Faculty
Weng Cho Chew
Y.T. Lo Chair in Electrical and Computer Engineering
Professor
378A Everitt Lab, MC-702
1406 W. Green
Urbana, Illinois 61801
(217) 333-7309
PhD Electrical Engineering Massachusetts Institute of Technology June 1980
Research Statement:
Prof. Chew's current research interest is in fast computational algorithms for solving electromagnetic scattering problems. His other areas of research interest are in wave propagation, scattering, inverse scattering, inhomogeneous media for geophysical subsurface sensing and nondestructive testing applications and experiments. He has designed experiments with his graduate students to demonstrate the super-resolution phenomena of nonlinear inverse scattering. Working with his research scientists, postdocs and students, his research group has solved electromagnetic scattering problems of unprecedented sizes involving over 10 million unknowns using fast algorithms and matrix-free methods. He is the originator of several fast algorithms for solving electromagnetics scattering and inverse problems, and has authored a book, Waves and Fields in Inhomogeneous Media, and coauthored a book, Fast and Efficient Algorithms in Computational Electromagnetics, in addition to more than 300 scientific journal articles and 400 conference papers, several patents, and book chapters. His work is widely cited. Prof. Chew is an IEEE Fellow, an OSA Fellow, and was named an NSF Presidential Young Investigator in 1986. Previously, he was the director of the Center for Computational Electromagnetics and the Electromagnetics Laboratory. Prof. Chew has been named frequently to the Daily Illini's "Incomplete List of Excellent Instructors." He was also the winner of the IEEE Year 2000 Graduate Teaching Award, the UIUC Campus Award for Excellence in Graduate and Professional Teaching for 2001, a Founder Professor of the College of Engineering at the University of Illinois, and the co-winner of the Schelkunoff Best Paper Award for 2001. In 2002, ISI Citation elected him to the category of Most-Highly Cited Authors (top 0.5%). His work is cited by electromagneticists, geophysicists, mathematicians, and electro-chemists. He is the YT Lo Endowed Chair Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering since 2005. Before coming to University of Illinois, Prof. Chew was a department manager and program leader at Schlumberger-Doll Research. Currently, he is on a leave of absence to serve as the Dean of Engineering at The University of Hong Kong.
Research Interests:
- Electromagnetics, wave propagation in inhomogeneous media, microwave integrated circuits, microstrip antennas, and fast algorithms for radar scattering, low frequency electromagnetics, layered media, and left-handed materials.
- Parallelization of fast algorithms
- Inverse scattering, imaging, and physics-based signal processing
For more information:
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Honors, Recognition, and Outstanding Achievements
- Schelkunoff Best Paper Award, IEEE Trans. Antennas and Propagation, (coauthor) 2001
- UIUC Campus Award for Excellence in Graduate and Professional Teaching, 2001
- Presented five invited plenary talks in 2000
- IEEE Graduate Teaching Award 2000
Honors, Recognition, and Outstanding Achievements for Teaching
- IEEE AP Chen-To Tai Distinguished Educator Award 2008
- Incomplete List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent by their students, almost every semester
- UIUC Campus Award fro Excellence in Graduate and Professional Teaching, 2001
- Campus Wide Professional Teaching, Honorary mention, 2000
- IEEE Graduate Teaching Award, 2000
Honors, Recognition, and Outstanding Achievements for Research
- Cheng Tsang Man Visiting Professor, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 2006
- IEEE Distinguished Lecture, 2005-2007
- Y. T. Lo Endowed Chair Professor, 2005-2009
- Adjunct Professor, The Electromagnetics Academy, Zhejiang University, China, 2004-present
- Affiliate Professor, Dept. Computer Sciences, UIUC, March 1999 - present
- Founder Professor, College of Engineering, University of Illinois, 2000-2005
- Institute of Physics Fellow, 2004
- Distinguished Visiting Scientist, Air Force Research Lab, 2003
- Fellow, Optical Society of America, 2003
- ISI Highly Cited Author (Top 0.5 %), 2002
- One invited Plenary Lecture in 2002 and two invited talks
- S.A. Schekulnof Best Paper Award for AP Transaction, 2001.
- Adjunct Visitng Professor, National University of Singapore, 2000-2001
- IEEE Graduate Teaching Award 2000
- IBM Visiting Professor, Division of Applied Mathematics, Brown University, February 2000 - June 2000
- Visiting Research Scientist, MIT, February 2000 - June 2000
- Five Invited Plenary Lectures in 2000.
- MURI Award, 1995
- IEEE Fellow, 1993
- Visiting Professor, National University of Singapore, Ecole Superieure d'Electricite, France, 1992
- Presidential Young Investigator, 1986
- Associate Editor for IEEE-GRS
- Ad Com Member of IEEE-GRS, 1986
- Active member of SEG
- Member of URSI
- Listed in Who's Who in the Midwest
- Listed in Who's Who in the Frontier of Science and Technology
- Member of Tau Beta Pi, Eta Kappa Nu, Sigma Xi
- Outstanding Young Men of America, International Youth of Achievement
Honors, Recognition, and Outstanding Achievements for Public Service
- Panel Reviews, NSF, LLNL
- Proposal reviewer, five to six a year
- Associate Editor for Journal of Electromagnetic Wave and Applications
- Associate Editor for Microwave Optical Technology Letters
- Reference letter writing at least 20 a year
- Manuscript reviews for various journals, at least 15 a year
- Session organizers, AP Symposium, PIERS
- Recognition and Appreciation of Service Award, ACES 2003
- AdCom Member, IEEE Antennas and Propagation, 2002-now
- Technical Program Committee, Antennas and Propagation Society, 2001-now
- External Review for ECE Graduate Program at Texas A&M, 2000.
- External Examiner for City University of Hong Kong 2000-present.
- Guest Editor, IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing, 2000.
- Associate Editor, IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing, 1990-2001.
- Director, Center for Computational Electromagnetics and Electromagnetics Laboratory, 1995-2007.