REU Site: Wireless communications for rural and remote areas

Montana State University, Bozeman MT

Investigators

Abstract

EEC-0648694 Richard S. Wolff The proposed REU site will engage 8 undergraduate students each year for three years in a 10 week research experience at Montana State University. The objectives of the program are: 1) to expose undergraduate students to real-world, innovative and interdisciplinary research focused on wireless communications for rural and remote areas; 2) to encourage more undergraduates to continue their academic careers and seek graduate degrees in engineering, computer and information science; and 3) to develop research skills and improve communication and collaborative skills. This REU program will be tightly coupled to the highly successful MSU campus-wide and College of Engineering programs already in place to recruit and retain Native American students. This REU will address the nation's need for a diverse group of innovative engineering researchers and professionals capable of using a variety of technologies to address communications systems needs in an ever increasing number of diverse domains serving commercial, educational and national defense objectives. Also, the REU program will serve to attract high-quality undergraduate Native American students, students from regional tribal colleges, students from Montana colleges and colleges from other rural areas with limited resources, as well as women engineering students to increase the gender and cultural diversity of students. This program will build on and will be complementary to the Montana State University Gilhousen Telecommunications Program and will be directed by Professor Richard S. Wolff, Gilhousen Telecommunications Chair. This site is supported by the Department of Defense in partnership with the NSF REU program.