Keynote Speakers

Biography:

Octavia A. Dobre is a Professor and Canada Research Chair Tier-1 at Memorial University, Canada. Her research focuses on next-generation wireless networks, optical communications, and underwater communications. She has authored over 500 publications in these areas and has received ten Best Paper Awards, including the prestigious IEEE Communications Society (ComSoc) Heinrich Hertz Award. Dr. Dobre currently serves as Vice-President of Publications for IEEE ComSoc. She was the founding Editor-in-Chief of the IEEE Open Journal of the Communications Society, Editor-in-Chief of IEEE Communications Letters, and IEEE ComSoc Director of Journals. A former Fulbright Scholar and IEEE Distinguished Lecturer, Dr. Dobre is an elected member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts and a Fellow of the IEEE, Engineering Institute of Canada, Canadian Academy of Engineering, and the Royal Society of Canada.

Title: The Evolution Toward 6G and Beyond: Communications, Sensing, Computing, and Intelligence

Abstract:

As 5G technology progresses into its “Advanced” phase with 3GPP Release 18 and ongoing efforts for Release 19 paving the way for 6G, we are witnessing transformative paradigm shifts. These include the seamless integration of people, machines, and the environment through intelligence; the convergence of space-air-ground-sea networks; the harmonization of diverse frequency bands with varying propagation characteristics; and the fusion of communication, computing, sensing, positioning, and intelligence. While further development is still needed for 5G-Advanced, researchers worldwide are already exploring groundbreaking technologies and novel services for 6G and beyond. This talk will begin with an overview of potential use cases and enabling technologies for next-generation networks. It will then introduce key elements of quantum computing and explore its applications within this evolving ecosystem. Finally, it will highlight future research directions poised to drive innovation in next-generation network evolution.

Biography:

Debbie Leung has been a Professor at the Institute for Quantum Computing (IQC) and the Department of Combinatorics and Optimization at the University of Waterloo since 2005. Before that, she was a Tolman postdoctoral fellow at the Institute for Quantum Information, California Institute of Technology (Caltech), a program postdoctoral fellow at the Workshop on Quantum Computation 2002, at the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute, Berkeley, and a postdoctoral fellow at the Physics of Information group at the IBM TJ Watson Research Center, 2000-2002. After a BSc in Phys/Math from Caltech in 1995, she did a PhD in Physics at Stanford under the supervision of Professor Yoshihisa Yamamoto and Professor Isaac Chuang. Her research is in the theory of quantum information, focusing on capacities of quantum channels, quantum data compression, entanglement theory, measurement based quantum computation, quantum error correction and fault-tolerant quantum computation.

Title: Generic nonadditivity of quantum capacity

Abstract:

Determining capacities of quantum channels is a fundamental question in quantum information theory. Despite having rigorous coding theorems quantifying the flow of information across quantum channels, their capacities are poorly understood due to super-additivity effects. Studying these phenomena is important for deepening our understanding of quantum information, yet simple and clean examples of super-additive channels are scarce. Here we study a family of channels called platypus channels. Its simplest member, a qutrit channel, is shown to display super-additivity of coherent information when used jointly with a variety of qubit channels. Higher-dimensional family members display super-additivity of quantum capacity together with an erasure channel. Furthermore, super-additivity can occur between two channels each with large weakly additive capacity. Remarkably, a single, novel transmission strategy achieves super-additivity in all examples. Our results show that super-additivity is much more prevalent than previously thought.

Joint work with Felix Leditzky, Vikesh Siddhu, Graeme Smith, and John Smolin

Biography:

Dr. Xianbin Wang is a Professor and a Tier-1 Canada Research Chair in 5G and Wireless IoT Communications with Western University, Canada. His current research interests include 5G/6G technologies, Internet of Things, machine learning, communications security, and intelligent communications. He has over 600 highly cited journals and conference papers, in addition to over 30 granted and pending patents and several standard contributions. Dr. Wang is a Fellow of IEEE, a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering and a Fellow of the Engineering Institute of Canada. He has received many prestigious awards and recognitions, including the IEEE Canada R. A. Fessenden Award, Canada Research Chair, Engineering Research Excellence Award at Western University, Canadian Federal Government Public Service Award, Ontario Early Researcher Award, and 10 Best Paper Awards. He is currently a member of the Senate, Senate Committee on Academic Policy and Senate Committee on University Planning at Western. He also serves on NSERC Discovery Grant Review Panel for Computer Science. He has been involved in many flagship conferences, including GLOBECOM, ICC, VTC, PIMRC, WCNC, CCECE, and ICNC, in different roles, such as General Chair, TPC Chair, Symposium Chair, Tutorial Instructor, Track Chair, Session Chair, and Keynote Speaker. He serves/has served as the Editor-in-Chief, Associate Editor-in-Chief, and editor/associate editor for over ten journals. He was the Chair of the IEEE ComSoc Signal Processing and Computing for Communications (SPCC) Technical Committee and is currently serving as the Central Area Chair of IEEE Canada.

