Xiaokun (Bobbie) Yang

Xiaokun (Bobbie) Yang

Professor, UHCL
Affiliate Faculty, LBNL

Research

Research Grant

  • Subawardee (UHCL PI), Department of Energy (DOE) ASCR 24-3210, Thrust-E: Basic research topics: Algorithm-Driven Codesign of Specialized Architectures for Energy-Efficient HPC. $319,998 ($32,000,000 total). Awarded. 2024–2028

  • Co-PI (UHCL PI), NSF 2512983, Collaborative Research: Elements: Computational Storage Virtualization for Accelerating Data-Driven Scientific Applications on Supercomputers. $120,621 ($400,000 total). 2025–2028

  • Co-PI (UHCL PI), NSF 2243981, Collaborative Research: REU Site: Advancing Data-Driven Deep Coupling of Computational Simulations and Experiments. $46,706 ($450,623 total). Awarded. 2024–2027

  • PI, Distinguished Professorship, UHCL Computer Science and Engineering. Bridging Classical IC Design and Quantum Circuit Simulation: A Parameterized and Scalable Hardware Emulation Framework. $29,649. Awarded. 2025–2028

  • PI, Berkeley Lab Fellowship, Collaborative Research: Hardware Accelerator Design on Density Functional Theory. $37,800. Awarded, DOE. Summer 2024

  • PI, Berkeley Lab Fellowship, Collaborative Research: Hardware Accelerator Design on TSQR Factorization. $37,800. Awarded, DOE. Summer 2023

  • PI, DOE Visiting Faculty Program (VFP), Collaborative Research: Hardware Accelerator Design on 3D Fourier Transform. $25,900. Awarded, DOE. Summer 2022

  • PI, NSF Collaboration Kickstart Travel Grant, Advancing HSI Education and Workforce Development through AI-Driven Quantum–Classical Circuit Design, $2,500, Awarded. 2026

  • PI, NSF HSI Travel Grant, “Developing a High-Quality Academic Environment for Broadening Participation of Hispanic Students in Computing,” University of North Texas. $2,000. Awarded. 2025

  • PI, NSF Travel Grant, NSF CISE Research Expansion (RE) Aspiring PI Workshop. $1,500. Awarded. 2025

  • PI, NSF Travel Grant, NSF CISE MSI Aspiring PI Workshop. $1,300. Awarded. 2024

Summer 2022

  • Research Advisor, Integrated Circuit Design and Verification, NSF HSI-ELPSG. $20,000. Awarded, UHCL. 2022–2023
  • Research Advisor, Hardware Generator Design and Verification, Department of Education (DoE) Pathway Program. $20,000. Awarded, UHCL. 2022–2023
  • PI, Center of Faculty Development Funds. $1,500. Awarded, UHCL. 2021
  • PI, Faculty Research and Support Funds (FRSF). $5,470. Awarded, UHCL. 2021
  • PI, Xilinx University Program. $1,600. Awarded, Xilinx. 2020
  • PI, Faculty Development Funds (FDF). $8,000. Awarded, UHCL. 2017–2019
  • PI, Faculty Research and Support Funds (FRSF). $5,730. Awarded, UHCL. 2019
  • PI, Faculty Research and Support Funds (FRSF). $3,200. Awarded, UHCL. 2018
  • PI, Faculty Research and Support Funds (FRSF). $5,435. Awarded, UHCL. 2017
  • PI, NSF Travel Grant. $1,580. Awarded. 2017

Federal Research Proposals

  • NSF REU 2640166: Collaborative Research: REU Site: Next-Generation Computer Systems and IoT for Smart and Sustainable Engineering and Agriculture (Co-PI), $33,240 ($60,000), 07/2026

  • NSF Future CoRe 297455, Collaborative Research: FET: Scalable and Accelerated Quantum Circuit Simulator (PI). $204,738 ($600,000 total). February 2026.

  • NSF SaTC 2.0 297432, Collaborative Research: SaTC 2.0: RES: Trusted and Secure Quantum Computing through Multi-Level Decomposition (Co-PI). $64,986 ($600,000 total). January 2026.

  • NSF Future CoRe 297429, Collaborative Research: CSR: Defer-CSD: Eliminating Critical-Path Write Latency in Computational Storage for Long-Context LLM Inference (Co-PI). $173,643 ($600,000 total). February 2025.

