Hao started at ECE in 2020 as a postdoctoral fellow, then becoming an assistant professor in 2021. She is the director for the Software/Hardware Co-Design for Intelligence and Efficiency (Sharc) Lab, while also being part of the VLSI Systems and Digital Design Technical Interest Group.

“I’m deeply honored to receive the ON Semiconductor Junior Professorship," Hao said. "It means a lot to have my work recognized in this way, especially as agile chip design becomes such a key part of our AI-driven future. I’m excited and grateful for the chance to keep building, learning, and mentoring—this support will help me do even more meaningful research and teaching.”

Hao’s research focuses on agile software/hardware co-design, especially in the joint area of efficient hardware design and machine learning algorithms. She is also passionate about reconfigurable and high-efficiency computing and building useful electronic design automation tools.

She’s received a number of awards and distinctions during her time at ECE, including the NSF CAREER Award and the Intel Rising Star Faculty Award. Additionally, Hao previously held the Sutterfield Family Early Career Professorship for the last two years.