Alireza Vahid, PhD

About

I received my B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from Sharif University of Technology, and my M.Sc. and Ph.D. from the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Cornell University working with Professor Salman Avestimehr. I received the 2015 Best PhD Thesis Award and the 2011 Best PhD Teaching Award from Cornell. After receiving my PhD, I worked as a postdoctoral research fellow at Duke University with Professor Robert Calderbank. I joined the University of Colorado in August 2017. My research interests include network information theory, wireless communications, coding theory, and data storage.

Curriculum Vitae
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Research

I work on a wide range of problems in information and coding theory and data communications. My research is inspired by the challenges of wireless networks beyond 5G (B5G), sequence assembly, and modern data storage technologies. Below is a list of my active projects.

Wireless Networking & Security:

Communications beyond 5G, WiFi security, spectrum coexistence, physical-layer security, localization, intelligent surfaces, movable antennas

Sequence Assembly:

New channel models for DNA storage, capacity results, computationally-efficient assembly, noisy sorting

Network Information Theory:

Non-stationary channels, imperfect feedback, capacity of heterogeneous networks, side-information vs. CSI allocation, ultra low-rate feedback

Other Domains and Interdisciplinary Work:

Codes for emerging computer memory technologies, optimization and aggregate rank recovery, cyber-security and DNS traffic obfuscation, model sensitivity in environmental engineering

Surveys & Tutorials

[S1] T. M. Hoang, A. Vahid, T. Hoang, and L. Hanzo, “Physical Layer Authentication and Security Design in the Machine Learning Era,” IEEE Communications Surveys & Tutorials, 2024.

Journal Publications

[J32] M. S. Nguyen, D. T. Do, P. T. Tin, A. Vahid, “Secure Performance Analysis of User Pairs in Active Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface-Aided IoT Systems,” IEEE Systems Journal, 2025.

[J31] A. Vahid, S. C. Lin, D. Sicker, “Capacity Gains with Dynamic Position Plan in Distributed Movable Antenna-Aided Networks,” IEEE Communications Letters, 2024.

[J30] A. Vahid, H. Sun, S. C. Lin, “Movable Antenna-Aided Broadcast Packet Erasure Channels: Capacity with Dynamic Position Plan,” IEEE Communications Letters, 2024.

[J29] A. Ravi, A. Vahid, I. Shomorony, “An Information Theory for Out-of-Order Media With Applications in DNA Data Storage,” IEEE Transactions on Molecular, Biological, and Multi-Scale Communications, 2024.

[J28] S. Nassirpour, I. Shomorony, A. Vahid, “DNA Merge-Sort: A Family of Nested Varshamov-Tenengolts Reassembly Codes for Out-of-Order Media,” IEEE Transactions on Communications, 2023.

[J27] M. S. Nguyen, D. T. Do, A. Vahid, S. Muhaidat, D. Sicker, “Enhancing NOMA Backscatter IoT Communications with RIS,” IEEE Internet of Things Journal, 2023.

[J26] S. Nassirpour, A. Vahid, D. T. Do, D. Bharadia, “Beamforming Design in Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface-Assisted IoT Networks Based on Discrete Phase Shifters and Imperfect CSI,” IEEE Internet of Things Journal, 2023.

[J25] T. M. Hoang, C. Xu, A. Vahid, T. Q. Duong, and T. Hoang, L. Hanzo, “Secrecy-Rate Optimization of Double RIS-Aided Space-Ground Networks,” IEEE Internet of Things Journal, 2023.

[J24] D. T. Do, C. B. Le, A. Vahid, S. Mumtaz, “Antenna Selection and Device Grouping for Spectrum-Efficient UAV-assisted IoT Systems,” IEEE Internet of Things Journal, 2022.

[J23] A. Niakanlahiji, S. Orlowski, A. Vahid, H. Jafarian, “Toward Practical Defense against Traffic Analysis Attacks on Encrypted DNS Traffic,” Computers & Security, 2022.

