Raj Mittra is a distinguished electrical engineer, educator, and pioneer in the field of electromagnetics. Born in India in the 1930s, he earned his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Toronto before beginning a remarkable academic career that has spanned more than six decades. He is Professor Emeritus of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Central Florida, where he previously directed the Electromagnetic Communication Laboratory. Prior to that, he held faculty positions at Penn State University and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, serving as Director of their renowned Electromagnetic Communication Laboratories and advancing research in computational electromagnetics, antenna design, and electromagnetic compatibility.
Dr. Mittra has authored over 1,000 technical papers, 35 books and book chapters, and holds several patents in antenna technology. A Life Fellow of IEEE, he served as President of the IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society and as Editor of the IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation as well as the AEU – International Journal of Electronics and Communications. His leadership and technical excellence have been recognized through numerous honors, including the Guggenheim Fellowship, the IEEE Centennial and Millennium Medals, the IEEE Electromagnetics Award, the IEEE James H. Mulligan Award, and the URSI Rawer Gold Medal. In 2020, he received the prestigious IEEE Alexander Graham Bell Recognition.
Throughout his career, Dr. Mittra has mentored over 130 Ph.D. students and dozens of postdoctoral researchers, shaping generations of engineers across the world. He is also the founder and President of RM Associates, a consulting and software development company providing advanced electromagnetic solutions for government and industry.
IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society had the pleasure of recording this interview with Prof. Raj Mittra, where he reflects on his early education, lifelong contributions to electromagnetics, and the evolution of his research career. He also shares insights into his retired life—devoted to exploration, learning, and his passion for traveling the world.