Tapan Kumar Sarkar

Biography

Tapan Kumar Sarkar was born on August 2nd, 1948. He received his B Tech. degree from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur in 1969, his M.Sc.E. degree from the University of New Brunswick in 1971, and his M.S. and Ph.D.s from Syracuse University in 1975. After Syracuse, he was employed by General Electric, and accepted a position at the Rochester Institute of Technology in 1976, where he remained until 1985, afterwards returning to Syracuse University.

Known for his ability to reduce complicated theory and apply it to real-world challenges, Sarkar bridged the gap between electromagnetics and communication systems to modernize applications ranging from wave propagation, wireless signal processing, futuristic radar systems, and smart antennas using real-time adaptive systems. He developed novel techniques for the solution of extremely large problems on parallel out-of-core solvers having millions of unknowns with reduced computational resources, a breakthrough in scientific computations. This helped the design of antennas for early warning radar systems and ultrawideband antenna systems, electrical characterization of printed circuits, and design of complex microwave systems with less interference. He has also applied electromagnetic technology to improve detection of improvised explosive devices in war zones and to improve food processing and evaluation.

Sarker was an IEEE Life Fellow, and was the recipient of the 1996 Engineering Research Award, the 1998 Chancellor's Citation for Excellence in Research at Syracuse University, and the 2020 IEEE Electromagnetics Award.