amanda daniel

Instructed Electronic Circuits Laboratory. Tutored students and graded student work for Circuits, Signals, and Linear Systems Course. Assisted with Introduction to Engineering course. Graded student work for Introduction to Wireless Communication Networks and Circuit analysis courses.

Coordinated engineering resource management and scheduling efforts across multiple projects to meet system design requirements within specified timelines. Participated in the development of a major proposal that was subsequently awarded. Managed system requirement traceability and developed technical documentation for a major government contract. Designed electronic security systems for military installations.

Conducted numerical modeling research, with additional experiences in hardware and fieldwork for ultimate application to US Navy communications with submarines. Added material and grid specification capability to pre-existing numerical modeling code. Subsequently designed and executed experiment to test and validate this model. Implemented a comparison of the US Navy’s existing propagation models with the VLF group’s Finite Difference Frequency Domain model. Met with US Navy sponsors, and with collaborators from The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory to organize tasks and satisfy goals of the project. Deployed VLF receivers in San Diego, CA, and Gakona, AK. During the PARS summer school program, designed and conducted an experiment to identify near-field variations in VLF wave propagation by comparing the received data to the data from another nearby receiver.

Created and mapped data grid for simulation of concealed explosives using Matlab, and evaluated feasibility of using 77GHz radar for detection of body-worn improvised explosive devices (IEDs) using a finite difference frequency domain (FDFD) model. Devised a matrix size reduction algorithm to expedite FDFD simulation by eliminating calculation of zero-field values. Simulated electromagnetic fields of Archimedes spiral antennas and of scattering characteristics of metal IED tripwires.

Developed, assembled, tested, and documented a low-cost radiological sensor for use in a distributed sensing network. Worked collaboratively to finalize the design and fabricate the first prototype unit; conducted subsequent testing independently. Also assisted with general maintenance and operation of the 100-node remote sensor network, including participation in field trials of the system. Researched photo detectors and their applications in electromagnetic detection of bio-aerosols. Aided in completion of electronic design, prototype, construction and tests of bio-aerosol sensor. Designed and built circuits for bio-aerosol sensor from schematic capture to finished routed circuit boards. Also entrusted to order parts, problem-solve for total mechanism function, and characterize performance and outputs of photomultiplier tubes. Participated in weekly meetings to discuss project requirements and ensure project satisfaction.

Currently conducting research exploring an information theoretic model of an adaptive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radar system and developing associated waveform and receiver filter design methods for the detection of multiple extended targets. Studied Beaconing Mechanism for Vehicular Ad-Hoc Network design project.