First-Hand:IEEE Award Recipient Series:Justin Romberg

Full name

Justin Romberg

Birth Date

12/4/1974

What Award did you receive from IEEE?

Jack S. Kilby Medal

Place of Birth

Sterling, Virginia, USA

Where did you grow up

McLean, Virginia

Family Background: Parents and their education level & Siblings and their education/profession

Father: PhD in Physics, worked as an engineering in communication and signal processing.

Mother: MS in Education, worked as a elementary school teacher then principal.

Sister: PhD in Psychology, works at NIH

Sister: BS in Biology, works as a program manager at a naval architecture firm

What did you want to do when you grew up?

Astronaut

What was your upbringing like? Did you have a large family?

We had a medium-sized family. It was a very supportive environment for education. My sisters and I were exposed to lots of things outside of the classroom, particularly computers.

Did you have any hobbies (eg. Some people talk about learning trade skills from a family member.)

These isn't a trade skill, but I always loved working on my bicycle, modifying in interesting ways.

Did you partake in after school activities? Did you play sports?

In high school, I lettered in football, basketball, and baseball. When I was a senior, I was co-captain of both the football and basketball teams.

Did you have a part-time job (after school, summer)? What was your most surprising job assignment?

I worked as a life guard at an apartment complex in a not-so-great neighborhood. I don't remember any particular job assignments, but most of my efforts went into managing the social dynamics between the kids to limit the number of fights.

EDUCATION: Favorite subject in school (K-12, university). Why?

In elementary school it was mathematics, in high school it was physics. Of course in college, I settled on electrical engineering.

Why did you select the university (universities) you attended? What was your major and why did you select it?

I went to Rice University as an undergrad. Honestly, it was mainly because it was a good school in a completely different atmosphere than my upbringing ... Texas held a certain romantic allure for me when I was 18.

Has your career turned out as you expected?

Not really. I don't think I ever really considered being a professor until I started to apply for positions at the end of graduate school. I have definitely taken to it, though.

You have been awarded one of IEEE's highest-level awards. What does this award mean to you?

I am honored to be in the same "club" as previous winners of this award. My thinking has been shaped significantly by some of them.

Personal Life: What do you do for fun? Hobbies?

My main hobby is cycling. I like to ride for fun and commute on a bicycle. I also act as the neighborhood bike mechanic.

What personal achievement are you most proud of?

Two children; twins (boy and girl) age 11.

Who was your mentor? (eg. family member or professor)

I have had different mentors at different stages of my life. When I was growing up, I looked to my father for intellectual guidance. At Rice, my thesis advisor Richard Baraniuk played a huge role in how I look at the world.