Oct. 12, 2016: 'The Dawn of Wi-Fi'

Wednesday, Oct. 12, 5-7 p.m.
UAA/APU Consortium Library, Room 307

At 36,000 feet, Wi-Fi converts our airline seats to remote offices. It lets us read email in airports, watch video in coffee shops and listen to music at home. Wi-Fi is everywhere. But where did it come from? You are invited to come hear the creator of the world's first big Wi-Fi network present "The Dawn of Wi-Fi."

Dr. Alex Hills takes us back to when the Internet was first gaining popularity, email took 10 minutes to load up and cell phones were big and unwieldy. But he had a vision: people carrying small handheld devices that were always connected. His unwavering purpose was to change the way we use the Internet.

He built a wireless network that was originally a research project intended for use by only a few scientists. Hills had to fend off eager students begging to try it. But soon he found a way to expand the network to cover the entire Carnegie Mellon University campus for use by all students, faculty and staff. His team came up with the design methods that would allow others to build their own Wi-Fi networks.

It's a story of how innovation happens, and it weaves together personal adventures with lucid descriptions of physical phenomena. The author's technical insights answer the question "How does Wi-Fi work?" in a way that is clear to everyone.  And they enlighten, entertain and show just how far we've come in the world of wireless connectivity.

This lecture is sponsored by the UAA Center for Engagement and Learning.

About the presenter:
Alex Hills and his team built the world's first big Wi-Fi network. It was an unheard of idea when Hills started the project in 1993. The new network, called "Wireless Andrew," was the prototype used by many others to build Wi-Fi networks now used around the world. Dr. Hills is a distinguished service professor of engineering and public policy, and electrical and computer engineering, at Carnegie Mellon University. Learn more about him at his website.