Two Penn Engineers Elected to National Academy of Engineering, Bringing Penn’s Total Membership to 16
Prestigious peer-elected honor recognizes sustained contributions to engineering research and innovation
Two University of Pennsylvania faculty members have been elected to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE), one of the highest professional distinctions awarded to engineers. Their election increases Penn Engineering’s total NAE faculty membership to 16, reinforcing Penn’s national standing in advanced engineering research and innovation.
Nader Engheta, H. Nedwill Ramsey Professor in Electrical and Systems Engineering, and Karen Winey, Harold Pender Professor in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and in Materials Science and Engineering, join a distinguished cohort of 130 U.S. members and 28 international members comprising the NAE Class of 2026.
This year’s class also includes Penn Engineering alumnus Ken Goldberg (ENG’84), an early member of Penn’s GRASP Lab and currently Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences at the University of California, Berkeley, bringing the total number of individuals connected to the Penn Engineering community recognized this year to three.
Election to the NAE honors individuals who have made outstanding contributions to engineering research, practice, or education, including pioneering new technological fields, advancing established disciplines, and shaping the engineering literature.
Nader Engheta, Ph.D.
H. Nedwill Ramsey Professor, Electrical and Systems Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania
Affiliations: Bioengineering, Materials Science and Engineering, and Physics and Astronomy, School of Arts & Sciences
Engheta was elected for “contributions to the development of metamaterials and their applications.” His research has helped define the modern field of metamaterials, engineered materials designed to control electromagnetic waves in ways not found in nature.
Through foundational advances in wave–matter interactions and photonics, Engheta’s work has influenced technologies spanning sensing, communications, and nanoscale electromagnetic design. His scholarship continues to expand how scientists and engineers understand and manipulate fields and waves across scales.
Karen Winey, Ph.D.
Harold Pender Professor, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Materials Science and Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania
Winey was elected for “contributions to understanding and advancing polymer nanocomposites and ion-containing polymers.” Her research advances the design and characterization of polymer-based nanostructured materials central to next-generation functional systems.
By integrating experimental and computational approaches, Winey’s work deepens understanding of nanoparticle–polymer interactions and ion transport, informing applications in electrochemical devices, advanced materials, and high-performance polymer systems.
Advancing Penn’s Research Leadership
The NAE Class of 2026 brings total U.S. membership to 2,534, with 356 international members. Election reflects sustained, high-impact contributions that shape engineering research and technological innovation nationally and globally.
At Penn, engineering research spans foundational discovery and translational application across materials science, photonics, robotics, energy systems, and health technologies. Through strategic investment in research infrastructure, interdisciplinary collaboration, and national engagement, the Office of the Vice Provost for Research (OVPR) supports faculty pursuing ambitious scholarship that strengthens Penn’s position at the forefront of engineering research.
Learn more about the NAE Class of 2026.