Julie A. Jackson

Dr. Julie A. Jackson is a Professor of Electrical Engineering in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), part of the Graduate School of Engineering and Management. She holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from The Ohio State University (2009), an M.S. (2004), and a B.S. (2002) from Wright State University. Her work bridges theoretical and applied radar systems, with emphasis on synthetic aperture radar, signal processing, and electromagnetics.

• Ph.D., Electrical Engineering, The Ohio State University, 2009
• M.S., Electrical Engineering, The Ohio State University, 2004
• B.S., Electrical Engineering, Wright State University, 2002

Dr. Jackson's research focuses on radar systems, particularly synthetic aperture radar (SAR), compressive sensing, polarimetric imaging, and passive radar using commercial signals. She develops advanced signal processing algorithms for feature extraction, autofocus, and clutter modeling. Her work enables high-resolution imaging in challenging environments and has been applied to both military and civilian remote sensing.

Her recent publications show a strong trend in exploiting sparsity and crosstalk in polarimetric SAR, autofocus algorithms using convex optimization, and passive radar using LTE and WiMAX signals. These efforts reflect a deep integration of electromagnetic theory, statistical signal processing, and computational imaging.

Dr. Jackson has received numerous accolades, including:

• 2023 EN Distinguished Teaching Professor Award
• 2022 John L. McLucas Basic Research Award
• 2020 Air Force Outstanding Scientist/Engineer Award (Mid-Career)
• 2019 IEEE Fred Nathanson Memorial Radar Award
• 2019 Gage H. Crocker Outstanding Professor Award
• 2016 SOCHE Faculty Excellence Award

She has advised multiple graduate students and led collaborative research with faculty and laboratory technicians at AFIT. Her work has been supported by internal Air Force research funding and has resulted in peer-reviewed publications, patents, and real-world radar applications. Dr. Jackson also holds a U.S. patent on polarization recovery in SAR systems, highlighting the translational impact of her research.

She is actively involved in the IEEE Aerospace and Electronic Systems Society and contributes to the advancement of radar technology through publications, conferences, and mentorship. Her laboratory work emphasizes experimental validation of theoretical models, particularly in heterogeneous clutter environments and multistatic configurations.