Nicolaos G. Alexopoulos, dean of the Henry Samueli School of Engineering at UC Irvine, was named the 2001 Engineer of the Year by the Orange County section of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

Alexopoulos, professor of electrical engineering, was cited for outstanding contributions to electromagnetic field theory and to the advancement of the engineering profession in Orange County. His research focuses on the modeling and design of three-dimensional circuits and printed antennas in multilayered materials, wireless communication antennas and systems, interconnect problems in complex networks, and novel materials and smart structures in low observable systems.

The IEEE is an international organization that advances global prosperity by promoting the process of creating, developing, integrating, sharing and applying knowledge about electrical and information technologies and sciences for the benefit of humanity and the engineering profession. The Orange County Engineer of the Year designation is awarded to the person who best reflects the goals of the institute. Alexopoulos' research, along with his accomplishments as dean, were compelling factors in this year's selection, according to the IEEE. The award will be presented to Alexopoulos at the annual IEEE banquet at the Wyndham Hotel in Costa Mesa on March 24.

In 1997, Alexopoulos became dean of the UCI School of Engineering, which was renamed the Henry Samueli School of Engineering in 1999. He was on the engineering faculty at UCLA from 1969 to 1996, during which time he also served as associate dean for faculty affairs and as chair of the electrical engineering department. He was elected a Fellow of the IEEE in 1986 for his contributions to the understanding of substrate-superstrate effects on printed circuit antennas and integrated microwave circuits.

Alexopoulos, who was born in Athens, Greece, received his bachelor's and master's degrees and his doctorate in electrical engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. He has lectured extensively in the United States and throughout the world on subjects ranging from innovative technological trends to the history of engineering and the impact of technology on society.