Bruce C. Wheeler
University of California San Diego, USA
2014

Bruce Wheeler (SB MIT, MS/PhD Cornell) was on faculty at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign from 1980-2008, rising to Professor and Associate Head of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Chair of Neuroscience, and Founding and Interim Head of Bioengineering, creating the BS/MS/PhD in Bioengineering. Subsequently he served seven years at the University of Florida, including as Acting Chair of Biomedical Engineering, creating the BS BME degree program. Now he is Adjunct Professor of Bioengineering at the University of California San Diego, with a key role in implementing the Biosystems major, his third undergraduate program development.

Dr. Wheeler served the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society as President, Vice President for Finance, and Editor in Chief of the IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering.

Dr. Wheeler’s research exploited electrical engineering methodologies to advance neuroscience. His work influenced neural spike sorting technologies, microelectrode arrays for recording from brain slices, and greatly advanced lithography to control cells, especially neurons, in culture. This work aims at basic science understanding of small populations of neurons as a basis for insight into the functioning of the brain.

He is grateful for funding from NIH, NSF, Whitaker, SDA, American Epilepsy Foundation and taxpayers of USA, Illinois, Florida and California. He is a Fellow of AAAS, IEEE, BMES, AIME, and IAMBE.