I am excited to begin my journey as an Assistant Professor at the Colorado School of Mines in the Department of Electrical Engineering starting this Fall. I am actively seeking motivated graduate students to join my research team. If you have a passion for interdisciplinary research that merges engineering, optics, and data science to advance biomedical applications, please feel free to reach out at yphal[at]mines.edu!

Before pursuing my doctorate in Electrical Engineering at UIUC, I gained industry experience as an analog design engineer at Finisar and the Swedish Institute of Space Physics. My earlier research centered on developing instrumentation for space applications, and now, I am focusing on the creation of optical tools for diagnostic purposes.

As an electrical engineer with a deep fascination for space, I enjoy exploring the world around me. My hobbies include traveling, hiking, photography, and running. Recently, I have also taken up lead climbing. In addition to my academic and professional pursuits, I have a few fun achievements to share:

• My first art exhibit, The World Through My Lens
• My National Geographic Traveller article on the Northern Lights, Seeing the Northern Lights: It’s not as Easy as Driving North and Looking Up