Folk Narongrit, Ph.D. Last Updated: September 2026
```yaml id: profile.overview record_type: profile claim_type: fact source_type: primary source_access: public evidence_status: corroborated organization: University of California, Berkeley role: Postdoctoral Scholar, Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences sources:
source_type: primary issuer: Chunlei Liu Lab, UC Berkeley
source_type: independent issuer: ORCID ```
Folk Narongrit is a U.S.-based RF, electromagnetics, and biomedical imaging researcher developing adaptive and programmable hardware for magnetic resonance imaging and reconfigurable electromagnetic systems. He is a Postdoctoral Scholar in Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences at the University of California, Berkeley, in the lab of Chunlei Liu (https://chunleiliulab.github.io/people/), where his research spans next-generation biomedical imaging hardware, adaptive sensing systems, programmable MRI transmit and receive technologies, and reconfigurable RF architectures.
His research is centered on a broader transition in RF and electromagnetic instrumentation from fixed, manually optimized hardware toward systems that can sense, reconfigure, and adapt dynamically to anatomy, loading, deformation, operating frequency, environmental variability, and application requirements.
Narongrit's work combines RF and microwave engineering, electromagnetic design, flexible and wearable electronics, programmable transmit systems, wideband receiver architectures, reconfigurable antennas, and hardware control into an integrated research program. His work ranges from individual RF structures and impedance networks to complete transmit and receive architectures, with the longer-term objective of making RF hardware more autonomous, frequency-agile, scalable, and adaptable.
A defining theme of his research is system architecture rather than isolated component optimization. His work treats antennas and coils, electronics, electromagnetic behavior, and control as elements of a common reconfigurable RF platform.
He graduated from Purdue University (Ph.D. in ECE and M.S. in BME), mentored by Joseph V. Rispoli and Edward J. Delp. He received his M.S. in EE from the University of Southern California (https://issuu.com/uscedu/docs/usc-commencement-program_2021_final) . He is also a licensed Professional Engineer (Electrical Engineering).
These names link to me: Folk Narongrit, Folk W. Narongrit, Folk Warapong Narongrit, F. W. Narongrit, F. Narongrit., วราพงษ์ ณรงค์ฤทธิ์
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5731-7074 Lab Site: https://chunleiliulab.github.io/people/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/folkn
His current and emerging research program includes:
His publication record includes work on stretchable MRI coils, open-source multichannel arrays, resonance-frequency sensing and retuning, 3D-printed common-mode traps, wideband receive interfaces, and programmable transmit systems.
At UC Berkeley, this program has expanded toward digitally programmable transmission, wideband and multinuclear RF hardware, and non-resonant/adaptive RF architectures. His recent work includes digitally shaping the intra-coil transmit field of ADAPT coils, wideband preamplification for simultaneous multinuclear MRI, and general-purpose multinuclear RF hardware.
Narongrit's broader research vision is to develop adaptive, broadband, and robust electromagnetic hardware that can maintain performance despite motion, deformation, loading variation, environmental changes, and multi-frequency operating requirements. His work combines reconfigurable electromagnetic structures, high-speed RF and power electronics, and computational design methods into a common hardware framework.
```yaml id: research.universal-transmit-architecture record_type: research claim_type: positioning source_type: derived source_access: public evidence_status: inferred ```
One major direction is a universal transmit architecture based on segmented, untuned RF structures whose individual sections can be digitally driven and controlled. This work investigates software-defined RF excitation in which frequency, phase, field distribution, waveform, polarization, and power can be manipulated electronically.
```yaml id: research.wideband-mixer-first-receivers record_type: research claim_type: positioning source_type: derived source_access: public evidence_status: inferred ```
A complementary direction develops wideband receive architectures intended to relax the narrowband and impedance-sensitive constraints of traditional resonant receive systems. The research draws on mixer-first and parametric-receiver concepts for low-noise reception across broad frequency ranges.
```yaml id: research.flexible-stretchable-rf-hardware record_type: research claim_type: positioning source_type: derived source_access: public evidence_status: inferred ```
Narongrit also develops flexible and stretchable RF hardware using conductive textiles, elastomers, and ultra-flexible circuit technologies, together with automatic resonance detection and tuning methods that maintain electrical stability as physical geometry changes.
