Kristofer Pister is a Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences at the University of California, Berkeley. He co-directs the Berkeley Sensor and Actuator Center (BSAC) and the Ubiquitous Swarm Lab. His career spans groundbreaking innovations in Micro/Nano Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS), Control Systems, and Low-Power Circuits, with a focus on Smart Dust and synthetic insects. Education: Ph.D. and M.S. in EECS from UC Berkeley (1992, 1989); B.A. in Applied Physics from UC San Diego (1986). His research areas include MEMS , Control Systems , Robotics , and Integrated Circuits , with recent work on self-powered micro-sensors, crystal-free radios, and interplanetary swarm networks. Key awards include the ISA Albert F. Sperry Founder Award (2009) , Alexander Schwarzkopf Prize (2006) , and the NSF CAREER Award (1996) . He has authored numerous influential publications in wireless sensor networks and microrobotics. His lab, Ubiquitous Swarm Lab , explores distributed robotics and swarm intelligence. Pister emphasizes open collaboration in research, ethical conduct in academia, and efficient resource utilization for graduate students.
Ambuj Varshney is an Assistant Professor at the National University of Singapore (NUS) School of Computing , leading the WEISER research group . His work bridges electronics, wireless communication, computer science, and AI with a focus on creating ultra-low-power embedded systems for sustainable IoT deployments. University of California, Berkeley: Postdoctoral Scholar (2020-2022) Uppsala University: PhD in Sustainable Networked Systems NXP Semiconductors: Software Engineer (prior to PhD) Bachelors in Information & Communication Technology Research interests center on overcoming wireless systems' energy asymmetry through tunnel diode oscillators , LiFi-RF hybrid networks , and battery-free communication architectures . His group develops STICORS —sticker-like computers for industrial and medical monitoring. Recent publications demonstrate AudioCast 's FM-band utilization for 130m transmission, TunnelSense 's vital monitoring, and PixelGen 's diffusion model cameras. These works combine IoT sustainability, spectrum efficiency, and hardware innovation . 2024: Google Research Scholar Award 2023: MobiSys Best Demonstration 2021: Berkeley FORM+FUND Fellowship 2019: ABB's $300K Research Award As an educator, he teaches CS4222 Wireless Networking and CS5272 Embedded Software Design . Past students include Wenqing Yan (NUS/UCB PhD), Qiao Yukai , and Kunjun Li . His team collaborates with Prabal Dutta (UCB), Christian Rohner (Uppsala), and Prateek Saxena (NUS).
Deepak Ganesan is a Professor at the Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences (CICS) at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. His research focuses on low-power sensing and communication, networked systems, and machine learning applied to pervasive health monitoring and societal challenges. PhD, Computer Science, University of California, Los Angeles (2004) MS, Computer Science, University of California, Los Angeles (2000) BTech, Computer Science, Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (1998) Ganesan's work bridges wireless sensor networks, smart textiles, and healthcare applications. He designs ultra-low-power wearable devices for tracking health signals like drug use, smoking, and cognitive performance, often integrating machine learning for robust detection. His research emphasizes societal impact, particularly in aging and Alzheimer's care through the Massachusetts AI and Technology Center for Connected Care (MassAITC) and the Center for Personalized Health Monitoring (CPHM). Recent publications highlight innovations in edge-cloud collaboration, fabric-based sensors, and longitudinal health analytics. His NIH-funded MD2K Center for Excellence and affiliations with the Center for Data Science and Computational Social Science Institute further underscore his interdisciplinary approach. ACM Fellow NSF CAREER Award (2006) IBM Faculty Award (2008) UMass Junior Faculty Fellow (2008) UMass Lilly Teaching Fellow (2009) Best Paper at CHI 2013 Best Paper Runner-up at Mobicom 2014 Honorable Mentions at Ubicomp 2013 Ganesan leads the SENSORS: Wireless Sensor Networks Group and contributes to global initiatives like the Internet of Battlefield Things. His work spans academic research, industry partnerships, and policy development in AgeTech and digital health.