Title: Beyond ISAC: Integrated Heterogeneous Service Provisioning in the Era of 6G and AI

Abstract:

The unprecedented deployment of wireless infrastructures and their rapid convergence with computing and vertical applications have fundamentally transformed our lifestyles and industries. Future wireless networks, particularly 6G, are expected to support a diverse range of applications by integrating heterogeneous services. The future networks will not only enhance traditional connectivity-centric functions but also introduce emerging beyond-communication capabilities. Despite recent advancements in integrated sensing and communications (ISAC), current designs remain static, isolated, and functionally limited, creating significant challenges in meeting the diverse requirements of future applications while operating under stringent resource constraints. This presentation will start with an in-depth overview of these technical challenges in integrative 6G service provisioning. New 6G design strategies and operational objectives for concurrent heterogeneous service provisioning will be discussed. Furthermore, a new multi-dimensional multiple access (MDMA) technique as an inclusive enabling platform to intelligently integrate various capabilities by shared access to multi-dimensional radio resources will be presented.

Biography:

Hossam Hassanein is a leading researcher in the areas of broadband, wireless and mobile networks architecture, protocols, control and performance evaluation. His record spans more than 600 publications in journals, conferences and book chapters, in addition to numerous keynotes and Tutorials in flagship venues. Dr. Hassanein has received several recognition and best paper awards at top international conferences. He is the founder and director of the Telecommunications Research Lab (TRL) at Queen's University School of Computing, with extensive international academic and industrial collaborations. He is the recipient of the 2016 IEEE Communications Society Communications Software Technical Achievement Award for outstanding contributions to routing and deployment planning algorithms in wireless sensor networks, and the 2020 IEEE IoT, Ad Hoc and Sensor Networks Technical Achievement and Recognition Award for significant contributions to technological advancement of the Internet of Things, ad hoc networks and sensing systems. Dr. Hassanein is a fellow of the IEEE, and is a former chair of the IEEE Communication Society Technical Committee on Ad hoc and Sensor Networks (TC AHSN). He is an IEEE Communications Society Distinguished Speaker (Distinguished Lecturer 2008-2010).

Biography:

Ahmad Nagib received the Ph.D. degree from the School of Computing at Queen’s University in 2024. He is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow with the Queen’s Telecommunications Research Lab (TRL). He also holds B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees from the Faculty of Computers and Artificial Intelligence, Cairo University. His research addresses the practical challenges of deploying machine learning, particularly reinforcement learning (RL), algorithms in next-generation wireless networks. During his Ph.D. studies, Ahmad participated in an industry-academia collaboration project with Ericsson in Canada, where he had previously begun his work on trustworthy RL during a Machine Learning Ph.D. Co-op. His research work has resulted in a record of publications in IEEE flagship venues, including IEEE JSAC, IEEE TNSM, IEEE Network, GLOBECOM, ICC, and LCN. He has also served as a reviewer and TPC member for these and other notable venues, such as IEEE TMC, COMML, and LNET. Ahmad has received several accolades throughout his academic and professional journey, including the Queen’s Graduate Award and International Tuition Award, the IEEE ComSoc student grant, and an honourable mention for the Queen’s School of Computing Ph.D. Research Achievement Award. In addition, he has been recognized 13 times at Ericsson for his creativity, collaboration, and leadership.

Biography:

Hatem Abou-Zeid received the Ph.D. degree from Queen’s University in 2014. He is currently an Assistant Professor with the University of Calgary and the director of the WAVES research group. Prior to that, he was at Ericsson leading 5G research for intelligent radio access networks and low-latency communications. Several wireless access and traffic engineering techniques that he co-invented and co-developed are deployed in 5G mobile networks worldwide. His research expertise is in trustworthy and accelerated AI for wireless networks, extended reality networking, and resource management. His work resulted in 20 patent filings and over 65 journals and conference publications in several IEEE flagship venues on these topics. He is an avid supporter of industry-university partnerships, and he served on the Ericsson Government Industry Relations and Talent Development Committees, where he directed numerous academic research partnerships valued at over $3.5 Million. He served as the Co-Chair for the IEEE ICC Workshop on Wireless Network Innovations for Mobile Edge Learning and the Corporate Co-Chair for the IEEE LCN Conference 2022. He has delivered numerous invited talks on trustworthy and generalizable AI for future communication networks and received several accolades for his academic contributions, including a Best Paper Award at IEEE ICC 2022, the Research Excellence Awards at the University of Calgary (2023, 2024), AI/ML ASTech Award Finalist, Outstanding Academic Achievement Award and the Software Engineering Professor of the Year Award at the University of Calgary (2023).

