By David Simpson
Khan Iftekharuddin, a professor in Old Dominion University’s Batten College of Engineering and Technology and a renowned scholar in computer vision and machine learning, has been named a 2023 Outstanding Faculty Award winner by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV).
He will receive his award, along with a $7,500 gift from the Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation, at a March 7 ceremony in Richmond.
Out of 74 nominations received, 12 faculty members from around the state were named award recipients. Since the program was established in 1987, ODU faculty have earned 36 Outstanding Faculty Awards.
“It was a wonderful surprise when I received a phone call from SCHEV,” Iftekharuddin said. “This award embodies the hard work of my students, colleagues and my family who have supported my journey and my quest for the greater good through scholarship over so many years.”
Batten College Dean Kenneth Fridley praised the professor’s remarkable versatility.
“Dr. Iftekharuddin has made and continues to make exemplary contributions in teaching, research administrative leadership and service that positively impact our students and the people of Virginia," Fridley said. “He is one of those rare faculty members who is able to continuously excel in all aspects of our mission.”
One of Iftekharuddin’s advisees, Ph.D. candidate Megan Witherow, said his guidance and support helped her become a 2020 National Science Foundation graduate research fellow.
“He lives excellence in research and scholarship,” she said. “He brings out the best in his students through his example.”
Iftekharuddin’s research encompasses computational image analysis and modeling; machine learning; signal and image processing; big data analytics; pattern recognition; computer vision modeling; medical image analysis and their applications to real-world problems.
He has applied his expertise in image analysis to fight high-grade glioblastoma, the aggressive brain cancer that killed U.S. Sens. Edward M. Kennedy and John McCain. He pioneered ways to identify abnormal brain tissues and predict tumor growth with the aim of improving the diagnosis, surgical removal and treatment of this deadly cancer. In recognition of his work, the ODU Office of Research honored him with the 2020 Faculty Research, Scholarship and Creative Achievement Award.
Listed among the top 2% of researchers worldwide for career and single-year impact, Iftekharuddin is also the associate dean of research in the Batten College and the Batten-endowed chair in machine learning.
In addition, he directs ODU’s Vision Lab. The laboratory aims to develop novel theory, state-of-art algorithms and architectures for real-time applications in human and machine-centered interaction and recognition; biomedical imaging and signal analysis; and environmental science and geoscience.
The Outstanding Faculty Awards are the state’s highest honor for faculty at Virginia's public and private colleges and universities. These awards recognize superior accomplishments in teaching, research and public service.
Below is a list of Old Dominion University's past SCHEV award winners:
2021
Jennifer Fish, Women’s Studies
Ling Li, Information Technology and Decision Sciences
2020
Kent Carpenter, Biological Sciences
2018
Helen Crompton, Teaching and Learning
2017
Jennifer Michaeli, Engineering Technology
Anatoly Radyushkin, Physics
2016
Charles Hyde, Physics
2015
Gail Dodge, Physics
2014
Carolyn Rutledge, Nursing
2012
Steve Yetiv, Political Science
2011
Mark Butler, Biological Sciences
2009
Lawrence Hatab, Philosophy
Lawrence Weinstein, Physics
2008
Bridget Anderson, English
Shaomin Li, Business Management
2007
John Adam, Mathematics & Statistics
2006
Donald Zeigler, Political Science & Geography
Sharon Raver-Lampman, Early Childhood, Speech-Language Pathology, & Special Education
2005
Katharine Kersey, Early Childhood, Speech-Language Pathology, & Special Education
Cynthia Jones, Ocean Earth & Atmospheric Sciences
2004
Charles Wilson, English
2003
Sheri Reynolds, English
2002
Janet Peery, English
2001
Sushil Chaturvedi, Mechanical Engineering
Dwight Allen, Educational Curriculum & Instruction
2000
John Toomey, Music
1999
Daniel Dauer, Biological Sciences
Chris Drake, Political Science & Geography
1997
Dana Heller, English
1996
William Stanley, Engineering Technology
1995
Helen Rountree, Sociology & Criminal Justice
1994
Nancy Bazin, English
1993
Michele Darby, Dental Hygiene & Dental Assisting
1992
Gregory Selby, Mechanical Engineering
1991
Karen Polonko, Sociology & Criminal Justice