Dushan Boroyevich Junior Faculty Fellowship
Honoring a legacy of innovation and mentorship: The Dushan Boroyevich Junior Faculty Fellowship
When five former Virginia Tech students came together to celebrate the retirement of Dushan Boroyevich, professor emeritus of the Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, in the fall of 2024, they felt that words alone weren’t enough to express their gratitude. They wanted to create something lasting that would honor the former professor’s legacy by supporting the next generation of engineering faculty.
Together, these alumni, now accomplished leaders in academia, industry, and entrepreneurship, established the Dushan Boroyevich Junior Faculty Fellowship in the Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Virginia Tech. The fellowship supports early-career faculty, providing them with discretionary funding to pursue research, develop ideas, and grow as educators. It’s an investment in the future of engineering, inspired by Boroyevich’s contagious optimism and visionary spirit.
The five alumni whose careers were shaped by Boroyevich’s mentorship and the collaborative culture of the Center for Power Electronics Systems (CPES), previously known as the Virginia Power Electronics Center (VPEC), include:
Richard Zhang, Ph.D. ’98, Hugh P. and Ethel C. Kelly Professor in the Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering; former chief technology officer of GE Grid Integration Solutions
Vlatko Vlatković, M.S. ’91, Ph.D. ’94, partner, Clean Energy Venture Group; former GE senior executive
Silva Hiti, Ph.D. ’95, vice president of power electronics and electric motors, Rivian Automotive
Ashraf Lotfi, M.S. ’88, Ph.D. ’93, venture partner, Deep Science Ventures; former vice president of Intel
Himamshu Prasad, M.S. ’98, senior vice president, Schneider Electric
“It’s both symbolic and operational,” said Zhang, who became the director of CPES in November 2025. “It sends a message that we believe in these young faculty members, that we’re willing to invest in their potential. It gives them the space to create and innovate, just like Boroyevich always encouraged us to do.”
The creation of the fellowship was made easier by the Moraco Faculty Fellowship Challenge, which maximized its impact by offering matching funds.
For the alumni behind the fellowship, supporting junior faculty felt like a natural extension of Boroyevich’s influence, empowering rising stars in the industry to follow in his footsteps. Through the Dushan Boroyevich Junior Faculty Fellowship, they’re ensuring that the curiosity, creativity, and commitment to excellence that their mentor instilled in them will continue in future faculty and students.
“CPES and the College of Engineering represent cutting-edge research and a mission to develop the next generation of technical leaders,” said Zhang. “Many of our classmates have gone on to build very successful businesses and lead global innovation, some of them with market capitalizations exceeding a billion dollars. That spirit of entrepreneurship and impact is what we want to continue.”
