معرفی
Leslie M. Collins is a distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Professor of Biomedical Engineering, and Professor in the Department of Head and Neck Surgery & Communication Sciences at Duke University's Pratt School of Engineering. She is also a Faculty Network Member of the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, demonstrating her interdisciplinary reach across engineering, medicine, and neuroscience.
Dr. Collins earned her BSEE from the University of Kentucky, followed by MSEE and PhD degrees from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. After working as a Senior Engineer at Westinghouse Research and Development Center from 1986 to 1990, she joined Duke University in 1995 as an Assistant Professor, was promoted to Associate Professor in 2002, and to full Professor in 2007.
Her research spans physics-based statistical signal processing, subsurface sensing, auditory prostheses, and pattern recognition. Dr. Collins has made significant contributions to landmine detection systems, having been part of the team that transitioned MURI-developed algorithms to the Army HSTAMIDS and GSTAMIDS systems. Her work on cochlear implants and brain-computer interfaces represents groundbreaking advances in auditory prosthetics and neural engineering. She has secured substantial research funding from agencies including ARO, NVESD, SERDP, ESTCP, NSF, and NIH.
Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong trajectory toward integrating deep learning with traditional signal processing approaches across multiple domains. Her work bridges military applications (landmine detection), medical technology (cochlear implants, heart monitoring), and infrastructure analysis (power grid mapping), demonstrating remarkable versatility in applying core signal processing principles to diverse real-world problems.
- DoD UXO Cleanup Project of the Year (2000)
- Member of Tau Beta Pi honor society
- Member of Sigma Xi honor society
- Member of Eta Kappa Nu honor society
Dr. Collins has been a dedicated mentor, graduating 15 PhD students as of 2015. Her research has been supported by numerous grants from major federal agencies including ARO, NVESD, SERDP, ESTCP, NSF, and NIH, reflecting the significance and impact of her work across defense, environmental, and medical applications. She has played a key role in translating research into practical systems, particularly in landmine detection where her work has directly impacted military operations.
Her research group operates at the intersection of multiple laboratories and teams, including collaborations with the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences and various medical departments at Duke. This interdisciplinary approach enables her to tackle complex problems that span traditional academic boundaries, from developing algorithms for landmine detection to creating improved speech processing for cochlear implant users.