[J22] S. Nassirpour, A. Gupta, A. Vahid, D. Bharadia, “Power-Efficient Analog Front-End Interference Suppression with Binary Antennas,” IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications, 2022.

[J21] A. Ravi, A. Vahid, I. Shomorony, “Coded Shotgun Sequencing,” IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Information Theory, 2022.

[J20] M. Askarzadeh, A. Vahid, A. Goodwell, “Evaluating Ecohydrological Model Sensitivity to Forcing Variability with an Information Theory-Based Approach,” Entropy, 2022.

[J19] A. Vahid, “Topological Content Delivery with Feedback and Random Receiver Cache,” IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Information Theory, 2021.

[J18] A. Vahid, S. C. Lin, I. H. Wang, Y. C. Lai, “Content Delivery over Broadcast Erasure Channels with Distributed Random Cache,” IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Information Theory, 2021.

[J17] I. Shomorony, A. Vahid, “Torn-Paper Coding,” IEEE Transactions on Information Theory, 2021.

[J16] M. Johnny, A. Vahid, “Low-Complexity Blind Interference Suppression with Reconfigurable Antennas,” IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications, 2021.

[J15] S. C. Lin, I. H. Wang, A. Vahid, “Capacity of Broadcast Packet Erasure Channels with Single-User Delayed CSI,” IEEE Transactions on Information Theory, 2021.

[J14] A. Vahid, S. C. Lin, I. H. Wang, “Erasure Broadcast Channels with Intermittent Feedback,” IEEE Transactions on Communications, 2021.

[J13] S. Nassirpour, A. Vahid, “On the Stability Regions of Intermittent Interference Networks,” IEEE Transactions on Communications, 2021.

[J12] T. Levy, A. Vahid, R. Giryes, “Ranking Recovery from Limited Comparisons using Low-Rank Matrix Completion,” journal of Applied and Computational Harmonic Analysis, 2020.

[J11] S. Nassirpour, A. Vahid, “Embedded Codes for Reassembling Non-Overlapping Random DNA Fragments,” IEEE Transactions on Molecular, Biological, and Multi-Scale Communications, 2020.

[J10] M. Johnny, A. Vahid, “Exploiting Coherence Time Variations for Opportunistic Blind Interference Alignment,” IEEE Transactions on Communication Theory, 2020.

[J9] A. Vahid, “On the Degrees-of-Freedom of Two-Unicast Wireless Networks with Delayed CSIT,” IEEE Transactions on Information Theory, 2019.

[J8] A. Vahid and R. Calderbank, “Throughput Region of Spatially Correlated Interference Packet Networks,” IEEE Transactions on Information Theory, 2019.

[J7] G. Mappouras, A. Vahid, R. Calderbank, D. Sorin, “Extending Flash Lifetime in Embedded Processors by Expanding Analog Choice,” IEEE Transactions on Computer-Aided Design Integrated Circuits and Systems, 2018.

[J6] A. Vahid, V. Aggarwal, S. Avestimehr, A. Sabharwal, “Interference Management with Mismatched Partial Channel State Information,” EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking, 2017.

[J5] A. Vahid, M. A. Maddah-Ali, S. Avestimehr “Binary Fading Interference Channel with No CSIT,” IEEE Transactions on Information Theory, vol. 63, no. 6, pp. 3565-3578, 2017.

[J4] A. Vahid and R. Calderbank, “Two-User Fading Interference Channel with Local Delayed CSIT,” IEEE Transactions on Information Theory, vol. 62, no. 9, pp. 4910-4923, 2016.

[J3] A. Vahid, M. A. Maddah-Ali, S. Avestimehr “Approximate Capacity Region of the MISO Broadcast Channels with Delayed CSIT,” IEEE Transactions on Communications, vol. 64, no. 7, pp. 2913-2924, 2016.

