Michael Thiel, a graduate student in electrical engineering, was recently informed that he took first place in the international SEMCAD X Student Research Award 2008. He earned this honor for his research, "Analysis of Human Backscattering in Buildings for Through-wall Radar Applications."

Mr. Thiel presents a method for the detection and localization of humans moving inside buildings. In his paper, he describes an efficient and accurate method for the analysis of human backscattering to ultra-wideband near-field UHF radar systems. The method combines a full-wave analysis of a human body model with a PO-like indoor propagation code. This method allows the analysis of human backscattering within a realistic building environment.

Michael works with Prof. Kamal Sarabandi, and is a member of the Radiation Laboratory. He received the award at the 2009 IEEE Antennas & Propagation Symposium, held June 1-5, 2009 in Charleston, SC.

This award is sponsored by Schmid & Partner Engineering AG (SPEAG) "to recognize outstanding research in the field of numerical simulation of electromagnetic fields being done in universities and other academic institutions."