Leslie M. Collins
Professor
Leslie M. Collins earned the BSEE degree from the University of Kentucky, and the MSEE, and PhD degrees from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. From 1986 through 1990 she was a Senior Engineer at Westinghouse Research and Development Center in Pittsburgh, PA. She joined Duke in 1995 as an Assistant Professor and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2002 and to Professor in 2007. She is currently chairing the ECE Department. Her research interests include physics-based statistical signal processing, subsurface sensing, auditory prostheses and pattern recognition. She is a member of the Tau Beta Pi, Sigma Xi, and Eta Kappa Nu honor societies. Dr. Collins has been a member of the team formed to transition MURI-developed algorithms and hardware to the Army HSTAMIDS and GSTAMIDS landmine detection systems. She has been the principal investigator on research projects from ARO, NVESD, SERDP, ESTCP, NSF, and NIH. Dr. Collins was the PI on the DoD UXO Cleanup Project of the Year in 2000.
Contact Information:
- Office Location: 128 Hudson Hall
- Office Phone: (919) 660-5260, (919) 660-5212
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Email Address:
- Web Page:
Education:
| PhD | University of Michigan | 1995 |
| MS | University of Michigan | 1986 |
| BS | University of Kentucky | 1985 |
Curriculum Vitae
Research Interests:
This laboratory’s research is in the area of physics-based statistical signal processing algorithms, and we are actively engaged in two general application areas: (1) Investigating human auditory perception and developing remediation strategies for the hearing impaired; (2) developing sensor-based algorithms for the detection of hazardous buried objects, such as unexploded ordnance (UXO) and landmines. Our research methodology is distinguished in two fundamental ways. First, we place an emphasis on incorporating the physics or phenomenology that governs the specific application directly into the signal processing framework, and we consider both experimental and theoretical issues. Second, we maintain an interactive collaboration with the end-user community that provides necessary feedback to the development process and validates the real-world utility of our research efforts. Our work in these application areas has improved quality of life and safety of life as a result of the development of novel signal processing algorithms.
Specialties:
Sensing and Sensor Systems
Homeland Security
Land Mine Detection
Neural Prosthesis
Geophysics
Signal Processing
Awards, Honors, and Distinctions:
- Capers & Marion McDonald Award for Excellence in Teaching and Research, Duke University, School of Engineering, 2005
- Eta Kappa Nu
- Full Member, USNC/URSI Commission A (Electromagnetic Metrology), 2000
- Outstanding Engineering: Innovative Technical Contributions to the Benefit of Human Welfare, IEEE Eastern North Carolina Section, 1998
- Project of the Year: Statistical Signal Processing with Physics-Based Methods, Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program, DOD, 2000
- Project of the Year: Wide Area Assessment for UXO Remediation, Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program, DOD, 2005
- Senior Member, IEEE, 2001
- Sigma Xi
- Tau Beta Pi
Courses Taught:
- ECE 488.01 - DIG IMAGE/MULTIDIM PROCESSING
Representative Publications: (More Publications)
- J. S. Stohl and C. S. Throckmorton and L. M. Collins, Investigating the effects of stimulus duration and context on pitch perception by cochlear implant users, Journal Of The Acoustical Society Of America, vol 126 no. 1 (2009), pp. 318 -- 326 [abs].
- S. L. Tantum and Q. Zhu and P. A. Torrione and L. M. Collins, Modeling position error probability density functions for statistical inversions using a Goff-Jordan rough surface model, Stochastic Environmental Research And Risk Assessment, vol 23 no. 2 (2009), pp. 155 -- 167 [abs].
- K. D. Morton and P. A. Torrione and C. S. Throckmorton and L. M. Collins, Mandarin Chinese tone identification in cochlear implants: Predictions from acoustic models, Hearing Research, vol 244 no. 1-2 (2008), pp. 66 -- 76 [abs].
- J. S. Stohl and C. S. Throckmorton and L. M. Collins, Assessing the pitch structure associated with multiple rates and places for cochlear implant users, Journal Of The Acoustical Society Of America, vol 123 no. 2 (2008), pp. 1043 -- 1053 [abs].
- J. J. Remus and L. M. Collins, Comparison of adaptive psychometric procedures motivated by the Theory of Optimal Experiments: Simulated and experimental results, Journal Of The Acoustical Society Of America, vol 123 no. 1 (2008), pp. 315 -- 326 [abs].
