6.96x Graduate Seminar in Communications
M.I.T. EECS Course Proposal for Fall 2000

Proposing Students:
Aaron Cohen, Albert Chan, Stark Draper, Yonina Eldar, Thierry Klein, Emre Koksal,
Nick Laneman, Michael Lopez, Emin Martinian, Charles Sestok, and Huan Yao

August 3, 2000

Summary

Graduate education in communications at M.I.T. is most directly addressed by three courses: Digital Communications (6.451), Data Networks (6.263), and Information Theory (6.441). There is great and widespread interest in communications within the department, and there is a need for a formal venue in which to explore current and more advanced topics. To address this need, we propose a special subjects course: 6.96x Graduate Seminar in Communications.

Our objectives for the course are to:

• Establish a seminar course based upon graduate-student-led discussions,
• Cover current and advanced topics,
• Create a forum for cross-fertilization of ideas and perspectives,
• Foster the development of our community of faculty and students,
• Maintain an informal style and setting.

To meet these objectives, we propose that the structure of the course be:

Sponsored by a member of the faculty,

Enrollment limited to 13 graduate students (1 per week),

Prerequisites: 6.451, 6.263, 6.441, permission of instructor,

Units: 3-0-9, P/F,

Schedule: Once per week for 2 hours,

Requirements: Attendance, single presentation and writeup.

This proposal is the result of numerous discussions among graduate students from several research groups performing work in communications, as well as interactions with several faculty members.