Distinguished University Professor
Kensall D. Wise

Kensall D. Wise, a pioneer in the rapidly growing field of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), maintains one of the University’s most vigorous interdisciplinary research programs. Due in large part to his vision and collaborative efforts, U-M is a world leader in MEMS technology.

Wise, who directs the National Science Foundation’s Research Center in Wireless Integrated MicroSystems, is responsible for many significant innovations, including the development of neural probes, pressure sensors, miniature gas-analysis systems, uncooled infrared detectors and tactile imagers. His MEMS work has set the stage for dramatically improved cochlear implants, which currently restore hearing to the deaf and promise to reduce the effects of epilepsy and Parkinson’s disease.

A member of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science since 1974, Wise was appointed the J. Reid and Polly Anderson Professor of Manufacturing Technology in 1993. He has directed a number of major initiatives in the College of Engineering, including the Solid State Electronics Laboratory, the Center for Integrated Sensors and Circuits and the Center for Integrated MicroSystems.

Wise has published more than 200 articles in top journals and holds 23 U.S. patents. He pioneered new courses in integrated circuits, in sensor technology and in microelectromechanical systems, and has mentored a generation of students who have become leaders in the microelectronics industry and in MEMS. The Semiconductor Research Corporation recognized his deep commitment to student advising and teaching through research with its 1997 Aristotle Award.

Wise is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and of the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering. He has received many awards for excellence in teaching, service and research, including the University’s Distinguished Faculty Achievement Award, Discover Magazine’s Columbus Prize for ingenuity and innovation, and the IEEE’s Solid-State Circuits Field Award for “pioneering contributions to the development of solid-state sensors, circuits and integrated sensing systems.”