Dean Nino Masnari has announced the selection of Dr. Robert J. Trew as the next Head of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering effective January 1, 2003. Dr. Trew is currently serving as the Head of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Virginia.

Robert J. Trew received the Ph.D. degree from the University of Michigan in 1975. From 1997-2001 he was Director of Research for the U.S. Department of Defense, with management oversight responsibility for the $1.3 billion yearly basic research programs of DoD. During this time he had management responsibility for DoD’s University Research Initiative, which includes the MURI, DURIP, DEPSCoR, and HBCU/MI programs.

Dr. Trew served as Vice-Chair of the U.S. Government interagency committee that planned and implemented the U.S. National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI). From 1992-1997 he served as a Program Manager in the Electronics Division of the U.S. Army Research Office.

Dr. Trew’s academic career includes 17 years previously with NCSU, and 4 years as George S. Dively Professor of Engineering and Chair of the Electrical Engineering and Applied Physics Department of Case Western Reserve University.

Dr. Trew is a Fellow of the IEEE, and serves on the IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society Administration Committee (ADCOM), where he is Vice-President elect for 2003. He was Editor of the IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques from 1995 to 1997, and is currently inaugural Co-Editor of the IEEE Microwave Magazine. He is also a member of the Editorial Board of the IEEE Proceedings.

Dr. Trew was an IEEE Microwave Distinguished Lecturer from 1997-2000, and will serve a second term as Microwave Distinguished Lecturer for the period 2003-2006. Dr. Trew was the recipient of the 2001 IEEE-USA Harry Diamond Memorial Award. He also received an IEEE Third Millennium Medal Award, the 1998 IEEE MTT Society Distinguished Educator Award, the 1991 Alcoa Foundation Distinguished Engineering Research Award, and a 1992 Distinguished Scholarly Achievement Award from NC State University.

He is a member of IEEE, the Materials Research Society, the Electromagnetics Academy, AAAS, ASEE, Sigma Xi, Eta Kappa Nu, and Tau Beta Pi. He has over 140 publications, 14 book chapters, and has given over 290 technical and programmatic presentations. Dr. Trew has six patents.