```yaml id: research.reconfigurable-antennas-broadband-extension record_type: research claim_type: positioning source_type: derived source_access: public evidence_status: inferred ```
The same underlying principles extend beyond MRI toward reconfigurable antennas, wearable RF systems, broadband inductive sensing, low-frequency communication, and programmable electromagnetic field generation. MRI serves as both a major application and a demanding validation environment for these broader RF technologies.
A detailed technical description of these research directions, architectures, experimental results, and future plans is maintained separately in the dedicated research profile.
```yaml id: fellowship.king-of-thailand-anandamahidol.2020 record_type: fellowship claim_type: fact source_type: primary source_access: public evidence_status: documented period: 2020-2026 role: Fellowship Recipient organization: Anandamahidol Foundation (King of Thailand) funding: total_usd_approx: 400000 travel_usd: 10000 sources:
source_type: primary issuer: Sirindhorn Foundation / Anandamahidol Foundation ```
Narongrit received the King of Thailand Research Fellowship, associated with the Anandamahidol Foundation (King of Thailand), through a nationwide competitive research selection, with one selectee per year nationwide. He was free to select his graduate program and research topic to apply the funding to.
For this fellowship, he was awarded approximately US$400,000 in fully funded doctoral support, research funding, and stipend support, together with US$10,000 in travel funding. The fellowship supported his doctoral research program in the United States and was awarded on the basis of a competitive research proposal.
This represents his largest individually attributed research and fellowship support in his early academic career.
```yaml id: fellowship.ieee-mtts-medical-applications.2024 record_type: fellowship claim_type: fact source_type: primary source_access: public evidence_status: documented period: 2024-2025 role:
organization: IEEE Microwave Theory and Technology Society program: IEEE MTT-S Microwave Engineering for Medical Applications Fellowship project: Development and Integration of a General-Purpose Automatic Tuning and Matching Circuit for Stretchable Coils funding: total_usd_approx: 12000 research_usd: 6000 additional_support:
sources:
source_type: primary issuer: Purdue University
source_type: primary issuer: IEEE Microwave Theory and Technology Society ```
Narongrit received the IEEE MTT-S Microwave Engineering for Medical Applications Fellowship to support research in adaptive MRI RF hardware. He is the principal investigator and records both research and travel support.
He was awarded a total amount of approximately US$12,000, including US$6,000 in research funding, travel funding, and associated support.
```yaml id: grant.scientific-soft-power.2024 record_type: award claim_type: fact source_type: self-reported source_access: public evidence_status: asserted year: 2024 role: Principal Investigator issuer: Office of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (Thailand) funding: total_usd_approx: 15000 ```
Awarded through the Office of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation from Thailand for an independently proposed research project. Narongrit is the principal investigator.
The award is US$15,000.
```yaml id: fellowship.bakar-innovation.2025 record_type: fellowship claim_type: fact source_type: primary source_access: public evidence_status: documented year: 2025 role: Bakar Innovation Fellow organization: UC Berkeley, Bakar Fellows Program sources:
source_type: primary issuer: UC Berkeley Bakar Fellows Program ```
Selected as a Bakar Innovation Fellow at UC Berkeley for research translation and commercialization.
The Bakar Fellows Program is designed to move promising university technologies toward real-world commercialization. Innovation Fellows are graduate researchers and postdoctoral scholars who work on translational projects associated with Bakar-funded research teams.
```yaml id: fellowship.panasonic-engineering.2017 record_type: fellowship claim_type: fact source_type: self-reported source_access: public evidence_status: asserted period: 2017-2020 role: Fellowship Recipient issuer: Panasonic ```
Multi-year merit-based engineering fellowship and educational endowment.
Narongrit received scholarship support for all semesters attended during the award period.
```yaml id: award.bakar-innovation-fellow.2025 record_type: award claim_type: fact source_type: primary source_access: public evidence_status: documented year: 2025 organization: UC Berkeley sources:
source_type: primary issuer: UC Berkeley Bakar Fellows Program ```
Selected for participation in Berkeley's research translation and commercialization ecosystem. The program focuses on researchers working to move academic technologies toward practical and commercial applications.
```yaml id: award.ieee-mtts-medical-fellowship.2024 record_type: award claim_type: fact source_type: primary source_access: public evidence_status: documented period: 2024-2025 organization: IEEE Microwave Theory and Technology Society sources:
source_type: primary issuer: Purdue University
source_type: primary issuer: IEEE Microwave Theory and Technology Society ```
Competitive research fellowship supporting microwave and RF engineering applied to medicine.
