2007-2008 Engineering Ambassadors: Scott Talbot

Major: Electrical Engineering

Hometown: Salt Lake City, Utah

Why I'm an Engineering Ambassador

I am an Engineering Ambassador first and foremost because I love engineering. Engineering encompasses a broad range of disciplines that improve the quality of life for humanity. It is very rewarding to discuss engineering with students, who are so creative and have so many ideas, and get them excited about a discipline where those ideas will make a difference.

What I'm working on

My doctoral research focuses on the general area of signal processing in communications. In particular, I'm researching a communications technology called orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) that has seen rapid growth in the last several years, the most popular usage perhaps being WiFi networks. My research is attempting to enable OFDM to be more easily useable in fully mobile settings similar to cellular telephone technology.

Why I like the U's College of Engineering

The College of Engineering at the U. is a great place to get a sound education in engineering. Students learn from professors that are known around the world for their contributions to their respective fields. It's great to be able to be a part of that and contribute in some way.

What I plan to do

When I graduate, I hope to be able to continue meaningful research in different areas of signal processing. One very attractive possibility is to seek a teaching position as a professor at a university. I enjoy teaching students and I enjoy making important research contributions. Presently, I have a position at L-3 Communications, and continuing my employment there or at a similar company is also very attractive.

Do you have any hobbies outside of studying, working and attending school?

I enjoy the outdoors, hiking, playing volleyball, reading (especially the classics like Charles Dickens and William Shakespeare), traveling, and playing the piano.