R. Michael Buehrer honored with endowed chair
R. Michael Buehrer Ph.D. ’96, professor of electrical engineering in the College of Engineering at Virginia Tech, has been conferred the Fred C. Lee Endowed Chair by the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors.
The Fred C. Lee Endowed Chair in the Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering was established by the College of Engineering in honor of the founder and director emeritus of the Center for Power Electronics Systems and University Distinguished Professor Emeritus.
A member of the Virginia Tech community for more than two decades, Buehrer makes significant research contributions to wireless communications, geolocation, and radar systems, addressing foundational challenges while remaining deeply relevant to the needs of both civilian and defense-related communication systems.
Buehrer’s research portfolio is marked by both volume and impact. He has authored more than 100 journal papers and over 250 peer-reviewed conference papers. His work has been cited more than 14,000 times, including over 4,700 citations in the past five years, and he has an h-index of 62. In addition, his research has been recognized with six best paper awards.
In 2023, he received the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Military Communications Conference Lifetime Technical Achievement Award.
Buehrer has secured over $35 million in sponsored research funding throughout his career, with a personal share exceeding $11 million. He previously was the director of Wireless @ Virginia Tech, a comprehensive research group focusing on wireless communications, and is now a member of its executive committee.
Buehrer teaches a wide variety of undergraduate and graduate courses in the areas of wireless communications, radar, and geolocation, consistently earning some of the highest student evaluations in the College of Engineering. He serves as mentor and advisor for numerous undergraduate and graduate students and postdoctoral research associates, helping them develop successful careers in both academia and industry.
Buehrer received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Toledo and a Ph.D. from Virginia Tech.
