Jian-Gang (Jimmy) Zhu (M'89, SM'02) received the B.S. degree in physics from Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China in 1982 and the M.S. and the Ph.D. degrees, both in physics, from the University of California, San Diego in 1983 and 1989, respectively. In 1990 he joined the Department of Electrical Engineering at the University of Minnesota as an Assistant Professor and in 1992 was appointed to the McKnight Land Grant Professorship by the Regents. In 1997 he joined the faculty of Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, where he is now the ABB Professor of Engineering in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the Data Storage Systems Center. He has authored or co-authored over 170 technical papers and presented over 40 invited talks at international conferences. He has supervised and graduated 19 Ph.D. students. Currently his research includes MRAM device design, GMR head design, thin film recording media, digital tape recording systems, patterned media, and magnetization noise in magnetic nano-sensors. He is an advisory editor for the Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials.
Prof. Zhu was a recipient of a 1993-97 NSF Presidential Young Investigator Award. His patent, "Ultra-High Density Magnetic Sensor," won a "Top 100 Inventions" award given by R&D Magazine in 1996.