Prof. Anna Pyayt | Sensors Award | Best Researcher Award

Prof. Anna Pyayt, University of South Florida, United States

Anna Pyayt is an Associate Professor at the University of South Florida (USF), serving in the Department of Chemical, Biological, and Materials Engineering. She holds affiliated faculty positions in the Departments of Medical Engineering and Electrical Engineering, as well as the Material Science and Engineering Program at USF. Recognized as a senior member of the National Academy of Inventors, Dr. Pyayt has made significant contributions to the field of sensing applications, artificial intelligence, and mobile health technologies. She completed her dual Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and Nanotechnology at the University of Washington. Dr. Pyayt’s research includes innovations in single-cell endoscopy, deep learning, and assistive technologies for the visually impaired. Her work has attracted substantial funding and numerous accolades, including significant grants from the National Science Foundation and the Department of Health, State of Florida. She has also been honored with multiple awards for her innovative contributions and has mentored students who have achieved significant recognition in their respective fields. Dr. Pyayt’s sabbatical at MagLab further underscores her commitment to advancing scientific research and education.

Professional Profile

ORCID

Education

B.Sc. in Computer Science/Applied Mathematics with honors, ITMO University, Saint Petersburg, Russia, June 2001
M.Sc. in Computer Science/Applied Mathematics with honors, ITMO University, Saint Petersburg, Russia, June 2002
M.Sc. in Electrical Engineering, University of Washington, December 2005
Dual Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and Nanotechnology, University of Washington, December 2009

Research Interests

Sensing
Artificial Intelligence
Knowledge Graphs
Mobile Health
Single Cell Endoscopy and Spectroscopy
Deep Learning
Software and Hardware Assistive Technologies for the Blind and Visually Impaired

Research Internships

Hewlett-Packard Labs, Summer 2007
- Invented, designed, and fabricated two new sensors – an angle sensor and a Nano-photonic sensor (patented and published)
Microsoft Research, Summer 2006
- Invented, designed, and fabricated a new display technology, Telescopic Pixel (patented and published in Nature Photonics)

Funding

Cancer SEARCH: $1,200,000, Department of Health, State of Florida, Co-PI
PFI-TT: $550,000, NSF, Co-PI
Georgia Tech Female Founders I-Corps: $5,000, PI
Interstellar Initiative: $30,000, Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development and the New York Academy of Sciences, Co-PI
USF COVID-19 Rapid Response grant: $25,000 + $5,000 match, PI
AWS Diagnostic Development Initiative: $50,000 from Amazon, Co-PI
3D Visualizations for Material Science: $1,000, PI
Teaching Grant: $2,500, PI
Equipment Donation from Beckman Coulter Diagnostics: $100,000, PI
Industrial Support: $200,000, Co-PI
National Science Foundation: $420,000, Senior Personnel
National Science Foundation: $196,732, PI

Awards and Honors

President, Secretary, Executive Member of the USF Chapter of the National Academy of Inventors
Senior Member of the National Academy of Inventors
Featured in Advances in Engineering (2021)
Published in Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical (2019)
Elsevier coverage for MELISA paper (2018)
Invited to exhibit Hemolix technology at Cade Museum (2018)
Award from the ADVANCE Florida Network Women in STEM Scholars (2018)
Featured on Science Updates (2017)

Awards and Honors of Students

Numerous awards and recognitions for her students, including NIH MOSAIC K99/R00 Grant, best departmental paper awards, poster awards, travel scholarships, fellowships, and leadership awards.