We are thrilled to announce that Syed Imran Haider, a PhD candidate at the Electromagnetic Scattering Laboratory (EMSL), has received the Best Student Paper Award at the 2025 International Applied Computational Electromagnetics Society Symposium (ACES-China 2025). The award was presented during the Banquet-Award Ceremony on August 10, 2025, in Huangshan, China.
About the Award-Winning Work
Imran's paper, titled "EM Information Analysis for Joint Communication and Environmental Sensing in Scattering-Intensive Wireless Systems" presents innovative research that overcomes a key limitation in classical Shannon theory by quantifying electromagnetic information parameters in complex scattering environments for integrated sensing and communication (ISAC).
Moving beyond classical additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) models, this research establishes that dynamic scatterer-induced uncertainty (not receiver noise) constrains EM information transfer. The framework models non-stationary scattering with randomized scatterer positions, eliminating reliance on ideal channel coherence and channel state tracking.
The research derives mutual information metrics through non-parametric conditional probability distributions that jointly quantify:
- Source-to-receiver communication performance
- Environment sensing capability (via scatterer density estimation)
The framework models dynamic scattering environments as ensembles of randomly distributed spherical dielectric scatterers positioned between static dipoles. Using Monte Carlo electromagnetic simulations, the research rigorously computes scatterer contributions to received fields via Foldy-Lax multiple scattering theory, capturing environment-induced uncertainty beyond conventional AWGN and static-channel assumptions.
Technical Approach
The proposed single-input single-output (SISO) system comprises transmitting and receiving dipole antennas separated by 30 wavelengths. The scattering environment contains multiple spherical scatterers with randomized positions within a defined volume. Source symbols are encoded using M-level amplitude shift keying (M-ASK), and conditional probabilities are estimated non-parametrically from simulated electric field data using multivariate kernel density estimation (KDE).
This approach eliminates the need for Gaussian assumptions about noise distribution and channel stationarity, which are limitations of classical Shannon theory in practical scattering-intensive environments.
Impact and Significance
This research has significant implications for the future of wireless communication systems, particularly as we move toward 6G technologies that will require more sophisticated approaches to spectrum management and environmental interaction.
By enabling joint communication and sensing capabilities, Imran's work paves the way for:
- More efficient use of limited spectrum resources
- Enhanced environmental monitoring through communication infrastructure
- Improved reliability of wireless systems in challenging environments
- New applications in smart cities, autonomous vehicles, and precision agriculture
- Environment-aware communication systems that adapt to scattering conditions
About ACES-China 2025
The 2025 International Applied Computational Electromagnetics Society Symposium (ACES-China 2025) was held from August 8-11, 2025, in Huangshan City, China. This prestigious conference brings together experts in electromagnetic scattering and propagation, RF device integration, electromagnetic compatibility, complex electrostatic effects, and electromagnetic protections.
ACES-China is the continuation of a series of annual conferences previously held in in Suzhou (2017), Beijing (2018), Nanjing (2019), Chengdu (2021), Xuzhou (2022), Hangzhou (2023) and Xi'an (2024). The conference featured an international advisory committee with leading experts from around the world and provided an ideal forum for sharing new ideas on progress in modeling and simulation of challenging electromagnetic problems for engineering applications.
The Best Student Paper Award is a prestigious recognition given to exceptional student research presented at the conference, evaluated based on originality, significance, and presentation quality.
