Carlos E. Otero

Dr. Carlos E. Otero is a tenured Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Florida Institute of Technology (FIT). He serves as Technical Director of the Wireless Center of Excellence (WiCE) and the Center for Advanced Data Analytics and Systems (CADAS). Previously, he held positions at the University of South Florida and the University of Virginia’s College at Wise. His expertise includes hardware interfacing, embedded systems, zero-trust architectures, and AI-driven systems engineering.

Education: Earned BS, MS, and PhD in computer science/engineering from Florida Institute of Technology. His research focuses on cyber-physical systems, wireless security, UAV platforms, and model-based systems engineering, with over $5M in funded projects and 90+ peer-reviewed publications. He authored the textbook Software Engineering Design: Theory and Practice.

Research Interests: Embedded systems, cybersecurity, AI, and systems engineering. Notable projects include visibility forecasting with deep learning, acoustic situational awareness, and optimizing sensor networks for infrastructure monitoring.

Awards: Charles Helmstetter Award for Research Excellence (FIT), Northrop Grumman Honor Roll of Inventors. Active in IEEE and ACM editorial roles. Teaches courses on algorithms, machine learning, and wireless communications, emphasizing real-world applications in mission-critical systems.

Lab & Teams: Leads WiCE and CADAS, focusing on applied research in wireless technologies and data analytics. Collaborates with industry on defense contracting projects involving satellite communications and UAV systems.