From disassembling an entire car engine as a teenager just to see how it worked to earning more than a dozen U.S. patents in robotics, Pinhas Ben-Tzvi has always been driven by curiosity.
“I’ve always been very inquisitive and enjoyed building and fixing things,” said Ben-Tzvi, who this summer joined the University of Miami College of Engineering as professor and chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Ben-Tzvi, an internationally recognized expert in robotics, autonomous systems and health care technologies, comes to the university after serving as a program director at the National Science Foundation. At NSF, he managed multimillion-dollar research investments in robotics, artificial intelligence, and other emerging technologies, while building strategic partnerships with NASA, the National Institutes of Health, and other federal agencies to advance national research priorities.
But before the patents and recognition, Ben-Tzvi’s path began modestly. The son of Georgian immigrants, he grew up in Israel. His mother, he said, was the driving force who pushed him to pursue his talent and get out of his comfort zone, eventually graduating at the top of his class. He served in the Israeli Air Force Academy before becoming the first in his family to earn a college degree.
That mindset has shaped his career as both a researcher and mentor. Before NSF, Ben-Tzvi established the Robotics and Mechatronics Lab at The George Washington University and later at Virginia Tech where he designed new undergraduate and graduate programs and mentored more than 40 graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, many of whom now hold leadership roles in academia and industry.
Now at Miami, Ben-Tzvi is excited to channel that energy into growing the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. His vision includes building research clusters in applied artificial intelligence, quantum technologies and robotics; strengthening collaborations with other units across the university and South Florida’s tech industry; and investing in early career faculty.
He is also focused on infrastructure, aiming to renovate research and teaching spaces to create collaborative hubs where students and faculty can explore emerging technologies together.
“Technology is changing quickly,” he said. “We need to prepare our students to adapt and innovate.”
At the heart of his mission is a lifelong love for mechatronics, the interdisciplinary field that blends mechanical, electrical and computer engineering. He envisions new collaborative courses and degree programs with the Departments of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, and other units across the college and University that will immerse students in hands-on design and problem-solving.
“Challenges have always driven me,” Ben-Tzvi said. “That’s why I’m here. This is an opportunity to make an impact.”
That opportunity has been strengthened by a $1.5 million gift from alumnus Robert E. Sanchez, B.S.E.E. ’87, along with a matching contribution from the Knight Foundation. Together, the donations establish the Rodolfo and Mirta Sanchez Endowed Chair in Electrical and Computer Engineering.
The endowed chair honors Sanchez’s parents, Rodolfo and Mirta, whose guidance made it possible for him and his sisters to earn degrees from the University of Miami. The gift ensures the department can continue attracting leaders like Ben-Tzvi, who hope to elevate research, teaching and innovation in electrical and computer engineering.
