Throughout the Fall of 2022, assistant professor of engineering Whitney Lohmeyer guided undergraduate students through her Introduction to Analog and Digital Communication course at Olin College of Engineering, connecting them to radio spectrum experts.
Paul Ransom’s interest in electrical engineering was piqued when he began working to upgrade his Walkman in elementary school. He was unsatisfied with the performance and began tinkering with it and other electronics to see how they functioned.
“I wanted to boost the volume, because back in my days we liked to listen to our music loud,” Ransom said.
WASHINGTON – The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) on Wednesday began seeking comment on identifying airwaves for more intensive use and innovative new uses by both the private sector and federal agencies.
NTIA’s National Spectrum Strategy Request for Comment seeks input on creating a spectrum pipeline for the next decade of frequencies that could be studied for new or additional uses. The agency’s goal is to identify at least 1,500 megahertz of spectrum to study for potential repurposing – perhaps the most ambitious study goal for NTIA to date – to meet future requirements for non-federal and federal users.
Featuring Dr. Tanya Ennis
Broadening Participation Director
SpectrumX Center and Research Support Office (RSO)
University of Colorado Boulder, College of Engineering and Applied Science
Abstract
Dr. Ennis’ presentation will highlight the findings of her dissertation which include multiple configurations of factors working together that inform Black engineering students in making a decision to stay or leave engineering majors. Her theoretical framework draws upon research on the continual reinforcement of the racialized environment on university campuses, academic social supports, resilience responses and feedback loops. Dr. Ennis’ dissertation topic grew out of her desire to center and understand Black students’ experiences in engineering, revealing the complexities of why Black students choose to stay or leave. She will outline the results of her findings and reveal the multiple factors working together that contribute to Black engineering students deciding to stay or leave.
Biography
Dr. Tanya Davis Ennis is the Broadening Participation Director for the SpectrumX Center and for the Research Support Office (RSO) at the University of Colorado Boulder’s College of Engineering and Applied Science. She received her B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and her M.S. in Computer Engineering from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California. She also recently earned her PhD in Education in Learning Sciences and Human Development from the University of Colorado Boulder where the School of Education faculty committee awarded her the Outstanding Dissertation Award for her dissertation entitled Yearning to Learn: A Qualitative Comparative Analysis of Black Engineering Students Deciding to Stay or Leave Engineering Majors.
As a low-socioeconomic, first-generation college student who grew up in rural Louisiana, Dr. Ennis encountered multiple factors that impacted her decision to study engineering, to graduate and to pursue a career in telecommunications with AT&T Bell Laboratories, US WEST Communications and COVAD Communications where she developed and implemented large-scale systems. After a career in the telecommunications industry, Dr. Ennis transitioned into teaching high school mathematics, with an emphasis on educating students of color who struggled with learning mathematics. She later began her career at CU Boulder where she directed the Engineering GoldShirt Program and the BOLD Center, where she directed programs designed to support and engage underrepresented students to succeed as engineering students. Dr. Ennis also taught introductory physics and engineering project design; additionally, she created new curriculum to serve students needing additional academic instruction, especially for the calculus sequence. A number of ASEE conference papers on the Engineering GoldShirt Program and other topics are published by Dr. Ennis.
This event will take place February 7, 2023, at 3 p.m. EST/ 2 p.m. CST/ 1 p.m. MST/ and noon PST.
During the summer of 2022, SpectrumX along with its partners at its member institution the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) conducted a six-week virtual professional development program for ten middle and high school teachers. The educators were selected from across the United States through a competitive application process. The participants were chosen based on their experience creating original lessons and interest in incorporating more electromagnetic spectrum curricula into their classes.
On Tuesday, December 13, 2022, Nick Laneman, SpectrumX Center Director and Professor at the University of Notre Dame, and Monisha Ghosh, SpectrumX Policy Outreach Director and Professor at the University of Notre Dame, will speak at WInnComm 2022.
WInnComm 2022 is hosted by the Wireless Innovation Forum.
Laneman and Ghosh will be presenting “SpectrumX: The Nation’s First Spectrum Innovation Center” at 8:50 a.m. PST / 11:50 a.m. EST.
From the event information:
“A deep dive into the future of wireless communications technologies”
Who attended previous years:
What you get for coming:
More details can be found: here.
On T
uesday, December 6, at noon, SpectrumX Center Director Nick Laneman will give a presentation at the Olin College of Engineering Norden Auditorium entitled “Career Opportunities in Radio Spectrum Innovation.”
Students are invited to attend and learn about what they may pursue next in the radio spectrum field, and how they may become involved with SpectrumX, an NSF Spectrum Innovation Center.
Norden Auditorium is located on the first floor of Milas Hall.
Abstract: Many industries are expanding their use of wireless technologies, with futuristic applications, ever more connected people and things, utilizing wider bandwidths and higher frequencies, and putting tremendous pressure on access to radio spectrum. Because the radio spectrum is regulated by government organizations at the national and international levels, developing technology and policy innovations to benefit society requires collaboration and interdisciplinary work among business and government leaders, engineers and scientists, economists, lawyers, regulators, and policymakers.
