By Josh Siatkowski | Staff Writer
Dr. Charles Baylis, a professor in Baylor’s Electrical and Computer Engineering Department and director of the Hub for Spectrum Management with Adaptive Reconfigurable Technology, had a pretty good reason for missing work a few weeks ago: he was in the Capitol Building, testifying and sharing his research before the US Senate.
Baylis testified during a Feb.19 hearing in the Senate Chamber on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. There, alongside other researchers, Baylis discussed a problem facing wireless communication.
“There are too many wireless users and not enough ‘space’ for all of them,” Baylis said in an email. “The wireless spectrum is the real estate of wireless transmission. To be able to transmit information, spectrum is needed. We have so many wireless applications that we don’t have enough spectrum for all of them to transmit at the same time. As such, we need new technologies that can adapt based on other users and reconfigure to maximize performance and work around other users.”
The two-hour hearing, titled “America Offline? How Spectrum Auction Delays Give China the Edge and Cost US Jobs,” saw Baylis and researchers from other institutions present findings before Sen. Ted Cruz, Sen. Amy Klobuchar and 26 others on the committee. The problem at the heart of the hearing, Baylis said, was how to deal with the challenge of limited space on the wireless spectrum alongside increasing demand.
“The Senate Commerce Committee was trying to seek whether to auction spectrum in the lower 3 GHz band or whether the Department of Defense, which currently uses this frequency band, should continue to use it, or whether the spectrum should be shared,” Baylis said.
Baylis shared research he’s doing at SMART Hub, which is funded by congressional grants. Wireless communication normally happens on a fixed portion of the spectrum. But at SMART Hub, Baylis is trying to change this fundamental characteristic of communication.
“My testimony stated that in SMART Hub we are progressing toward a technology solution that will allow spectrum to be used in an adaptive and reconfigurable way, which will allow both economic growth and national security,” Baylis said.
As Baylis said, the impacts of this research are tremendous for the United States, as it could curb the problem of limited spectrum space for our increasingly internet-reliant world. This technology could also be used for defense initiatives such as more advanced radar and communication technologies.
As much of a national issue as this research is, it was especially important for Baylis’ colleagues in the electrical and computer engineering department, said department chair Dr. Jeon Bong Lee.
“Everyone in the ECE Department was thrilled and deeply grateful to see Dr. Baylis was recognized as a leading expert in spectrum technology and invited to serve as an expert witness,” Lee said in an email. “Many of us eagerly watched the livestreamed hearing with excitement.”
And while much of the excitement is for Baylis himself and his contributions to solving a global issue, there’s also the element that a hearing like this could provide some great tailwind to the engineering department at Baylor.
“An event like this significantly enhances the visibility of our engineering research excellence, showcasing Baylor’s leadership to both political leaders and the general public,” Lee said “I believe this increased recognition will, in turn, help attract more external research funding and further elevate the reputation of our Engineering programs.”
But perhaps the greatest impact of an event like this, Baylis said, is the opportunity to spread the gospel through real-world work.
“Our prayer is that we would graciously be available to help our country solve some of its greatest technological needs, and in doing so, that the grace of the Lord Jesus would be communicated through us to a world that needs to hear it.”
