Arkansas before transferring to Florida. In my free time, I enjoy playing soccer, biking, listening and playing music, and reading.
MD JUBAER HOSSAIN PANTHO
![MD JUBAER HOSSAIN PANTHO](https://smartsystems.ece.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2019/11/my-image.jpg)
Alumni - Ph.D.
Hello, I am Md Jubaer Hossain Pantho. I am currently pursuing my doctoral degree in Computer Engineering under Dr. Christophe Bobda at the University of Florida, Gainesville. I completed my B.Sc. in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET). I obtained my Masters Degree in Computer Engineering from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.
I am working as a graduate assistant under Dr. Christophe Bobda in his Smart Systems Lab. (Jan 2016 – present)
PANKAJ BHOWMIK
![PANKAJ BHOWMIK](https://smartsystems.ece.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2020/03/peofile.jpg)
Alumni - Ph.D.
Hello, I am a graduate student and pursuing a Ph.D. at the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Florida. I work as a Graduate Research Assistant in the Smart Systems Lab led by Dr. Christophe Bobda. I received my bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from Khulna University of Engineering and Technology, Bangladesh (KUET).
TAYLOR JL WHITAKER
![TAYLOR JL WHITAKER](https://smartsystems.ece.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2020/01/IMG_6135-1024x683-1.jpg)
Alumni - Ph.D.
I am a graduate student at the University of Florida, where I am working towards a Ph.D. in Computer Engineering. I work as a Graduate Research Assistant in the Electrical and Computer Engineering department and conduct research with the Smart Systems Lab, led by Dr. Christophe Bobda. I hold a Master’s degree in Computer Engineering and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the University of Arkansas.
Derek Perdomo
![Derek Perdomo](https://smartsystems.ece.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2023/02/Headshot-1-scaled.jpg)
Alumni - M.S.
Derek Perdomo is received his Master of Science degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Florida. He worked in the Smart Systems Robotics Lab at the University of Florida, where he focused on enhancing 3D pose estimation by utilizing Extended Leading Fields. Derek has began a new chapter in his career as a Level 2 Software Engineer at Lockheed Martin in Marietta, Georgia, where he will write software and tests for display integration on the C-130J aircraft.
SAMANTHA-JO CUNNINGHAM
![SAMANTHA-JO CUNNINGHAM](https://smartsystems.ece.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2020/01/IMG_7693-2-scaled.jpg)
Alumni - M.S.
I am a graduate student at the University of Florida, where I am working towards a Masters of Engineering in Computer Engineering. I work as a Graduate Research Assistant in the Electrical and Computer Engineering department and conduct research with the Smart Systems Lab, led by Dr. Christophe Bobda. I hold a bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering from Howard University.
NICKOLAS PAIS
![NICKOLAS PAIS](https://smartsystems.ece.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2020/11/IMG_0097-2-scaled.jpg)
Alumni - M.S.
I am pursuing a Masters Degree in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Florida. I obtained my Bachelor Degree in Computer Engineering from the University of Florida. In my free time I enjoy cooking, outdoor adventuring, and sports.