In this talk, we will view radio spectrum innovation as a field of its own and motivate career development in this field. First, we will characterize the vibrant spectrum ecosystem in the United States, which includes numerous companies and industry associations, most federal agencies, key national and international regulators, and leading centers and institutes in academia. Second, we will highlight some of the pressing challenges being faced by this ecosystem, in particular issues like fully enabling 5G and beyond, imposing receiver standards, combining terrestrial and satellite networks, and spectrum sharing. Finally, we will overview SpectrumX – an NSF Spectrum Innovation Center, as the world’s largest academic hub within the spectrum ecosystem for advancing interdisciplinary research, education and workforce development, collaboration, and policy outreach.
Speaker Bio: Dr. Nick Laneman is Director of SpectrumX – An NSF Spectrum Innovation Center, Founding Director and currently Co-Director of the Wireless Institute in the College of Engineering, and Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering at the University of Notre Dame. He joined the faculty in August 2002 shortly after earning a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). His research and teaching interests are in wireless system design, radio spectrum access, technology standards and intellectual property, and regulatory policy. Laneman is an IEEE Fellow, has received the IEEE Kiyo Tomiyasu Award, the Presidential Early-Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), and the NSF CAREER Award, and has been recognized twice by Thomson Reuters as an ISI Highly Cited Researcher. He is author or co-author on over 145 publications and is co-inventor on 8 U.S. patents.
The SpectrumX Center Meeting on October 3 and 4, held at the University of Virginia (UVA), brought together over 65 learners and leaders for cross-cutting discussions on timely and interdisciplinary topics.
“The meeting provided an opportunity for students, researchers, stakeholders, and professionals in policy making to come together at UVA to discuss some of the most important subjects in our field,” said Bobby Weikle, SpectrumX Steering Committee Chair and Radio and Network Technologies Research Lead, and Professor at the University of Virginia. “UVA has a long history of collaboration with the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO), and it was a great opportunity to bring their teams and our center together in-person and online.”
On Thursday, September 30, SpectrumX Center Director Nick Laneman gave a keynote address at GRCon 22 in Washington D.C. Laneman concurrently co-directs the Wireless Institute in the College of Engineering and is a professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering at the University of Notre Dame.
GNU Radio is “a free and open-source software development toolkit that provides signal processing blocks to implement software radios,” according to its website. It is utilized by researchers, industry, government, hobbyist, and academic stakeholders alike.
Dr. Stephanie G. Adams is the 5th Dean of the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Texas, Dallas. Previously Dr. Adams served as the Dean of the Frank Batten College of Engineering and Technology at Old Dominion University (2016–2019), Department Head and Professor of Engineering Education at Virginia Tech (2011–2016) and held faculty and administrative positions at Virginia Commonwealth University (2008–2011) and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (1998–2008).
Her research interests include: Broadening Participation, Faculty and Graduate Student Development, International/Global Education, Teamwork and Team Effectiveness, and Quality Control and Management. In 2003, she received the CAREER award from the Engineering Education and Centers Division of the National Science Foundation. Dr. Adams is a leader in the advancement and inclusion of all in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. She has worked with a number of colleges and universities, government agencies and non-profit organizations on topics related to graduate education, mentoring, faculty development and diversifying STEM. A few examples include: The University of Michigan, North Carolina State University, NASA Must Program, QEM Network and the Gates Millennium Scholars Program.
Dr. Adams is a leader in the advancement and inclusion of all in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. She has had the privilege of serving on the Board of Directors for a number of STEM organizations including the American Society of Engineering Education, the National Society of Black Engineers, Women in Engineering ProActive Network, and the National GEM Consortium. She has also worked with the National Academy of Engineering, the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Institute of Industrial Engineers, the Quality Education for Minorities Network, and the Council of Graduate Schools to build supportive educational coalitions and partnerships in advancing the engineering profession and educational community.
Dr. Adams is the recipient of numerous awards, including: the 2017 WEPAN Founder’s Award; the 2016 ASEE Engineering Management Division Bernard R. Sarchet Award; the 2013 North Carolina A&T State University Distinguished Alumni Award; the 2008 DuPont Minorities in Engineering Award from the American Society of Engineering Education; the Holling Teaching/Advising/Mentoring Award, the Henry Y. Kleinkauf Outstanding Assistant Professor Teaching Award, the Assistant Professor Service Award and the Chancellor’s Fulfilling the Dream Award from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln; and the Janice A. Lumpkin Educator of the Year from the National Society of Black Engineers. In 2005, she was selected as an AAAS/NSF Science and Engineering Policy Fellow and in 2006 she was an Invited Participant for the U.S. Frontiers in Engineering Symposium hosted by the National Academy of Engineering.
Dr. Adams is an honor graduate of North Carolina A&T State University, where she earned her BS in Mechanical Engineering, in 1988. In 1991, she was awarded the Master of Engineering degree in Systems Engineering from the University of Virginia. She received her Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Engineering from Texas A&M University in 1998, where she concentrated on Industrial Engineering and Management. She holds membership in a number of organizations and serves as Past President and a Fellow of the American Society of Engineering Education, is a member of the National Advisory Board of the National Society of Black Engineers and is a Diamond Life of member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.
