Jennifer Bernhard

For More Information

• Prof. Bernhard's Home Page

Education

• Ph.D. Electrical Engineering, Duke University, 1994

Research Statement

Prof. Bernhard's research addresses applications-oriented electromagnetic problems with an emphasis on theoretical analysis and experimental investigation. Her research group focuses on two areas: Electromagnetics for Wireless Communication and Reconfigurable Active and Passive Antennas.

Electromagnetics for Wireless Communication: This work centers on cutting-edge technology development and design techniques that will enable high data-rate wireless communication and wireless parallel computation. Prof. Bernhard's research group investigates the effects of packaging on antenna performance and uses these results to develop design-oriented models for internal antennas, embedded antennas, and diversity schemes. The research also creates synthesis approaches for internal portable antenna systems, including IoT, that produce desired performance while reducing user exposure and battery usage.

Reconfigurable Active and Passive Antennas: Prof. Bernhard's research implements reconfigurability in antenna structures to provide flexibility in operating frequency, bandwidth, and radiation pattern performance. Reconfigurability is accomplished using MEMS (microelectromechanical system) or traditional microwave switches, ferroelectric materials, or mechanical actuation of antenna components. The new multi-function antennas developed in this research will reduce dramatically the number and size of large array-based antenna systems, improve system efficiency, and decrease system cost and weight.

The research group is supported by a specialized fabrication facility, a new anechoic chamber (the Illinois Wireless Wind Tunnel), Agilent vector network analyzers, and opportunities for collaborations with the UIUC Center for Computational Electromagnetics.

Undergraduate Research Opportunities

Students with an interest in applied electromagnetics, including antennas and high frequency circuits, are encouraged to contact me via e-mail. The background required for an undergraduate research position in my lab includes good performance in ECE 329 and ECE 450, with other advanced EM courses always a plus. For first- and second-year students who haven't taken these courses yet, opportunities may exist from semester to semester to help with the research projects of advanced undergraduates or graduate students, but at a more basic level.

Research Interests

• Multifunction Antennas and Antenna Systems
• Wireless Sensor Systems, including the Internet of Things (IoT)
• Antennas and Electromagnetics for Wireless Communication
• Reconfigurable Active and Passive Antennas

Research Topics

• Autonomous Systems and Artificial Intelligence
• Bioelectronics and Bioinformatics
• Cyberinfrastructures
• Cyberphysical systems and internet of things
• Data/Information Science and Systems
• Electronics, Plasmonics, and Photonics
• Energy
• Healthcare and medical technologies
• Network science and engineering
• RF and microwave engineering
• Sensing systems
• Smart infrastructures
• Socio-technical systems and networking
• Wearable and mobile computing

Honors

• U. S. Defense Science Study Group (2008-2009)
• President, IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society (2008)
• U.S. Frontiers of Engineering Symposium Participant (2007)
• President-Elect, IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society (2007)
• Xerox Award for Faculty Research, UIUC College of Engineering (2006)
• Willett Faculty Scholar, UIUC College of Engineering (2005-2008)
• H. A. Wheeler Applications Prize Paper Award, IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society (2004)
• Willett Faculty Scholar, UIUC College of Engineering (2002-2005)
• IEEE Senior Member (2001)
• Best Paper of the Year, NASA Communications Technology Division (2000)
• National Science Foundation CAREER Award (2000)

Teaching Honors

• Incomplete List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent by Their Students (ECE 457), Spring 2005
• Accenture Engineering Council Award for Excellence in Advising, UIUC College of Engineering, 2004
• Incomplete List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent by their Students (ECE 357), Spring 2002
• Incomplete List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent by their Students (ECE 357), Spring 2000
• Anderson Consulting Award for Excellence in Advising, UIUC College of Engineering, 2000
• Collins Scholar, UIUC College of Engineering, 2000
• UNH College of Engineering and Physical Sciences Teaching Excellence Award, 1997-1998
• Tau Beta Pi (UNH Chapter) Outstanding Teacher Award, ECE 1997-1998
• Sloan New Faculty Fellow, 1997
• Tau Beta Pi (UNH Chapter) Outstanding Teacher Award, ECE 1996-1997

Research Honors

• U.S. Frontiers of Engineering Symposium Participant, sponsored by the National Academy of Engineering, 2007
• Xerox Award for Faculty Research, UIUC College of Engineering, 2006
• Willett Faculty Scholar, UIUC College of Engineering, 2005-2009
• [Winner, Student Paper Competition] N. C. Soldner, P. E. Mayes, and J. T. Bernhard, “Improvement of electrically small dual-sector antenna through integration of planar inductive feeds and inductive loads,” in Proc. 2005 Antenna Applications Symposium, Allerton Park, Monticello, IL, Sept. 2005, pp. 108 – 126
• H. A. Wheeler Prize Paper Award, IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society, 2004
• NASA-ASEE Summer Faculty Fellowship, 2000
• Willett Faculty Scholar, UIUC College of Engineering, 2002-2005
• NSF CAREER Award, 2000
• NASA-ASEE Summer Faculty Fellowship, 1999
• Summer Faculty Fellowship, University of New Hampshire, 1996
• Class of 1944 Professorship, University of New Hampshire, 1995-1998

Public Service Honors

• President, IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society, 2008
• President-Elect, IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society, (Elected) 2007
• Co-Chair and US Delegation Leader, US-Japan Workshop on Bio-Inspired Sensor Networks: Learning from Life, Yokohama, Japan, December 6-8, 2006
• Technical Program Chair, IEEE International Workshop on Antenna Technology: Small Antennas and Novel Metamaterials, White Plains, NY, March 6-8, 2006
• Guest Editor, Special Issue on Multifunction Antennas and Antenna Systems, IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation, February 2006
• URSI USNC Commission D Secretary, 2006-2007
• URSI USNC Member-at-Large (Elected), 2005-2007
• URSI (Union of Radio Scientists International) Commission B USNC (U.S. National Committee) Member-at-Large (Elected), 2004-2005
• Editorial Board, Smart Structures and Systems, 2004 - Present
• IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society Administrative Committee, (Elected) 2004-2006
• Antenna Applications Symposium Co-Chair, Allerton Park, Monticello, IL, 2001-Present
• Associate Editor, IEEE Antennas and Wireless Propagation Letters, 2001-2005
• Associate Editor, IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation, 2001-2007
• Technical Program Chair, IEEE Conference on Antennas and Propagation for Wireless Communications, November 2000
• Profiled in Cornell EE Department Newsletter as Outstanding EE School Alumna, Spring 1999
• NH IEEE State Executive Committee, 1996-1998