Information for Prospective Graduate Students

I usually commence supervision of a limited number of new graduate students each academic year. When considering new students, I look for the following qualities because it has been my experience that they are key ingredients for success in graduate studies:

• true desire to learn;
• willingness to work hard;
• ability to work independently;
• ability to be creative;
• desire to undertake original research.

I also evaluate potential students based on the following criteria because they often indicate suitability for graduate studies:

• Academic performance at secondary education institutions. At a minimum, I expect honours grades during undergraduate studies.
• Fluency in English. Excellent oral and written communication skills are required in order to communicate new ideas and results with others. All interested applicants must be willing to demonstrate their fluency in English. Students whose first language is not English should have a valid TOEFL score of at least 620.
• Previous research experience, as evidenced by scholarly publications.
• Experience in the communications industry. Of importance is the desire and ability to transfer knowledge from industry to an academic framework for further investigation.

Because I am at a Canadian university, my preference is to supervise Canadian graduate students. Of these, students who have been awarded NSERC scholarships are given priority. Further information regarding NSERC scholarships, including application deadlines, is available on the NSERC web site.

All my graduate students receive an appropriate stipend during their graduate studies, dependent on continuing acceptable performance. Scholarships are also available for deserving students; please refer to the list of scholarships and awards for graduate students on the U. of A. web site. Note that all NSERC scholars undertaking graduate studies in our department are automatically eligible to receive an iCORE supplement. Further information regarding these supplements is available on the iCORE web page. Further funding is available from the department for students willing to work as Teaching Assistants in support of our undergraduate programs.

Owing to the schedule of graduate courses offered by our department, it is my strong preference to admit students for studies commencing in September. The graduate-level courses that I recommend my students take include:

• ECE 582:  Information Theory and Channel Coding
• ECE 583:  Digital Communications
• ECE 682:  Error Control Coding
• ECE 683:  Broadband Digital Communications
• ECE 684:  Wireless Communications

I invite those interested in conducting research in my areas of interest to apply for graduate studies through our on-line application process on the departmental web site, paying particular attention to the qualities noted above. You may also contact me directly to express your interest, however, note that owing to the number of enquiries I receive, I am unable to respond to each individual inquiry.

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