The goal of the Mathematics of Communication program is to prepare the students for the communications industry and to support the local communications industry by offering workshops, short courses and consulting services. We plan to become an active research and education center for the mathematics of communication and attract students, visitors, and funding.
The Program offers courses in coding theory, cryptography, Fourier signal analysis, linear systems, and modulation methods. The courses are designed to give students a solid background in the mathematical and practical aspects of commuincation theory. The Department of Mathematics also offers many courses of interest to the students in the program, including complex analysis, real analysis, number theory, and matrix analysis.
The students in the program are mentored by faculty members who are active researchers in the theory and practice of communication. The current areas of research of the faculty include coding theory, especially low-density parity-check codes and codes over rings, data compression, modulation, and signal detection and analysis. Some of the these activities are listed in the home pages of faculty members.
The communications industry in San Diego is led by Qualcomm, which is the biggest private employer in San Diego County, Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), which is an international company with a significant local presence, and the U. S. Navy. The ever expanding use of cellular telephones, personal communication devices, and the internet for electronic commerce will fuel the continued growth in the communications industry.