Zhi Ning Chen of National University of Singapore

This talk will introduce recent antenna research and development activities at the National University of Singapore (NUS), with a focus on metamaterial-based antenna technologies and emerging deep-learning-enabled design approaches. Prof. Zhi Ning Chen will present several representative examples of high-performance antenna designs developed using metamaterial concepts, including metasurfaces and metalines, and will also discuss recent efforts in prior-knowledge-guided generative antenna design using deep learning.

In addition, the talk will provide an updated overview of the IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society (APS), including its major activities and programs that support students, young professionals, and junior members in career development. The session will conclude with an interactive discussion on career paths and professional growth opportunities in the field of antennas and electromagnetics.

Biography:

Zhi Ning Chen received his two Ph.D. degrees in 1993 and 2003 from institutions in China and Japan, respectively. He currently serves as a Provost’s Chair Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and as Director of the Advanced Research and Technology Innovation Centre at the National University of Singapore.

Professor Chen has authored or co-authored 760 journal and conference papers, along with seven books. His current research interests include electromagnetic metamaterials and metasurfaces, algorithms for generative antenna design, and wireless systems.

Professor Chen was elevated to IEEE Fellow in 2007, elected Fellow of the Academy of Engineering, Singapore in 2019, and is a Fellow and Vice President of the Asia-Pacific Artificial Intelligence Association (2021). Among numerous academic and technical honors, he received the IEEE AP-S John Kraus Antenna Award in 2021 and the EurAAP Antenna Award in 2025.

In addition to his research achievements, Professor Chen has played a leading role in international conferences. He served as the General Chair of the 2021 IEEE AP-S Symposium (Singapore) and is the Founding General Chair of several key conferences, including the IEEE International Workshop on Antenna Technology (2005), the Asia-Pacific Conference on Antennas and Propagation (2012), and the Marina Forum on Metantennas+X (2021).