Thomas Pratt, research professor of electrical engineering at the University of Notre Dame and affiliate member of the Wireless Institute and the Notre Dame Turbomachinery Laboratory, has been appointed Frank M. Freimann Collegiate Research Professor of Electrical Engineering, effective January 1, 2025.
“Professor Pratt is a true creative force in the field of applied communications,” said Patricia J. Culligan, the Matthew H. McCloskey Dean of the College of Engineering. “He is a prolific researcher, dedicated mentor, and leader in emerging communication technologies.”
Pratt’s research focuses on designing advanced communication and sensing systems that use multiple coherent ports, including dual-polarized configurations. These systems are used to improve detection, avoid and reduce interference, gather data, and enhance performance and capacity.
His recent research focuses on improving wireless communication and radar systems, including studying signal patterns in advanced antenna setups, reducing signal interference, enhancing radar performance through novel clutter suppression approaches, and developing smarter and more secure wireless transmission methods.
Multiple start-up companies have been formed that leverage technology developed by his research group for wireless security and medical health monitoring. He holds fifteen patents, four pending non-provisional utility patents. These include patents on signal processing for GSM receivers, heart and respiration non-contact monitoring, multi-port adaptive transmission algorithms, interference suppression algorithms, and monitoring rotating machinery.
After completing his bachelor’s degree at Notre Dame, Pratt received his Ph.D. in electrical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. For over 23 years, he served as a research engineer at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) where he conducted systems research associated with radio frequency and communications systems. Pratt joined the Notre Dame faculty in 2008.
— Karla Cruise, Notre Dame Engineering; Photo by Wes Evard, Notre Dame Engineering