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Inspiration All Star

Ilija Hadzic

About
STEM Hall of Fame profile picture for Ilija Hadzic inducted in 2017.

Dr. Ilija Hadzic is a distinguished electrical engineer whose career has spanned advancements in communications, networks, and robotics. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from the University of Novi Sad in Serbia in 1995, followed by a Master’s and Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1996 and 1999, respectively.

Upon completing his doctorate, Dr. Hadzic joined Bell Labs—now part of Nokia, following its evolution from Lucent Technologies and Alcatel-Lucent—where he serves as a distinguished member of the technical staff. His work has contributed to breakthroughs in distributed systems, embedded technologies, and system software, with many of his innovations integrated into commercially available products.

An accomplished researcher and inventor, Dr. Hadzic has authored numerous papers in leading academic journals and conferences and holds multiple patents. His technical contributions earned him the prestigious title of Bell Labs Fellow in 2010, recognizing his lasting impact on the field.

He was named Mentor of the Year at 2017 VEX Robotics World Championship in Louisville, Kentucky.

Details

Award: Mentor of the Year
Year: 2017
Title: DMTS
Organization: Nokia Bell Labs
Team: Teams 11336A & B, 54501, Millington Elementary School & Central Middle School
Location: New Jersey, USA
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2025-2026 Signature Event Updates

  1. An Event Partner wanting to apply to host a Signature Event must have hosted events for at least 2 seasons prior to applying. 
  2. Signature Events must use the officially branded award banners for the Excellence Award and Tournament/Teamwork Champions Award.
  3. When hanging field skirts the VEX Robotics logo/brand name can not be covered up on the competition fields.
  4. VEX V5 Robotics Competition Signature Events may have regional capacity and max per organization restrictions lifted 8 weeks before the event if the event is not full (similar to the process already in place for VEX IQ Robotics Competition Signature Events).
  5. Minimum pit size reduced to 8’x 8’ instead of 10’x10’.
  6. Beginning in the 2025-2026 season, the REC Foundation will collect $10 instead of $5 per team registration on all Signature Events. This is to help offset travel costs for REC Foundation staff to support these larger events.

2025-2026 Signature Event Application Reminders

  1. Existing Signature Events only need to complete the Final Application (due by March 31, 2025)
  2. New Signature Event concepts will need to complete the Initial Proposal by January 31, 2025 and if approved, complete the Final Application by March 31, 2025.
Crowd watches the Signature Event in Minnesota's Mall of America
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