CS&E Colloquium: Software-Defined Intelligent and Secure Wireless Aerial Networks: Modeling, Analysis and Implementation

The computer science colloquium takes place on Mondays from 11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. This week's speaker, Zhangyu Guan (University at Buffalo), will be giving a talk titled "Software-Defined Intelligent and Secure Wireless Aerial Networks: Modeling, Analysis and Implementation."

Abstract

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have the potential to revolutionize various civilian and military applications. However, controlling wireless UAV networks presents significant challenges due to complex electromagnetic environments, tightly coupled wireless protocol layers, and closed, inflexible network architectures. This talk explores potential solutions for developing intelligent and secure wireless aerial networks, emphasizing three key aspects: programmable network architectures, robust learning algorithms, and real-world testing and measurements. Additionally, the talk will highlight recent advancements in creating a cloud-based, open experimental ecosystem to facilitate hardware and computing resource sharing, fostering collaborations in NextG and Internet of Things research.

Biography

Zhangyu Guan is an Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering at the University at Buffalo (UB). Before joining UB, he served as an Associate Research Scientist at Northeastern University in Boston, MA, from 2015 to 2018. He is the Director of the Wireless Intelligent Networking and Security (WINGS) Laboratory, where his research focuses on the modeling, analysis, design, and development of next-generation broadband, resilient, and intelligent wireless network systems. Dr. Guan's work has been supported by diverse funding sources, including federal agencies (NSF, AFRL, ARL, USSOCOM, CHIPS Act, NDSEG, and SMART), state organizations (SUNY, NYSTAR), non-profits (US Ignite/Schmidt Futures Foundation), and industry partners (ARMOR-IIMAK, AWS). Additionally, Dr. Guan has served as an Associate Editor for IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications and Elsevier Computer Networks, Student Travel Grants Chair for IEEE SECON 2019 and 2020, Track Chair for IEEE MILCOM 2023 and IEEE MASS 2025, TPC Chair for IEEE CCNC 2025, and General Chair for IEEE CCNC 2027.