Penn State and IISc students earn IEEE MAPCON Best Student Paper award
Jan 27, 2026
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Ziheng Fu, a graduate student in the Department of Electrical Engineering at Penn State, and Saurav Roy, a graduate student at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), have been awarded second place in the Best Student Paper category at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Microwaves, Antennas and Propagation Conference (IEEE MAPCON).
Their paper can help make future wireless communication faster, more reliable and more energy-efficient in everyday environments such as homes, offices and public buildings, according to Fu By using intelligent surfaces and artificial intelligence to quickly adapt how signals are transmitted, devices can communicate effectively even when the surrounding environment changes, such as when people move or furniture is rearranged. This reduces delays, lowers power consumption and improves connection quality without requiring complex manual calibration, ultimately leading to smoother phone calls, more reliable Wi-Fi and better performance for next-generation wireless networks in daily life, Fu said
The award-winning work reflects a collaborative effort between Penn State and IISc, including research visits and joint projects. It was coauthored with faculty mentors Ram Narayanan, professor of electrical engineering and engineering science and mechanics in the College of Engineering at Penn State, and K.J. Vinoy of IISc. The students were formally recognized for their achievements during the conference, which took place Dec. 14-18, 2025.
IEEE MAPCON recognizes outstanding research papers in electrical engineering and related fields, promoting academic excellence and innovation among emerging scholars. They have an estimated worldwide participation of 1500+ delegates, according to their website, and sessions including industry exhibits, professional meetings, workshops and start-up initiatives. This five-day conference convenes participants leading academic institutions, startups, industries, and students.
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