Marwan Krunz

Marwan Krunz is a Regents Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and holds a joint appointment in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Arizona, where he also serves as Site Director and Deputy Center Director for the NSF WISPER Center. He was the founding Director of the NSF Broadband Wireless Access and Applications Center (BWAC), which concluded in December 2024, and previously served as UA site director for Connection One, another NSF I/UCRC. He is an affiliated member of the UA Cancer Center and a member of the Graduate Faculty.

• PhD in Electrical Engineering, Michigan State University (1995)
• MS in Electrical Engineering, Michigan State University (1992)
• BS in Electrical Engineering, University of Jordan (1990)

Dr. Krunz's research spans wireless networking, communications, and security, with a strong emphasis on AI and machine learning for resource management, dynamic spectrum access, MIMO systems, and physical-layer security in 5G and NextG networks. His work addresses critical challenges in network slicing, ultra-low-latency mobile edge computing, full-duplex transmissions, and IoT energy management. He integrates techniques from stochastic optimization, game theory, and deep learning to design intelligent and resilient wireless systems.

The 15 most recent publications reflect a deep engagement with NextG wireless systems, focusing on AI-driven optimization, physical-layer vulnerabilities, spectrum sharing, and low-latency computing. These works span disciplines including computer science, electrical engineering, and cybersecurity, with sub-fields ranging from reinforcement learning for network control to mmWave security and V2X edge computing. The consistent theme is intelligent, adaptive, and secure wireless infrastructures for future applications.

• IEEE Fellow (2010)
• NSF CAREER Award (1998)
• IEEE Communications Society Distinguished Lecturer (2013–2014)
• Arizona Engineering Faculty Fellow (2011–2014)
• IEEE TCCC Outstanding Service Award (2012)
• Chair of Excellence, University of Carlos III de Madrid (2011)
• Fulbright Senior Specialist (2011)
• Distinguished Alumni Award, MSU (2020)

Dr. Krunz has advised numerous graduate students and mentored research teams in wireless systems. His research has been funded by the National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Defense, NASA, Qatar Foundation, and industry partners, with total funding exceeding $20 million. He has served as Editor-in-Chief of IEEE Transactions on Mobile Computing (2017–2020) and on editorial boards of multiple top-tier journals. He has chaired major conferences including WiOpt 2023 and WiSec’12, and served as TPC chair for INFOCOM’04 and WCNC’16. He has also acted as chief scientist and technologist for two wireless-focused startups.

Dr. Krunz leads research teams within the NSF WISPER Center and previously directed the BWAC center, which included multiple universities and industry affiliates. His labs focus on experimental and theoretical aspects of wireless systems, including testbeds for 5G/NextG, AI-driven spectrum management, and secure communications. His teams collaborate across disciplines, including computer science, engineering, and cancer research through the UA Cancer Center affiliation.