ECE Research Seminar with Dr. Junming Diao: September 25, 12 – 1 p.m.
September 14, 2026
A Distributed Radio Telescope Powered by Global IoT Networks: Low-Cost, High-Performance, and Spectrum-Sharing
Date: Friday, September 25, 2026, 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Location: Simrall 104
WebEx: https://msstate.webex.com/msstate/j.php?MTID=mfd494b8947641faddbb1565a32720052
Abstract: This presentation introduces a novel paradigm in radio astronomy that harnesses the global network of Internet of Things (IoT) devices to construct a distributed radio telescope. The envisioned system transforms billions of geographically dispersed IoT nodes, such as smartphones, into synchronized sensors, collectively forming a virtual Earth-scale array capable of detecting faint astronomical signals. By integrating embedded signal processing, distributed beamforming, and satellite-based calibration, this framework provides a cost-effective, high-performance, and scalable alternative to conventional large-dish radio telescopes. Furthermore, the system enables real-time spectrum sharing between communication services and scientific observations, addressing the increasing challenge of radio-frequency interference while establishing the foundation for future collaborative sensing and communication infrastructures.
Dr. Junming Diao
Dr. Junming Diao received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC), Chengdu, China, in 2009 and 2012, respectively, and a Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering from Brigham Young University (BYU), Provo, UT, USA, in 2017. From 2017 to 2019, he was a postdoctoral scholar in electrical engineering at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), CA, USA. From 2019 to 2020, he was a system engineer working on system-on-chip (SOC) for 100/400 Gbps optical modules in Maxlinear, Inc. in Carlsbad, California. From 2020 to 2021, he worked as an antenna design engineer working on Apple Watch projects in Apple, Inc. in Cupertino, California. Currently, he is an assistant professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineer at Mississippi State University. He received the NSF Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) Award and the Bagley College of Engineering Academy of Distinguished Teachers award. He is a senior member of IEEE.
* For further information, contact: ECE 662-325-2035 • du@ece.msstate.edu