Alex Alvarado

Alex Alvarado is a Full Professor in the Signal Processing Systems department at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), leading the Information and Communication Theory Lab (ICT Lab). He is also affiliated with TU/e's Center for Wireless Technology in Eindhoven. His academic career includes roles as a Senior Research Associate at University College London (2014–2016), Marie Curie Intra-European Fellow (2012–2014), and Newton International Fellow (2011–2012) at the University of Cambridge. Alvarado is a Senior Member of the IEEE and has held editorial and committee positions in major conferences like OFC and ECOC.

Alvarado holds an Electronics Engineer degree (2003) and MSc (2005) from Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María, Chile, followed by a Licentiate of Engineering (2008) and PhD (2011) from Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden. His research focuses on high-speed secure data transmission in optical and wireless systems, emphasizing energy-efficient algorithms and theoretical limits of telecommunication systems. Key areas include communication theory, information theory, optical fiber systems, and nonlinear interference mitigation.

His recent articles explore advanced modulation formats, machine learning applications for channel estimation and decoding, and innovations in free-space optics and MIMO systems. This work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to affordable and clean energy, industry innovation, and responsible consumption through energy-efficient communication solutions.

• Scientific Awards:
  • ERC Starting Grant (2018)
  • NWO VIDI Grant (2016)
  • 2015 Journal of Lightwave Technology Best Paper Award
  • 2015 IEEE Exemplary Reviewer Award
  • 2018 and 2023 Asia Communications and Photonics Conference Best Paper Awards
  • 2019 Optoelectronics and Communications Conference Best Paper Award

Alvarado's advising contributions include supervising 12 research works. His grants include NWO VIDI and ERC Starting funding. He leads projects like NESTOR (Next-gen optical networks) and LaiQa (Quantum Key Distribution). His lab, the ICT Lab, drives theoretical and applied research in communication systems.