Professional Summary

Ultra-low-power integrated circuits and systems; Micro-/Nano-electromechanical Systems (M/NEMS) circuits design and fabrication; Novel devices and schemes for next-generation computing.

Honors and Awards

Oct. 2018: Create the Future Design Contest Honorable Mention (Electronics/Sensors/IoT Category) & Overall Top 100 Entries, sponsored by COMSOL, Mouser Electronics, Analog Devices, and Intel

May. 2018: KAUST Enrichment in the Spring “Academic and Research” ePoster Competition Winner

Mar. 2018: Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET) “Present Around The World” Competition Winner

Mar. 2018: 1st International MEMS design contest Runner-up, organized by the Cadence Academic Network, X-FAB, Coventor, and Reutlingen University, Munich, Germany

Feb. 2017: Middle East Electricity Exhibition “Future Generation” Postgraduate Student Competition Official Judge’s Choice Award Winner, People’s Choice Award Runner-up, Dubai, UAE.

Nov. 2016: Falling Walls Lab Competition Finalist, Berlin, Germany (Link to the presentation)

Sep. 2016: Falling Walls Lab Competition Winner, KAUST, Saudi Arabia  (Link to the presentation)

Jul. 2015: Professional Engineers Board Gold Medal, Singapore

Nov. 2012: Outstanding Scholarship for Literature and Art Activities, North China Electric Power University, Beijing, China

Selected Publications

• R. Li and H. Fariborzi. “Design and Demonstration of MEM Relay-Based Arithmetic and Sequential Circuit Blocks”, IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, 2021.
• R. Li, D. Azhigulov, A. Allehyani, and H. Fariborzi, "BEOL NEM Relay-Based Inductorless DC-DC Converters” in 2020 IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems (ISCAS). (Link to the conference presentation)
• R. Li, R. Alhadrami and H. Fariborzi. ”BEOL NEM Relay Based Sequential Logic Circuits” in 2019 IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems (ISCAS). (Link to the conference presentation)
• R. Li, R. Naous, H. Fariborzi and K. N. Salama. "Approximate Computing with Stochastic Transistors’ Voltage Over-scaling”, IEEE Access, vol. 7, pp. 6373-6385, 2019. (A short introduction of the work)
• S. Ahmed, R. Li, X. Zou, M. A. A. Hafiz, and H. Fariborzi, "Modeling and Simulation of A MEMS Resonator Based Reprogrammable Logic Gate Using Partial Electrodes," in 2019 Symposium on Design, Test, Integration & Packaging of MEMS and MOEMS (DTIP)
• R. Li and H. Fariborzi. “Ultra-Low Power Data Converters with BEOL NEM Relays” in IEEE 61st International Midwest Symposium on Circuits and Systems (MWSCAS), 2018.
• M. A. A. Hafiz, R. Li, M. I. Younis, and H. Fariborzi. “A parity checker circuit based on microelectromechanical resonator logic elements”, Phys. Lett. A, 2017, vol. 381, no. 9, pp. 843-848.

Academic and Teaching Experiences

Aug. ~ Dec. 2020: Teaching Assistant of VLSI Design Course (Graduate Level), KAUST

Jun. ~ Jul. 2019: Mentor of Saudi Research Science Institute, recognized as an outstanding mentor by Youth Talent Development, Strategic National Affairs, KAUST

Aug. ~ Dec. 2018: Teaching Assistant of Monolithic Amplifier Circuits Course (Graduate Level), KAUST

May. ~ Aug. 2018: Mentor of Saudi Summer Internship student, who co-authored the “BEOL NEM Relay Based Sequential Logic Circuits” paper published in ISCAS 2019 as the achievement

2016 ~ present: Cleanroom experiences including E-beam Lithography, Dry/Wet Etching, SEM and FIB-SEM, KAUST Nanofabrication Core Lab

2016 ~ present: Device Characterization and Circuit Testing experiences including Semiconductor Device Analyzer, Probe Station, Electrometer, Building test circuitry using Arduino and breadboard

2015 ~ present: CAD Tools experiences including Cadence Virtuoso (ADE and Layout), Matlab, Covetor MEMS+, and COMSOL Multiphysics; Chip Tape-out experiences with MEMSCAP and TSMC (65 nm)

Non-academic Experiences

Mar. 2018: Leadership Workshop by The Leadership Challenge®, A Wiley Brand

Mar. 2018: Team participation in the 1st KAUST Triathlon

Aug. 2016 ~ Oct / 2017: KAUST Resident Assistant Aug. 2016: KAUST Orientation Leader

Mar. 2013: “Warm Your Winter” volunteering event by Beijing Volunteer Foundation, Beijing, China

Jul. 2012: The Silver Diploma Level IX of the 7^th World Choir Game, Cincinnati, USA