Title: Building Trust in Reinforcement Learning for Next-Generation Wireless Networks

Abstract:

Artificial intelligence is envisioned to transform the design and management of future 6G networks. Reinforcement learning (RL), in particular, has emerged as a pivotal approach for realizing this vision, with strong backing from both industry and network standardization bodies to enable seamless RL deployment. While existing research studies highlight RL’s potential, concerns about its trustworthiness remain a key barrier to its broader adoption in real-world next-generation wireless networks. This tutorial will delve into the foundations of trustworthy RL algorithms, focusing on techniques that enhance generalizability, safety, explainability, and robustness. We will illustrate these concepts with concrete examples from emerging wireless network literature. A practical case study on network slicing will follow, showcasing the integration of multiple trustworthy RL components within the open radio access network (O-RAN) architecture. An interactive, hands-on session will guide participants through implementing and testing their own trustworthy RL solutions. Finally, we will discuss open research challenges and promising directions at the intersection of trustworthy RL and wireless networks.

Joint work with Ahmad Nagib, Hatem Abou-Zeid and Hossam Hassanein

Biography:

Dr. Halim Yanikomeroglu is a Chancellor’s Professor at Carleton University, Canada, and the Founding Director of Carleton-NTN (Non-Terrestrial Networks) Lab. His research covers many aspects of communications technologies with emphasis on wireless networks. He is a Fellow of several scholarly societies, including IEEE, the Engineering Institute of Canada (EIC), the Canadian Academy of Engineering (CAE), and the Asia-Pacific Artificial Intelligence Association (AAIA); he served as a Distinguished Speaker for the IEEE Communications Society and the IEEE Vehicular Technology Society. He has coauthored 675 peer-reviewed research papers including ~330 papers in 31 different IEEE journals. He gives around 25 invited seminars, keynotes, panel talks, and tutorials every year. He has had extensive collaboration with industry which resulted in 41 granted patents and technology transfer. He supervised or hosted in his lab 165+ postgraduate highly qualified personnel. He served as the General Chair, Technical Program Chair, and Steering Committee Chair/Member of several major international IEEE conferences as well as in the editorial boards of several IEEE periodicals. He is currently serving in various leadership roles in the IEEE. Dr. Yanikomeroglu received several awards for his research, teaching, and service.

Biography:

Dr. Gunes Karabulut-Kurt is a Canada Research Chair (Tier 1) in New Frontiers in Space Communications and a Professor at Polytechnique Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada. She is the Director of the Poly-Grames Research Center, and is co-founder and Director of Education and Training of ASTROLITH, Transdisciplinary Research Unit of Space Resource and Infrastructure Engineering at Polytechnique Montréal. She is also an adjunct research professor at Carleton University, Canada. Gunes received the B.S. degree with high honors in electronics and electrical engineering from Bogazici University, Istanbul, Turkiye, in 2000 and the M.A.Sc. and the Ph.D. degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Ottawa, ON, Canada, in 2002 and 2006, respectively. She worked in different technology companies in Canada and Turkiye between 2005 and 2010. From 2010 to 2021, she was a professor at Istanbul Technical University. Gunes is a Marie Curie Fellow and received the Turkish Academy of Sciences Outstanding Young Scientist (TÜBA-GEBIP) Award in 2019.

Title: The Role of NTN and LEO Mega-Constellations in the Future of Global Connectivity

Abstract:

Non-terrestrial networks (NTN) will arguably be one of the most prominent aspects of 6G. Many of the novel elements in the ITU 6G wheel diagram (ITU-R WP5D Recommendation Framework for IMT-2030), such as coverage, interoperability, sustainability, and resilience, can be directly associated with NTN. The concept of NTN encompasses distinct paradigms, including satellites, high-altitude platform station (HAPS) systems, and uncrewed aerial systems (UAS), each with its specific dynamics. Beyond providing connectivity, NTN is envisioned as a comprehensive framework integrating computing, edge intelligence, surveillance, security, sensing, monitoring, positioning, localization, navigation, and more. The realization of an ultra-connected, sustainable, reliable, resilient, intelligent, green, secure, and ubiquitous “network of networks” incorporating both terrestrial (6G and beyond) and non-terrestrial (space and stratospheric) components is expected to unleash humanity’s full potential across economic, social, and environmental dimensions. A key component of this vision is the emergence of low Earth orbit (LEO) mega-constellations, designed to comprise thousands of satellites, enabling global coverage and significantly reducing—if not eliminating—the digital divide. These revolutionary infrastructures have the potential to provide internet access to the most remote regions, fostering digital inclusion and socio-economic development on a global scale. Their integration with terrestrial networks is crucial to achieving seamless and universal connectivity. However, despite their promising advantages, these technologies also have challenges and potential drawbacks that must be addressed. Issues such as space debris management, spectrum congestion, latency variations, and regulatory complexities will be critically examined. The discussion will also explore the sustainability of LEO mega-constellations and the risks of dependency on private sector initiatives. This presentation will delve into the communication and networking aspects of LEO mega-constellations, their interplay with terrestrial and NTN architectures, and their deployment's advantages and disadvantages. Solutions such as distributed massive MIMO and HAPS-based cooperation will be explored as key enablers for optimizing network performance. The discussion will conclude with an analysis of open questions and future research directions, highlighting the ongoing evolution of NTN well into the beyond-6G era—exciting times indeed.