Postgraduate Students

This page provides a list of students who are studying or who have studied postgraduate degrees under my supervision. In most cases my students are jointly supervised and I think this works well for all concerned. If you are interested in finding out more about postgraduate study then please email me, or drop by my office. The first forty two visitors will win a set of steak knives.

Current Students

Lili Chen received her Bachelor of Engineering degree with distinction in Measuring & Control Technology from the University of Science and Technology in Beijing, China in 2018. She then completed her Master's degree with distinction in Electrical Engineering at the University of Melbourne in 2021. She was awarded a Melbourne Research Scholarship for her PhD and her current research is focused on the role of machine learning in wireless communications. Her supervisor introduced her to Game of Thrones during a Signals and Systems lecture (don't ask, long story) and she enjoyed it very much until the last season came out. Now she is very angry about the recommendation from her supervisor and has not spoken to him since. This makes weekly meetings rather awkward.

Achini Jayawardane received her Bachelor of Science degree in Electronic and Telecommunication Engineering from the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka in 2018. She worked for a leading telecommunication service provider in Sri Lanka for two years as a transmission planning engineer specialising in microwave backhaul network planning, before commencing a doctoral degree at the University of Melbourne in December 2020. Her current research is focused in the area of resource optimization in cell free massive MIMO using machine learning techniques. Achini's favourite fantasy series of all time is The Wheel of Time and she is very excited about the upcoming TV series adaptation (she even claims that it will be BETTER than Game of Thrones).

Tian "Ronaldo" Han received his Bachelor of Communication Engineering from Donghua University in 2018 and Master of Engineering (Electrical) from the University of Melbourne in 2020. He started his PhD at the University of Melbourne in November 2020 and his research is focused on the integration of communications and sensing. He joined a soccer team during his undergraduate days, but spent four years warming the bench. It is a great shame that the coach did not recognise his brilliance.

Lanwei Zhang received his Bachelor's degree of Science in Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering from Shanghai Jiaotong University, China in 2012, and his Master's degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Melbourne in 2020. Between them, he worked as a service engineer in the ship equipment industry for five years in Shanghai, China. He started his PhD programme at the University of Melbourne in November 2020. His current research work is focused on power allocation in wireless networks. Lanwei first met his supervisor at his lecture where only a handful of students attended. This was not because he is not popular, but that morning was too cold (at least is what he told his supervisor).

Howard Wilton received a Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Chemistry from Sydney University and Bachelor of Technology in Electrical Engineering from the National University of Singapore many years later. He worked for 25 years in a US multinational pharmaceutical company first in front line manufacturing & maintenance and latterly in leadership positions in engineering with emphasis on design and construction of production facilities. He has lived in and worked in the Americas, Europe, Asia and the sub-continent and enjoyed them all. He developed a keen interest in electrical engineering after being heavily exposed to industrial automation early in his career and is now undertaking a part-time PhD in between juggling work, family and fun. His research focuses on integration of radar and communications in an automotive context. He loves anything on the water, is currently an enthusiastic owner of an over-powered Jet Ski and likes mountain biking. Unfortunately, he has been a Hawthorn supporter since 1977, the year when the mightly North Melbourne Kangaroos won the flag.

Neil Bernardo received his Bachelor of Science degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering and Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of the Philippines Diliman in 2014 and 2016, respectively. He taught at the same university for five years prior to pursuing his doctoral studies at the University of Melbourne in September 2019. His research work is focused on low-resolution wireless communications. Neil is a huge supporter of the mighty North Melbourne Kangaroos (at least that is what his supervisor tells him).

Shalanika Dayarathna received her Bachelor of Science in Engineering from the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka in 2016. She worked for a leading Telecommunication provider in Sri Lanka for two years as a radio access network engineer, before getting an international research scholarship from the University of Melbourne to pursue her PhD in February 2018. Her current research is focused on throughput optimization in wireless networks. She is still angry at her supervisor for failing to tell her that you don't get a white Christmas in Melbourne.

