Orono - On August 14, 2024, Professor Anand Gopinath passed away at the age of 87. He was a pioneer in the modeling of microwave strip lines, integrated optical devices, and signal processing for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). He will be remembered for his significant contributions to the microwave, optics, and MRI communities, his dedication to teaching, and his generosity of spirit.

Anand was born on August 6, 1936 in Madras (now Chennai), India. He had a joyful disposition and a passion for excellence. As a young man, he learned to fly airplanes in the National Cadet Corps Air Wing and represented India in the International Air Rally in England. He earned a Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Madras in 1957, followed by a Master's Degree from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur in 1960, and his Ph.D. and D. Eng. from the University of Sheffield in 1965.

Anand began his academic career as a Senior Lecturer at the University College of North Wales in Bangor (1966-1978). He moved to the US to join MIT Lincoln Laboratory as a Research Staff Member (1978 - 1986). In 1986, he joined the faculty at the University of Minnesota's Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (1986-2020). Over his 34-year tenure, he graduated 27 Ph.D. students, mentored and advised many undergraduate and Master's students, and championed diversity and inclusion.

Anand's research spanned microwave devices, optoelectronics and MRI signal processing. His early work used scanning electron microscopy to probe resistivity variations in gallium arsenide devices. His work calculating the parameters of equivalent circuits of microstrip line discontinuities is still used today in microwave circuit design.

At MIT Lincoln Laboratory, Anand's team demonstrated the first millimeter-wave monolithically integrated transmitters and transceivers on gallium arsenide with diode and metal-semiconductor field effect transistor active elements.

At the University of Minnesota, Anand's research in integrated optics focused on modeling and simulation of dielectric waveguides using finite element simulations, transverse field components, finite volume techniques, and boundary integral methods. He was instrumental in new device development. His innovations in modulators included ultra-low voltage-lengths, high frequency operation, and synthesized-response modulators. In semiconductor lasers, he developed one of the first transverse injection ridge lasers, worked on high relaxation frequency unstrained lasers in gallium arsenide/aluminum gallium arsenide and demonstrated novel techniques for producing high power, single-spatial-mode vertical cavity surface emitting lasers using external cavities and integrated spatial filters. He also designed high modulation frequency semiconductor optical amplifiers, an active 4X4 switch matrix, and polarization-insensitive semiconductor optical amplifiers in aluminum indium gallium arsenide, using tensile strained quantum wells. Anand also made significant contributions to MRI technology, optimizing 7 Tesla TEM coils for coupling of magnetic fields to the human body while limiting electric fields to ensure patient safety, in addition to developing computational models of multi-coil excitation.

Beyond his technical achievements, Anand served the scientific community with distinction, with significant roles in both Optica and IEEE. He was involved with the Integrated Photonics Research Conference since its inception and eventually served as Conference Co-Chair. He served on the technical program committee for the IEEE International Microwave Symposium. He was an Associate Editor for the IEEE/OSA Journal of Lightwave Technology and an Associate Editor for IEEE Photonic Technology Letters.

Anand was recognized as a Fellow of Optica, IEEE, and IET. For his outstanding contributions to the field, he was the recipient of IEEE MTT Society's prestigious Microwave Application Award in 2017. Anand contributed to numerous books, including High Speed Electronics and Optoelectronics: Devices and Circuits (2009) and Safety and Biological Effects in MRI (2021).

Anand met his beloved wife, Marian, in England. They married in 1966, and had two daughters, Juliet and Charlotte. He was known for his exceptional intellect, dry sense of humor, love of learning, and conviviality. Anand also went out of his way to support young professionals and investigators, and touched the lives of students, faculty and people from all walks of life. His thirst for knowledge and sense of adventure took him all over the world. He was keenly interested not only in science, mathematics and engineering, but also in music, literature, and the arts. He loved classical music and studied cello at the MacPhail Center for the Arts. He was passionate about fitness and constantly searched for new competitive adventures, including playing squash, tennis, speed walking, and hiking and camping in the Colorado Rockies. In the evenings, he could often be found walking his dogs at sunset on the Luce Line Trail as he chatted with Marian.

Dr. Anand Gopinath approached life with passion, curiosity, and unbounded energy. He inspired everyone around him-students, colleagues, friends and family. He will be remembered for his brilliance, warmth, and joy, and will be dearly missed.

Anand was preceded in death by his parents, Amba Bai and S. K. Gopinath, and his beloved wife, Marian. He is survived by his children, Juliet (Brian Lay) and Charlotte (Paul Tillberg); four grandchildren, Payal, Evan, Anjali and Kalyani; and his siblings, Vimala Ramakrishnan, Sudhir Gopinath and Srikanth Gopinath.

Donations can be given to the Professor Anand Gopinath Memorial Scholarship Fund, established at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities to honor Dr. Gopinath's lifelong dedication to teaching, mentorship, and the advancement of knowledge in Electrical and Computer Engineering. Through this scholarship, Dr. Gopinath's legacy of innovation and mentorship will continue to inspire future engineers and scientists.