Biomedical engineering Professor Ben Hawkins has been named one of the newest Lockheed Endowed Professors in the College of Engineering. The two-year appointment provides seed funding to support faculty research and foster external collaborations.
Hawkins’ work focuses on developing a novel semiconductor biosensor — an ion-selective heterojunction bipolar transistor (ISHBT) — designed to detect key electrolytes in the bloodstream. The project, based in the Cal Poly Nanoscale Education, Science, and Technology Center, will also expand capabilities in the university’s Microfabrication Lab, creating new opportunities for interdisciplinary coursework and research collaborations.