Science on Screen®: When Genius meets Glamour: The Birth of Frequency Hopping Communication

Hedy Lamarr was not only a Hollywood icon but also a brilliant inventor, who laid the foundation for modern secure wireless communications.

Her invention led to a technique that is widely used in Bluetooth (headphones, earbuds, keyboards, etc.), Wi-Fi, GPS, drones, etc., preventing interference, jamming, protecting privacy.

Rutgers Electrical Engineering Professor Athina Petropulu, will explain the technology and answer questions during a presentation entitled “When Genius meets Glamour: The Birth of Frequency Hopping Communication.”

SCIENCE ON SCREEN® PRESENTS:

Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story (2017) | When Genius meets Glamour: The Birth of Frequency Hopping Communication with Professor Athina P. Petropulu.

If you purchase a ticket for this event, you are not required to stay for the presentation following the screening of Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story (2017). 

ABOUT THE SPEAKER:

Athina P. Petropulu is a Distinguished Professor in Electrical and Computer Engineering at Rutgers University and a former chair of the department. She previously held faculty positions at Drexel University and has been a visiting scholar at leading institutions in the United States and Europe.

Professor Petropulu’s work focuses on how information is sensed, transmitted, and interpreted in complex environments. Her research has influenced technologies that support modern wireless communication, radar systems, secure networks, and data-driven decision making. Over the years, her work has been supported by major U.S. government agencies, foundations, and industry partners, reflecting both its scientific depth and real-world relevance.

In addition to her research, she is widely recognized for her leadership in the global engineering and scientific community. She has served in numerous senior roles within professional societies, including President of the IEEE Signal Processing Society, one of the world’s largest organizations dedicated to advancing technology for humanity. She has also led major international conferences and served as editor-in-chief of a flagship scientific journal.

Professor Petropulu’s contributions have earned her many prestigious honors, including election as a Fellow of the IEEE and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, as well as national recognition early in her career from the U.S. National Science Foundation and the White House. She is also the recipient of multiple best-paper and service awards that highlight both the influence of her scholarship and her commitment to the profession.

Through her research, leadership, and mentorship, Athina Petropulu has played a significant role in shaping modern engineering research and in advancing the broader scientific community.

ABOUT SCIENCE ON SCREEN®:

Science on Screen® is a grant-funded program that pairs film screenings with presentations by notable speakers in the field of STEM. The Colonial Theatre is thrilled to be a part of this series once again.

Science on Screen® is an initiative of the COOLIDGE CORNER THEATRE, with major support from the ALFRED P. SLOAN FOUNDATION.

FILM SYNOPSIS

Austrian actress Hedy Lamarr fled an oppressive marriage to create a name for herself as one of Hollywood’s top leading ladies in the 1940s. Behind the glamour and sex appeal, though, was a talented and inquisitive inventor who created a radio system that is now considered the basis of Bluetooth technology.