Park University Lecture to Focus on Using Trigonometry in Electrical Engineering

March 7, 2022 — Park University’s fifth annual J. Malcolm Good Mathematics Lecture on Wednesday, March 23, will feature a discussion on “Mathematics and Electrical Engineering Working Together — A Unified Theory of Modulation Using Trigonometry.” The lecture will begin at 2 p.m. in the Jenkin and Barbara David Theater inside Alumni Hall on the University’s Parkville Campus. Admission is free and open to the public.

The featured speaker will be Daniel Curtin, Ph.D., professor emeritus of mathematics at Northern Kentucky University. According to Curtin, fast and reliable communication over long distances is crucial to everyone. Usually, the information is modulated, forwarded through a medium and then demodulated at the receiving end. Historically, each type of modulation and demodulation required its own electronic methods. In recent years a system called I/Q, or quadrature, modulation allows most kinds of modulation to be handled in essentially the same way. This method makes use of trigonometrics with no knowledge of electronics assumed.

Park University’s J. Malcolm Good Institute for Undergraduate Research promotes scholarly and creative activities in mathematical sciences at an undergraduate level. It supports undergraduate research via funding for resources and travel support for research purposes, as well as provides competitive scholarships to exceptional mathematics students.