Department of Engineering / Profiles / Dr Iman Tavakkolnia

Department of Engineering

Dr Iman Tavakkolnia

it360

Iman Tavakkolnia

Assistant Professor in Electrical Engineering

Academic Division: Electrical Engineering

Telephone: tba

Email: it360@cam.ac.uk

Publications

Research interests

I focus on Optical Wireless Communication (OWC) to enhance our understanding of the energy efficiency of existing and emerging telecommunication systems, thereby supporting global sustainable development goals. My research intersects communication theory, advanced materials, signal processing, and photonics. OWC involves the transmission of data from one or multiple optical sources (such as LEDs, lasers, etc.) to one or multiple optical receivers (such as photodetectors, solar cells, etc.). Applications of OWC span from short-range indoor scenarios to long-range intersatellite links. Therefore, research in this field requires a deep understanding of the physics of photonic devices, stochastic properties of wireless communication channels, and communication protocols. I am working on various general OWC-related subjects in collaboration with multiple partners. In particular, I aim to explore and advance the following research areas:

  • Low-complexity energy-efficient optical satellite communication
  • Simultaneous energy harvesting and optical data detection using solar cells as optical receivers
  • Energy efficiency of hybrid radio/optical wireless networks
  • Sub-centimeter indoor optical wireless positioning enabled by advanced optics design and machine learning

Research projects

  • Platform Driving the Ultimate Connectivity (TITAN), funded by EPSRC under Federated Future Communications Systems Platforms.
  • Realising Enabling Architectures and Solutions for Open Networks (REASON), funded by Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) as part of the Future Open Networks Research Challenge.
  • Future communications hub in all-spectrum connectivity (HASC), funded by EPSRC under Federated Future Communications Systems Platforms.
  • Advancing Integrated Optical Wireless and Satellite backhaul Infrastructure for Next-Gen Networks, funded by EPSRC under TITAN in collaboration with Satellite Applications Catapult.
  • Net-zero Optical wireless communication systems, internally funded by the University of Strathclyde in collaboration with Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
  • Steerable and self-powered transceivers for IoT optical wireless communication application, exchange program funded by British Council under the Hubert Curien Alliance Programme for collaboration with the Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France.

Teaching activity

3B1 – Radio Frequency Electronics (Lecturer)

1P3 - Physical Principles of Electronics and Electromagnetics (College Supervision) 

1P3 - Analysis of Circuits and Devices (College Supervision) 

Research opportunities

I am currently seeking highly qualified PhD candidates and post-doctoral researchers with relevant background to join my research group. 

Other positions

  • Fellow of Selwyn College, Cambridge
  • Editor of IEEE Transactions on Communications
  • Editor of IEEE Communication Letters
  • Academic Strategic Working Group Member of the UK Telecoms Innovation Network (UKTIN)     
  • Chair of Future Telecommunications Workshop – IEEE INFOCOM 2025
  • Chair of Workshop on Optical Wireless Communication – IEEE Globecom 2024
  • Co-chair of Workshop of Optical Wireless Communication – IEEE WCNC 2023, 2024, and 2025
  • Working group member of the European COST Action, CA19111 NEWFOCUS (2021-2024).

Biography

Iman Tavakkolnia received his BSc and MSc degrees in communication systems from University of Tehran and Sharif University of Technology. He obtained his PhD degree from the University of Edinburgh in 2018 on advanced modulation schemes for long-haul nonlinear optical fibre data links. He also received a post-graduate certificate in Academic Practice from the University Strathclyde. From 2018 to 2021, he was a Research Associate at the LiFi Research and Development Centre at the University of Edinburgh and Strathclyde. He was appointed as a Chancellor’s Fellow (Lecturer) at the University of Strathclyde in 2021, establishing himself as an academic in the field of Optical Wireless Communication. He joined the Electrical Engineering Division at the University of Cambridge as an Assistant Professor in 2024.