[J2] A. Vahid, M. A. Maddah-Ali, S. Avestimehr “Capacity Results for Binary Fading Interference Channels With Delayed CSIT,” IEEE Transactions on Information Theory, vol. 60, no. 10, pp. 6093-6130, 2014.

[J1] A. Vahid, C. Suh, S. Avestimehr “Interference Channels with Rate-Limited Feedback,” IEEE Transactions on Information Theory, vol. 58, no. 5, pp. 2788-2812, 2012.

Conference Publications

[C33] A. Vahid, S. C. Lin, “On the Capacity of Multi-Modal Broadcast Erasure Channels with Predictable Statistical Variations,” IEEE International Symposium on Information Theory (ISIT), 2024.

[C32] S. Nassirpour, N. Kusashima, J. Flordelis, A. Vahid, “Mix-and-Conquer: Beamforming Design with Interconnected RIS for Multi-User Networks,” IEEE International Conference on Communications (ICC), 2024.

[C31] T. M. Hoang, A. Vahid, D. Sicker, A. Sabharwal, “Physical-Layer Spoofing in WiFi 6 to Steer the Beam Toward the Attacker,” IEEE International Conference on Communications (ICC), 2024.

[C30] A. Gupta, S. Nassirpour, M, Dunna, E. Patamasing, A. Vahid, D. Bharadia, “GreenMO: Flexible and Virtualized Green Communications Architecture,” 29th Annual International Conference on Mobile Computing and Networking (MobiCom), 2023.

[C29] Y. C. Chu, A. Vahid, S. K. Chung, S. C. Lin, “Broadcast Packet Erasure Channels with Alternating Single-User Feedback,” IEEE International Symposium on Information Theory (ISIT), 2023.

[C28] A. Narayan Ravi, A. Vahid, I. Shomorony, “Capacity of the Shotgun Sequencing Channel,” IEEE International Symposium on Information Theory (ISIT), 2022.

[C27] M. Abolfathi, I. Shomorony, A. Vahid, H. Jafarian, “A Game-Theoretically Optimal Defense Paradigm against Traffic Analysis Attacks using Multi-path Routing and Deception,” 27th ACM Symposium on Access Control Models and Technologies (SACMAT), 2022.

[C26] A. Vahid, “Harnessing Random Receiver Cache in Erasure Interference Channels with Feedback,” IEEE Global Communications Conference (GLOBECOM), 2021.

[C25] A. Vahid, “Distortion-Based Outer-Bounds for Channels with Rate-Limited Feedback,” International Symposium on Information Theory (ISIT), 2021.

[C24] A. Narayan Ravi, A. Vahid, I. Shomorony, “Capacity of the Torn Paper Channel with Lost Pieces,” International Symposium on Information Theory (ISIT), 2021.

[C23] I. Shomorony, A. Vahid, “Communicating over the Torn-Paper Channel,” IEEE Global Communications Conference (GLOBECOM), 2020.

[C22] S. C. Lin, I. H. Wang, A. Vahid, “Capacity of Erasure Broadcast Channels with Single-User Delayed CSI and Common Messages,” IEEE Global Communications Conference (GLOBECOM), 2020.

[C21] M. Johnny, A. Vahid, “Embedding Information in Radiation Pattern Fluctuations,” Proceedings of International Symposium on Information Theory (ISIT), 2020.

[C20] S. Nassirpour, A. Vahid, “Throughput, Delay, and Complexity Tradeoffs in Interference Channels,” 10th IEEE Annual Computing and Communication Workshop and Conference (CCWC), 2020. Winner Best Paper Award.

[C19] A. Vahid, I. H. Wang, S. C. Lin, “Capacity results for erasure broadcast channels with intermittent feedback,” IEEE Information Theory Workshop (ITW), 2019.

[C18] Mappouras, A. Vahid, R. Calderbank, D. Sorin, “GreenFlag: Protecting 3D-Racetrack Memory from Shift Errors,” 49th Annual IEEE/IFIP International Conference on Dependable Systems and Networks (DSN). Runner-up Best Paper Award.

