Elza Erkip named recipient of the 2026 Aaron D. Wyner Distinguished Service Award

The IEEE Information Theory Society is pleased to announce that Elza Erkip has been selected as the recipient of the 2026 Aaron D. Wyner Distinguished Service Award. The announcement was made during the ISIT 2026 Award Ceremony.

The Aaron D. Wyner Distinguished Service Award has been instituted to honor an individual who has shown outstanding leadership in, and provided long-standing, exceptional service to, the Information Theory community.

Elza Erkip is an Institute Professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at New York University Tandon School of Engineering. She received the B.S. degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey, and the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA. Her research interests are in information theory, communication theory, and wireless communications.

Dr. Erkip is a member of the Science Academy of Turkey and is a Fellow of the IEEE. She received the NSF CAREER award in 2001, the IEEE Communications Society WICE Outstanding Achievement Award in 2016, the IEEE Communications Society Communication Theory Technical Committee (CTTC) Technical Achievement Award in 2018, and the IEEE Communications Society Edwin Howard Armstrong Achievement Award in 2021. She was the Padovani Lecturer of the IEEE Information Theory Society in 2022. Her paper awards include the IEEE Communications Society Stephen O. Rice Paper Prize in 2004, the IEEE Communications Society Award for Advances in Communication in 2013 and the IEEE Communications Society Best Tutorial Paper Award in 2019. She was a member of the Board of Governors of the IEEE Information Theory Society 2012-2020, where she was the President in 2018. She was a Distinguished Lecturer of the IEEE Information Theory Society from 2013 to 2014. She is currently the Editor-in-Chief of IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Information Theory and the Chair of IEEE Communications Society Communication Theory Technical Committee.

Dr. Erkip has had many past editorial and conference organization responsibilities. Some recent ones include IEEE Communication Theory Workshop Technical Chair in 2024; IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Information Theory Guest Editor in 2021, 2022 (lead) and 2023; IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Communications Guest Editor in 2023; IEEE International Conference on Communications, Communications Theory Symposium Technical Co-Chair in 2021; IEEE Wireless Communications and Networking Conference Technical Co-Chair in 2017; and IEEE International Symposium of Information Theory General Co-Chair in 2013.

Learning Task-Oriented Compression for Wireless Networking Featured in IEEE ICC 2026 Keynote

Professor Elza Erkip, co-PI of the NYUAD Wireless Center, delivered a keynote at the IEEE International Conference on Communications (ICC) held in Glasgow, Scotland, on May 26, 2026. Her keynote, “Learning Task-Oriented Compression for Wireless Networking,” examined emerging approaches for compressing wireless signals to support fast, efficient, and reliable communication in next-generation wireless networks. ICC is one of the two flagship conferences of the IEEE Communications Society, together with GLOBECOM. Spanning five days, this highly anticipated annual event attracts around 3,000 attendees from around the world.

NYUAD Wireless Center Director Selected as IEEE ComSoc Distinguished Lecturer

The NYUAD Wireless Center is pleased to announce that its Director, Prof. Murat Uysal, has been selected as a Distinguished Lecturer by the IEEE Communications Society (ComSoc). The Distinguished Lecturer Program is a prestigious initiative that connects ComSoc chapters worldwide with leading experts to share cutting-edge research and insights on emerging trends shaping the future of communications.

As part of this appointment, Prof. Uysal will participate in the Distinguished Lecturer tours over the next two years, delivering invited talks to ComSoc chapters across the globe. His lectures will highlight recent advances and future directions in next-generation wireless technologies

Prof. Nadeem, Co-PI of the NYUAD Wireless Center, Receives IEEE ComSoc EMEA Award

Prof. Dr. Qurrat-Ul-Ain Nadeem, co-PI of the NYUAD Wireless Center has received the 2025 IEEE Communications Society Distinguished Service/Research in Developing Areas Award for the Europe, Middle-East, and Africa (EMEA) region. This award recognizes her outstanding research contributions and professional leadership in advancing wireless communications across emerging and developing regions. It highlights her impact on next-generation wireless systems and her active service within the global IEEE community.

NYUAD Wireless Center Joins the 6G National Initiative

Prof. Marwa Chafii, Co-PI of the NYUAD Wireless Center and Prof. Murat Uysal, Director and PI of the Center have been invited to represent the Center in the TDRA-led 6G National Initiative, marking a significant step in its integration into the UAE’s national wireless R&D ecosystem.

Launched by the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA), the initiative brings together key stakeholders from government, industry, and academia to shape the UAE’s long-term 6G strategy. The NYUAD Wireless Center actively participates in both the Research and Development (R&D) Working Group and the Integration and Strategic Partnerships Working Group, with Prof. Marwa Chafii also leading Track 2 – Sensing and Communications within the R&D Working Group.

The Center’s involvement reflects its recognition as a key stakeholder in the national wireless R&D ecosystem, as well as its growing role and unique expertise in experimental wireless system. 

NYUAD Wireless Center and e& UAE Unveil Vision for 6G in Joint White Paper

Prof. Murat Uysal, Director of the NYUAD Wireless Center, led a collaborative effort with e& UAE to co-author the joint white paper “Building the Fabric of 6G: Spectrum Frontiers and Enabling Technologies.” 

The white paper outlines the strategic importance of spectrum evolution—from sub-7 GHz to terahertz (THz) bands—and emphasizes the need for integrated use of spectrum across all domains to realize future 6G networks. It further highlights key enabling technologies, including AI-native networks, reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS), and integrated sensing and communication (ISAC).

The report also provides strong validation, from the UAE’s leading telecommunications operator, of the omni-band communication paradigm, which serves as a cornerstone of the NYUAD Wireless Center’s research agenda.

NYUAD Wireless Makes History: The First 6G Terahertz Trial in the Middle East

In a landmark achievement for regional and global connectivity, NYUAD Wireless Center and e& UAE and have jointly demonstrated the first 6G THz pilot in the Middle East. The demonstration was made at GITEX Global held in Dubai during October 13-17, 2026.

Prof. Murat Uysal, Director of the NYUAD Wireless Center, led the research team behind this breakthrough for the development of a THz testbed operating at a carrier frequency of 288 GHz. The system utilized 64 QAM modulation, and advanced signal processing techniques to enable data rates of up to 145 Gbps. The demonstration highlights the ultra-high data rate potential of THz bands to enable transformative 6G applications — from holographic telepresence and extended reality (XR) to terabit-class backhaul and digital twins.