KU Distinguished Professor will explore how deep-space signals reach Earth
LAWRENCE – University Distinguished Professor Erik Perrins will share his most recent research, which tests the limits of what is possible in radio signal transmissions from deep space, for his inaugural distinguished professor lecture at the University of Kansas.
Perrins will present “Finding the Signal in the Noise: The Hidden Magic of Error Correcting Codes in Deep-Space Radios” at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 11 in Beren Petroleum Conference Center of Slawson Hall. He will use the recent Artemis II test flight to illustrate how deep-space mathematics can translate into practical communication.
Individuals can register to attend the lecture. A recording will be posted afterward on the Office of Faculty Affairs website for those unable to attend.
During his lecture, Perrins will explore the foundational science behind error-correcting codes developed nearly 80 years ago and how recent breakthroughs in aeronautical telemetry — the science of collecting measurements from flying vehicles and transmitting them back to the ground — are helping researchers put decades-old theories into practice. The lecture will examine how flight tests, such as Artemis II, can recover critical data buried in background noise from spacecraft signals.
“My lecture will bring to light some of the hidden technologies that make our modern wireless communication systems work,” Perrins said. “I will draw on examples that have emerged from our research group and mark the journey of these advances from demonstrations in our lab, to adoption, and then to routine use on exciting missions such as Artemis II.”
Perrins currently serves as the chair of the KU Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science and was named a University Distinguished Professor in 2024. In 2023, he received the Outstanding Service Award from the IEEE Communications Society’s Communication Theory Technical Committee.
A recognized expert in wireless communications, signal processing, coding theory, radar-communications systems and spectrum sharing, Perrins has published extensively in premier journals including IEEE Transactions on Communications, IEEE Transactions on Signal Processing, IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Communications and IEEE Transactions on Aerospace and Electronic Systems. His research has been funded by NASA, the National Spectrum Consortium, the Department of Defense and other public and private organizations, and he holds four U.S. patents related to advanced communication systems. Before joining KU in 2005, Perrins worked for Motorola’s Secure Design Center.
Perrins has supervised numerous doctoral and master’s students, many of whom now hold positions at organizations such as Qualcomm, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Air Force Research Laboratory, Garmin and universities around the world. He has also supervised several funded undergraduate research projects.
“I am deeply grateful and honored to be named a University Distinguished Professor,” Perrins said. “I have had the good fortune of being surrounded by wonderful students, mentors and colleagues throughout my career at KU. I also gratefully acknowledge the support I have received from my family. I’m excited to share my love of electrical engineering with a broader audience.”
The first distinguished professorships were established at KU in 1958. University distinguished professorships are awarded solely on merit, following exacting criteria. A complete list is available on the Distinguished Professor website.