Keynote  Speaker 1 : Dr. Mohamed-Slim Alouini - Tapping into the full potential of the Stratosphere

Mohamed-Slim Alouini, was born in Tunis, Tunisia. He earned his Ph.D. from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in 1998 before serving as a faculty member at the University of Minnesota and later at Texas A&M University at Qatar. In 2009, he became a founding faculty member at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), where he currently is the Al-Khawarizmi Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the holder of the UNESCO Chair on Education to Connect the Unconnected. Dr. Alouini is a Fellow of the IEEE, OPTICA, and SPIE and his research interests encompass a wide array of research topics in wireless and satellite communications. He is currently particularly focusing on addressing the technical challenges associated with information and communication technologies (ICT) in underserved regions and is committed to bridging the digital divide by tackling issues related to the uneven distribution, access to, and utilization of ICT in rural, low-income, disaster-prone, and hard-to-reach areas. 

Abstract: High-Altitude Platform Stations (HAPS) are emerging as a key complement to LEO satellite mega-constellations, offering a scalable solution for global connectivity and bridging digital divides where terrestrial and satellite networks fall short. Operating from the stratosphere, HAPS leverage advanced beamforming and free-spaceoptics (FSO) to deliver high-capacity and low-latency communications across diverse geographical areas. This talk explores the technological connectivity advancements driving HAPS by highlighting how intelligent beam management and optical feeder and inter-HAPS links can democratize broadband access and provide also unique solutions for disaster recovery, paving the way for a more connected world.

Keynote  Speaker 2 : Dr. Santi P. Maity - Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface in 6G Communications: Challenges, Opportunities and Applications

Dr. Santi P. Maity joined the faculty of Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology, Shibpur, India (IIEST Shibpur) (formerly BEC(DU), BESU Shibpur) in the year 2000, where at present, he is a Professor (HAG) in Dept. of Information Technology. He  served as the Head of different of various academic units of the Institute, namely Dept. of Information Technology, Purabi Das School of Information Technology (PDSIT), School of VLSI (SVLSI) and School of Mechatronics and Robotics (SMR) and School of Advanced Materials, Green Energy and Sensor Systems (SAMGESS). He received his B.E. degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering from National Institute of Technology Durgapur and M.Tech. in Microwaves from the University of Burdwan, India in 1993 and 1997, respectively.  He received his Ph.D. degree in Engineering from IIEST Shibpur in 2008 and did Post-Doctoral work from January 2009 to July 2009 and February 2011 to July 2011 at the Laboratoire des Signaux et Systems (CNRS–Supelec–Universite Paris-Sud 11) in France. His research interests include Cognitive Radio Networks, MC-CDMA systems, Digital Image Watermarking and Secret Sharing, Compressed Sensing based Image Reconstruction and Disease Diagnosis, and Computer Aided Diagnosis (CAD) based Gradation on Diabetic Retinopathy. His current research areas also include the use of Reinforcement Learning (RL) in Spectrum Prediction, Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces (RIS) in D2D communication and optimal placement of charging stations in Electric Vehicle (EV) systems. He has published more than 325 research papers in International journals, International and National conference proceedings, and book chapters. He has guided 21 Ph. D theses so far and examined more than 70  Ph. D theses of various institutes that include foreign institutes, State universities, Central Universities, NITs, IITs and IIITs. He has delivered so far more than 80 invited, keynotes and tutorial talks in International and National conferences, seminars, workshops, symposiums and FDP program.

Abstract: Energy Efficiency (EE) and Spectrum Efficiency (SE) are two key performance metrics in the sixth generation (6G) wireless communication networks due to the ultra-massive connectivity requirements in future Internet of Things (IoT) scenarios such as smart cities, healthcare, automation in industries, environmental gas monitoring etc. Reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS)-looks promisig to offer relaible and seamless wirleless link connection  to simultaneously achieve high EE and SE in various applications on challenging wireless environment. To address spectrum scarcity, cognitive Radio (CR) and to meet energy issues, RF energy harvesting (EH) have also been integrated in RIS- CR-IoT communications in recent times. This lecture will talk about scope, challenges and opportunities in RIS-aided SE and EE communications for some IoT applications.

Keynote  Speaker 3 : Dr. Iacovos Ioannou - Brains at the Edge: A BDIx-Driven DAI Framework for Self-Organizing 5G/6G

Dr. Iacovos Ioannou is an Assistant Professor at EUC. He earned his BSc in Computer Science from the University of Cyprus in 2006 and an MSc in Information Security from the Open University of Cyprus. He received his PhD in 2021 from the University of Cyprus and is also a researcher with the CYENS Centre of Excellence in the SNS MRG. His research focuses on 5G/6G and beyond, with emphasis on D2D communication and cell-free networks, leveraging AI, ML, DAI and mini power grids.

