Hany Elgala

Acting Director, AI & Society College, Associate Professor
College of Nanotechnology, Science, and Engineering
Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering
Hany Elgala

Contact

CNSE Downtown 301C
518-442-2585
[email protected]
Education

Senior Post-Doctoral Associate, Boston University, 2014

Post-Doctoral Associate, Constructor University, Germany, 2012

PhD, Optical Communications and Networks, Constructor University, Germany, 2010

MS, Microsystems Engineering, Furtwangen University, Germany, 2003

BS, Electronics & Communications, Ain-Shams University, Egypt, 2000

About

Professor Elgala is an Associate Professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department and the Acting Director of the AI & Society College. He is the director of the Signals and Networks Lab, commonly referred to as the SINE Lab.

Before his tenure at the University at Albany, Dr. Elgala was a Research Professor at Boston University, where he co-led the Multimedia Communications Lab (MCL). He also acted as the communications testbed leader at the National Science Foundation (NSF) funded Light Enabled Systems & Applications (LESA) Engineering Research Center (ERC). 

In his role as the co-leader of the Cellular and Wireless Communications (CWC) Lab at the Constructor University in Germany, he coordinated two significant industrial projects with Airbus Germany and the European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company (EADS), focusing on the development of high-speed optical wireless networks for aircraft cabins.

With over 20 years of research in communications and networks, he has authored or co-authored more than 130 publications, which include patents and book chapters. He is the Editor-in-Chief for the Scifiniti Comm&Optics Connect Journal and has contributed as an editor for several journals, including the IEEE Transactions on Communications (TCOM), IEEE Transactions on Cognitive Communications and Networking, IEEE Access and Frontiers.

Professor Hany Elgala's webpage.

Research

Hany Elgala on Google Scholar

Research Interests
  • Optical communications
  • AI for communications and networks
  • Visible light communications (VLC)/LiFi
  • Hybrid RF-optical networks
  • Joint communications and sensing
  • Internet-of-things (IoT) deployments
  • Physical layer security
  • Wireless backscattering
  • RF EMF exposure
Grants/Funding
  • NSF
  • AvH, Germany
  • IBM-UAlbany Center for Emerging Artificial Intelligence Systems (CEAIS)
  • TÜBİTAK, Turkey
  • ASPIRE, UAE
  • Center for Technology in Government (CTG)
  • Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)
Publications

Singh, A., Salameh, H. B., Ayyash, M., & Elgala, H. (2025). Optimal UAV deployment and LED power allocation strategies for VLC-enabled indoor communication networks. Physical Communication, 73, 102884.   

Saksham Dewan, Hany Elgala, Sami Muhaidat, and Paschalis Sofotasios, "Leveraging multi-task learning to model task relationships in composite VLC waveform demodulation," Appl. Opt. 64, 8716-8721 (2025)   

Singh, G., Salameh, H. B., Ayyash, M., Al-Obiedollah, H., & Elgala, H. (2025). On the performance of hybrid TDMA–NOMA-RIS empowered indoor flying networks under dynamic blockages and imperfect SIC. Physical Communication, 71, Article 102691.

Singh, Anand, Haythem Bany Salameh, Moussa Ayyash, and Hany Elgala. "Energy Efficient OIRS-aided VLC Systems Employing ML-based User Orientation and Obstacle Awareness." IEEE Sensors Journal (2024).   

Dewan, Saksham, and Hany Elgala. "Towards Low Complexity VLC Systems: A Multi-Task Learning Approach." Comm&Optics Connect 1, no. 1 (2024): 1-10.   

Singh, Anand, Haythem Bany Salameh, Moussa Ayyash, and Hany Elgala. "Performance Analysis of OIRS-Aided Indoor VLC Systems Under Dynamic Human Blockages and Random UE Orientation." IEEE Internet of Things Journal (2024).   

Ahmad, Rizwana, Haythem Bany Salameh, Hany Elgala, Moussa Ayyash, Sufyan Almajali, and Reyad El-Khazali. "Generalized Hybrid LiFi-WiFi UniPHY Learning Framework Towards Intelligent UAV-based Indoor Networks." International Journal of Intelligent Networks (2024).   

Shrestha, Selina, Shimaa Naser, Lina Bariah, Sami Muhaidat, Paschalis C. Sofotasios, Hany Elgala, and Ernesto Damiani. "Autoencoder-Based Spatial Modulation for the Next Generation of Wireless Networks." IEEE Internet of Things Journal (2024).   

Singh, Anand, Haythem Bany Salameh, Moussa Ayyash, and Hany Elgala. "Efficient Power Allocation and Saving Framework for VLC-enabled Indoor Networks with Crowded Heterogeneous Obstacles." IEEE Sensors Journal (2024).   

