Faculty DirectoryDavid Zaretsky
Associate Professor of Instruction
Assistant Chair of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Contact
2145 Sheridan RoadEvanston, IL 60208-3109
Email David Zaretsky
Website
Departments
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Affiliations
Master of Engineering Management Program
Education
PhD in Electrical & Computer Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
M.S. in Electrical & Computer Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
B.S. in Electrical Engineering & Computer Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
Research Interests
I teach advanced courses in computer engineering spanning AI systems, high-performance computing, computer architecture, electronic design, and technical entrepreneurship. My teaching emphasizes the translation of foundational theory into real systems, ensuring students can apply what they learn to practical engineering challenges.
My objective is to develop engineers who understand computing across abstraction boundaries — from software and learning systems, to architecture and memory organization, down to digital logic, circuits, and nanoscale device behavior. This depth enables students to reason rigorously about performance, efficiency, and reliability, and to make deliberate, quantitatively grounded design decisions.
Equally important, I emphasize the broader context in which engineering operates. I work to equip students with the strategic and entrepreneurial skills required to translate technical innovation into real-world impact — including product thinking, scalability, resource constraints, and technology commercialization. Engineers should not only be able to build advanced systems, but also understand how those systems create value.
My research and professional interests center on scalable computing architectures, hardware/software co-design, AI acceleration, and the advancement of technologies that move from laboratory concepts to deployed platforms. I aim to prepare technically rigorous, full-stack engineers who can lead innovation at both the technical and organizational levels.