Sheetname: Kevin Ho

Hi, I'm

Kevin Ho

PhD candidate in Electrical & Computer Engineering at the University of Washington, advised by Prof. Matt Reynolds.

My research is in low-power wireless communication, specifically backscatter systems that interoperate with standard Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Before my PhD, I worked for four years as a hardware engineer at ThruWave and Thorlabs.

🎓 Defending in 2027 and looking for full-time roles starting after graduation.

Google Scholar Email

File: about.kicad_sch

Sheetname: Highlights

2026🏆 Best Student Paper Award at IEEE RFID 2026 for ZeroScatterPico.
2026Instructor of record for EE 205: Introduction to Signal Conditioning.
2025Received my M.S. in Electrical Engineering from UW.
2024🏆 Best Paper Award at IEEE RFID-TA 2024.

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Sheetname: Research

Backscatter devices communicate by modulating their antenna's reflection of an incident carrier instead of running an active transmitter. A simple modulator, though, has little control over which channels and directions that reflection lands in. I work on modulators that select both, so backscatter can share spectrum with commercial BLE and Wi-Fi.

Frequency-selective

BAW filters steer backscatter onto specific Wi-Fi and BLE channels.

Spatially-selective

True-time-delay subcarrier beamforming arrays direct BLE backscatter toward a receiver.

Low-cost platforms

BLE backscatter from a Raspberry Pi Pico's I/O pins; joint radar sensing and communication.

File: research.kicad_sch

Sheetname: Pattern sweep

12-antenna 2.4 GHz beamforming array rotating on a turntable in an anechoic chamber — 2.4 GHz beamforming array during a pattern sweep in an anechoic chamber.

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Sheetname: Contact

Happy to chat about research or opportunities starting in 2027: kevinjwho@gmail.com

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Sheetname: Publications

papers · * denotes equal contribution

File: publications.kicad_sch

Sheetname: Patents

[Patent Title]

Kevin J. Ho, [Co-inventors]

[U.S. Patent No. / Application No.], [Status, Year]

File: patents.kicad_sch

Sheetname: Industry Experience

Hardware Engineer · ThruWave, Inc.

Jun 2021 — Oct 2022 · Seattle, WA

Spearheaded the redesign of a mmWave imaging system's core electronics from prototype to pre-production.
Supported CAD and assembly of the imaging system's mechanical enclosures and framing.
Managed in-house parts inventory and sourced substitute components during the chip shortage.

Electrical Engineer · Thorlabs Quantum Electronics

Jun 2019 — May 2021 · Jessup, MD

Built automated test fixtures to characterize a fiber network and evaluate a low-noise laser driver.
Designed PCBs interfacing benchtop equipment with several generations of hardware.
Trained technicians to operate fixtures and diagnosed failed PCBs.

Engineering Research Consultant · UW Electrical & Computer Engineering

Dec 2022 — Sep 2023 · Seattle, WA

Developed hardware and software to mitigate disorder in a waveguide, and automated antenna characterization.

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Sheetname: Education

Ph.D., Electrical & Computer Engineering · University of Washington

2023 — 2027 (expected)

Advisor: Prof. Matt Reynolds · GPA 4.00

M.S., Electrical Engineering · University of Washington

2025

B.S., Electrical Engineering · University of Maryland, College Park

2019

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Sheetname: Teaching

Instructor of Record · University of Washington

Winter 2026

EE 205: Introduction to Signal Conditioning. Led a four-person teaching team, lectured, and developed course materials.

Graduate Teaching Assistant · University of Washington

2023 — Present

EE P 572: Microwave Engineering · EE 205: Intro. to Signal Conditioning · EE 215: Fundamentals of Electrical Engineering

Undergraduate Teaching Fellow · University of Maryland

2017 — 2019

ENEE 101: Introduction to Electrical & Computer Engineering

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Sheetname: Skills

Altium
KiCad
LTspice
HFSS
AWR Microwave Office
Fusion
MATLAB
Python
C++
Git
Unreal Engine

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