KU's excellence in radar research cited in selection to host distinguished conference

In recognition of its accomplished history and continued excellence in radar research and development, KU was selected to lead the most distinguished conference within the field.

The 2011 IEEE Radar Conference will be held for the first time May 23-27 in Kansas City, and its theme, “In the Eye of the Storm,” acknowledges the unpredictable Midwestern weather and the importance of radar in tracking severe storms. Nearly 500 leading scholars and industry practitioners from 24 countries will address how radar can measure climate change, support civil applications such as air traffic control, and advance technology to protect military personnel. The conference will take place at the Westin Crown Center. The IEEE is the world's largest professional association for the advancement of technology.

“It’s a great honor for KU to serve in this capacity,” said Shannon Blunt, associate professor of electrical engineering and computer science (EECS) and general chair of the conference.

James Stiles, associate professor of EECS, will serve as the general co-chair. EECS Professor Christopher Allenand KU alumnus Nathan Goodman, now an associate professor at the University of Arizona, are the technical chairs.  Distinguished Professor Emeritus of EECS Richard Moore, who pioneered the field of radar remote sensing of the environment, is the honorary chair.

Allen, Blunt and Stiles are part of the Radar Systems and Remote Sensing Lab at KU's Information and Telecommunication Technology Center. The breadth of the lab’s research runs the gamut from the development of hardware systems for measuring the environmental phenomena to the theoretical investigation of futuristic sensor modalities. Over its more than 40 year history, the lab’s research has been supported by NASA, the National Science Foundation and multiple agencies within the Department of Defense.

The conference falls under the purview of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, the world’s largest professional association for the advancement of technology with more than 400,000 members. The 2011 IEEE Radar Conference is sponsored by the Kansas City Section of the organization and its Aerospace and Electronic Systems Society, along with technical involvement from the group’s Microwave Theory and Techniques Society and Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society