[C17] S. C. Lin, I. H. Wang, A. Vahid, “No Feedback, No Problem: Capacity of Erasure Broadcast Channels with Single-User Delayed CSI,” International Symposium on Information Theory (ISIT), 2019.

[C16] A. Vahid, “Finite Field X-Channels with Delayed CSIT and Common Messages,” International Symposium on Information Theory (ISIT), 2018.

[C15] A. Vahid, R. Calderbank, “ARQ for Interference Packet Networks,” International Symposium on Information Theory (ISIT), 2018.

[C14] G. Mappouras, A. Vahid, R. Calderbank, D. Sorin, “Jenga: Efficient Fault Tolerance for Stacked DRAM,” proceedings of IEEE International Conference on Computer Design (ICCD), 2017.

[C13] A. Vahid, R. Calderbank, “When does spatial correlation add value to delayed channel state information?,” proceedings of International Symposium on Information Theory (ISIT), 2016.

[C12] G. Mappouras, A. Vahid, R. Calderbank, D. Sorin, “Methuselah Flash: Rewriting Codes for Extra-Long Storage Lifetime,” proceedings of the 46th Annual IEEE/IFIP International Conference on Dependable Systems and Networks (DSN 2016).

[C11] A. Eslami, A. Velasco, A. Vahid, G. Mappouras, R. Calderbank, D. Sorin, “Writing without Disturb on Phase Change Memories by Integrating Coding and Layout Design,” proceedings Memory Systems, 2015.

[C10] A. Vahid, I. Shomorony, R. Calderbank, “Informational Bottlenecks in Two-Unicast Wireless Networks with Delayed CSIT,” proceedings Allerton Conference, 2015.

[C9] A. Vahid and R. Calderbank, “Impact of local delayed CSIT on the capacity region of the two-user interference channel,” proceedings IEEE International Symposium on Information Theory, 2015.

[C8] A. Vahid, G. Mappouras, A. Velasco, R. Calderbank, D. Sorin, “Virtual Cells and Concatenated Codes for Flash Memory,” Fifth Non-Volatile Memories Workshop (NVMW), 2015.

[C7] A. Vahid, M. Ali Maddah-Ali, S. Avestimehr, “Binary Fading Interference Channel with No CSIT,” proceedings IEEE International Symposium on Information Theory, 2014.

[C6] A. Vahid, M. Ali Maddah-Ali, S. Avestimehr, “Communication Through Collisions: Opportunistic Utilization of Past Receptions,” proceedings IEEE Infocom, 2014.

[C5] A. Vahid, M. Ali Maddah-Ali, S. Avestimehr, “Approximate Capacity of the Two-User MISO Broadcast Channel with Delayed CSIT,” proceedings Allerton Conference, 2013.

[C4] A. Vahid, M. Ali Maddah-Ali, S. Avestimehr, “Binary Fading Interference Channel with Delayed Feedback,” proceedings IEEE International Symposium on Information Theory, 2012.

[C3] A. Vahid, M. Ali Maddah-Ali, S. Avestimehr, “Interference Channel with Binary Fading: Effect of Delayed Network State Information,” proceedings Allerton Conference, 2011.

[C2] A. Vahid, V. Aggarwal, S. Avestimehr, A. Sabharwal, “On the Capacity of Multi-hop Wireless Networks with Partial Network Knowledge,” proceedings Allerton Conference, 2010.

[C1] A. Vahid and S. Avestimehr, “The Two-User Deterministic Interference Channel with Rate-Limited Feedback,” proceedings IEEE International Symposium on Information Theory, 2010.

