PeopleofSuperintelligence

Researcher

Bir Bhanu

Bir Bhanu is a distinguished professor of electrical and computer engineering at UC Riverside, where his work on intelligent systems includes video recognition and biometrics. He completed a Ph.D. at USC in 1981 and served as founding chair of electrical engineering at UC Riverside from 1991 to 1994. He directed the Center for Research in Intelligent Systems from 1998 to 2019. Springer published Human Recognition at a Distance in Video in 2010 and Deep Learning for Biometrics in 2017. UC Riverside gave him its Faculty Research Lecturer Award in 2019, and the National Academy of Inventors named him a fellow in 2020.

Photo of Bir Bhanu

Timeline

  1. 1981

    A doctorate from USC

    At the Image Processing Institute of the University of Southern California, he completes a Ph.D. in electrical engineering in 1981.

  2. 1991–2019

    Founding chair, then CRIS director

    At UC Riverside, he serves as founding chair of electrical engineering from 1991 to 1994. He directs the Center for Research in Intelligent Systems from 1998 to 2019.

  3. 2010

    Human recognition at a distance

    In 2010, Springer publishes Human Recognition at a Distance in Video.

  4. June 2011

    A dissertation mentoring award

    At the commencement in June 2011, UC Riverside gives him its Dissertation Advisor/Mentoring Award.

  5. 2017

    Deep learning for biometrics

    In 2017, Springer publishes Deep Learning for Biometrics, a book he co-authors.

  6. 2019

    Faculty research lecturer award

    UC Riverside's Faculty Research Lecturer Award goes to him in 2019, as the first Bourns College faculty member to win it.

  7. 2020

    National Academy of Inventors fellow

    The National Academy of Inventors names him a fellow in 2020.

  8. As of October 2026

    Distinguished professor at UC Riverside

    He is a distinguished professor of electrical and computer engineering at UC Riverside, holding the Bourns Presidential Chair.

Sources and credits

Photo: vislab.engr.ucr.edu; People | VISLAB; creator not stated. License: Not stated by source. Source: vislab.engr.ucr.edu. Cropped to a square and resized. Ask us to remove or replace this photo.

  1. Bir Bhanu | Center for Robotics and Intelligent Systems cris.ucr.edu. Checked 14 October 2026.
  2. Bir Bhanu named a National Academy of Inventors fellow | Inside UCR | UC Riverside insideucr.ucr.edu. Checked 14 October 2026.
  3. Bir Bhanu - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org. Checked 14 October 2026.
  4. Dr. Bhanu receives the Faculty Research Lecturer Award, the first for BCOE | Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering ece.ucr.edu. Checked 14 October 2026.
  5. Panel on Information Science at the Army Research Laboratory nationalacademies.org. Checked 14 October 2026.