The Network sciEnce, Wireless, and Security laboratory at Virginia Tech (NEWS@VT)  is a research group focused on developing fundamental mathematical tools and principles to design, develop, and build smart, secure, and self-organizing systems, with applications to networks, wireless systems, Internet of things (IoT) systems, smart power grids, and cyber-physical systems. Our research is largely interdisciplinary and draws upon tools from optimization, game theory, machine learning, statistics, control and economics to design and build networks and cyber-physical systems.

We are currently focused on several research thrusts:
  • Machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) for wireless networks.
  • Distributed and federated machine learning.
  • Wireless cellular and 6G networks.
  • Virtual reality over wireless networks.
  • Large intelligent surfaces and smart environments.
  • Integration of millimeter wave and sub-6 GHz cellular networks.
  • Wireless communications and networking using unmanned aerial vehicles and drones.
  • Autonomous vehicles over wireless networks.
  • The Internet of Things.
  • Age of information.
  • Behavioral game theory.
  • Smart cities and critical infrastructure.
  • Cyber-physical systems.
  • Data analytics.
  • Cybersecurity.
We have openings for new PhD students starting Spring/Fall 2021, in any of the above or related areas,  broader information is found here. 
News
[Feb 27, 2021] NEWS@VT Almunus Wins the 2020 Outstanding Dissertation Award in "Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics" Category and Blackwell Graduate Research Award Congratulations to ECE Alumnus Aidin Ferdowsi (PhD, 20) for winning the 2020 Outstanding Dissertation Award in "Science, Technology,                  Engineering and Mathematics" category from the Virginia Tech Graduate School and Blackwell Graduate                                  Research Award from the ECE department ...
[Dec 8, 2020] Ye Hu, Mingzhe Chen, and Walid Saad Have Won The Best Paper Award at The IEEE Global Communications Conference (GLOBECOM) Ye Hu (ECE PhD student),  Mingzhe Chen (ECE Alumni), and Walid Saad have been notified by IEEE Global Communications Conference (GLOBECOM) Technical Program Chairs                        that their paper entitled  "Meta-Reinforcement Learning for Trajectory Design in Wireless UAV Networks" ...
[July 30, 2020] PhD student Aidin Ferdowsi Successfully Defends His PhD PhD Student Aidin Ferdowsi successfully defends his dissertation entitled "Distributed Machine Learning for Autonomous and Secure Cyber-physical Systems"...
[May 14, 2020] Mingzhe Chen and Walid Saad Have Won The Best Paper Award at The IEEE International Conference on Communications (ICC) Mingzhe Chen (ECE Alumni) and Walid Saad have been notified by IEEE International Conference on Communications (ICC) Technical Program Chairs that their paper entitled                                      "Convergence Time Minimization of Federated Learning over Wireless Networks"...
[May 14, 2020] PhD student Taehyun Park Successfully Defends His PhD Student Taehyun Park successfully defends his dissertation entitled "Distributed Wireless Resource Management in the Internet of Things"
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[Mar 24, 2020] PhD student Gilsoo Lee Successfully Defends His PhD PhD Student Gilsoo Lee successfully defends his dissertation entitled "Online Optimization for Edge Computing under Uncertainty in Wireless Networks"...
[Jan 29, 2020] Walid Saad named a Clarviate Highly Cited Researcher by the Web of Science for 2019 Dr. Saad was named a Clarviate Highly Cited Researcher by the Web of Science for 2019. The Web of Science recognizes the world's most influential researchers of the past decade, demonstrated by the production of                             multiple highly-cited papers that rank in the top 1% by citations for field and year in Web of Science ...
[Jan 29, 2020] Dr. Walid Saad receives the 2019 Early Achievement Award Dr. Saad received the 2019 Early Achievement Award from the IEEE Communications Society's Communication Theory Technical Committee for contributions to distributed optimization and learning for heterogeneous wireless systems ...
[Jun 25, 2019] Christina Chaccour and Walid Saad Have Won The Best Paper Award at The 10th IFIP International Conference on New Technologies, Mobility and Security (NTMS) Christina Chaccour, Ramy Amer, Bo Zhou, and Walid Saad Have Won The Best Paper Award at The  ...
[Jun 3, 2019] Dr. Walid Saad Promoted to Full Professor The Virginia Tech Board of Visitors approved the promotion of Walid Saad to full professor.
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