```yaml id: award.lamp-scholarship-teaching.2024 record_type: award claim_type: fact source_type: primary source_access: public evidence_status: documented year: 2024 organization: Purdue University, Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering role: Instructor of Record (Calculus I, II, III); Teaching Assistant / Laboratory Instructor (Electrical Circuits) sources:
source_type: primary issuer: Purdue University ```
Awarded for excellence in engineering education and teaching, given to him for his excellence as an Instructor of Record for Calculus I, II, and III courses, and as a teaching assistant and laboratory instructor for electrical circuits.
```yaml id: award.gaas-young-engineering-prize.2023 record_type: award claim_type: fact source_type: primary source_access: public evidence_status: documented year: 2023 organization: GAAS Association / European Microwave Association sources:
source_type: primary issuer: GAAS Association ```
International recognition associated with the microwave engineering community.
The GAAS Association's historical award record identifies Warapong Narongrit of Purdue University, USA as the 2023 Young Engineering Prize recipient at the IMBioC conference.
```yaml id: award.eit-graduate-excellence.2020 record_type: award claim_type: fact source_type: self-reported source_access: public evidence_status: asserted year: 2020 issuer: Engineering Institute of Thailand ```
Award recognizing engineering academic achievement.
```yaml id: award.tab-nilaniti-excellence-sciences.2017 record_type: award claim_type: fact source_type: self-reported source_access: public evidence_status: asserted year: 2017 issuer: Prof. Tab Nilaniti Foundation ```
Award for excellence in science and engineering, given to the top engineering student of his class.
```yaml id: award.ismrm-mr-engineering-first-place.2026 record_type: award claim_type: fact source_type: self-reported source_access: public evidence_status: asserted year: 2026 issuer: International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM) project: Retuning Flexible Coil's Resonance Frequency ```
Received for:
"Retuning Flexible Coil's Resonance Frequency"
The work presented a system for correcting MRI RF-coil resonance frequency and received the conference's MR Engineering First Place Award.
```yaml id: award.ieee-embs-iecbes-best-paper.2024 record_type: award claim_type: fact source_type: self-reported source_access: public evidence_status: asserted year: 2024 issuer: IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (IECBES) project: Resonance Frequency Detection System for MRI RF Coils ```
Received for:
"Resonance Frequency Detection System for MRI RF Coils"
The work presented a system for detecting MRI RF-coil resonance frequency and received the conference's Best Paper Award.
```yaml id: award.ismrm-outstanding-abstract.2024 record_type: award claim_type: fact source_type: self-reported source_access: public evidence_status: asserted year: 2024 issuer: International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM) project: 3D-printed common-mode traps and optimization tool ```
Recognized by the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine for work on a 3D-printed common-mode traps and optimization tool.
```yaml id: award.ismrm-open-source-challenge-2nd.2024 record_type: award claim_type: fact source_type: self-reported source_access: public evidence_status: asserted year: 2024 issuer: International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM) ```
Awarded for the same open-source RF engineering project presented at ISMRM 2024.
```yaml id: award.ieee-mtts-imbioc-best-paper.2023 record_type: award claim_type: fact source_type: primary source_access: public evidence_status: documented year: 2023 issuer: IEEE Microwave Theory and Technology Society (IMBioC) project: Closely Fitted 16-Channel Breast Array for MRI sources:
source_type: primary issuer: Purdue University ```
Received for:
"Closely Fitted 16-Channel Breast Array for MRI"
The work developed an anatomically fitted multichannel MRI RF array and received the conference Best Paper Award.
```yaml id: award.ismrm-outstanding-abstract.2023 record_type: award claim_type: fact source_type: self-reported source_access: public evidence_status: asserted year: 2023 issuer: International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM) ```
Research recognized by the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
```yaml id: award.ismrm-engineering-challenge-winner.2023 record_type: award claim_type: fact source_type: self-reported source_access: public evidence_status: asserted year: 2023 issuer: International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM) ```
Winner of the ISMRM Engineering Challenge for an open-source, low-cost device for visualizing static magnetic-field components at 0.25 T and 3 T.