Abstract: In this keynote, I will present a unified BDIx-driven distributed AI framework that brings autonomous, explainable intelligence to the very edge of 5G/6G networks and nano-grid energy systems. Building on our work in the ADROIT-6G project, I will demonstrate how BDIx agents—combining beliefs, desires, intentions, and explicit “why” explanations—can orchestrate device-to-device connectivity, spectrum, and power resources in real-time, under uncertain and highly dynamic conditions. By embedding these agents into edge and near-edge nodes, we move from static configurations and rigid policies to a living, adaptive control layer that can learn, reason, and justify its actions while respecting latency, reliability, and energy constraints.

The talk then extends this intelligence from communication networks into nano-grid and micro-grid energy management, treating each nano-grid as a “prosumer” agent that must balance local renewables, storage, EV charging and critical loads. I will explain how ANFIS-based plan libraries, linear programming, and swarm-based optimization (PSO) work together with BDIx to co-optimize power flows, costs, and emissions across multiple interacting nano-grids. Using results from detailed simulations and real-world use cases, I will highlight the practical benefits—reduced energy bills, more resilient grids, and greener operations—as well as the broader vision: a unified, AI-driven regional innovation ecosystem where 6G connectivity and sustainable energy infrastructures co-evolve and reinforce each other.

Keynote  Speaker 4 : Dr. SUDHAN MAJHI - AI/ML for 6G wireless Communication

SUDHAN MAJHI received an M.Tech degree from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Kharagpur, India and a Ph.D. degree from Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore. He has post-doctoral experience with the University of Michigan, Dearborn, USA, the Institute of Electronics and Telecommunications Rennes (IETR), France, and Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

Currently, he is an associate professor in Electrical Communication Engineering (ECE) at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. Before moving to IISc, he was Associate professor at IIT Patna. He is a fellow of Sir Visvesvaraya Young Faculty Research, a Fellow of IEI, and a Fellow of IETE. He has received the best academic award from National Instrument, Singapore. He has received SERB-TETRA and SERB-STAR awards in 2022 and 2023, respectively. He was an Editor of the IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology Journal, senior editor of IEEE Communications Letters. Currently, he is editor of the IEEE  Wireless Communication Letters and the IEEE Transactions on Communications. In 2024, he received Best Editor from IEEE Wireless Communication Letters. His research interest is signal processing for 6G wireless communications. He teaches a popular online course on AI/ML for wireless communication. 

Abstract: In this talk, we will explore the potential implementation of several physical layer blocks using AI/ML algorithms, including IF estimation, symbol rate estimation, channel estimation, modulation classification, early ACK/NACK activation, and AI/ML-based LDPC decoding. We will conclude with a discussion of possible future directions for AI/ML in wireless communications

Keynote  Speaker 5 : Dr. Pelin Angin Ulkuer - Cybersecurity in the Age of Generative AI

Associate Professor Pelin Angin Ulkuer graduated from Bilkent University's Computer Engineering Department in 2007, completed her doctoral studies at Purdue University in 2013, and began working as an Assistant Professor at Middle East Technical University in 2017. She currently serves as an Associate Professor in the same department. The researcher, who has published more than 80 research articles in journals and conference proceedings, teaches various graduate and doctoral courses and has supervised 12 master's and 4 doctoral dissertations. She was awarded the Turkish Academy of Sciences Outstanding Young Scientist Award (TUBA GEBIP) in 2021. Her research focuses on cyber security in cloud computing systems and software-defined networks, machine learning-based intrusion detection systems, explainable artificial intelligence-based intrusion detection algorithms, and the applications of these methods in 5G and beyond wireless networks.

Abstract: As generative AI rapidly transforms the digital landscape, it brings with it both unprecedented opportunities and formidable challenges—particularly in the realm of cybersecurity. This keynote explores how large language models, synthetic media generators, and autonomous agents are reshaping the threat landscape, enabling novel forms of cyberattacks such as hyper-personalized phishing, deepfake social engineering, and automated vulnerability discovery. At the same time, it examines how defenders can leverage the same technologies to build more resilient systems, from AI-augmented threat detection to real-time incident response and security automation.

Keynote  Speaker 6 : Dr. Xun Luo - China's remote sensing satellite constellations and their applications in biodiversity

Xun Luo is full professor at Tianjin University of Technology. He graduated from University of Electronic Science and Technology of China in 1999 and in 2002 with bachelor and masters, both in Computer Science. He graduated from University of Illinois at Chicago with Ph.D. in Computer Science in 2008. Currently he holds the appoints of HOME Project expert of China Association of Science and Technology (CAST), and co-director of China-Colombia Connected Universal Experiences Labs.

Abstract: In recent years, China has made significant progress in the field of satellite computing and is building an integrated space-based intelligent infrastructure that unifies sensing and computing in space. These advancements are first reflected in the rapid growth of the number of satellites. Secondly, multi-satellite constellations enable on-orbit edge computing, inter-satellite collaboration, and AI inference, driving satellite systems to evolve from data acquisition to intelligent processing. China possesses both land-based and sea-based launch platforms, demonstrating a steadily maturing all-domain space launch capability. Satellite intelligence has promoted technological progress in many application areas, such as ecological environment management and biodiversity conservation. In this talk some representative cases are to be introduced.