  • Schmidt Sciences: LLM-Driven Hardware Generation for Accelerated Quantum Circuit Simulation, Schmidt Sciences Unconventional Computing, PI, $149,980, 05/2026

  • Schmidt Sciences: Real-World Deployable Chip-Based Digital Twin (Blue-CHIP) for Riverine and Mariyne Energy, Schmidt Sciences Unconventional Computing, Co-PI, $150,000, 05/2026

  • NSF DMREF 2523186, Additive Manufacturing of Advanced Composite Materials Enhanced by Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence to Revolutionize and Engineer Our Future (Co-PI). $1,628,014. February 2025.

  • NSF RITEL 2603598, Collaborative Research: Transforming Integrated Circuit Education From Design to Deployment (PI). $359,995 ($900,000 total).

Awards

  • President’s Distinguished Faculty Research Award, University of Houston–Clear Lake, 2025
  • Distinguished Professorship Award, Computer Science and Engineering, University of Houston–Clear Lake, 2025
  • Minnie Stevens Piper Teaching Award (Semi-Finalist Nominee), University of Houston–Clear Lake, 2025
  • Hawk Spirit Award (Nominee), University of Houston–Clear Lake, 2025
  • Improving the Academy Award (Nominee), University of Houston–Clear Lake, 2025
  • DOE / Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Summer Research Fellowship, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 2024
  • Minnie Stevens Piper Teaching Award (Nominee), University of Houston–Clear Lake, 2024
  • DOE / Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Summer Research Fellowship, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 2023
  • Best Paper Award, IEEE UEMCON, New York, NY, 2023
  • DOE / Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Summer Research SRP Visiting Faculty Program, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 2022
  • President’s Distinguished Faculty Award in Teaching (Nominee), University of Houston–Clear Lake, 2022
  • Instructional Innovation Award, University of Houston–Clear Lake, 2021–2022
  • New Faculty Research Award (Nominee), University of Houston–Clear Lake, 2021
  • Minnie Stevens Piper Teaching Award (Nominee), University of Houston–Clear Lake, 2018
  • Best Poster Award, IEEE DataCom, Orlando, FL, 2017
  • Best Ph.D. Forum Paper Award, IEEE ISVLSI, Tampa, FL, 2014
  • Dissertation Year Fellowship, Florida International University, 2015–2016
  • Teaching and Research Assistant Scholarship, Florida International University, 2012–2015
  • Graduate Student Appreciation Week Scholarship, Florida International University, 2016
  • SGA Graduate Scholarship, Florida International University, 2015
  • Graduate Student Travel Grant (GPSC), DAC 2016, Florida International University, 2016
  • Graduate Student Travel Grant (GPSC), ISVLSI 2014, Florida International University, 2014
  • Graduate Student Travel Grant (GPSC), SSST 2013, Florida International University, 2013
  • Presidential Fellowship (Nominee), Florida International University, 2012
  • Chair, Social Planning Department, FIU China Alumni Association, 2009–Present
  • Outstanding Graduate Representative (2 of 120), Beihang University, 2007
  • Outstanding Student Leader (14 of 500), Beihang University, 2006–2007
  • Student President (1 of 65), Beihang–FIU Integrated Circuit Program, 2005–2007

Industrial Certificates & Training

  • UVM Methodology Training, AMD, 2012
  • IP/SoC Tree Working Environment Training, AMD, 2012
  • dj/dv/perl/C++ Verification Environment Training, AMD, 2012
  • SystemVerilog and UVM Training, Mentor Graphics, 2011
  • Low-Power Technology Training (CPF design flow), Cadence, 2011
  • Assertion Training, Synopsys, 2011
  • ARM Technical Training Course (October 12–13), ARM, 2010
  • Mixed-Signal Technologies (AMS tool introduction), Cadence, 2010
  • Constraint-Random Test and Coverage Training, Synopsys, 2009
  • VMM Verification Methodology, Synopsys, 2009
  • DesignWare IP Integration Training (USB 2.0 OTG Controller, Ethernet Controller), Synopsys, 2008
  • DC and Layout Training, Mentor Graphics, 2007
  • Integrated Circuit Design Flow Training, Mentor Graphics, 2006
  • EDA Tools Training (ModelSim and Vim), Mentor Graphics, 2005