NYU WIRELESS names a new director to help lead next generation wireless research
Sundeep Rangan takes the helm of NYU Tandon's flagship wireless center that counts industry members as affiliates.
Building on its legacy in ultra-fast wireless technology research and advanced communications development, NYU Tandon School of Engineering has named Sundeep Rangan as the new Director of NYU WIRELESS, one of the School's flagship research centers focused on next-generation wireless communications, quantum technology, robotics, and health systems.
Rangan, a Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and IEEE Fellow, has served as NYU WIRELESS' Associate Director since its founding. He succeeds Thomas Marzetta, who held the Director position since 2019.
Since Theodore (Ted) Rappaport founded NYU WIRELESS in 2012, the center has delivered a string of research successes that includes proving that millimeter wave frequencies could enable mobile communications in dense urban environments (paving the way for 5G technology), developing the widely-used NYUSIM channel simulator software downloaded over 100,000 times globally, and introducing wearable navigation systems using vibration and sound feedback to help people with blindness or low vision navigate complex environments.
The center's work has also influenced the Federal Communications Commission's 2016 Spectrum Frontiers Proposal and helped establish technical standards now used worldwide for 5G networks.
Rangan is adding to that track record by leading an academic and industry team that secured nearly $10 million in federal funding for SALSA (Spectrally Agile Large-Scale Arrays), a project focused on the "upper mid-band" spectrum crucial for 6G wireless communications. The grant represents one of the largest federal commitments to Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN) development — technology that allows wireless equipment from different manufacturers to work together seamlessly — and is among the biggest federal awards Tandon has received.
"Sundeep's vision and proven track record make him the ideal leader to guide NYU WIRELESS into its next chapter," said Juan de Pablo, NYU's Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Executive Vice President for Global Science & Technology and Executive Dean of NYU Tandon. "His leadership of the SALSA project exemplifies the kind of industry-academia collaboration that NYU WIRELESS embodies, bringing together diverse partners from both sectors to secure transformative funding and advance innovative communications technology."
"Sundeep has been instrumental in shaping our direction and building the partnerships that make our work possible," said Rappaport, one of the world's leading figures in wireless communications who has founded three major academic centers in his career. "His deep understanding of both the technical challenges and the industry landscape makes him uniquely qualified to lead us into the 6G era. Under his leadership, I'm confident NYU WIRELESS will continue to be a vanguard in advancing communications technology while educating the next generation of researchers who will shape the future of the field."
Rangan's appointment marks a pivotal moment for NYU WIRELESS where the industry is seeing explosive growth in so-called satellite mega-constellations such as Starlink, as well as expanding use of wireless in healthcare and autonomous systems. Security of communications infrastructure has also emerged as a critical priority.
"Following in the footsteps of wireless legends like Ted and Tom, NYU WIRELESS will continue pushing the boundaries of wireless communications," said Rangan, who joined NYU Tandon in 2010. "Our industry partnerships have become a national model, and we're positioned to lead the transition from 5G to 6G. By leveraging Tandon's expertise in circuits, cybersecurity, and robotics, coupled with NYU's quantum and healthcare capabilities, I'm confident NYU WIRELESS will drive New York's economy and establish us as a global leader."
NYU WIRELESS engages over 100 faculty and students across multiple NYU schools and is supported by 11 industrial affiliates, including Nokia, Apple and Samsung. The center co-organizes the annual Brooklyn 6G Summit with Nokia, bringing hundreds of top global figures from business, government, and academia to Tandon's downtown Brooklyn campus.
