Raj and Jeanette Mittra Distinguished Lecture

Abstract: For millennia, mankind has fashioned goods that harness natural phenomena, such as light, heat and sound. Now, researchers are creating an entirely new class of substances, known as metamaterials, whose unique properties distinguish them from anything found in nature. Combine this scientific progress with advances in computing, modeling, and emerging manufacturing techniques, metamaterials breakthroughs are beginning to result in practical applications for EM waves, acoustic waves, and beyond. In my talk I will also present new advanced antenna designs at Lockheed Martin enabled by metamaterials.

Bio: Dr. Erik Lier received his M.Sc. and Ph.D. from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway. He co-invented the concept of “Soft and Hard electromagnetic surfaces” which is related to the field of electromagnetic bandgap (EBG) structures and complex surfaces. After joining Lockheed Martin Space, he was instrumental in building up the shaped reflector antenna capability in the company which resulted in winning the Asiasat-2 satellite program, and in building up the phased array antenna capability. He was the antenna architect for two phased array antennas launched into space. He has been involved in the development and modernization of the GPS satellite payload for over more than 20 years. He headed up the internal metamaterials research collaboration effort which included university collaboration and has led to several groundbreaking and practical metamaterial-enhanced antennas for space and ground applications. He is granted 38 US patents, has authored and co-authored over 150 journal and conference papers, including two papers in the journal Nature, co-authored one book and authored a book chapter. He received the 2014 IEEE Antennas and Propagation Harold A. Wheeler Applications Prize Paper Award. He is a Lockheed Martin Sr Technical Fellow Emeritus, a Life Fellow of IEEE, a Fellow of IET and an IEEE AP-S Distinguished Lecturer.