Renjie Zhao is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Johns Hopkins University and a member of the Data Science and AI Institute. His research focuses on wireless networking and mobile computing, with significant contributions to millimeter-wave communications, software-defined radio, and IoT systems. Dr. Zhao received his B.E. in Electric Power Engineering and Automation from Shanghai Jiao Tong University in 2018, followed by an M.S. (2020) and Ph.D. (2023) in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of California San Diego, where he was advised by Professor Xinyu Zhang. His research centers around three main areas: next-generation wireless network architectures (5G millimeter wave, 6G joint communication and sensing, Internet of Things), novel radio hardware and software design (software-defined radio, wireless brain interfaces, low-power ultra-wide-band), and ubiquitous communication and sensing systems (smart homes, virtual/augmented reality, localization, ultra-reliable RFID for supply chains). His work bridges theoretical innovation with practical implementation, often resulting in open-source hardware and software platforms that advance the field. Dr. Zhao's research has been published in top conferences including ACM SIGCOMM, MobiCom, and NSDI. His work demonstrates a clear progression from foundational wireless communication systems to increasingly sophisticated sensing and localization applications, with consistent focus on practical deployment challenges and solutions. Scientific Awards: Best Paper Award at ACM MobiCom 2020 for work on massive MIMO millimeter-wave software radio Best Paper Award at ACM SenSys 2023 for NeuroRadar paper Hopkins AITC funding for AI technologies promoting healthy aging Dr. Zhao actively serves the research community as TPC member for major conferences including MobiCom'25, NSDI'25, and MobiSys'25, and as a reviewer for leading journals. He is involved in multiple NSF-funded projects, including an NSF CIRC project developing the next-stage M-Cube platform. His lab, focused on wireless systems, maintains strong industry connections with companies like Qualcomm and Samsung. Dr. Zhao leads the M-Cube project, an open-source millimeter-wave massive MIMO software radio platform that has been adopted by numerous research institutions worldwide. His team continues to develop innovative wireless technologies with practical applications in supply chain management, healthcare, and smart environments.
Marco Di Renzo is a CNRS Professor (Directeur de Recherche Titulaire) at University of Paris-Saclay, affiliated with CentraleSupelec and the Signals and Systems Laboratory (L2S). He serves as Coordinator of the Communications Networks Area at the DigiCosme Laboratory of Excellence and Editor-in-Chief of IEEE Communications Letters. His academic leadership includes membership in the Ph.D. School on ICT Admission Committee at Paris-Saclay University. His educational background includes a Laurea (cum laude) and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from University of L'Aquila, Italy (2003, 2007), and a Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches from University Paris-Sud (2013). Laurea (cum laude), Electrical Engineering, University of L'Aquila (2003) Ph.D., Electrical Engineering, University of L'Aquila (2007) Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches, University Paris-Sud (2013) Di Renzo's research focuses on next-generation wireless communications, particularly reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS), 6G technologies, and stochastic geometry modeling. His work bridges theoretical communication theory with practical implementations in cellular networks, millimeter-wave communications, and ultra-wide band systems. Recent publications demonstrate leadership in holographic metasurfaces, integrated sensing and communication (ISAC), and AI-empowered network design, establishing him as a pioneer in electromagnetic wave manipulation for future networks. His award-winning publications span RIS-aided communications, channel modeling, and security frameworks. Analysis of his recent work reveals consistent focus on three pillars: (1) fundamental electromagnetic theory for wave manipulation, (2) practical RIS implementations across frequency bands, and (3) integration with AI for network optimization. His articles frequently address industrial applications including factory automation and space-air-ground networks. Di Renzo's scientific recognition includes: IEEE Fellow (2020) and IET Fellow (2020) Highly Cited Researcher (Web of Science, 2019) SEE-IEEE Alain Glavieux Award (2017) Multiple Best Paper Awards (IEEE ICC, EURASIP) Nokia Foundation Visiting Professorship (2020) As Principal Investigator for CNRS, he coordinates multiple Horizon 2020 projects including SURFER, PathFinder, and MetaWireless. His leadership extends to serving as Project Coordinator for H2020 5Gwireless, 5Gaura, MAPNET, and REDESIGN. With over 350 publications, 17,000+ citations, and h-index of 66+, his research group maintains strong industry partnerships with Nokia and other telecommunications leaders. Di Renzo directs the Signals and Systems Laboratory (L2S) at Paris-Saclay and coordinates the DigiCosme Excellence Lab's Communications Networks Area. His team specializes in electromagnetic modeling for wireless networks and has pioneered the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) Industry Specification Group on RIS. The group maintains active collaborations with Aalto University (Finland), University of Technology Sydney (Australia), and University of L'Aquila (Italy).