PhD Thesis

A. Vahid, “The Impact of Imperfect Feedback on the Capacity of Wireless Networks.”

Awards

Gleason Endowed Professorship, RIT, 2023.
SONY Faculty Innovation Award, 2022.
Dean's Faculty Fellow, CU Denver, 2022.
Best Paper Award at IEEE CCWC with my PhD student, 2020.
Lab Venture Challenge Award, 2019.
New Faculty Research Award, CU Denver, 2019.
Creative Research Collaborative (CRC) Fellowship, CU Denver, 2018.
Best PhD Thesis Award, Cornell University, 2015.
Qualcomm Innovation Award Winner (Innovation Title: Collaborative Interference Management), 2013.
Director's PhD Teaching Assistant Award, Cornell University, 2011.
Jacobs Scholar Fellowship, School of ECE, Cornell University, 2009.
Ranked 2nd among over 360,000 participants in Iranian National University Entrance Exam, 2004.
Silver medal, Iranian National Physics Olympiad, 2003.

Funding

SONY 2022 (total project budget: $100k, role: PI). Topic: Beyond beamforming in wireless communications.
NSF AST 2022 (total project budget: $1.5m, role: PI). Topic: Spectrum sensing and coexistence.
NSF CNS 2022 (total project budget: $1.1m, role: PI). Topic: Computational Antennas.
NSF CNS 2021 (total project budget: $500k, role: PI). Topic: Smart surfaces.
NSF ECCS 2020 (total project budget: $500k, role: PI). Topic: Cross-layer interference management.
Lab Venture Partners 2019 (total project budget: $125k, role: PI). Topic: Theia the antenna.
State of Colorado 2019 (total project budget: $90k, role: PI). Topic: Opportunistic communications in dynamic systems.
Qualcomm Inc. (total project budget: $100k, role: PI). Topic: Collaborative interference management.

Team

Vahid team at CU Denver, Summer 2022.

Postdoc(s):

Tiep M. Hoang, PhD

PhD student(s):

Jafar Norolahi (RIT)
Sid Dongre (RIT), co-advised with Prof. Rahbari

Undergraduate(s):

Timothy McCaffrey (supported by NSF REU, completed work in fall'21)

High-school teacher:

Michael Huntington, PhD (supported by NSF RET)

High-school student intern(s):

Judith Pacheco-Delgado

Former member(s):

Masoumeh Abolfathi, PhD (former PhD student at CU Denver co-advised with Prof. Jafarian): Quantitative Analyst, Cybersecurity Data Science at Charles Schwab.
Sajjad Nassirpour, PhD (former PhD student at CU Denver): Postdoc at San Diego State University
Dinh-Thuan Do, PhD (former postdoc): Tenure-track assistant prof. at the University of Mount Union

Available positions:

There are multiple PhD and postdoc positions available in my group at RIT. Candidates are encouraged to submit their resume to me directly.

I am also interested in working with graduate and undergraduate students as well as high-school teachers in Rochester area for paid short-term or summer projects.

Service

2021: Technical Program Chair (TPC) at IEEE International Symposium on Information Theory (ISIT).
2021: Technical Program Chair (TPC) at Non-Volatile Memories Workshop (NVMW).
2020: Chair of the student travel award at IEEE International Symposium on Information Theory (ISIT).
2020: Reviewer for Creative Research Collaborative (CRC) award at CU Denver.
2020: Committee member to revamp the Electrical Engineering undergraduate curriculum at CU Denver.

Contact

Email:
arveme@rit.edu
The best way to reach me is via email. Please use your official email address.

Teaching

Rochester Institute of Technology:

Data Inference Theory and Applications (EEEE789) — Spring'24

University of Colorado Denver:

Digital Communications (ELEC 4248/5248) — Spring'18, 19, 20
Random Processes for Engineers (ELEC 5617) — Fall'18, 19, 20, 21, 22
Digital Signal Processing (ELEC 4637/5637) — Spring'21
Engineering Probability and Statistics (ELEC 3817) — Spring'19
Information Theory (ELEC 5250) — Fall'17, 19

Duke University:

Big data analytics mentor for Data+ program.

Cornell University:

Teaching assistant for Random Signals in Communication. Winner of the Director's PhD Best Teaching Award.

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