John L Volakis

Phone

(614) 292-5846

Fax

(614) 292-7297

Address

The ElectroScience Laboratory
The Ohio State University
1320 Kinnear Rd.
Columbus, OH 43212

Email

Personal Page

Education

John L. Volakis obtained his Ph.D. degree from the Ohio State University in 1982 (advisors: Leon Peters, Jr. and W.D. Burnside). From 1982-1984 he was with Rockwell International, Aircraft Division (now Boeing Phantom Works), Lakewood, CA and during 1978-1982 he was a Graduate Research Associate at the Ohio State University ElectroScience Laboratory. From January 2003 he is the Roy and Lois Chope Chair Professor of Engineering at the Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio and also serves as the Director of the ElectroScience Laboratory. Prior to moving to the Ohio State Univ, he was a Professor in the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Dept. at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI. (1984-2003). He also served as the Director of the Radiation Laboratory from 1998 to 2000.

Research Interests

His primary research deals with computational methods, electromagnetic compatibility and interference, design of new RF materials, multi-physics engineering and bioelectromagnetics. Dr. Volakis published 220 articles in major refereed journal articles (9 of these have appeared in reprint volumes), more than 300 conference papers and 10 book chapters. In addition, he co-authored two books: Approximate Boundary Conditions in Electromagnetics (Institution of Electrical Engineers, London,1995) and
Finite Element Method for Electromagnetics (IEEE Press, New York, 1998). He has also written two well-edited coursepacks on introductory and advanced numerical methods for electromagnetics, and has delivered short courses on numerical methods, antennas and frequency selective surfaces. In 1998 he received the University of Michigan (UM) College of Engineering Research Excellence award and in 2001 he received the UM, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Service Excellence Award. Dr. Volakis is listed by ISI among the top 250 most referenced authors (2004, 2005); He graduated/mentored over 40 Ph.D. students/post-docs, and co-authored with them 5 best paper awards at conferences. For the past 10 years, Prof. Volakis has maintained a research funding at the level of $1 - 2.5M per year. Some of his major research projects include:

1. Reconfigurable antenna aperture (funded by DARPA, ended 2002): Project dealt with the development of smart passively reconfigurable ground planes and MEMS technology for antenna reconfiguration.

2. Multiphysics MEMS analysis and design (NSF, 2001-2005): Project involves the development of MEMS analysis and design capabilities that integrates electrical, mechanical and thermal physics. Working with 2 mechanical engineering faculty.

3. Meta-Materials Design (funded by DARPA, 2001-2005): A multi-disciplinary project aimed at designing, developing and fabricating new synthetic materials for RF applications. Working with Material Science, Mechanical and other RF Engineering faculty

4. Advanced multifunction RF system antenna isolation and simulation (funded by Office of Naval Research, 1998-2004). Project involved the development of antenna/array simulation and design tools for the future DD21 ship platforms.

5. Electromagnetic compatibility and interference research studies (General Motor and HRL, 2001-2003). Project involved the development of engineering coupling analysis and verification/measurement methods aimed at understanding and mitigating coupling associated with future automobile electronic systems

6. Electromagnetic Effects of RF pulses on Electronic Circuits and Systems (Air Force MURI, ending 2006). A five year MURI on the understanding of coupling mechanisms and their effects on electronic circuits. The project involves collaboration with 4 other Universities.

7. Antennas for wireless communication systems and automobile
applications (funded by Air Force and General Motors, 1997-2003): Design,
fabrication and testing of multifunctional antennas for pre-specified performance on airborne and automobile platforms.

8. Virtual electromagnetic test range (VET) initiative (funded by DAPRA and Air Force, 2001-2004). An industry-university project to develop new fast algorithms for scattering and radiation by nonmetallic/composite structures.

9. Novel Materials for Antennas and RF Devices (MURI funded by the AFOSR)-2004-2009. This is a five year MURI project focused on the analysis, demonstration and design of novel magnetic photonic crystals for antennas and other RF devices. Working with several Ohio State faculty, Univ. of California-Irvine faculty and Brown Univ.

10. Miniature UltraWideBand(UWB) and GPS/Navigation Antennas (ONR)-2003-: A three-year project aimed at developing broadband miniature spiral antennas using a variety of artificial and dielectric loadings coupled with lumped circuit matching techniques. A companion project (also ONR funded) deals with the design of miniature GPS and Navigation antenna systems and their performance on complex platforms. Working with Dr. Chi-Chih Chen and Dr. Gupta at Ohio State.

Professional Activities

Dr. Volakis served as an Associate Editor of the IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation from 1988-1992, and as the President of the the IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society in 2004. He also chaired the 1993 IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society Symposium and Radio Science Meeting, and co-chaired the same Symposium in 2003. Dr. Volakis was a member of the AdCom for the IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society from 1995 to 1998 and serves/served as associate editor of several journals, including Associate Editor of Radio Science(1994-1997), J. Electromagnetic Waves and Applications, IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society Magazine, and the URSI Bulletin. He was elected Fellow of the IEEE in 1996, and is a member of Commissions B and E of URSI.

Currently, he serves as an IEEE Distinguished Lecturer on the following topics:

* Hybrid Frequency Domain Methods for Electromagnetics: From Analysis to Design

* Metamaterials for Miniaturization of Narrowband and Ultra-wideband Antennas

* Miniature Antennas and Arrays Embedded Within Magnetic Photonic Crystals

* EMI/EMC Modeling and Characterization of Mixed RF-Digital Systems