Yoon Chae is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA), joining the faculty in January 2025. His work bridges wireless networking and low-power IoT systems, with a focus on millimeter-wave technologies and backscatter communication. Education: PhD in Computer Science, George Mason University, 2024 MS in Computer Science, George Mason University, 2022 MS in Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, 2012 BS in Electrical Engineering, Yonsei University, 2012 His research centers on enabling reliable and high-speed mmWave backscatter by leveraging the unique properties of millimeter waves, with applications in vehicular networks, IoT, and spectrum efficiency. He has pioneered techniques using commodity WiFi and FMCW radar for backscatter communication, significantly advancing the field of low-power wireless systems. The recent publications highlight a strong trend in utilizing commodity hardware (like WiFi and radar) for novel wireless sensing and communication. His work spans mmWave backscatter, vehicular networking using street view imagery, and interference management between ZigBee and WiFi. The research demonstrates innovation in spectrum reuse, low-power design, and integration of real-world data for network optimization. Scientific Awards: Best Paper Award, ACM MobiSys 2022 SIGMOBILE Research Highlight, 2023 Yoon Chae actively contributes to the academic community as a reviewer for top journals including IEEE Transactions on Mobile Computing, IEEE/ACM Transactions on Networking, and ACM Transactions on IoT, as well as conferences like INFOCOM, MobiCom, and SenSys. He serves on program committees and has held leadership roles such as Registration Co-chair for ICNP'25 and Artifact Evaluation Committee for MobiSys'25. He is currently building a research lab and seeking motivated Ph.D. students and research interns to join his team. He has been involved in collaborative projects with Prof. Parth Pathak (George Mason) and Prof. Song Min Kim (KAIST), and his work has been presented at major venues including NSDI, MobiCom, MobiSys, and SenSys. His lab focuses on experimental systems design, wireless sensing, and next-generation IoT networking.
Dr. David R. Themens is an Associate Professor in Space Environment within the Space Environment and Radio Engineering (SERENE) group in the School of Engineering at the University of Birmingham. He specializes in modeling and mitigating the impacts of space weather on radio communications and navigation systems, with a particular focus on the ionosphere's effects on these technologies. Dr. Themens earned his academic credentials from Canadian institutions: BSc (Hons) in Physics from the University of New Brunswick (2011) MSc in Atmospheric and Oceanic Science from McGill University (2013) PhD in Physics from the University of New Brunswick (2018) His research primarily focuses on four interconnected areas: ionospheric modeling, ionospheric physics, measurement techniques, and radio propagation. Dr. Themens is particularly interested in the interaction between the ionosphere and the atmosphere, specifically how lower atmospheric forcing drives variability within the ionosphere and the interactions between the ionosphere and thermosphere. He is the principal developer of the Empirical Canadian High Arctic Ionospheric Model (E-CHAIM) , a high-latitude alternative to the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) used for HF/UHF signal propagation modeling. His work includes exploring synergistic properties of different earth observation instruments, measurement technique development, data assimilation, and empirical modeling. Analysis of Dr. Themens' recent publication record reveals a strong emphasis on space weather phenomena, ionospheric modeling, and radio propagation. His work spans from fundamental ionospheric physics to practical applications in navigation and communication systems. Key themes include the development and validation of ionospheric models, analysis of space weather events (including the May 2024 geomagnetic superstorm), and the impact of solar phenomena on Earth's upper atmosphere. His research increasingly incorporates advanced data assimilation techniques and leverages multiple observational platforms including radar systems, GNSS networks, and satellite measurements. Dr. Themens holds significant leadership positions in the international space science community: Co-Chair of IAG-GGOS Joint Study Group on Understanding Ionospheric and Plasmaspheric Processes (2023-present) Chair of URSI Data Assimilation Working Group (2023-present) Co-Chair of IAGA Geospace Data Assimilation Working Group (2023-2027) URSI Commission G Early Career Representative (2023-2029) Chair of Canadian Association of Physicists Division of Atmospheric and Space Physics (2022-present) Dr. Themens actively mentors graduate students and is 'always looking for new Ph.D. students interested in the ionosphere, data assimilation, and radio propagation.' His research has been supported through contracts with Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) and various international collaborations. He leads the Canadian High Arctic Ionospheric Models (CHAIMs) project, which builds upon his doctoral work developing the E-CHAIM model. At the University of Birmingham, he teaches courses in Space System Engineering and Design, Space Mission Analysis and Design, and Space Environment.
