2020 Fellow

Presented to: Dr. Todd E. Humphreys

Citation: For significant and fundamental contributions to PNT security and precise GNSS positioning for the mass market, and for dedication to GNSS education and outreach.

Dr. Todd E. Humphreys, 2020 Fellow

Dr. Todd E. Humphreys is credited with bringing the study of GNSS security to a worldwide audience. His 2008 paper “Assessing the Spoofing Threat” has over 500 citations (Google Scholar), which makes it one of the most cited GNSS-related articles ever published. This paper, and Dr. Humphreys’s subsequent publications on PNT security, initiated a wave of thousands of academic publications on GNSS security.

Dr. Humphreys’s pioneering publications, and follow-on work by researchers across the globe, have substantially advanced the theory and practice of GNSS authentication over the past decade. Dr. Humphreys’s contributions include a push for introducing precision carrier-phase-based GNSS into the mass market. His research group at UT Austin was the first to demonstrate cm-accurate RTK positioning through a smartphone antenna. His group’s 2014/2015 articles jump-started vigorous worldwide research in techniques enabling RTK despite the low-quality antennas and significant blockage/multipath common in mass-market precise positioning applications.

Dr. Humphreys has testified before the US Congress, contributed to Government Accountability Office reports, and presented to the PNT National Advisory Board. His 2012 GNSS TED talk has been viewed nearly one million times. His ability to translate PNT concepts to an international audience has made him an ambassador and educator for the PNT community. He has supported ION in numerous volunteer capacities.

Dr. Humphreys’s awards include The University of Texas Regeants’ Outstanding Teaching Award (2012), the National Science Foundation CAREER Award (2015), ION’s Thurlow Award (2015), the Qualcomm Innovation Fellowship (2017), and the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE, 2019).

Dr. Humphreys is an associate professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics at The University of Texas at Austin, where he directs the Radionavigation Laboratory. He received his BS and MS in EE from Utah State University and a PhD in Aerospace Engineering from Cornell University.