BUET alumnus Tauhidul joins Stanford University as asst prof

Tauhidul Islam, an alumnus of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), has recently joined Stanford University as assistant professor. He is the lone Bangladeshi who joined the prestigious US university as a tenure-track teacher. 

According to the QS World University Rankings, Stanford University has been consistently ranked among the top 10 universities in the world for the last several years. 

Tauhidul grew up at Charghat in Rajshahi. His father wanted him to be a physician, but Tauhidul dreamt of becoming an engineer. After achieving GPA-5 in both SSC and HSC, he got admitted to the electrical engineering department at BUET in 2005.

He entered the realm of research with help of his teachers Muhammad Kamrul Hasan and Selia Shahnaz at BUET. After graduating with CGPA-3.82 from the BUET, he applied for a PhD at Texas A&M University in the US, being inspired by Selia Shahnaz. 

Tauhidul received admission offer with a scholarship and began academic studies under the programme in 2014.

Currently, he is researching the application of artificial intelligence in the medical field, with a focus on early diagnosis of heart disease, brain disorders, and cancer. His research area also includes exploration of ways to improve the quality of life for cancer patients and optimise treatment outcomes.

To date, he has published 44 articles in peer-reviewed journals, including 22 from his PhD and five as first author articles in prestigious Nature sub-journals during his postdoctoral period.

In recognition of his research contributions, he received the prestigious K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award from the US National Institutes of Health. He has also been honored with awards from Texas A&M University, the Stanford Cancer Institute, and the Stanford HAI Award.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, Tauhidul said, “The journey to securing a position as an assistant professor at Stanford was quite long and challenging. I am the first from Bangladesh to join Stanford University as a tenure-track assistant professor, which is a great achievement for me.” 

He noted that the recruitment process in US universities is rigorous and designed with several phases, including multiple interviews. “I applied to several top universities, and since the beginning of my PhD, it has been my dream to teach at universities, and Stanford is my first choice."

For Bangladeshi students aspiring higher studies in Stanford University, Tauhidul advised, "It is important to have good scores in TOEFL and GRE, along with a high CGPA at the undergraduate level.” 

He asked the aspiring students to contact him for any sort of guidance. “Electrical engineering, computer science, biomedical data science, or bioengineering students who are interested in applying for higher education at Stanford can email me at [email protected] for guidance. I will do my best to assist them."