Professor Rhonda Franklin receives 2026 Rudolf Henning Distinguished Mentoring Award
Rhonda R. Franklin (McKnight Presidential Endowed Professor and IEM Abbot Professor of Innovative Education) was recently honored with the 2026 Rudolf Henning Distinguished Mentoring Award. Established in 2009 by the IEEE Florida West Coast Section, the award recognizes "an individual who has performed exemplary service encouraging students and/or mentoring young engineers to advance their careers in the areas of RF/Microwave and/or Wireless Engineering." It is conferred each year at the IEEE WAMICON (Wireless and Microwave Technology Conference).
Reflecting on the honor, Franklin says: "This award is very special as I knew [Rudolf Henning] and the wonderful work he did in the industry and academia. His presence lives throughout the industry in the engineers, faculty, and students he mentored throughout his career."
Franklin’s research interests use advanced fabrication methods, such as microelectronic mechanical systems (MEMS) and nanotechnology, to advance radio frequency (RF) and microwave applications. She explores design of novel compact planar circuits and antennas as well as integrated package technology to achieve high performance integrated circuits.
In addition to being an engineer, Franklin is a dedicated educator leading education and workforce development in microwave engineering. She co-founded Project Connect, a volunteer program within the IEEE Microwave Theory and Technology Society (MTT-S) that brings together partners from academia, government, and industry. The program has engaged undergraduate and early graduate students from over 30 universities through an immersive curriculum co-hosted at the International Microwave Symposium (IMS), one of the field’s premier conferences, to provide access to underutilized talent.
She is the founding advisor of the University of Minnesota IEEE Women in Engineering group and has mentored students through Women in Microwaves programs nationwide. She has also developed mentoring approaches that support students interested in research careers, particularly those who may not yet have strong professional technical networks.
Franklin's work emphasizes building supportive communities where students can develop professional skills, connect with peers and mentors, and grow within engineering. Through the NSF-supported mentoring hub, Mentoring for the Formation of Research Careers in Engineering (M-FORCE), she created a novel community based mentoring approach that complements traditional graduate education with structured opportunities open to all students to strengthen communication skills, expand networks, and explore research career pathways. The program also fostered collaboration across institutions, including partnerships with Morgan State University and the National GEM Consortium, expanding access to mentorship and professional development resources.
Franklin is a dedicated mentor and educator who supports students at all stages of their academic and professional journeys, including those new to the field. She works to strengthen pathways into engineering, enhance student success, and prepare the next generation of researchers and innovators in wireless technology. Her impact is grounded in her significant contributions to RF engineering and microwave applications, as well as her commitment to advancing microwave education through research experiences and mentorship. Her commitment to service and leadership as an educator and volunteer are borne out by the awards and honors she has previously received, not including those received in recognition of her scientific contributions: 2021 IEEE MGA Diversity & Inclusion Award; 2019 N. Walter Cox Service Award, IEEE MTT-S; 2022 ECE Alumni Distinguished Educator Award, University of Michigan; 2022 McKnight Presidential Endowed Professorship; 2020 Abbott Professorship in Innovative Education, Institute for Engineering in Medicine at the University; 2020 ARCS Minnesota Chapter Scientist of the Year, ARCS Foundation.
The 2026 Rudolf Henning Distinguished Mentoring Award award will be presented at WAMICON 2026 scheduled to be held in April in Clearwater, Florida. Learn more about the conference.
Professor Rhonda Franklin joined the University of Minnesota in 1998 as Assistant Professor. She earned her doctoral degree in 1995 at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and her bachelor's degree at Texas A&M University in 1988. Prior to joining the University, she was an assistant professor at University of Illinois Chicago. In addition to her faculty role in ECE, she also serves as the Abbott Professor for Innovative Education at the Institute for Engineering in Medicine at the University.
Learn about the Rudolf Henning Distinguished Mentoring Award