The Grainger College of Engineering
Electrical & Computer Engineering

Panganamala R Kumar

Panganamala R Kumar
Panganamala R Kumar

Administrative Titles

Franklin W. Woeltge Professor Emeritus

Education

  • D.Sc., Systems Science and Mathematics, Washington University, St. Louis 1977

Research Statement

Broadly, my interests cover the field of systems modeling, design and analysis. My current research interests are in networked embedded control systems, sensor networks, wireless networks, semiconductor wafer fab operations, learning, and financial economics. In the past I have worked on problems such as adaptive systems for identification, filtering and control, communication networks, manufacturing systems, scheduling, queuing networks, simulated annealing, neural networks, machine learning, game theory, solar car racing, dynamic game theory, etc.

Research Interests

  • Wireless Networks, Sensor Networks, Convergence of Control, Communication and Computation, Semiconductor Manufacturing, Manufacturing Systems, Machine Learning, Adaptive Systems, Control, Stochastic Systems, Information Theory, Middleware, Protocol design, Implementation, Software architecture, Control Theory, Optimization.

Research Areas

  • Adaptive control and identification
  • Communication networks
  • Control
  • Decentralized and distributed control
  • Discrete-event, switched and hybrid systems
  • Dynamic games and decision theory
  • Information theory
  • Multi-agent systems and robot control
  • Networked control systems
  • Reliable and robust control
  • Stochastic systems and control
  • Wireless communication systems

Honors

  • Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award, Washington University in St. Louis, MO. (2010)
  • Guest Chair Professor and Leader of Guest Chair Professor Group on Wireless Communication and Networking, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China. (2009-2012)
  • Tau Beta Pi, Daniel C. Drucker Eminent Faculty Award, College of Engineering, University of Illinois (2009 )
  • Doctor Honoris Causa, Eidgenossische Technische Hochschule (ETH), Zurich, November 22, 2008. (2008)
  • IEEE Comunications Society Fred W. Ellersick Prize. (2007)
  • Member of National Academy of Engineering, USA. (2007)
  • IEEE Field Award: Control Systems. (2006)
  • Engineering Council Award for Excellence in Advising, 2004. (2004)
  • Fellow of the Jawaharial Nehru Institute of Advanced Research, December 27, 1990-January 11, 1991. (1990-91)
  • Fellow, IEEE, 1988. (1988)
  • Donald P. Eckman Award (1985)

Teaching Honors

  • Listed on the ''Incomplete List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent by Their Students,'' Spring 2007
  • Listed on the ''Incomplete List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent by Their Students,'' Fall 2006
  • Listed on the ''Incomplete List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent by Their Students,'' Spring 2004
  • Listed on the ''Incomplete List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent by Their Students,'' Fall 2003
  • Listed on the ''Incomplete List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent by Their Students,'' Spring 2003
  • Listed on the ''Incomplete List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent by Their Students,'' Fall 2002
  • Listed on the ''Incomplete List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent by Their Students," Spring 2001
  • Listed on the ''Incomplete List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent by Their Students," Fall 2000
  • Listed on the ''Incomplete List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent by Their Students," Spring 1999
  • Listed on the ''Incomplete List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent by Their Students," Fall 1998
  • Listed on the ''Incomplete List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent by Their Students," Fall 1997
  • Listed on the ''Incomplete List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent by Their Students," Fall 1996
  • Listed on the ''Incomplete List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent by Their Students," Spring 1996
  • Listed on the ''Incomplete List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent by Their Students," Fall 1994
  • Listed on the ''Incomplete List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent by Their Students," Spring 1994
  • Listed on the ''Incomplete List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent by Their Students," Fall 1992
  • Listed on the ''Incomplete List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent by Their Students," Fall 1991

Research Honors

  • Developed a new Lab: "IT Convergence Lab." This covers the convergence of communication, control, and computing. It features a fully automated transportation system. The lab also features a testbed of 30 laptops with wireless PCMCIA cards for protocol development and testing of ad hoc wireless networks.
  • Scheduling policy developed by me is running IBM's Wafer Fab at Burlington, VT since Dec. 2005. (2005)
  • Developed a new scheduling policy for semiconductor manufacturing plants. Patent Received in 1998. (1998)