Dr. Manav R. Bhatnagar serves as a Professor and Brigadier Bhopinder Singh Chair Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering at Indian Institute of Technology Delhi. He ranks #517 globally in Networking & Telecommunications among the top 2% scientists worldwide according to Stanford University and is a Fellow of INAE, NASI, IET(UK), IETE, and OSI. His academic credentials include a Ph.D. in Signal Processing for Communications from University of Oslo (2008), M.Tech. in Communications Engineering from IIT Delhi (2005), and B.E. in Electronics from North Maharashtra University (1997). He has held visiting appointments at prestigious institutions including Aalto University (Finland), University of Rennes (France), University of Oslo, Indian Institute of Science Bangalore, and University of Minnesota. Dr. Bhatnagar's research spans cutting-edge domains including 5G/6G communication, optical wireless communication, quantum communication, molecular communication, power line communication, and machine learning applications. His work demonstrates significant interdisciplinary connections between communication theory, signal processing, and emerging technologies. His publication record shows a strong focus on wireless and optical communication systems, with recent work addressing challenges in jamming detection, quantum relay systems, IRS-assisted communication, and game-theoretic approaches to resource allocation. His research consistently bridges theoretical foundations with practical applications in next-generation communication systems. NASI-Scopus Young Scientist Award Shri Om Prakash Bhasin Award (2016) Dr. Vikram Sarabhai Research Award (2017) BASIC RESEARCH AWARD of IIT Delhi (2023) Sir Visvesvaraya Young Faculty Research Fellowship (2016) Senior Member of IEEE As an academic advisor, Dr. Bhatnagar has mentored numerous PhD students who have gone on to successful careers at institutions including IIT Jodhpur, IIT Roorkee, Aalto University, and IIT Kanpur. His editorial roles include current Editor of IEEE Transactions on Communications and former Editor of IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications (2011-2014). His textbook "Telecommunication Switching Systems and Networks" has become a standard reference in the field.
Jingxian Wang is an NUS Presidential Young Professor and Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the National University of Singapore's Faculty of Computing. His research builds next-generation wireless systems and satellite networks, with primary focus on integrating AI with wirelessly networked devices from WiFi to satellites. He earned his PhD from Carnegie Mellon University and previously served as a research scientist at Microsoft Research in Redmond, where he led the Smart Surface for 6G and Space initiative. His educational journey includes: PhD, Carnegie Mellon University Wang's research spans Wireless Systems , Satellite Networks , Artificial Intelligence , and Internet of Things , emphasizing AI-augmented wireless systems. His interdisciplinary work bridges robotics , materials science , and AI to develop sustainable sensing methods, robust communication networks, and multimodal AI techniques. Key projects include Multimodal AI for IoT (funded by Microsoft's Accelerate Foundation Models Program) and Satellite IoT Networks. His publication trends reveal accelerating integration of AI into wireless systems, with recent focus on satellite networking, soft robotics actuation, and generative models for IoT. The research consistently targets real-world deployment challenges in battery-free systems and space networks. His scientific contributions have earned prestigious recognition: ACM SIGMOBILE Doctoral Dissertation Award 2023 Communications of the ACM Research Highlights (2021, 2022) ACM SIGMOBILE Research Highlights 2021 Best Paper Awards at IPSN 2021 and UbiComp 2020 Microsoft Research Fellowship 2020 Emerging Rockstar in IEEE Pervasive Computing 2024 Wang actively mentors doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers through his AIoT Group. His grant portfolio includes Microsoft's Accelerate Foundation Models Research Program funding for multimodal AI projects, with ongoing work targeting satellite IoT infrastructure and wireless-powered soft robotics. Future directions emphasize foundation models for space networks and battery-free IoT systems. He leads the AIoT Group, fostering cross-disciplinary collaboration between computer scientists, roboticists, and materials engineers to pioneer wireless sensing and actuation technologies.
Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyUnited States
Dina Katabi is the Thuan and Nicole Pham Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at MIT, leading the Katabi Lab and directing the MIT Center for Wireless Networks and Mobile Computing. Her research bridges AI, wireless systems, and digital health, focusing on non-invasive health monitoring via wireless signals and machine learning. She is a MacArthur Fellow and holds the Andrew & Erna Viterbi Professorship. Key research areas include emotion recognition (EQ-Radio), sleep posture monitoring (BodyCompass), and through-wall human pose estimation. Her lab develops AI systems for biosensors, leveraging RF signals to detect diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. Notable awards include the ACM Prize in Computing and SIGCOMM's Lifetime Achievement Award. Publications span wireless networks, computer vision, and health tech, with impactful work in CVPR, ECCV, and Nature Medicine. She advises over 20 students/postdocs and collaborates on technologies like in-body backscatter communication and AI-driven drug development monitoring. Labs: Katabi Lab (MIT CSAIL) and the MIT Wireless Center. Ongoing work explores digital biomarkers, self-supervised learning, and scalable health monitoring systems for chronic diseases.
Spyridon Daskalakis is an Assistant Professor at Heriot-Watt University's School of Engineering & Physical Sciences, where he works within the Institute of Sensors, Signals & Systems. His research focuses on next-generation wireless communication systems and ultra-low-power embedded technologies. Dr. Daskalakis earned his Ph.D. from Heriot-Watt University's Microwaves and Antenna Engineering Group following undergraduate and master's studies at the Technical University of Crete's School of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Prior to his academic career, he served as a Senior Electromagnetic Compatibility Engineer at Cirrus Logic and contributed to satellite communications projects at Celestia UK. His research spans ultra-low-power embedded systems , RFID/backscatter sensors , RF energy harvesting , and low-cost wireless agricultural sensors . Current projects emphasize Bluetooth and cellular network integration, software-defined radios, and millimeter-wave communications for sustainable IoT applications that support UN Sustainable Development Goals related to affordable clean energy and responsible consumption. Dr. Daskalakis contributes to the Microwaves and Antenna Engineering Group, a globally recognized research unit specializing in physical-layer wireless systems. His work demonstrates significant impact through high citation rates, particularly in millimeter-wave backscatter communications and ambient RF energy harvesting technologies. He maintains an active professional presence through his personal website www.daskalakispiros.com and LinkedIn, while fostering student development through collaborative research projects focused on real-world wireless communication challenges.
E. Veronica Belmega is a Full Professor at ESIEE Paris (Université Gustave Eiffel) and a researcher at the LIGM laboratory in Marne-la-Vallée, France. Previously, she served as an Associate Professor at ENSEA graduate school and Deputy Director of the ETIS laboratory in Cergy. She holds an Engineer Degree from the University Politehnica of Bucharest, M.Sc. and Ph.D. from Université Paris-Sud 11, and an HDR habilitation from Université de Cergy-Pontoise. Her research focuses on AI-driven communication systems, energy efficiency, online optimization, and cyber-physical security, with a strong emphasis on applications in smart grids and IoT. Her work spans securing wireless communications against adversarial attacks, optimizing resource allocation in cognitive radio networks, and leveraging machine learning for GNSS localization and MIMO systems. Notable contributions include game-theoretic frameworks for PMU deployment and energy-efficient NOMA systems. Belmega has received prestigious awards such as the 2021 CY Alliance Award and the L’Oréal-UNESCO fellowship, and serves as an Area Editor for IEEE Trans. on Machine Learning in Communications and Networking. Current projects include a CEA LETI postdoc position on AI localization and a PEPR 5G project. She actively contributes to special issues like the EURASIP JASP on sustainable wireless communications. Belmega’s advising includes PhD student S. Maleki, co-author of her 2024 IEEE SmartGridComm Best Paper Award-winning work.
