John Natzke, PhD

Chair, Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science

Professor of Electrical Engineering

John Natzke

John Natzke received a BS in electrical engineering from Milwaukee School of Engineering in 1985. He then received the MS in electrical engineering from Marquette University, specializing in microwave engineering. His master's thesis focused on the numerical modeling of passive waveguide filters.

In 1988, John joined the Radiation Laboratory at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, as a research assistant, conducting theoretical and computational research in high-frequency scattering and diffraction. His dissertation was on edge diffraction caused by rectangular plates and resistive strips, with applications to stealth technology. He completed a PhD in electrical engineering in 1994 and continued on as a postdoctoral fellow at the Radiation Laboratory in 1995.

John started with George Fox in the fall semester of 1995. His teaching responsibilities include electromagnetics, microwave engineering, analog electronics, communication systems, digital signal processing, and circuit analysis and design. He has been active with the engineering undergraduate research program.

His primary research interests include the analysis of antennas, high frequency issues with wireless devices, and electromagnetic radiation phenomena using numerical methods. John also dabbles in audio electronics, signal processing, magnetics, and robotic systems. He is a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the Eta Kappa Nu Honor Society (HKN), the Sigma Xi Scientific Research Society (ΣΞ), and the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE). 

To get away from the desk and out of the lab, John enjoys cross country skiing, hiking and gardening. His wife Amy is a professional violinist, and they have three children.

List of publications