Lab-Sponsored UM Researcher Wins Prestigious Presidential Award

  • Published
  • By Maria Callier
  • Office of Scientific Research
ARLINGTON, Virginia --  Dr. Anthony Grbic, an Air Force Research Laboratory-funded principal investigator at the University of Michigan, earned Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers program accolades for his research of artificial surfaces and materials--otherwise known as metamaterials. The PECASE program recognizes some of the finest scientists and engineers who, while early in their research careers, show exceptional potential for leadership at the frontiers of scientific knowledge.

Cited by a number of popular articles in well-known magazines such as Scientific American, New Scientist, and Discover, Dr. Grbic's research activities comprise both experimental and theoretical research in electromagnetics, microwave circuits, and optics--work that includes investigations of metamaterials and near-field plates. Near-field plates exhibit a capacity to achieve extreme subwavelength focusing, a characteristic that will likely facilitate the development of high-resolution probes for near-field microscopy systems, enabling unprecedented resolution for those systems. Dr. Grbic's work addresses the challenge of extending the near-field plate concept beyond microwave frequencies and towards optical frequencies, an expansion that could spark not only the development of future antennae at microwave/millimeter-wave frequencies, but also the improvement of range and efficiency in wireless nonradiative power transfer systems. These contributions will improve current Air Force mission capability by helping to ensure that electronics are always charged and in a mission-ready state.

Since 2008, AFRL has sponsored UM-based metamaterials investigations. PECASE winners receive $200,000 annually over 5 years to support further research in the fields that produced their nominations. According to Dr. Grbic, the award will provide his lab-funded research team with even greater research freedom and opportunities to pursue other topics in metamaterials, an emergent research area wherein much fundamental work remains.