Through collaboration with industry leaders, the Georgia Tech School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) is advancing its curriculum to better prepare students for today's dynamic workforce, this time reaching beyond Earth's atmosphere.
ECE has joined forces with Intelsat, a major operator of one of the world's largest integrated satellite and terrestrial networks, to improve industry access for students and strengthen the School’s satellite communications curriculum.
"We are thrilled to partner with Intelsat,” said Arijit Raychowdhury, Steve W. Chaddick School Chair of ECE and professor. “This collaboration is a significant step in providing our students with cutting-edge knowledge and hands-on experience in a field that is crucial for global connectivity and technological advancement.”
Intelsat, with its administrative headquarters in McLean, Va., operates nearly 60 geostationary satellites, including satellites from all major manufacturers, to provide secure and reliable satellite connectivity to governments, businesses, and communities across the globe. The company has a presence of about 250 employees in Ellenwood, Ga.
"Georgia Tech is renowned for its innovative approach to engineering education and research,” said Carmel Ortiz, senior vice president of technology and innovation at Intelsat and a Georgia Tech alum. “This collaboration allows us to contribute to the development of future leaders in satellite communications, ensuring that the next generation is well-equipped to tackle the challenges of an increasingly connected world.”
Professor Gregory Durgin, an expert in radio frequency identification (RFID), satellite communications, and wireless technology, will spearhead the instruction of many of the curriculum opportunities benefiting from the collaboration. With his extensive experience and award-winning approach to teaching, the collaboration aims to provide students with comprehensive learning experiences that blend theoretical knowledge with practical skills highly valued in the industry.
Intelsat is actively assisting the School with establishing new content and new courses to expand our offerings in satellite communications, hardware, and space mission design. Georgia Tech ECE will have one of the deepest, most compelling space technology and engineering programs in the country.
Professor Gregory Durgin
“Both student interest in space and space industry hiring have exploded in the last decade,” said Durgin. “Intelsat is actively assisting the School with establishing new content and new courses to expand our offerings in satellite communications, hardware, and space mission design. Georgia Tech ECE will have one of the deepest, most compelling space technology and engineering programs in the country.”
This spring, Durgin is offering a new course titled "Advanced Satellite Communications and Hardware," partially supported through the Intelsat collaboration. The course is a continuation of the highly regarded and popular graduate-level course "Satellite Communications and Navigation Systems," originally established by Professor Paul Steffes in the early 1980s.
Through the new course, students will be presenting final project posts on cutting-edge space technology at the International Conference on Additively Manufactured Electronic Systems in Atlanta this April.
The collaboration with Intelsat is part of the ECE’s Curriculum Partnership Initiative, a strategic model for industry-academia engagement that aims to bridge the gap between academic learning and real-world application. The initiative looks to foster learning environments that provide students opportunities for hands-on learning, access to industry-standard tools, and exposure to real-world problem-solving scenarios.
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