Anthony Grbic honored with Henry Russel Award

Prof. Anthony (Tony) Grbic, assistant professor in the Radiation Laboratory, was awarded the prestigious Henry Russel Award, a University of Michigan award that is conferred on mid-career faculty who have demonstrated an impressive record of accomplishment in scholarship and/or creativity, as well as their conspicuous ability as a teacher.

Prof. Grbic’s accomplishments as a world-class researcher in the field of electromagnetics and microwave circuits resulted in his recently being awarded the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE). His research program spans basic science (especially his work on metamaterials and near-field plates) and advanced technology development (including his work in antenna research and design, and wireless component development).

The article, “Near-Field Plates: Subdiffraction focusing with patterned surfaces” by Anthony Grbic, graduate student Lei Jiang, and physics professor Roberto Merlin, appeared in Science, vol. 320, no. 5874, pp. 511-513, April 25, 2008. His research activities have also been been cited in Scientific American, Nature, Physics World, Physics Today, New Scientist, Discover Magazine and EE Times.

Prof. Grbic’s enthusiasm for the subject matter is inspiring to his students. The senior major design experience course, Radiowave Propagation and Link Design (EECS 430), was voted one of HKN’s favorite courses. He engages undergraduates students in his research through the REU program, which has led to individual awards for the students, and his graduate students are already earning prestigious national fellowships and best paper awards.

In addition to EECS 430, Prof. Grbic has taught the sophomore level introductory course to Electromagnetics (EECS 230), as well as a special topics graduate-level course in Electromagnetic Metamaterials. The latter course was created by Grbic, and serves as a model for the emerging field of metamaterials in the country.

Prof. Grbic joined U-M in 2006 after receiving his M.A.Sc., M.A.Sc., and Ph.D. degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Toronto. In addition to the PECASE, he has received an AFOSR Young Investigator Award and an NSF Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award.