1. Wireless communications and networking research @ UniPD
Michele Zorzi, University of Padova

2. University of Padova (Padua)
Founded in 1222, ~60-70K students

3. Research Interests
IoT: energy-efficient, context-aware, protocol design
Heterogeneous, massive access
5G mmWave cellular systems
Network management w/ directionality, energy consumption, protocol performance, multi-connectivity
Underwater networking, using acoustic and/or optical comms
Delay, unreliability, challenging protocol design
Cognition-based communications and networking
Applying learning and cognition to network design, management and operation
Energy harvesting and energy cooperation
Optimization of transmission policies, WPCNs

4. Three key questions What is “useful” (needed?)
Importance of problem statement

5. Three key questions What is “useful” (needed?)
Importance of problem statement
What is “valuable” (impactful?)
Importance of effective and high-gain solution

6. Three key questions What is “useful” (needed?)
Importance of problem statement
What is “valuable” (impactful?)
Importance of effective and high-gain solution
What is “real” (realistic?)
Importance of using the right level of modeling and abstraction

7. Three key problems Feasibility of 5G mmWave networks
Can networking protocols work in the presence of (i) flaky/fragile channels, (ii) directionality that violates the broadcast assumption, (iii) extreme dynamics?

8. Three key problems Feasibility of 5G mmWave networks
Can networking protocols work in the presence of (i) flaky/fragile channels, (ii) directionality that violates the broadcast assumption, (iii) extreme dynamics?
A systematic theory of learning
Can (i) a theoretical formulation of learning models, (ii) a hard performance characterization, and (iii) a fundamental understanding be rigorously developed?

9. Three key problems Feasibility of 5G mmWave networks
Can networking protocols work in the presence of (i) flaky/fragile channels, (ii) directionality that violates the broadcast assumption, (iii) extreme dynamics?
A systematic theory of learning
Can (i) a theoretical formulation of learning models, (ii) a hard performance characterization, and (iii) a fundamental understanding be rigorously developed?
Optimal use of energy
Can we theoretically characterize (in a constructive way) what is the best we can do with a given amount of energy (or with certain energy harvesting capabilities) in a given system?