Michael R. S. Hill, Ph.D.

Nine outstanding members of the Pratt School of Engineering community were honored at the 2013 Engineering Awards Banquet, held April 20, 2013 at the Washington Duke Inn.

The annual event celebrates the honorees for their career accomplishments, service to Duke Engineering and excellence in teaching, mentoring and research.

Distinguished Alumni Awards

Recipients of the 2013 Engineering Alumni Awards were:

Michael R. S. Hill BSE’86, Distinguished Alumnus Award

Michael R. S. Hill BSE’86 joined Medtronic, Minneapolis, in July 1992 as a scientist in the cardiac rhythm management division. He has served in research, clinical, program, international and management roles over his 20 years there.  He is a Technical Fellow (1998) and Bakken Fellow (2001).  In 2012, Hill was inducted as a fellow of the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering.  He now leads the research and development efforts for the heart failure business unit at Medtronic. He holds over 50 patents, has authored several manuscripts and abstracts, and often is an invited lecturer at international cardiac-related conferences and university events. A native of Jackson, Tennesee, Hill received his undergraduate degrees in biomedical and electrical engineering and in mathematics from Duke; his master’s and PhD degrees in biomedical engineering from Case Western Reserve University; and a master’s of business administration from the University of St. Thomas in Minneapolis.

If someone at a get-together asked Michael R.S. Hill what he does for a living, he’d cheerily reply, “Scientist.”

An accurate description, for sure. In truth, his business card reads: “Senior Director, New Therapies and Diagnostics Programs, Cardiac Rhythm Disease Management, Medtronic Inc.”

He could also be called an inventor — and a prolific one, at that.

Earlier this year, the 46-year-old Hill was feted at the Fridley-based medical technology company for receiving his 50th patent. He’s the seventh person in the company’s 61-year history to do so, and only the fourth in its core cardiac rhythm business, which makes pacemakers and heart defibrillators.

Put simply, Hill’s patent work has focused on improving implantable cardiac devices for patients with irregular heart rhythms and creating new solutions that combine cardiovascular and neuromodulation (zapping the brain or nervous system) technologies.