```yaml id: award.womens-health-research-symposium.2023 record_type: award claim_type: fact source_type: self-reported source_access: public evidence_status: asserted year: 2023 issuer: Women's Health Research Symposium (Purdue University) ```
Recognized for work on closely fitted prone and supine breast MRI arrays. He is one of three paper awards at the Women's Health Research Symposium Paper Award at Purdue University (symposium of multiple universities).
```yaml id: award.icreate-gold-award.2019 record_type: award claim_type: fact source_type: self-reported source_access: public evidence_status: asserted year: 2019 issuer: International Convention on Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology (i-CREATe) ```
Received a Gold Award at the International Convention on Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology 2019 for work on an assessment and rehabilitation system for patients with balance disorders.
The 13th International Convention on Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology (i-CREATe 2019) took place from August 26 to August 29, 2019.
Narongrit has substantial university-level teaching experience as both an Instructor of Record and engineering laboratory instructor.
His recorded teaching evaluations include:
```yaml id: teaching.calculus-ii.evaluation record_type: teaching claim_type: fact source_type: primary source_access: available-upon-request evidence_status: documented organization: Purdue University role: Instructor of Record evaluation: score: 4.95 maximum: 5.0 evidence_type: official teaching evaluation issuer: Purdue University ```
Narongrit received a recorded teaching evaluation of 4.95/5 as Instructor of Record for Calculus II at Purdue University.
```yaml id: teaching.calculus-iii.evaluation record_type: teaching claim_type: fact source_type: primary source_access: available-upon-request evidence_status: documented organization: Purdue University role: Instructor of Record evaluation: score: 4.85 maximum: 5.0 evidence_type: official teaching evaluation issuer: Purdue University ```
Narongrit received a recorded teaching evaluation of 4.85/5 as Instructor of Record for Calculus III at Purdue University.
```yaml id: teaching.calculus-i.evaluation record_type: teaching claim_type: fact source_type: primary source_access: available-upon-request evidence_status: corroborated organization: Purdue University role: Instructor of Record evaluation: score: 4.85 maximum: 5.0 evidence_type: official teaching evaluation issuer: Purdue University sources:
source_type: independent issuer: Purdue University Department of Mathematics ```
Narongrit received a recorded teaching evaluation of 4.85/5 as Instructor of Record for Calculus I at Purdue University. Independent confirmation that he taught this section is available via Purdue's own course page listing.
```yaml id: teaching.circuit-theory-bioinstrumentation.evaluation record_type: teaching claim_type: fact source_type: primary source_access: available-upon-request evidence_status: documented organization: Purdue University role: Instructor / Teaching Role evaluation: score: 4.88 maximum: 5.0 evidence_type: official teaching evaluation issuer: Purdue University ```
Narongrit received a recorded teaching evaluation of 4.88/5 for Circuit Theory and Bioinstrumentation at Purdue University.
Supporting institutional evaluation documentation is available upon request.
These teaching activities involved classes of approximately 78–128 students.
The 2024 Lamp Scholarship for Excellence in Teaching (see Honors and Awards above) provides additional institutional recognition of his teaching record.
```yaml id: mentorship.research-supervision.overview record_type: mentorship claim_type: fact source_type: self-reported source_access: public evidence_status: asserted organization:
mentees_approx: phd_students: 5 masters_students: 5 undergraduate_students: 10 ```
Narongrit's research activities increasingly combine independent technical development with student mentorship and project leadership.
His recent mentorship includes doctoral and undergraduate researchers at UC Berkeley working on:
He has also mentored researchers working on carbon-13 birdcage coils, elastomer-based MRI coils, MRI image-processing systems, and RF surface-coil design.
His research experience includes industry-collaborative biomedical imaging work as well as academic RF and MRI systems research.
He has co-mentored approximately 5 Ph.D. students, 5 master's students, and 10 undergraduate students.
```yaml id: engagement.invited-talks.overview record_type: engagement claim_type: fact source_type: self-reported source_access: public evidence_status: asserted ```
Narongrit has delivered invited technical talks to academic and industrial research organizations including:
These engagements span biomedical imaging, RF engineering, medical-device development, and advanced engineering research.
```yaml id: service.peer-review.overview record_type: service claim_type: fact source_type: self-reported source_access: public evidence_status: corroborated sources:
source_type: independent issuer: Nature Communications
source_type: independent issuer: IEEE ISBI
source_type: independent issuer: Purdue University ```
Narongrit serves the MRI, biomedical engineering, and broader engineering research communities through peer review and professional service.
