PASADENA--David Rutledge, a leading researcher in the wireless telecommunication revolution, has been named chair of the Division of Engineering and Applied Science at the California Institute of Technology. The announcement was made today by David Baltimore, president of Caltech.
Rutledge is currently the Kiyo and Eiko Tomiyasu Professor of Electrical Engineering at Caltech, where he has been a faculty member since 1980. He replaces Richard Murray, who has been chair of the E&AS division since 2000. Rutledge will begin his term on September 1, pending approval by the Board of Trustees.
"Dave has a remarkable record of accomplishment in an area of science--electronics--that has a real impact on our daily lives," said Baltimore. "He will provide strong leadership to this important division at a time when invention and discovery in engineering is occurring at a spectacular pace."
Paul Jennings, Caltech's provost, adds that Rutledge "is a distinguished engineer and applied scientist who has won numerous awards for both his research and his teaching.
"The Institute is fortunate that someone of his ability and distinction is willing to assume administrative responsibilities and help guide Caltech. I have known David for many years and look forward to working with him as he takes on his duties as chair."
Jennings also commended Janet Hering, a professor of environmental science and engineering at Caltech who led the search committee, as well as the other committee members.
"David Baltimore and I also take this opportunity to thank Richard Murray for his years of service as chair of the division," Jennings added. "Caltech has benefited greatly from his dedication, vision, and energy during his term of office. We wish him the best of fortune as he concentrates his attention on research and teaching."
Rutledge earned his bachelor's degree at Williams College, his master of arts degree from the University of Cambridge, and his doctorate from UC Berkeley. He joined the Caltech faculty as an assistant professor in 1980, and rose through the faculty ranks to become the holder of the Tomiyasu chair in 2001. He also served as executive officer for electrical engineering from 1999 to 2002.
Rutledge's research group is currently involved in building circuits and antennas for numerous electronic applications. His work on microwave circuits has been important for various advances in wireless communications and has been useful for applications such as radar, remote sensing, and satellite broadcasting.
He is the author of The Electronics of Radio, a book published by Cambridge University Press, and author or coauthor of numerous other publications.
Rutledge is also director of Caltech's Lee Center for Advanced Networking, which aims at creating a global communication system that is as reliable and robust as a basic utility such as water and sewage. The brainchild of Caltech graduate and venture capitalist David Lee, the center focuses on advances in wireless communication that will lead to a new global communication system consisting of a combination of wireless radio frequencies and high-speed fiber-optic cable.
