IEEE UNT Student Branch

Biography

Theresa Brunasso has over 30 years of experience in Electrical Engineering, specializing in electromagnetics. She currently is a consultant supporting the Microwave Aerospace and Defense Community. Previously, she spent more than 20 years at EMS Technologies. At EMS, Theresa served as Principal Engineer, Microwave Engineering Manager, Director of Technology Development, and provided innovative design and development expertise for programs such as DarkStar, NSTAR, Milstar, Advanced EHF, IntelSat and Mars Science Lab. Her engineering background makes her well suited in solutions definition, development and application of technology in the Commercial and National Defense Space markets.

Theresa joined EMS in 1989, after serving as a Research Engineer for the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI), one of the nation’s leading independent R&D organizations. Prior to joining GTRI, Theresa spent two years as an Engineer for Teledyne MEC, an international leader in the design, development, and manufacture of high gain, broadband amplifiers. Theresa began her career in the U.S. Navy as an Instructor at the Consolidated Naval Electronic Warfare School in Pensacola, FL. She was awarded a graduate fellowship through the Air Force Thermionic Engineering Research Program.

Theresa holds an Engineer’s Degree and M.E. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Utah, and a B.S. in Physics from the University of West Florida. She is a member of Sigma Pi Sigma, the National Physics Honor Society.

In September 2008, she was awarded a U.S. patent titled, “A Compact Beam Former with Low Side Lobes.” That same month she was one of three Georgia area women honored by Women in Technology (WIT) as a winner in the ninth annual Women of the Year in Technology Awards presented by Grant Thornton. The 2008 awards recognize and celebrate the winners as “WOMEN OF IMPACT” for their accomplishments as leaders in business, as visionaries of technology, and as women who make a difference in our communities.

Theresa has presented papers at the International Microwave Symposium, the IEEE Radar Conference and the IEEE Ultra Wideband Conference. In addition, Theresa spoke about her work with NASA before the Southeastern section of the Society of Satellite Professionals, at Agnes Scott Society of Physics Students, and at the Opening of the School of Science and Engineering at University of West Florida.

Theresa is an active volunteer with IEEE. She has provided leadership for the Atlanta Section and the Southeast Region, and has been recognized with multiple awards. She was elected to serve on the IEEE Board of Directors in 2022 and 2023.