Halim Yanıkömeroğlu

سيرة

Halim Yanikomeroglu received the BSc degree in electrical and electronics engineering from the Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkiye, in 1990, and the MASc degree in electrical engineering (now ECE) and the PhD degree in electrical and computer engineering from the University of Toronto, Canada, in 1992 and 1998, respectively. Since 1998 he has been with the Department of Systems and Computer Engineering at Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada, where he is now a Chancellor's Professor; he is also the Director of the Carleton U Non-Terrestrial Networks (Carleton-NTN) Lab. Dr. Yanikomeroglu has made significant contributions to wireless communications and networks. He is one of the few academics in the world recognized for substantial and impactful contributions in all three layers of NTN: aerial (UAVs), near-space (high altitude platform stations, HAPS), and space (satellites) networks. He has been among the champions of the UAV base station concept. He coauthored the highest number of papers in literature in HAPS networks. Dr. Yanikomeroglu has led several large-scale and high-profile collaborative research projects with industry (Canadian and industrial), the Government of Canada agencies, as well as the academic institutions and research centres around the world. His extensive collaboration with industry has resulted in 43 granted patents (several of his IP have been successfully commercialized). Dr. Yanikomeroglu has supervised or hosted at Carleton 185 postgraduate researchers (PhD and MASc students, PDFs, and professors). Several of his PhD students received awards and medals; a high number of his former team members have become professors in Canada, US, UK, and around the world. He has coauthored ~775 papers including 380+ in 33 different IEEE journals demonstrating the breadth of his work; these publications received 35,000 citations (h-index: 84). He gives around 25-30 keynotes, invited talks, distinguished lectures, colloquia, tutorials, and panel talks every year. Dr. Yanikomeroglu is a Fellow of IEEE, Engineering Institute of Canada (EIC), Canadian Academy of Engineering (CAE), Wireless World Research Forum, International Academy of Artificial Intelligence Sciences (AAIS), and an Expert Panelist for the Council of Canadian Academies (CCA). He is a Distinguished Speaker for both IEEE Communications Society and Vehicular Technology Society. He is currently serving in a number of influential councils in IEEE Communications Society, including Governance Council, Conference Council, and GLOBECOM/ICC Management & Strategy Standing Committee. He is the Chair of the Steering Committee of IEEE's flagship wireless conference Wireless Communications & Networking Conference (WCNC). He served as the TP Co-Chair of WCNCs in 2004, 2008, and 2014. He is a member of the Steering Committees of a number of other leading conferences including IEEE PIMRC, IEEE FNWF, and ICTC. He was the General Chair of two IEEE Vehicular Technology Conferences held in Ottawa (2010) and Toronto (2017). He served on the editorial boards of some of the world's most authoritative and high impact IEEE journals. He was the Chair of IEEE's influential Technical Committee on Personal Communications (1,500+ members). Dr. Yanikomeroglu was awarded the Canadian Academy of Engineering (CAE) President's Award in 2026, IEEE Canada R.A. Fessenden Award and Silver Medal in 2026, IEEE Ottawa Section Outstanding Engineer Award in 2025, inaugural Carleton U Intellectual Property Impact Award in 2025, IEEE ComSoc Harold Sobol Award for Exemplary Service to Meetings & Conferences in 2024, IEEE ComSoc SatCom Technical Recognition Award in 2023, IEEE ComSoc Fred Ellersick Prize in 2021, IEEE Vehicular Technology Society Stuart Meyer Memorial Award in 2020, and IEEE ComSoc Wireless Communications Technical Committee Recognition Award in 2018. He was also a recipient of IEEE Ottawa Outstanding Service Award in 2018, IEEE Ottawa Outstanding Educator Award in 2014, Carleton U Faculty Graduate Mentoring Award in 2010, Carleton U Graduate Students' Association Excellence Award in Graduate Teaching in 2010, and Carleton U Research Achievement Awards in 2009 and 2018. Dr. Yanikomeroglu and his students received the Grand Prize at IEEE Competition on NTN for B5G and 6G in 2022, and the best paper awards at IEEE ICC in 2021 and IEEE WISEE in 2021 and 2022. He is a registered Professional Engineer in Ontario. He is member of WWRF (Wireless World Research Forum), HAPS Alliance, and Optica.