About Me

I'm a B.S. EE student at UC Santa Barbara and an undergraduate researcher at the Wireless Communications and Sensornets Laboratory.

My research interests lie at the intersection of wireless communications, signal processing, and machine learning. I am particularly excited about the application of these technologies to localization and positioning.

Outside of engineering, I enjoy surfing, chess, and working out.

Contact me: josef [at] ucsb [dot] edu

Research

We are developing AI/ML-based positioning algorithms for realistic urban environments, using NVIDIA Sionna to generate synthetic channel data from site-specific wireless digital twins. Alongside the algorithmic work, we are interested in the fundamental estimation-theoretic limits on what any positioning system can achieve in these settings. The primary focus is FR3 bands. My personal contributions include:

  • Integrated Overture Maps building-height data to replace missing OSM heights, improving wireless digital twin accuracy.
  • Implemented and evaluated CNN-based positioning algorithms, comparing performance and training efficiency.
  • Generated synthetic wireless datasets using realistic 3D scenes and ray tracing with NVIDIA Sionna.
  • Supported development of preprocessing pipelines for multi-base-station channel tensors and position labels.
  • Surveyed recent localization literature and presented findings to the lab to inform ongoing research.
Simulated urban deployment showing building heights, base stations, and transmitter sampling locations
Site-specific digital twin with building heights, four base stations, and 5,000 transmitter locations used for dataset generation.
Training and validation mean absolute localization error plotted across 150 epochs
Training and validation mean absolute error across 150 epochs for a CNN-based positioning model.
Bar chart grouping test users by base-station connectivity and median localization error
Test-user distribution across base-station connectivity combinations, colored by median localization error.
Wireless Digital Twin Localization CNN Beamforming Ray Tracing

Experience

  • Coded, tested, and debugged FPGA verification modules.
  • Translated verification requirements into sequence diagrams, outlining specific OSVVM calls and messages between verification components.
  • Adhered to strict coding standards and documentation requirements in preparation for an ICDR (Internal Critical Design Review).
VHDL OSVVM Sequence Diagrams

  • Reviewed redlined engineering drawings for errors, working closely with the engineering team.
  • Designed, tested, and installed toolbox cutouts for the manufacturing floor, improving efficiency and reducing lost tools.
  • Gained exposure to professional manufacturing, workplace communication, and defense workflows.
Systems Engineering

  • Implemented an AI-powered chatbot using Microsoft Azure OpenAI within the company’s React web application, enabling secure access to proprietary data.
  • Integrated ChatGPT into company workflows to support AI-driven insights and streamline business processes.
Azure OpenAI React

Education

Relevant Coursework

Wireless Communications & Signal Processing
  • ECE 146A (Digital Communication Fundamentals) — A
  • ECE 146B (Wireless Communication Systems Design) — A
  • ECE 148 (Applications of Signal Analysis and Processing) — A+
  • ECE 130A (Continuous-Time Signal Analysis and Processing) — B+
  • ECE 130B (Discrete-Time Signal Analysis and Processing) — A-
  • ECE 134 (Fields and Waves) — A
Digital Systems, Circuits & Hardware
  • ECE 152A (Digital Design Principles) — A+
  • ECE 153B (Sensor and Peripheral Interface Design) — A
  • ECE 15A (Fundamentals of Logic Design) — A
  • ECE 10A–C (Analog and Digital Circuits & Systems) — A+, A, A
  • ECE 10AL–CL (Circuits & Systems Laboratory Sequence) — A+, A, A
Mathematical Foundations
  • ECE 139 (Probability and Statistics) — A+
  • ECE 130C (Applied Linear Algebra) — A
  • ECE 133 (Optimization and Learning) — A
  • ECE 149 (Game Theory for Networked Systems) — A
  • MATH 4A (Linear Algebra) — A+
  • MATH 4B (Differential Equations) — A
  • MATH 6A (Vector Calculus I) — A
  • MATH 6B (Vector Calculus II) — A+

Selected Projects

Ground-Penetrating Radar Imaging

Reconstructed subsurface pavement images from FMCW radar data using inverse FFT processing in MATLAB, identifying rebar approximately 10–15 cm below the surface.

MATLAB FMCW Radar Signal Processing

Guitar Signal Chain and Filters

Developed and tested a full guitar signal chain (input buffer, pre-amp, drive amp, output buffer) from initial design and simulation through hands-on build and verification. Applied principles from Signal Processing and Circuit Analysis courses to design and implement fuzz, band-pass, and delay filters, selecting cutoff frequencies and tuning component values for desired frequency responses.

LTspice Analog Circuit Design

Digital Highpass Butterworth Filter

Designed and verified a digital highpass Butterworth filter using analog lowpass conversion and the bilinear transformation. The final design achieved 0.47 dB passband attenuation and 24.21 dB stopband attenuation.

MATLAB DSP Digital Filters