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IE School of Science & Technology

Ikhlaq Sidhu is the first Dean of IE School of Science & Technology

Ikhlaq Sidhu, Dean of the IE School of Science and Technology

Ikhlaq Sidhu is an academic, technology expert, entrepreneur, author, and advisor.  His areas of research excellence are technology management, communication networking, industrial engineering, data science, and technology commercialization, with a particular interest in innovation engineering.  He is also the author of the book “Innovation Engineering” and the creator of the popular Data-X course at UC Berkeley, and holds over 50 patents in networking, communications, and computing technologies. Most recently, Ikhlaq has been instrumental in creating IE University’s new Impact Xcelerator and its new lab areas. 

Prior to joining IE University, Ikhlaq was the Founding Faculty Director and Chief Scientist of the Sutardja Center for Entrepreneurship & Technology at the University of California (Berkeley), and also founded the Fung Institute for Engineering Leadership at the same institution. He holds both a master’s and a PhD in electrical and computer engineering from Northwestern University, and a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Ikhlaq has received a number of awards, including the Extraordinary Teaching in Extraordinary Times award from UC Berkeley in 2021, for demonstrating his commitment to students, the IEEE Major Education Innovation Award for his research and teaching work at University of California (Berkeley) in 2018, and  an Honorary Ph.D. from Lund University in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. He also serves on several advisory boards and review committees.

Career Timeline

2022

  • Appointed as Dean of IE School of Science & Technology. 
  • Announcement of Honorary Ph.D. from Lund University in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.

2021

Extraordinary Teaching in Extraordinary Times Award, University of California (Berkeley).

2019

  • Board of Directors, Qatar Foundation.
  • International Advisory Board, BII Business School, Norway.
  • Master of Design Faculty Advisory Council, University of California (Berkeley).
  • Published Innovation Engineering Book.

2018

  • Faculty Director’s Council, Jacob’s Institute for Design Innovation, University of California (Berkeley).
  • Honorary Chair Professor in Computer Science and Physics, Hong Kong Business University.
  • Add IEEE Major Innovation Award.

2017

Launched new X-Labs at Berkeley: Blockchain, Data, and Alt.Meat.

2016

  •  Faculty Committee for Lawrence Hall of Science, University of California (Berkeley).
  • Board of Trustees of the Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar.
  • Developed the Data-X framework - A globally recognized framework for Digital Transformation with Data, AI, Blockchain coupled with strategy and innovation leadership.

2015

Endowment and naming of the Sutardja Center for Entrepreneurship & Technology.

2012

Launched Engineering Leadership Instituteand programs at U.C. Berkeley.

2010

 Founded Innovation Engineering Advisory Practice.

2009

Industrial Engineering and Operations Research (IEOR) Emerging Area Professor Award.

2008

Developed Berkeley Method of Entrepreneurship.

2005

Founding Director, Center for Entrepreneurship & Technology at UC Berkeley.

IE School of Science & Technology Academic Team