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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

Research Interests


Theoretical and experimental electromagnetic problems related to geophysical remote sensing and engineered electromagnetic materials.

Selected 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 - 2025

Continent-scale low frequency lightning remote sensing

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

InstaJam: every airman a sensor - jamming classification, localization, and visualization

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by InstaJam, LLC · 2023 - 2025

AIRWaveS: Atmosphere-Ionosphere Responses to Wave Signals - Phase 2

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University · 2023 - 2024

DIODE: Directional Imaging via Orientable Dipole Engineering

ResearchCo-Principal Investigator · Awarded by Signature Research Inc · 2022 - 2024

Collaborative Research: Engineering exceptional points for sound control with non-Hermitian acoustic metasurfaces

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2020 - 2024

AIRWaveS: Atmosphere-Ionosphere Responses to Wave Signals

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University · 2021 - 2023

Every Airman a Sensor (Providing Joint Operation Capability with Jamming Detection and Mesh Networking)

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by InstaJam, LLC · 2022 - 2023

Title: Broadband Acoustic Wavefront Transformation and Control with Metamaterials and Metasurfaces

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Sony Corporation · 2021 - 2022

EFRI NewLAW: Reconfigurable Nonreciprocal Acoustics and Topological Phases in Spatiotemporally Modulated Media

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign · 2016 - 2021

Collaborative Research: Observations of High-Energy Radiation Associated with Thunderstorms

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2016 - 2020

Advancing Magnetization and Polarization Low Frequency Imaging (AMPLiFI)

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency · 2017 - 2020

Expanding the Limits of Acoustic Metamaterials

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Office of Naval Research · 2013 - 2019

Acoustic Metamaterials and Imaging

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Intellectual Ventures Management, LLC · 2017 - 2018

Development of a Modulating RF Reflectarray

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Lockheed Martin Corporation · 2017 - 2017

Terrestrial Gamma-Ray Flash (TGF) Research with Fermi GBM

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by University of Alabama in Huntsville · 2014 - 2016

ADVICE: Advanced Diagnostics for VLF Ionospheric Channel Estimation

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by University of Florida · 2015 - 2016

Transformation Optical Materials

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by Army Research Office · 2009 - 2016

Collaborative Research: ADELE Operations on the Hurricane and Severe Storm Sentinel

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2012 - 2015

Development and Demonstration of Active Broadband Acoustic Metamaterials

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Office of Naval Research · 2012 - 2015

Remote lightning current and charge transfer measurements

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2011 - 2014

CEDAR: Global and Local Measurements of Lightning-mesosphere Interactions

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2010 - 2014

Physical Origins of Coupling to the Upper Atmosphere from Lightning (PhOCAL)

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency · 2010 - 2014

Automated Micromanufacturing for Optical Sensing and Computational Imaging, Metamaterials, and Quantum Computing

EquipmentCo-Principal Investigator · Awarded by Air Force Office of Scientific Research · 2012 - 2014

Large Scale Lower Ionosphere Remote Sensing

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2007 - 2011

Magnetospheric Remote Sensing Through IMAGE, WIND, and CLUSTER Radio Tomography Experiments

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Aeronautics and Space Administration · 2007 - 2011

Remote Measurements of Lightning Current and Charge Transfer with Low Frequency EM Sensors

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2007 - 2011

CEDAR: Quantitative Measurements of Lightning-Mesosphere Interactions from Remote Electromagnetic Fields

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2005 - 2009

A Numerical Simulation Tool for Planetary Subsurface Radar

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Aeronautics and Space Administration · 2004 - 2008

VLF Sensor System Build and Integration

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by US Geological Survey · 2008 - 2008

CAREER: A New Approach for Radio Remote Sensing of the Ionosphere

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2001 - 2007

Scientific Services and Computer Modeling for Tribocharging of Martian Dust Project

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Aeronautics and Space Administration · 2005 - 2006

Novel Remote Measurements and Analysis of Continuing Lightning Current

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2002 - 2006

Scientific Services and Computer Modeling for Tribocharging of Martian Dust Project

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Aeronautics and Space Administration · 2004 - 2005

Quantitative Measurements of Lightning-Mesosphere Interactions from Remote Electromagnetic Fields

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Aeronautics and Space Administration · 2004 - 2005

Magnetospheric Radio Tomography: Observables, Algorithms, and Experimental Analysis

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Aeronautics and Space Administration · 2002 - 2005

Scientific Services and Computer Model Development for ACES UAV Project

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Aeronautics and Space Administration · 2003 - 2004

Scientific Services and Computer Modeling for Tribocharging of Martian Dust Project

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Aeronautics and Space Administration · 2003 - 2004

Well-conditioned Multi-level Fast Multipole Modeling of Military Communication Channels

ResearchCo-Principal Investigator · Awarded by Army Research Office · 2001 - 2004

Intense Lightening-Generated Electromagnetic Fields

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Aeronautics and Space Administration · 2001 - 2004

Scientific Services and Computer Model Development for Mars'03 MATADOR Mission

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Aeronautics and Space Administration · 2001 - 2002

External Relationships


  • Birkeland Center for Space Science, University of Bergen, Norway
  • Metacept, Inc.
  • Susman Godfrey LLP
  • Tyrata. Inc.

This faculty member (or a member of their immediate family) has reported outside activities with the companies, institutions, or organizations listed above. This information is available to institutional leadership and, when appropriate, management plans are in place to address potential conflicts of interest.