Overview
Electronic communications permeate all facets of everyday life and are, in a sense, the nervous system that binds together society. OSU has a strong program in communication systems and theory, with an emphasis on telecommunication network analysis and design and wireless communication system performance.

Research
The research carried out by the Communications Group at ECEN focuses on the key enabling technologies needed for designing and implementing future communication systems. Aspects of information theory, communication theory, and signal processing are used to improve the throughput, robustness and reliability of communications.

Telecommunications research is focused on the analysis and design of backbone networks, including secure communications protocols. This research thrust is closely associated with the interdisciplinary Master of Science in Telecommunications Management degree program (www.mstm.okstate.edu) and with the Center for Telecommunications Network and Security (ctans.okstate.edu).

Wireless research focuses on statistical signal processing with application to a variety of communication systems. Particular topics of current interest include collaborative signal and information processing for large-scale wireless ad hoc sensor networks, and cooperative communication whereby wireless agents may increase their effective quality of service via cooperation.

Courses

• Estimation theory
• Data communications
• Communication theory
• Stochastic systems
• Telecommunication systems
• Wireless communications

Research Labs
Wireless Sensor Networks Lab
Advanced Information Processing Lab
Communications & Signal Processing Lab

Faculty
Dr. Qi Cheng received a B.E. in electrical engineering (with highest honor) from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China in July 1999. She worked as a System Engineer in Guoxin Lucent Technologies Network Technologies Co. Ltd. between July 1999 and Dec. 2000. From 2001-2006 she has been with the Data Fusion Group in the Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science of Syracuse University, where she received a M.S. and Ph.D. in 2003 and 2006 respectively. She is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Oklahoma State University. Her research interests include statistical signal processing and data fusion for communications and wireless sensor networks.

Dr. Geogre Scheets received a B.S. in General Engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point. He served five years in the U.S. Army as a Signal Corps officer before receiving a M.S. and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Kansas State University. His research interests include telecommunications network analysis and design, teaching in a virtual environment and secure communications protocols. He has performed contract research for organizations such as Williams Telecommunications, the U.S. Air Force, Motorola Government Electronics Group, the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Defense. He was a key player in the development of OSU's Master of Science in Telecommunications Management degree and continues to be heavily involved with this program. He has extensive experience in distance education, is a ten time winner of National Technological University's Outstanding Instructor award and holds the department record for getting bonked on the head with a softball in one season (3 times) set in 2005.

Dr. Nazanin Rahnavard received her B.S. and M.S. degrees in electrical engineering from Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran, in 1999 and 2001, respectively. She then joined the Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, in 2002, where she received her Ph.D. degree in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering in 2007. Her research interests lie in the area of telecommunications with a focus on error-control coding, wireless ad-hoc and sensor networks, and cognitive radio. Nazanin received the outstanding research award from the Center for Signal and Image Processing at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Spring 2007.