Professional biography: Aubrey N. Beal received the B.E.E., M.S. and Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Auburn University in 2010, 2012 and 2015. Currently, he is an assistant professor at The University of Alabama in Huntsville’s (UAH) Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) Department. Broadly, his research uses concepts in nonlinear dynamics to innovate techniques for engineering applications. Specifically, these efforts have linked nonlinear dynamics, chaos, complex systems, electronics and integrated circuit design to create new advances for communication, sensors (radar/sonar), signal processing, machine learning, and hardware security. Previously, Dr. Beal worked at Southern Company in Birmingham, AL (2009), IBM Research in Poughkeepsie, NY (2015), the DoE Oakridge Institute for Science and Education (as a postdoc, 2015-2017), and DoD U.S. Army Research, Development & Engineering Command (as a civil servant 2017-2019). Dr. Beal has been recongized with awards for teaching and research. He has authored numerous journal papers, conference papers, and patents. Additionally, he has given invited presentations, serves as faculty advisor for UAH’s chapter of the Eta Kappa Nu (HKN) honor society, and is a senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

Selected professional experience:

Fields of interest: Electronics, nonlinear dynamics, chaos

Other interests: Control systems, information theory, artificial intellegence, music/audio, art

Research statement: I build electronic circuits to study how systems facilitate the emergence of structure, complexity, and computation in their dynamics. I am particularly interested in new dynamical behaviors that catalyze engineering breakthroughs. This research space leads to mystery and conundrum with deep connections to information theory, communication, security and artificial intelligence.

Teaching statement: I love to learn, especially with students. I engage students through a spirit of curiosity and playful interpretation. My example-driven pedagogy encourages students to make practical observations. This process promotes creativity and often motivates theoretical rigor. My aim is to continually progress towards complex challenges with novel problem solving that transcends conventional boundaries.

About Dr. Beal’s lab: Dr. Beal is the principal investigator of the Nonlinear and Complex Systems (NACS) Laboratory in the ECE department and UAH. This fully equipped electronics lab primarily supports basic (category 6.1) and applied (category 6.2) research (especially related to dynamical systems). Our research efforts often focus at the low technology readiness levels (TRLs) of TRL 1 through TRL 4, however our lab has supported the transition of research into developed products (higher TRLs, category 6.3, industrial products, etc.). Deliverables from our group often take the form of peer-reviewed journal/conference papers, electronic hardware (discrete and integrated), theoretical analysis, measurements, simulations, electronic design guidance, signal processing algorithms, literature reviews, educational materials, and various reports.

A wide range of testing capabilities, electronic instruments, and tools are available in our lab. These facilities include spectrum analyzers, signal generators, multimeters, hand-tools, mixed-signal electronic components, 3-D printers, milling machines…

About UAH’s ECE Department: The Department offers Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degrees in electrical, computer and cybersecurity engineering, Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in electrical and computer engineering (shared with University of Alabama in Birmingham), interdisciplinary M.S. degrees in software engineering and cybersecurity. Our faculty is currently comprised of 20 tenure-track/tenured members and 3 full-time lecturers. Our student body includes approximately 700 undergraduate and 150 graduate students. Our faculty’s research interests include electronic devices, applied electromagnetics and optics, signal and image processing, Internet-of-Things, computer systems, cybersecurity, and software engineering. The Department is engaged in a wide range of research activities currently funded by NSF, DOD, NASA, DOE, USDA, NSA, Redstone Arsenal, the State of Alabama, and several corporate sponsors.

About UAH’s College of Engineering: The College of Engineering is comprised of five departments and has the largest enrollment of the university’s six academic colleges. The research focus in the college includes three of several National Academy of Engineering (NAE) grand challenge problems - secure cyberspace; restore and improve urban infrastructure; and engineer tools of scientific discovery. Our strategic Flight Plan 2032 seeks to enhance student-centered teaching and learning focused on student success, promote basic and applied research, while engaging the local and regional community through outreach and workforce development.

