Nandagopal, Thyaga

2016 Young Alumni Achievement Award

For contributions to wireless network optimization, RFID systems, and network architectures, and for leadership in promoting wireless network research

Thyaga Nandagopal works at the National Science Foundation in the Directorate of Computer & Information Science and Engineering (CISE). He serves as a Program Director in the Computer and Network Systems Division, where he manages wireless networking and mobile computing research across eight research programs within NSF. Nandagopal is currently spearheading the $400 million NSF Advanced Wireless Initiative, as part of a White House effort in this space. As part of this effort, he manages the Platforms for Advanced Wireless Research (PAWR) program that aims to create four advanced wireless research platforms in cities across the United States over the next five years. He is an IEEE Fellow, elevated to this rank for the class of 2016.

 Prior to his service at the NSF, Nandagopal was in the Networking Research Division of Alcatel-Lucent Bell Labs. While there, his research interests spanned wireless mesh networks, RFID systems, networking in the cloud, energy efficient networks, and software defined networks. In this role, he helped pioneer the development of the first commercial carrier-grade software defined network platform (ALU 9980 AINP) between 2006 and 2008, with industry-leading features such as service-chaining, and network function virtualization. This product emerged from the cutting edge research on SDNs done in the Networking Research lab back in 2004.

He received a PhD in electrical engineering from ECE ILLINOIS in 2002. He received master’s degrees in Applied Mathematics and Computer Engineering from Illinois in 2000 and 2002 respectively. His undergraduate institution is the College of Engineering, Guindy, from where he earned a bachelor’s of engineering in electronics and communication engineering in 1997.