AFOSR provides research funding for signal processing expert Published March 19, 2008 By Maria Callier Air Force Office of Scientific Research Arlington, VA. -- An AFOSR-funded scientist is researching Software Defined Radio capabilities in flexible adaptive signal processing architectures for applications that would give the military the opportunity to have advanced remote sensing capabilities. Dr. Wil Myrick has also been doing research that would lead to providing innovative "plug-and-play" signal processing algorithms, extending the capabilities of the Software Defined Radio and developing software interfaces to support current and future clients using reconfigurable signal processing architecture in their own infrastructure. Myrick, a senior signal processing analyst at Science Applications International Corporation, is a nationally recognized expert in advanced adaptive signal processing. He is known as one who rapidly produces successful resolutions to seemingly impossible challenges for the defense and intelligence communities. AFOSR-funded research provided Myrick with a great foundation in the area of reduced-rank signal processing while he attended Purdue University and worked with Dr. Michael Zoltowski. Myrick extended concepts from his AFOSR-funded research into other signal processing areas at SAIC that has allowed him to solve challenging signal processing problems. "Dr. Myrick has significantly extended the theoretical work of Professor Michael Zoltowski and his work of effective techniques of protecting Global Position System signals," said Dr. Jon Sjogren, program manager, AFOSR. . "Flexible signal processing architectures allow the reuse of core modules, thereby reducing the amount of time and money needed to maintain hardware that supports multiple missions. The importance as well as motivation for pursuing this research is in its ability to dramatically enhance communication and collection systems that could be critical in saving the lives of warfighters," said Myrick. In 2006 he was awarded the Black Engineer of the Year Award for his research in signal processing as it relates to solving some of the nation's most challenging signal processing problems. "I was honored to receive such an award. Receiving an award like this allows you to really reflect and be thankful for all the people who mentored and supported you throughout your career. AFOSR-funded research provided a foundation formed to receive an award like this," Myrick said. "AFOSR is pleased to have played a part in facilitating Dr. Myrick's research, which has been recognized through the Black Engineer of the Year award," said Sjogren.