About UAH: The University of Alabama in Huntsville is one of America’s premier doctoral-granting, comprehensive universities known for addressing some of the world’s greatest technological challenges. UAH, a part of The University of Alabama System, offers an environment where students are able to explore, discover, create, and communicate knowledge. With six academic colleges, a Graduate School, an Honors College, more than 100 areas of study, and 17 high-tech research centers, UAH is a Carnegie R1 top-tier research university. UAH is where technology and human understanding converge and prepare students to transform their future. Learn more at www.uah.edu. The University of Alabama in Huntsville is a Ph.D. awarding, space-grant institution that is accredted (SACS) and holds the Carnegie classification of R1: Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity. We offer many degrees from nine colleges: arts, humanities & social sciences; business; education; engineering; honors; nursing; professional & continuing studies; science; and graduate. Student enrollement is approximately 10,000.

About Huntsville, AL: Huntsville, AL (aka the Rocket City) is the center of north Alabama economic activity as a result of scientific and technological advancements contributed during the “space race” dating back to the 1950s. Huntsville is the largest city in the state of Alabama with a population of 215,070 (2020 census) and a metro-area population of >1.2 million. The city is geographycially located in a northern region of Alabama referred to as the Tennessee Valley. In relation to other cities, around 110 miles south of Nashville, TN, around 100 miles north of Birmingham, AL, around 100 miles southeast of Chatanooga, TN, and around 180 miles northeast of Atlanta, GA.

Huntsville is home to the Redstone Arsenal which houses government facilities like project offices and research centers that support the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the U.S. Department of Commerce. Many employees occupy Redstone Arsenal including around 700 active duty military personnel and over 50,000 civilian/contract employees. Some examples of the installation’s facilities include NASA’s Marshall Flight Center, the U.S. Army Materiel Command, the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Life Cycle Management Command, the Redstone Test Center (RTC), the Missile Defense Agency, the Missile and Space Intelligence Center. In close proximity to the Redstone Arsenal is the substantial Cummings Research Park as well as three universities, UAH, Alabama A&M, and Oakwood University.

Cummings Research Park (CRP) is the second largest research park in the U.S. and the fourth largest in the world. It is home to Fortune 500 companies, local and international high-tech enterprises, U.S. space and defense agencies, business incubators and competitive higher-education institutions. CRP is the home of 300 companies, more than 26,000 employees and 13,500 students. The Park’s major industries are aerospace, defense, engineering, biotechnology, advanced manufacturing, software development, information technology and cybersecurity.

U.S. Space & Rocket Center Huntsville Botanical Garden Huntsville Museum of Art

Our city is regularly named as a premier location for both business and quality of life. We successfully combine the rich heritage of Southern hospitality with innovative high-tech ventures and cultural diversity.

Defense, space, telecommunications, biotechnology, diversified manufacturing and a variety of emerging specialties provide challenging work in Huntsville, also known as the Rocket City. The area enjoys a favorable cost of living and quality of life in the Southeast. More than 1.2 million people reside in the Huntsville metro area, and it is now the largest city in Alabama. From outdoor recreational activities to an enhanced arts and entertainment community, Huntsville contributes to a wonderful way to live, work and play. Learn more at www.huntsville.org.

Outdoor activities like hiking, camping, fishing, kayaking at destinations like Monte Sano State Park, the Flint River …

Indoor activities like a

About Alabama: Beauty, history, culture, and adventure. They all come together in Alabama, a state rich in everything from world-class golf to white-sand beaches. It’s a place where each meal is a celebration, each town has a story, and each day brings new discoveries you’ll always remember. If you’re considering a visit to Alabama, here are a few highlights you should be sure to experience:

A music mecca: In addition to songs like “Sweet Home Alabama” and a thriving local music scene, Alabama has a rich and dynamic musical history. Music legends like Nat King Cole, W.C. Handy and Hank Williams were born in Alabama and artists such as Aretha Franklin, The Rolling Stones, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Otis Redding came to Alabama to recording the 1960s and 1970s in Muscle Shoals. Visit those renowned music studios, walk through the Alabama Music Hall of Fame in Tuscumbia, see the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame in Birmingham and tour The Hank Williams Trail which runs through the heart of Alabama. Most of all enjoy Alabama’s live music halls and entertainment districts.

