Jeffrey Fessler, professor of electrical engineering and computer science, biomedical engineering and radiology, is an accomplished researcher in the field of medical image reconstruction. His research is multidisciplinary and his collaborations have had significant impact across the University and beyond. Several of his algorithms have been patented, and some have transitioned to leading medical centers and to scanner manufacturers.

Fessler has published more than 90 journal papers and presented his findings at more than 200 conferences. His algorithms have been adopted around the world by a number of research laboratories, incorporated into commercial products and used in clinical studies.

Fessler's research lies principally in statistical signal processing, with applications to medical imaging. He and his group have pioneered several statistical image reconstruction algorithms for PET, SPECT, CT and MRI scans. This work includes penetrating analyses, insightful development of performance metrics, careful proofs of algorithm convergence, and practical numerical algorithms, made possible by the theoretical analyses.

In the wide variety of courses he has taught, Fessler received very high ratings from students at all levels. As a professor Fessler led a diverse group of 12 doctoral students and co-chaired another eight doctoral theses, while also supervising several directed study projects with other students. A colleague notes that it is especially remarkable that someone who can produce such practical algorithms also can do such an outstanding job teaching high-level mathematical systems methods.

At CoE Fessler has chaired the EECS Curriculum Committee from 2002-04 and helped guide the faculty into revising the requirements for the bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, updating it and making it more flexible. In service to his profession, he has been an associate editor for three prestigious Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (IEEE) journals, and he has played a key role in organizing international imaging conferences.

Fessler has been recognized for his contributions in research, teaching and service by a number of honors, including the Henry Russel Award (1999-2000) and the CoE Education Excellence Award (2004-05). He was made a fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering in 2002. He was elected in 2006 to be a fellow of the IEEE.

Text courtesy The University Record: http://www.umich.edu/~urecord/0708/Oct08_07/01.shtml