As part of our ongoing series welcoming multiple new additions to The Cooper Union’s full-time faculty, we spoke with Stella Banou, Ph.D., who joins the Department of Electrical Engineering in the Albert Nerken School of Engineering. Her research focuses on developing low-power wireless biosensing systems for health applications, including wearable devices and neural data recording technologies. Banou comes to Cooper following a postdoc at New York University’s Center for Neural Science. She received her Ph.D. in electrical engineering and computer engineering from Northeastern University. 

Tell us about your research interests 

I work at the intersection of health technologies and wireless engineering, designing wearable and implantable devices. My devices utilize the conductive properties of human tissue to connect to each other and to networks and share health data for continuous patient monitoring, wellness tracking, and remote health access. 

What brought you to The Cooper Union? 

I was drawn to The Cooper Union because of its strong commitment to high-quality and accessible education. I also really value the close-knit community of students, alumni, and faculty, and I love being part of a vibrant city like New York that offers so many opportunities for learning and connection. 

What aspects of teaching are you most excited about in the coming academic year at Cooper?

I'm excited about the project-based, hands-on approach in both the Junior Electrical Engineering project class and the Freshman Digital Logic Design class I'll be teaching. I also really look forward to the small faculty-to-student ratio, which creates a more personable experience for me and my students.