Dr. Fumin Zhang, an assistant professor in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE), has been named a 2010 Young Investigator by The Office of Naval Research (ONR). ONR invests in academic scientists and engineers who show exceptional promise for creative study. The recipients will receive a three-year research grant up to $510,000. They were chosen based on a comprehensive evaluation that includes the applicant's past performance, a creative research proposal and a long-term commitment from the recipient's university.

Zhang’s Research Work

Zhang was one of seventeen recipients selected from among 211 proposal submissions. His research on mobile sensor networks aims to meet the challenge of monitoring large areas in the ocean and atmosphere with limited sensing resources and limited power. Zhang has developed motion planning algorithms and motion control laws for underwater robots to explore and sample ocean fields. His current goal is to establish a lab and a research program for designing underwater robots and sensor networks at the Savannah campus.

Zhang joined ECE in 2007 and is a member of the GT-Savannah faculty. He obtained his Ph.D. degree in electrical and computer engineering from the University of Maryland, College Park. His B.S. and M.S. degrees, both in electrical engineering, are from Tsinghua University in Beijing.

Young Investigator Program

Young Investigator recipients must have obtained a doctorate or equivalent degrees within the past five years. Started in 1985, the program seeks to attract outstanding professors at higher education institutions to the Department of the Navy's research program, support their research and encourage their teaching and research careers.