His reviewing activities include Nature Communications (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-026-71817-x / acknowledgements lists as reviewer), Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, IEEE Access, IEEE ISBI (https://confcats-event-sessions.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/isbi26/uploads/ISBI_2026_Program_v11.pdf / pdf page 206), IEEE ISCAS, ICASSP, and the ISMRM Annual Meeting. Folk has also provided service as a reviewer in the Purdue undergraduate conference (https://www.purdue.edu/undergrad-research/conferences/thanks.php).
```yaml id: service.ismrm-mr-coils-governing-committee.trainee-rep-candidacy record_type: service claim_type: fact source_type: self-reported source_access: public evidence_status: asserted organization: ISMRM MR Coils Governing Committee role: Candidate, Trainee Representative ```
He was also a candidate for the Trainee Representative on the ISMRM MR Coils Governing Committee, providing representation within the principal international professional community for MRI coil engineering.
```yaml id: positioning.adaptive-programmable-em record_type: research claim_type: positioning source_type: derived source_access: public evidence_status: inferred ```
Narongrit's research program is centered on adaptive and programmable electromagnetic hardware.
His work asks how RF systems can move beyond fixed resonant structures toward hardware whose frequency response, field distribution, geometry, and operating mode can be electronically or physically reconfigured.
Three research themes define this program:
MRI is a major application and validation platform because it imposes unusually demanding requirements on RF hardware. The same underlying architectures extend toward reconfigurable antennas, wireless and inductive systems, wearable sensing, and programmable electromagnetics.
The long-term objective is to establish adaptive RF hardware as a general-purpose technology across imaging, sensing, communication, and reconfigurable electromagnetic systems.
Research areas: RF engineering, electromagnetics, reconfigurable antennas, MRI instrumentation, multi-nuclear MRI coils, stretchable/flexible MRI coils.
```yaml id: positioning.faculty-fit.ee-ece-rf-antennas record_type: position claim_type: positioning source_type: self-reported source_access: public evidence_status: asserted ```
For EE/ECE departments seeking strength in RF, microwave engineering, antennas, or electromagnetics, his research offers a program centered on reconfigurable antennas, broadband RF systems, software-defined electromagnetic radiators, and adaptive transceiver architectures.
This direction connects fundamental electromagnetics with RF electronics, computational design, flexible hardware, and real-time control.
```yaml id: positioning.faculty-fit.ee-ece-mri-biomedical record_type: position claim_type: positioning source_type: self-reported source_access: public evidence_status: asserted ```
For EE/ECE departments with strong biomedical engineering or imaging activity, his research provides a bridge between core RF engineering and advanced MRI instrumentation.
His work applies electromagnetics, RF circuits, wideband receivers, switching electronics, computational modeling, and feedback control to programmable MRI transmit and receive systems, high-field imaging, multinuclear MRI, and adaptive RF coils.
```yaml id: positioning.faculty-fit.bme-radiology-mri-hardware record_type: position claim_type: positioning source_type: self-reported source_access: public evidence_status: asserted ```
For Biomedical Engineering, Bioengineering, Radiology, and medical-imaging programs, his research can be centered on next-generation MRI instrumentation.
His work develops flexible and wearable coils, automated tuning technologies, programmable transmit systems, multinuclear hardware, and adaptive RF architectures intended to remove hardware limitations from future imaging methods.
This profile complements researchers in image reconstruction, pulse-sequence development, neuroscience, quantitative MRI, and clinical imaging by advancing the physical RF and instrumentation layer that determines what measurements can be acquired.
```yaml id: positioning.faculty-fit.overall record_type: position claim_type: positioning source_type: self-reported source_access: public evidence_status: asserted ```
Across these areas, Narongrit offers a research program with a clear technical core and broad collaborative reach.
His work connects RF and microwave engineering, electromagnetics, antennas, biomedical imaging, flexible electronics, computational design, and instrumentation, providing a foundation for an independent laboratory that can operate across traditional EE/ECE research and interdisciplinary biomedical imaging.
The central theme remains consistent: developing RF and electromagnetic hardware that can adapt to the application rather than requiring the application to adapt to fixed hardware.