Golfer’s paradise: The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail is one of the world’s most incredible golf destinations. Crafted by acclaimed golf course designer Robert Trent Jones, the trail features 26 courses and468 holes. Each site on the trail is unique, making it enjoyable for players of any skill level. This is truly a golf experience unlike any other.

White sand, emerald water: Alabama’s family-friendly beaches are delightful throughout the year. Enjoy the nonstop excitement of beachside communities like Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, or simply relax in a quiet spot where all you hear are birds and waves.

The very southern tip of Alabama is best known for Mobile Bay and the Gulf Coast beaches. Mobile Bay is surrounded by Mobile, Dauphin Island, and Fairhope. Mobile is recognized as having the first-known American Mardi Gras celebration in 1703 and the celebration is still alive today. During Mardi Gras season, the streets of downtown Mobile are filled with the sights and sounds of live marching bands, brilliant-colored floats and of course teeming crowds of parade-goers. All year long the port city of Mobile features the taste of the coast with fresh delicious seafood and a diverse array of bars, nightclubs and live music venues. There are Eco-tours into America’s second-largest delta just north of Mobile. South of Mobile you can sea kayak to barrier islands off Dauphin Island or bird watch along the Alabama Coastal Birding Trail. Across Mobile Bay is the village of Fairhope, named one of the top ten romantic escapes in America, and filled with couples contentedly browsing art galleries and antique shops. Outlet shopping is found in nearby Foley.

Perhaps you love the sunny beach? Something magical happens when you visit the coastal towns of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach with their soft white sand and sparkling emerald waters along the Gulf. The moment you arrive, the world starts to fade away. Cast your line for deep-sea adventure on a charter fishing trip or take a scuba diving adventure. Walk the 32 miles of beaches or visit the great roadhouse beach bar, the Flora-Bama.

Cities with soul: Birmingham began as a center for steel manufacturing and became the center stage for the civil rights movement of the 1960s. Tour the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, which has been nominated as a World Heritage Site. Across the street from that historic church which was bombed by the Klan, is the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute which includes the jailcell where Martin Luther King Jr wrote the Letter from a Birmingham Jail. In Montgomery, the state’s capital, you can see the spot where Jefferson Davis took the oath of office as President of the Confederate States of America in 1861, launching the nation into the Civil War and where, almost 100 years later, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus. Parks’ actions started the modern Civil Rights struggle in America and the Reverend Martin Luther King was called to the forefront. A few years later, Dr. King would lead the Selma-to-Montgomery voting rights march.

Today you can walk across the bridge in Selma, where marchers were attacked in 1965, then step inside the National Voting Rights Museum to learn about the movement’s “foot soldiers.” You can drive the same route the marchers walked, stopping at the National Park Service facility at the mid-point and then traveling to Montgomery to visit the Rosa Parks Museum, see Dr. King’s church and visit the Civil Rights Memorial.

Unforgettable food: Alabama is one of the greatest food destinations in the United States. Whether you want slow-cooked Southern delights or an elegant night of fine dining, you will always find an incredible meal in Alabama.

One-of-a-kind attractions: Alabama is filled with unique destinations that will thrill the whole family. The U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville lets you experience the excitement of space travel. The U.S. Space & Rocket Center is the world’s largest space museum and location of U.S. Space Camp. The Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum in Birmingham is the ultimate spot for those who love racing. Home to the world’s best motorcycle collection, the museum now has over 1200 vintage and modern motorcycles and racecars and the largest collection of Lotus cars as well as other significant makes. The collection is the largest of its kind in the world. Several world-class races are held at the adjacent racetrack.