Jason Heebl receives NDSEG Fellowship

Jason Heebl, a graduate student in the electrical engineering program, was awarded a three-year National Defense Science and Engineering (NDSEG) Fellowship to pursue his doctoral degree in the area of RF metamaterials and wireless power applications.

Jason’s current research focuses on developing systems to wirelessly charge or power electronic devices. This is an area of research Jason embarked on as a master’s students, and is now investigating from a more theoretical and foundational perspective.

Jason has co-authored 8 journal papers and conference summaries/presentations. His most recent paper, “Comprehensive Analysis and Measurement of Frequency-Tuned and Impedance-Tuned Wireless Non-Radiative Power Transfer Systems,” will appear this Fall in the IEEE Antennas and Propagation Magazine.

When Jason first met his advisor, Prof. Tony Grbic, Ernest and Betty Kuh Distinguished Faculty Scholar, in 2010, he was a 1st Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force working as a research engineer at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. At the time, he was also working on his master’s degree in electrical engineering at the University of Dayton. During that summer, he worked with Prof. Grbic’s research group as a Visiting Scientist.

Jason had joined the U.S. Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) as an undergraduate student. He left the military in 2013 as a Captain to begin his doctoral studies at Michigan.

“I would not be where I am right now – two degrees down the line and working on a third with outstanding researchers at the University of Michigan – if it wasn’t for the Air Force encouraging me to continue my education,” Jason said.

Jason received the U.S Air Force Achievement Medal and the U.S. Air Force Commendation Medal. He is a member of the Golden Key International Honour Society, and the Phi Sigma Theta National Honor Society.

About the Fellowship

The National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellowship is a highly competitive, portable fellowship that is awarded to U.S. citizens and nationals pursuing their doctoral degree. NDSEG Fellows receive three years of full support. Selection of awardees is made by the Army Research Office (ARO), Office of Naval Research (ONR), Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR), and the High Performance Computing Modernization Program (HPCMO).