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By Rita Okoye
Nigerian scholar and Ph.D. candidate Sunday Amatare has been named a recipient of the prestigious John S. Schuchman Outstanding Doctoral Student Award by the College of Engineering at the 2025 Annual Academic Excellence Awards at the University of Texas at Arlington.
The award was presented during a formal ceremony on Friday, April 11, 2025, at the Nedderman Hall Atrium at the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA). It is conferred annually, along with other award categories, at the university’s Annual Academic Excellence Awards. This year, the award was presented to Amatare as one of only six recipients, placing him in the top 2% of the approximately 250 doctoral students in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering. The recognition highlights exceptional academic performance, ambitious goal-setting, outstanding research output, and demonstrated impact both on campus and in the wider society.
Amatare, who is pursuing a PhD in Computer Engineering with a focus in AI/ML for Wireless Communications, Wireless Digital Twins, and Networked Robotics, was nominated by the Academic Excellence Awards Committee. The ceremony was attended by students and faculty, including department chairs such as Dr. Hong Jiang, Dr. Michael Cho, Dr. Wei-Jen Lee, Dr. Sampson Gholston, Dr. Efstathios Meletis, and Dr. Kamesh Subbarao, as well as Dean Peter E. Crouch.
The John S. Schuchman Outstanding Doctoral Student Award celebrates students who excel not only academically but also in research. Amatare’s stellar GPA, multiple awards, and publications in top wireless communications venues such as IEEE GLOBECOM and DySPAN were a core part of his nomination. He is also actively mentoring undergraduate students at UTA’s Transformative Wireless Systems and Technology Lab.
While giving his award acceptance speech, Amatare said: “To my advisor, colleagues, and family, I dedicate this award to you for your belief and support in me. I will continue to make you all proud, as my best years are yet to come. Thank you!”
“I urge you all to continue working hard in your respective roles, including pushing the boundaries of research in your endeavors. The university will continue to encourage and support you, and the sky will be your starting point. Thank you again for attending this year’s Annual Academic Excellence Awards ceremony,” Dean Peter Crouch said in his closing remarks.
