Dean P. Neikirk has done extensive experimental and analytical work on high frequency microwave measurements, far infrared detectors, microbolometers, and silicon micro machining. His most recent work involves the development of micro machined structures for use in chemical sensing. He is currently a Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin and holder of the Cullen Trust for Higher Education Endowed Professorship in Engineering (No. 7). He received the B.S. degree (1979) in physics and mathematics from Oklahoma State University, and the M.S. (1981) and Ph.D. (1984) degrees in applied physics from the California Institute of Technology. He developed the first monolithic, high resolution imaging antenna array for use at 300 GHz, received the 1984 Marconi International Fellowship Young Scientist Award for his contributions to the development of millimeter-wave integrated circuits, and an NSF Presidential Young Investigator Award in 1986 for the use of integrated circuit fabrication for the construction and study of new electromagnetic structures.
Dr. Neikirk is also heavily involved in the area of electromagnetics, microelectronics research, semiconductor devices and IC fabrication. In 1985, Dr. Neikirk established the Microelectronics Fabrication Teaching Laboratory at The University of Texas at Austin, which provides undergraduate and graduate students with hands-on experience in IC fabrication. Dr. Neikirk also collaborates with colleagues on the use of microelectronic fabrication techniques to fabricate new mechanical and sensing devices. He is working on the application of silicon micromachining to the fabrication of pressure transducers and inductive proximity sensors. He is presently supervising M.S. and Ph.D, students on projects involving integrated circuit processing, high frequency properties of transmission lines, compound semiconductor heterostructure devices, and micromachined sensors and actuators. Dr. Neikirk has over 150 publications in refereed journals and conference proceedings.