Digital Signal Processing (DSP) has revolutionized the digital world, and Rice University has been a key driver in the field since it launched its first DSP course in 1968.
Don Johnson, J.S. Abercrombie Professor Emeritus of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Professor Emeritus in Statistics at the George R. Brown School of Engineering and Computing, helped put Rice on the map in this field.
“Don Johnson was among the architects of what became the DSP revolution,” said Ashok Veeraraghavan, Chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and professor of electrical and computer engineering and of computer science. “He helped make Rice University one of the centers of gravity in the then-emerging field of DSP, and we at Rice still benefit to this day from the contributions that Don Johnson and his peers made to the field.”
On April 28, the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering will honor Johnson for 50 years of service to Rice University with a Digital Signal Processing Symposium.
This event will include an engaging lineup of presentations related to the history and future of digital signal processing and Johnson’s impact on the field. Presentations will span Johnson’s interests in signal processing applications, from statistical signal processing to neuroscience to art forensics.
“Don Johnson was a trailblazing innovator in signal processing, known for his unconventional approach to both research and education,” said Richard Baraniuk, C. Sidney Burrus Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and professor of statistics and of computer science. “He sought out the most challenging problems, and his solutions not only advanced the field but also paved the way for ongoing exploration.”
Endearingly nicknamed “DoJo” within the Rice community, Johnson’s five decades of commitment to education have left a lasting legacy. “Ask any ECE graduate from the past 50 years about their most influential professor, and Don Johnson’s name will likely come up,” said Baraniuk.
In 1993, he co-authored a seminal textbook, “Array Signal Processing: Concepts and Techniques,” which was the first book on the market to synthesize this subject material. He has also received the George R. Brown Award for Excellence in Teaching and four George R. Brown Superior Teaching Awards.
“When I joined the department, I quickly learned that whenever discussions turned to teaching, no matter who I was talking to, the gold-standard they referred to was always Don,” said Veeraraghavan. “The impact he has had on our students through his teaching is immeasurable—and to think he has had that kind of impact over a period of half a century just leaves me speechless.”
Johnson joined the Rice faculty in 1977 after spending two years at MIT’s Lincoln Laboratory, working on digital speech systems. He was educated at MIT, receiving his B.S. and M.S. in 1970, his E.E. in 1971, and his Ph.D. in 1974.
Registration is open for the April 28 Digital Signal Processing Symposium, taking place at Rice University’s Duncan Hall. Attendees will also have the option to register for a dinner in honor of Johnson following the symposium. Tickets for the dinner are limited and early registration is recommended. Additionally, guests are invited to Valhalla on the Rice campus on April 27, from 4–7 p.m. to reconnect and share memories ahead of the main event.