Nicolaos G. Alexopoulos Recognized for Outstanding Contributions in Electrical Engineering Research, Practice, Education

Nicolaos G. Alexopoulos, dean of UC Irvine's Henry Samueli School of Engineering and professor of electrical engineering and computer science, has been elected to the National Academy of Engineering, one of the most prestigious professional lifetime distinctions awarded to an engineer.

Alexopoulos is one of 64 new members and nine foreign associates to join this distinguished group of scholars, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to "microwave circuits, antennas and structures for low observable technologies, and for contributions in engineering education."

His research career has focused on fundamental advancements in engineering electrodynamics - including contributions to the development of a unified theory for integrated circuits and antennas, computer algorithms and software - to design and manufacture compact, less expensive and lighter communication devices and systems, such as phased arrays for radars. These advancements, in conjunction with his research focused on engineered magnetodielectric materials, have improved low observable applications like enhancing stealth vehicles that utilize technology not easily detected by radar.

"I am sincerely honored to receive this distinction, and am proud to share this recognition with my colleagues at The Henry Samueli School of Engineering," said Alexopoulos. "I look forward to supporting exciting new directions, integrating engineering science at UC Irvine, and collaborating with students and faculty in multiple disciplines."

Since Alexopoulos began in 1997 as the engineering dean and professor of electrical engineering, 61 faculty members have joined the school, and student enrollment has nearly doubled, currently totaling more than 600 graduate students and 2,100 undergraduates. Overall research expenditures also have increased from $14.2 million during 2000-01 to $24.1 million in 2005-06 and philanthropic, private and industrial support has grown from $2.7 million during 2000-01 to more than $10 million in 2005-06.

In 1999, the school received a $20 million gift from Henry Samueli and his wife, Susan, to support faculty research through endowed professorships, create competitive fellowships for graduate students and competitive scholarships for undergraduates, and support other priority projects in the school. In recognition of this gift, the school was renamed The Henry Samueli School of Engineering.

Together with engineering faculty and colleagues, Alexopoulos has supported the creation of numerous school and campus advancements, including the establishment of the National Fuel Cell Research Center, the Integrated Nanosystems Research Facility, and the Center for Pervasive Communications and Computing. He also initiated and supported the establishment of the California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology, as well as the development and launch of a new biomedical engineering department.

Established in 1964, the NAE is an organization that honors exceptional engineers in research, practice and education, and is part of the National Academies including the National Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council. UCI engineering faculty members that have been elected to the NAE include Alfredo Ang, Satya Atluri, Robert Liebeck, Henry Samueli, Masanobu Shinozuka, William Sirignano, Soroosh Sorooshian and H. Kumar Wickramasinghe.

About the University of California, Irvine: The University of California, Irvine is a top-ranked university dedicated to research, scholarship and community service. Founded in 1965, UCI is among the fastest-growing University of California campuses, with more than 25,000 undergraduate and graduate students and about 1,800 faculty members. The second-largest employer in dynamic Orange County, UCI contributes an annual economic impact of $3.7 billion. For more UCI news, visit www.today.uci.edu.

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