Dr. Jie Gao is an Assistant Professor at the School of Information Technology , Carleton University, with cross-appointments at Dalhousie University (Adjunct Faculty, 2024) and Carleton University (2025). He holds a Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Alberta (2014) and has held postdoctoral and research associate positions at Ryerson University (2017-2019), University of Waterloo (2019-2020), and Marquette University (2020-2022). His research focuses on machine learning for communications/networking , 6G wireless networks , cloud/multi-access edge computing , IoT/industrial IoT solutions , and network virtualization/digital twins . Research Leadership: Co-investigator on projects related to AI-assisted network slicing, digital twin-driven resource allocation, and integrated satellite-terrestrial networks Led work on energy-efficient UAV-assisted edge computing (IEEE Best Land Transportation Paper Award 2024) Professional Roles: Senior Member, IEEE Lead Associate Editor, IEEE Access Vehicular Technology Society Section (2020-present) Associate Editor, Springer Peer-to-Peer Networking and Applications (2020-present) IEEE Vehicular Technology Society Young Professional Ambassador (2024) Notable Contributions: Authored/co-authored books on Intelligent Computing and Communication for the Internet of Vehicles (Springer, 2023) and Connectivity and Edge Computing in IoT (Springer, 2021) Holds patents on medium access control methods (US Patents 2022, 2024) Received multiple IEEE service awards (2018-2024)
Aggelos Bletsas is a Professor at the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Technical University of Crete. He holds a PhD from MIT (2005) and has expertise in wireless communication, backscatter networks, and RFID systems. His research focuses on scalable wireless networks, ultra-low-cost sensor technologies, and signal processing. Education: PhD, MIT Media Lab (2005) MSc, MIT Media Lab (2001) Diploma in Electrical & Computer Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (1998) Research Interests: His work spans wireless transmission techniques, backscatter sensor networks, and RFID systems. Key areas include: Ultra-low-cost sensor deployment RFID localization and multi-static systems Energy-efficient hardware implementations Probabilistic inference in distributed networks Awards: IEEE Marconi Prize Paper Award (2008) Technical University of Crete Research Excellence Award (2012-2013) Multiple best paper awards at RFID-TA, ISWCS, and SENSORS Academic Contributions: He advises students who have won IEEE best thesis awards and leads projects funded by ERC grants. His laboratory focuses on practical implementations of wireless sensor networks and backscatter systems. Labs & Affiliations: Director of the Telecommunications Laboratory and affiliated with the Telecommunication Systems Institute (TSI).
Aggelos Bletsas Aggelos Bletsas is a Professor at the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) at the Technical University of Crete (TUC). He holds a PhD from MIT and has expertise in wireless communication, backscatter radio, and IoT. His research focuses on ultra-low-cost sensor networks and ambiently-powered systems. Education PhD in Media Arts and Sciences, MIT (2005) MSc in Media Arts and Sciences, MIT (2001) 5-year Diploma in Electrical & Computer Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (1998) Research Interests Bletsas' work spans scalable wireless networks, backscatter radio, RFID systems, and energy harvesting. He pioneers batteryless IoT devices and environmental sensing technologies. His lab develops hardware and algorithms for low-cost, long-range communication. Awards & Recognition IEEE Fellow (2023) 2012-2013 TUC Research Excellence Award Multiple Best Paper Awards (ISWCS, RFID-TA, SENSORS) IEEE ComSoc and RFID Council Distinguished Lecturer (2022-2025) Labs & Projects Bletsas leads the Telecommunications Laboratory at TUC, focusing on batteryless sensors, scatter radio, and robotic inventory systems. Key projects include 'Internet of Plants' and ambiently-powered inference networks.