Past Students

Samiru Gayan wrapped up his PhD at the University of Melbourne in 2020 on wireless communications with low-resolution quantization. He is currently a Lecturer at the University of Moratuwa in beautiful Sri Lanka. He has not yet convinced his principal supervisor that Sri Lanka is the world's best cricket team.

Trang Ngoc Cao finished her PhD at the University of Melbourne in 2020 on the marvellous topic of molecular communication. She is currently a research fellow at Monash University. In her spare time, she just loves walking in the Aussie bush.

Anand Sivamalai completed his PhD in 2019 at the University of Melbourne on Massive MIMO. He is now a Partner at Symbiotech in Melbourne. Anand grew up in Ballarat and while you can take the boy out of Ballarat ... you can't take the Ballarat out of the boy.

Bhathiya Pilanawithana completed his PhD in 2019 at the University of Melbourne on Resource Allocation in Energy Harvesting Relay Networks. He is now a Senior Lecturer at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura in Colombo, Sri Lanka but still dreams of becoming a stand-up comedian.

Amanthi Thudugalage completed her PhD in 2018 at the University of Melbourne on Beamforming for Wireless Powered Communication Networks. She is now a Network-Senior Engineer at Telstra in Melbourne. She loves her job nearly as much as she loves shoes.

Yeqing Hu completed her PhD at Monash University in 2017 on Location Dependent Interference Modelling in Cellular Networks. She now works as a Senior Research Engineer at Samsung Research in Dallas, Texas (in the same group as another past student Boon Ng!)

Dinuka Kudavithana completed his PhD at the University of Melbourne in 2015 on Energy Efficient Wireless System Design. He is now a Senior Systems Engineer at Broadcom Limited in Sydney. He was a better bowler than Murali and a better batsman than Mahela but decided to pursue his studies instead of becoming the greatest cricketer in the world.

Rajitha Senanayake completed her PhD at the University of Melbourne in 2015 on Performance Analysis of Base Station Cooperation. She now works as an Australian Research Council DECRA Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne. Rajitha makes the best Kiri Bath in the southern hemisphere.

Chamath Divarathne completed his PhD at Monash University in 2015 on chipless RFID systems. He now works as a Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne.

Meng Wang completed his Ph.D. at the University of Melbourne in 2014 on Multiuser MIMO Techniques for Cellular Systems. He now works as a Senior Data Analyst at ANZ. He also has a Grade 10 piano performance certificate from the Royal Conservatory of Music achieving First Class Honours with Distinction. His ex-supervisor is tone deaf but is a genius on the triangle.

Nikeeth Ramanathan completed a Masters degree at the University of Melbourne in 2013 in the area of multiuser MIMO systems with limited feedback. He has no idea that one of his supervisors once came 3rd in the world dishwasher stacking championships. Nikeeth is now working as a Software Engineer for the Bureau of Meteorology.

Rusdha Muharar completed his Ph.D. at the University of Melbourne in 2012 on the topic of Multiuser Precoding in Wireless Communication Systems. He is currently an academic at Syiah Kuala University in Indonesia. Rusdha loves large random matrices more than life itself. His name is an anagram of 'Hurrah as a drum'.

Tharaka Nilantha Samarasinghe completed his Ph.D. at the University of Melbourne in 2012 on Opportunistic Beamforming in Wireless Networks. He is currently working at the University of Moratuwa in Sri Lanka. Tharaka has never forgiven Darryl Hair for no-balling Murali for chucking.

Liang Chen completed his Ph.D. at the University of Melbourne in 2012 in the area of optical OFDM. He was awarded a prestigious Victoria Fellowship in 2011 based on his Ph.D. studies. He is now working for National Australia Bank. He used to be a crazy basketball player, until he realised that he was never going to make it in the NBA. He is now just crazy.

