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Princeton Dean at KENT
By Sung Min Ha '10, courtesy of Kent News |
H. Vincent Poor visited Kent School and gave a speech about the history and future of wireless technology. The dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science at Princeton University, a member of the National Academy of Engineering, a fellow of American Academy of Arts and Science, and a fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, Dr. Poor earned his Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Princeton University in 1977. His interests include statistical signal processing and stochastic analysis as well as their application to wireless communication.
In his speech to the Kent community in the Mattison Auditorium, Dean Poor talked about the history of wireless communication, the challenges against its further use and development, and its possible future applications. Originally a tool for business and public benefit, the Wi-Fi technology rapidly developed into its current widespread and diverse formats such as Bluetooth and cell phones. However, there are obstacles to overcome, too. Technological challenges include the inferiority in the transmission speed to wire lines and security issues. There are political issues regarding the standardization of wireless technologies and the ownership of the radio spectrum. There are also social and economic obstacles, such as the health threats from the wireless signals and the debate over whether to publically or privately run the industry. Nevertheless, wireless has unmatched mobility and freedom, as Dr. Poor said, “What is wireless? It’s freedom.” He said that it will eventually become an integral part of all aspects of our lives.
Dr. Poor emphasized that current high school students will be leading the future research and development of the wireless technologies. He encouraged students to understand the technologies in social context as well as in scientific one, and to envision the future with wireless being a part of everyday life. For students considering majoring in engineering, he talked about the infinite possibilities of the newest wireless technology that is currently in development. By the time the current high school students enter the industry, the 4G, which Dr. Poor described as “high data rate/high mobility/high capacity”, will be rolled out. Mr. Austin, a member of the Mathematics Department, commented, “The possible applications are quite interesting. Broadcasting is going away in place of wireless technology.” The lively discussion and interest displayed by both the students and the faculties clearly reflect the success of the lecture.
