ECpE Distinguished Lecture Series – Steven W. McLaughlin

When

October 4, 2013    
1:10 pm - 2:00 pm

Where

3043 ECpE Building Addition
Coover Hall, Ames, Iowa, 50011

Event Type

Steven W. McLaughlin
Steven W. McLaughlin

Title: Communications Perspectives in Data Storage and Security

Speaker: Steven W. McLaughlin, Professor and Steve W. Chaddick School Chair, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Tech

Abstract: Shannon’s information theory (1948) teaches us the basics and fundamental limits in point-to-point communications system, and many regard it as the basis for the digital media and communications era of today.  In this talk we present some other practical aspects of information theory and communications in data security and optical data storage.  More specifically much of what Shannon talked about in his early work has been forgotten, and taking this persecutive, we discuss how fundamental communication ideas can be applied to areas where where they have benefit and promise.  First we talk about physical layer security and show how the physical layer can be used in the presence of a passive eavesdropper with carefully designed error control codes.  Second we show how a traditionally binary medium (optical data storage) can be be used to store information in a non binary fashion – increasing both data storage and data transfer rates.

Speaker Bio: Steven W. McLaughlin received the B.S.E.E. degree from Northwestern University, the M.S.E. degree from Princeton University, and the Ph.D. degree from the University of Michigan. He joined the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Georgia Tech in September 1996 where is now Steve W. Chaddick School Chair for the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering.  From 2007-2012 he was Vice Provost for International Initiatives and Steven A. Denning Chair in Global Engagement. As Vice Provost he was responsible for Georgia Tech’s global engagement in research, education, and economic development. 

In 2011 he was awarded the honor Chevalier dans l`Ordre Nationale de Merite, (Knight of the French National Order of Merit), the second highest civilian award given by Republic of France. He was the first Georgia Tech recipient of the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) where he was cited by President Clinton “for leadership in the development of high-capacity, nonbinary optical recording formats.”  His research interests are in the general area of communications and information theory. His research group has published in the areas of turbo, LDPC, and constrained codes for magnetic and optical recording; forward error correction and equalization for wireless and optical networks; quantum key distribution, wireless and RFID security; and theory of error control coding. He has published more than 240 papers in journals and conferences and holds 30 US patents. He has served as the research and thesis advisor to more than 50 students at the bachelors, masters, doctoral and post-doctoral levels.  He is a co-founder of Whisper Communications, a physical layer security company commercializing technology developed in his research group.

Video Link

Loading...