Dean Burrus wins award for electrical engineering work
Most households take electronic devices such as their Xbox and MP3 player for granted. But here at Rice, students and faculty alike have someone to thank personally. In recognition of 40 years of outstanding instruction and groundbreaking research in the field of digital signal processing, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers will award Dean of the George R. Brown School of Engineering C. Sidney Burrus (Hanszen '57) the Jack Kilby Signal Processing Medal this June. The IEEE is the international professional society for electrical engineers and the largest professional society in the world,
"To process data, you have to turn the signal into a string of numbers," Burrus said.
DSP is what enables this transformation, changing analog files into digital ones that can be compressed, and allowing the data to be analyzed and studied.
The Jack Kilby Signal Processing Medal is named for the only electrical engineer ever to receive the Nobel Prize. Kilby invented the integrated circuit, which has become an essential feature in digital signal processing research, for which he received the Physics Nobel Prize in 2000.
Several of Burrus' friends received the award when he attended the conference previously, he said. This summer, it will be his turn to be applauded.
Burrus, who also received his Masters in Electrical Engineering at Rice and has been teaching here since 1965, said he was pleasantly surprised by the news, which he received a week ago. According to the IEE web site, every year, up to three individuals or groups are awarded this medal to recognize outstanding achievements in signal processing.
Burrus said being at Rice was an important factor in receiving the award. Over the years, Rice has become internationally known for its advances in the field of digital signal processing, he said.
Burrus acknowledged the help and support he has received from his fellow faculty members in his 40 years at Rice. He has served as a researcher, dean, and professor, as well as Lovett College master.
"It's like when you get a degree," he said. "Well, it's for four years of work. This is the same feeling you get when you receive a good grade on a paper."
Burrus recalls being captivated by electricity in high school.
"It was sort of magic, because you couldn't see it, and yet it did all kinds of important things," Burrus said. "The idea of understanding electricity fascinated me."
This was what motivated him to major in electrical engineering as an undergraduate at Rice, he said.
Burrus claims he has been at Rice "forever." He teaches one course per semester and conducts research. He said he intends to continue this for as long as he can.
"Until my brain totally quits," he said.
More from The Rice Thresher
Rice’s James Tour and YouTuber ‘Professor Dave’ debate the origins of life
Dave Farina of the YouTube channel ProfessorDaveExplains came to Rice to debate organic chemistry professor James Tour on the topic of abiogenesis, the scientific theory that life on Earth originated from non-living compounds. The debate occurred May 19 in a full Keck Hall, with up to 2,800 viewers watching the event livestreamed on YouTube.
‘Siempre riendo, siempre sonriendo y cantando’: Familia, compañeros recuerdan a Triny Carranza
María Trinidad “Triny” Carranza, Cocinera III en el Cohen House, falleció el 7 de mayo a la edad de 50 años. La hija de Carranza dijo que la causa de la muerte de Triny fue complicaciones de los coágulos de sangre. Criada en la ciudad de Chihuahua, México, Triny visitó Houston a los veinte años y decidió quedarse después de conocer a su futuro esposo, Salvador Carranza, en el mismo departamento en el que ella se hospedaba. Una vez establecida, comenzó a trabajar en la industria culinaria en la que, según su esposo, estaba enamorada.
‘Always laughing, always smiling and singing’: Family, colleagues remember Triny Carranza
María Trinidad “Triny” Carranza, cook III at the Cohen House, passed away May 7 at the age of 50. Carranza’s daughter said Triny’s cause of death was complications from blood clots. Hailing from the city of Chihuahua, Mexico, Triny visited Houston in her early twenties and chose to stay after meeting her future husband, Salvador Carranza, in the same apartment complex. Once settled, she began working in the cooking industry that, according to her husband, she was in love with.
Please note All comments are eligible for publication by The Rice Thresher.