Khalil Najafi, Schlumberger Professor of Engineering and Arthur F. Thurnau Professor, has been named the first Chair of the Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) division of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, effective September 1, 2008 pending regental approval. He was named Chair of ECE after a national search. He is currently Director of the NSF National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network (NNIN), and Deputy Director of the NSF Center for Wireless Integrated Microsystems (WIMS).

Khalil Najafi received his BS, MS, and PhD in electrical engineering from The University of Michigan, and served as a research fellow and assistant research scientist before being hired as an assistant professor in 1990.

In addition to his considerable administrative experience, Prof. Najafi is an internationally recognized leader and expert in the field of integrated sensors, MEMS (microelectromechanical systems), and microsystems. Efforts in these fields are improving health care, helping us monitor the environment, ensuring homeland security, and influencing instrumentation for the emerging revolution in systems biology. He demonstrated the first integrated ring gyroscope in 1994, and remains a world leader in inertial instruments. His more recent research advances include the development of high-performance wireless interfaces for implantable devices, and techniques for sensor packaging.

Bringing technology to the marketplace has been an ongoing effort of Najafi, and he has been highly successful. In addition to earning 19 patents, he co-founded Integrated Sensing Systems, Inc., (ISSYS) in 1995, a company specializing in MEMS for medical and scientific sensing applications, and most recently co-founded ePack, Inc., a company specializing in MEMS packaging.

His dedication to teaching has been recognized by several honors, most notably by his recognition as Arthur F. Thurnau Professor, a title given for his outstanding contributions to undergraduate teaching. He introduced the undergraduate course “Introduction to MEMS,” which serves students at Michigan as well as seven other national and international institutions via the web. He has graduated 31 PhD students, and served on another 65 committees.

Prof. Najafi’s professional service to the most prestigious conferences and journals in MEMS and microelectronics is extensive, and includes his upcoming role as General Chair of the Int. Solid-State Sensor and Actuator Conference in 2009. Prof. Najafi is a Fellow of IEEE and the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering.