Electromagnetics

In this curriculum area, students learn the fundamental concepts and applications of electromagnetics fields and their use in device, communications, and sensing applications.

Electromagnetics is the fundamental physics of electrical engineering, and describes how electric charges and currents create electric and magnetic fields. These fields give rise to the concepts of resistance, inductance, and capacitance that are fundamental to circuit theory.

Further, electromagnetic fields create the propagating waves enabling broadcast, cellular, and satellite communications in the radiowave, microwave, and millimeter wave portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. These waves are used for sensing the world around us by creating radar and microwave radiometer systems. Such sensors have the ability to penetrate clouds and rain, and are not dependent on solar illumination, so that they are widely used for long range measurements of the surrounding environment.

Ohio State is a leader nationwide in the development of new electromagnetic, remote sensing, and microwave technologies. The ElectroScience Laboratory on West Campus is a unique department asset providing outstanding research facilities for this area.

Research projects in the laboratory include the design of new antennas and sensors, the development of electromagnetic computer simulation and modeling tools, the creation of new radar and navigation technologies, the analysis of datasets from Earth observing satellites, and a host of other areas.

Career opportunities for experts in this area are outstanding, as graduates are in high demand among a limited number of industry nationwide. The growing importance of enhanced microwave technologies for data networks has motivated new positions in the communications industry, including companies such as Intel, Qualcomm, Apple, and others. Expertise in this area is also in high demand for defense applications.