The Perfect Convergence: My Journey to the NEPIT Project
One night in 2017, my quiet routine was shattered by an intense wave of noise coming from the neighboring compound. Rumors had it that a woman practicing witchcraft lived there, and on weekends, groups would gather at her place for rituals. The chanting, drumming, and eerie songs went on throughout the night, echoing through the area and making sleep nearly impossible.
At first, I found it deeply unsettling and struggled to rest, but over time, I slowly became accustomed to the disturbance. What surprised me the most was that no one ever reported the noise to the authorities. People were too afraid, fearful of being cursed or targeted by whatever practices were happening in that house.
From Acoustic Noise to Electromagnetic Interference
At that time, I began searching for a technological solution, at least for the noise coming from the loudspeakers. That search unexpectedly led me away from acoustics and into the field of Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) and Electromagnetic Interference (EMI).
Before that experience, I had never heard of EMC or EMI, even though I had graduated in Electrical and Computer Engineering with a BSc and was working as an assistant lecturer at Haramaya University. It felt surprising to realize that such an important field had never crossed my academic path.
Although I never found a practical solution to my noise problem using these concepts, the ideas stayed with me for a long time. They sparked a deep curiosity that I couldn’t quite shake off. Back then, I never imagined that this unfamiliar branch of science would eventually shape my career and become my professional journey.
The Eureka Moment
Years later, that curiosity came full circle. When a PhD opportunity surfaced that perfectly blended my expertise in communication engineering with the world of EMC/EMI, it felt like a true "eureka" moment. I didn't hesitate to apply.
Today, I’m thrilled to be part of NEPIT (Network for the Evaluation of Propagation and Interference Training), an incredible Horizon Europe MSCA project. It is the perfect convergence of my background and my research goals, allowing me to turn a decade-old curiosity into real-world impact. I couldn’t be happier to be on board.
Why This Work Matters More Than Ever
As the world becomes increasingly dependent on electronics and wireless systems, the importance of understanding electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) and electromagnetic interference (EMI) has never been greater. A single interference event can have serious consequences. Imagine a surgical room filled with life-critical equipment or a fleet of self-driving cars navigating busy streets. In both cases, even a small EMI-related malfunction could lead to outcomes no one wants to contemplate. Realizing how deeply our modern world relies on stable electromagnetic environments made me appreciate just how relevant that curiosity from years ago had become.
The Challenge of Semi-Reverberant Environments
What makes the challenge even more fascinating is that many of these electronic systems operate in semi-enclosed spaces, vehicles, aircraft cabins, hospital rooms, and office buildings, where electromagnetic waves bounce around unpredictably. These reflections create complex propagation conditions that traditional models struggle to capture. Since joining the NEPIT project, my work has focused on understanding these environments from a statistical perspective. The next step in my research is to recreate these semi-reverberant conditions in the laboratory using reverberation chambers (RCs), allowing us to test EMI behavior in a controlled yet realistic way.
Full Circle
And that brings me back to where this journey began: a moment of frustration that sparked a curiosity I didn’t yet understand. That curiosity eventually guided me toward a field I had never heard of, and ultimately to a project that feels like the perfect convergence of my past experiences and future ambitions.
So, to you reading this, what was your own “eureka” moment, the one that nudged you toward the interests you now find yourself exploring?
