Elizabeth Belding

Elizabeth M. Belding is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) and Associate Director of the Center for Information Technology and Society. She holds a Ph.D. (2000) and M.S. (1997) in Electrical and Computer Engineering from UCSB.

• Co-developer of AODV routing protocol (basis for IEEE 802.11s and Zigbee)
• Director of the Mobility Management and Networking (MOMENT) Laboratory
• Associate Dean and Faculty Equity Advisor, College of Engineering

Her research focuses on mobile and wireless communication networks, including network performance analysis, digital equity, and information and communication technologies for development (ICTD). She specializes in improving internet access for marginalized communities including Native American reservations, refugee camps, and rural areas in Zambia, South Africa, and Mongolia.

Recent research trends include:

• Accurate broadband measurement in the U.S. using crowdsourced data
• Development of wireless solutions for underserved regions
• Analysis of 5G performance variability and GEO satellite latency
• Mapping cellular network evolution and infrastructure criticality
• Evaluating federal broadband funding programs (CAF, BEAD, NSF)
• Quantifying video streaming quality of experience (QoE)

Scientific honors include:

• ACM Fellow (2018)
• IEEE Fellow (2014)
• AAAS Fellow
• ACM SIGMOBILE Test of Time Award (2018)
• NCWIT Harrold and Notkin Award (2015)
• UCSB Outstanding Graduate Mentor Award (2012)
• IRTF Applied Networking Research Prize (2024)

She has advised 22 Ph.D. graduates from the MOMENT Lab, including Jiamo Liu (2024) and Udit Paul (2023). Current research receives funding from NSF, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and industry partners like ViaSat, with emphasis on broadband deployment analysis and network solutions for challenged environments.