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Steven A. Cummer

William H. Younger Distinguished Professor of Engineering
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Box 90291, Durham, NC 27708-0291
3455 CIEMAS, Durham, NC 27708

Overview


Dr. Steven Cummer received his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University in 1997 and prior to joining Duke University in 1999 he spent two years at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center as an NRC postdoctoral research associate. Awards he has received include a National Science Foundation CAREER award and a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) in 2001. His current work is in a variety of theoretical and experimental electromagnetic problems related to geophysical remote sensing and engineered electromagnetic materials.

Current Appointments & Affiliations


William H. Younger Distinguished Professor of Engineering · 2019 - Present Electrical and Computer Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering
Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering · 2012 - Present Electrical and Computer Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering
Associate Chair of Faculty Affairs in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering · 2024 - Present Electrical and Computer Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering

In the News


Published October 4, 2024
Most Tropical Lightning Storms Are Radioactive
Published August 21, 2024
Snap, Crackle, Pop: How Lightning Works
Published August 5, 2022
Steve Cummer: New Information on “Gigantic Jet” Lightning Bursts That Reach Toward Space

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Recent Publications


Topological acoustofluidics.

Journal Article Nature materials · May 2025 The complex interaction of spin, valley and lattice degrees of freedom allows natural materials to create exotic topological phenomena. The interplay between topological wave materials and hydrodynamics could offer promising opportunities for visualizing t ... Full text Cite

Thunderstorm Charge Distribution Determination Using Cosmic Rays Induced Air Showers and Lightning Imaging at LOFAR

Journal Article Geophysical Research Letters · April 28, 2025 The LOw Frequency ARray (LOFAR) radio telescope possesses the unique capability to measure ultra-high energy cosmic rays as well as image lightning discharges. This study presents a comparison between the inferred thunderstorm charge structures derived fro ... Full text Cite

Observation of two-dimensional acoustic bound states in the continuum

Journal Article Communications Physics · December 1, 2024 The design of devices based on acoustic or optical fields requires the fabrication of cavities and structures capable of efficiently trapping these waves. A special type of cavity can be designed to support resonances with a theoretically infinite quality ... Full text Cite
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Recent Grants


MRI: Track 1 Development of a Multi-Band Radio and Optical Lightning Imager

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2024 - 2027

CEDAR: Large-scale detection of cloud-to-ionosphere electrical discharges and quantifying their effect on the ionosphere

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2022 - 2026

Continent-scale low frequency lightning remote sensing

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2020 - 2025

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Education, Training & Certifications


Stanford University · 1997 Ph.D.
Stanford University · 1993 M.S.E.E.
Stanford University · 1991 B.S.E.E.