Researchers from BSAC received top honors in the Piezo MEMS Design Challenge, with the results announced during the IEEE MEMS 2026 Conference in Salzburg, Austria
Launched in 2025 as a collaboration between STMicroelectronics and the ASTAR Institute of Microelectronics (ASTAR IME) the challenge provides students worldwide with a pathway to utilize industrial-grade piezoelectric manufacturing.
Innovation Award: Nikita Lukhanin | 3D Imager using PMUTs via Compressed Sensing
Nikita Lukhanin, a graduate student researcher in BSAC Co-Director Liwei Lin's lab, was awarded the Piezo MEMS Design Challenge Innovation Award. Lukhanin's research on piezoelectric MEMS devices earned him this top honor, highlighting his contributions to advancing MEMS technology.
As a primary winner, Lukhanin secured a slot in the multi-project wafer shuttle at Lab-in-Fab, an 8" piezoelectric platform with over 2000 m² of cleanroom space. This award enables the development of a fully functional MEMS prototype based on his research into integrating piezoelectric materials for improved performance in sensors and actuators. His work specifically targets applications in biomedical devices and energy harvesting.
Special Jury Mentions
The jury also awarded Special Mentions to the following Liwei Lin Lab researchers further demonstrating the strong talent emerging from BSAC.
- Declan Fitzgerald for PMUT-based Wearable Neuromodulation
- Megan Teng for Multimodal Normal and Shear Farce Tactile SEnsing via PMUTs
About the Challenge
The Piezo MEMS Design Challenge was open to BSc/BEng, MSc, and PhD students enrolled through 2026. Submissions underwent abstract review beginning in December 2025, with finalists notified in January 2026. The competition is supported by the IEEE MEMS Technical Community and aims to provide the MEMS community with access to state-of-the-art piezoelectric fabrication technologies.
Congratulations to Nikita, Declan, and Megan for their outstanding achievements.