press release
Published: 16 July 2024

Surrey satellite pioneer’s 40-year career recognised with major award

A University of Surrey Professor has received a prestigious award for four decades of work, which has transformed the way we use satellites to communicate on Earth.  

portrait of barry evans

Professor Barry Evans pioneered the use of satellite constellations for communications. Professor Evans was involved in the successful spin-out of Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. and has supervised over 100 PhD students since joining the University in 1983.   

Now, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) has awarded him the 2024 Aerospace Communications Award.  

I felt very honoured to be awarded the 2024 Communications medal by the AIAA, representing fellow professionals in the Satellite Communications field and following on from a prestigious list of previous recipients.

I started in the business by inventing a satellite system for analogue telephony for use in developing countries using bent-pipe satellites. Now, I am integrating satellites into 6G networks using AI and machine learning, enabling communications direct to a smartphone via digital processing satellites—quite a journey. Professor Barry Evans, Professor-Information Systems Engineering

Under Professor Evans’s leadership, the University of Surrey became known as a centre of excellence for Satellite engineering. Over the last 40 years, it has produced over 1500 engineers for the satellite industry.  

The award will be presented at the AIAA’s annual International Communications Satellite Systems Conference (ICSSC) in Seattle. It is given to someone whose achievements have had a positive impact on technology and society.  

Share what you've read?

Featured Academics

Barry Evans

Prof Barry Evans

Professor-Information Systems Engineering

Media Contacts

External Communications and PR team
Phone: +44 (0)1483 684380 / 688914 / 684378
Email: mediarelations@surrey.ac.uk
Out of hours: +44 (0)7773 479911