Nasreen Badruddin completed her Ph.D. at the University of Melbourne in 2010 on Optimal Power Allocation in Interference-Limited Communication Networks. She then returned to Malaysia where she is now an Associate Professor at Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS. Nasreen's world revolves mostly around food and her favourite thing in the world is durian.

Huan Deng completed his Ph.D. at the University of Melbourne in 2010 on the erasure correction capability of convolutional codes. Huan believes that Melbourne is the thirty-seventh most livable city in the world. He is now working for a telecommunications company in China.

Felix Li completed his Ph.D. at the University of Melbourne in 2010 on distributed detection and estimation in wireless sensor networks. After a stint as a research fellow at the University of Melbourne, Felix now works as a senior quantitave analyst for a bank. When he gets rich, Felix has promised to give a great deal of money to his Ph.D. supervisor.

Jian Wang completed a research Masters at the University of Melbourne in 2008. His thesis focused on adaptive resource allocation in OFDM-based cellular networks. Jian loves soccer, although he is a better fan than player. His favourite team is AC Milan because it is an anagram of "ina calm".

Alex Leong completed his Ph.D. at the University of Melbourne in 2008. His thesis looked at signal processing problems in wireless sensor networks. Alex is now working as a Research Scientist at the Defence Science and Technology Group. He believes that is is hard to be humble when you own a Border Collie.

Boon Ng completed his PhD at the University of Melbourne in 2007. His thesis title was "Cellular Networks with Cooperating Base Stations: Performance Analysis and Distributed Algorithms." Like most Malaysians, footy and cricket were a complete mystery to to him when he arrived in Australia. It took him seven years to develop an appreciation for these fine sports, a feat that is considered to be one of his greatest achievements by many of his Malaysian peers. It should come as no surprise that his favourite cricketer is David Boon. He is now Senior Research Director for Samsung Research America (Boon Ng that is, not David Boon).

Muhammad Naeem Bacha is from Rawalpindi in Pakistan, the home of the cricketer Shoaib Akhtar (who was known as the Rawalpindi Express). Naeem completed his PhD at the University of Melbourne in 2007. His work concerned the design of wireless networks where transmitters and receivers are equipped with multiple antennas. Naeem thinks that Ricky Ponting was a better batsman than Sachin Tendulkar. Naeem now works at Audinate.

Vivian Chen graduated with a PhD from the University of Melbourne in 2007. Her thesis title was "Signal Processing for Optical Performance Monitoring and Impairment Mitigation". Vivian won a 2006 Excellent Chinese Overseas Student Award however her greatest achievement was learning to say "G'day Mate" with a perfect Australian accent. Vivian does not like to eat Koalas. She is now a Professor at Fudan University.

John Papandriopoulos completed his PhD at the University of Melbourne in 2006. His thesis looked at resource optimization in multiuser communication networks. He was awarded the Chancellor's Prize for his PhD Thesis and he was also awarded a prestigious Victoria Fellowship in 2005. John's nickname is `JPap' which I reckon is derived from `Journal Papers'. John is an entrepreneur currently working on his second startup in San Francisco.

Nam Nguyen completed a Masters degree at the University of Melbourne in 2003. His thesis examined the optimization of pilot assisted modulation schemes in Rayleigh fading channels. He went on to complete his Ph.D. at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. This was rather unfortunate as Nam is allergic to corn. He now works at Halliburton and a Senior DSP Engineer.

Kegen Yu completed his PhD at the University of Sydney in 2002. His thesis focused on synchronization and channel estimation for fast-fading CDMA channels. After graduating he was a research fellow in the Centre for Wireless Communications at the University of Oulu, Finland. He is now a Professor at Wuhan University in China.

Louis Trichard completed his PhD at the University of Sydney in 2001. His thesis looked at the design and analysis of multiuser receivers for CDMA systems. After graduating, he worked for about a year as a research fellow at Yokohama National University in Japan. Louis is now a patent attorney in London.