Dil Nashin Anwar, Rizwana Ahmad, Haythem Bany Salameh, Hany Elgala, and Moussa Ayyash. Performance Analysis of Neural Network-based Unified Physical Layer for Indoor Hybrid LiFi-WiFi Flying Networks. Neural Computing and Applications, Springer London, pages 1–11, 2023.   

Rizwana Ahmad, Hany Elgala, Sufyan Almajali, Haythem Bany Salameh, and Moussa Ayyash. Unified Physical Layer Learning Framework towards VLC-enabled 6G-Indoor-Flying-Networks. IEEE Internet of Things Journal, 2023.   

Mohannad Alhafnawi, Haythem Bany Salameh, Ala’Eddin Masadeh, Haitham Al-Obiedollah, Moussa Ayyash, Reyad El-Khazali, and Hany Elgala. A Survey of Indoor and Outdoor UAV-based Target Tracking Systems: Current Status, Challenges, Technologies, and Future Directions. IEEE Access, 2023.   

Khadr, M., Bany Salameh, H., Ayyash, M., Elgala, H., & Almajali, S. Jamming Resilient Multi-Channel Transmission for Cognitive Radio IoT-based Medical Networks. IEEE Journal of Communications and Networks, 24(6):666–678, 2022.   

Lina Bariah, Wael Jaafar, Sami Muhaidat, Hany Elgala, and Halim Yanikomeroglu. On the Error Performance of LoRa-enabled Aerial Networks over Shadowed Rician Fading Channels. IEEE Communications Letters, 26(10):2322–2326, 2022.   

Bushra Alhijawi, Sufyan Almajali, Hany Elgala, Haythem Bany Salameh, and Moussa Ayyash. A Survey on DoS/DDoS Mitigation Techniques in SDNS: Classification, Comparison, Solutions, Testing Tools and Datasets. Computers and Electrical Engineering, ELSEVIER, 99:107706, 2022.   

Haythem A Bany Salameh, Monette H Khadr, Mohammad Al-Quraan, Moussa Ayyash, Hany Elgala, and Sufyan Almajali. Jamming-Aware Simultaneous Multi-Channel Decisions for Opportunistic Access in Delay-Critical IoT-Based Sensor Networks. IEEE Sensors Journal, 22(3):2889–2898, 2021.   

Ahmed F Hussein, Dola Saha, and Hany Elgala. Mixed-Carrier Communication for Technology Division Multiplexing. Electronics, MDPI, 10(18):2248, 2021 (This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Wireless Communications and Networking: A Pathway towards 6G).   

Safaa Hriez, Sufyan Almajali, Hany Elgala, Moussa Ayyash, and Haythem Bany Salameh. A Novel Trust-Aware and Energy-Aware Clustering Method that Uses Stochastic Fractal Search in IoT-Enabled Wireless Sensor Networks. IEEE Systems Journal, 16(2):2693–2704, 2021.   

Monette H Khadr, Hany Elgala, Michael Rahaim, Abdallah Khreishah, Moussa Ayyash, and Thomas Little. Machine Learning-Based Security-Aware Spatial Modulation for Heterogeneous Radio-Optical Networks. Proceedings of the Royal Society A, 477(2248):20200889, 2021.   

Monette H Khadr, Ian Walter, Hany Elgala, and Sami Muhaidat. Machine Learning-Based Massive Augmented Spatial Modulation (ASM) for IoT VLC Systems. IEEE Communications Letters, 25(2):494–498, 2020.   

Monette H Khadr and Hany Elgala. Augmented Communications: Spectral Efficiency and Security Enhanced Visible Light Communications by Design. Chinese Optics Letters, 18(9):090601, 2020.   

Ahmed F Hussein and Hany Elgala. Wireless Link Pairing toward Secured 6G Networks. Optics Letters, 45(14):4005–4008, 2020.   

Ahmed F Hussein and Hany Elgala. Design and Spectral Analysis of Mixed-Carrier Communication for Sixth-Generation Networks. Proceedings of the Royal Society A, 476(2238):20200165, 2020.   

Ahmed Al Hammadi, Paschalis C Sofotasios, Sami Muhaidat, Mahmoud Al-Qutayri, and Hany Elgala. Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access for Hybrid VLC-RF Networks with Imperfect Channel State Information. IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology, 70(1):398–411, 2020.   

Ha-Vu Tran, Georges Kaddoum, Hany Elgala, Chadi Abou-Rjeily, and Hemani Kaushal. Light-Wave Power Transfer for Federated Learning-Based Wireless Networks. IEEE Communications Letters, 24(7):1472–1476, 2020.   

Bany Salameh, H., Khadr, M., AL-Quraan, M., Ayyash, M., Elgala, H., & Almajali, S. Jamming-aware Simultaneous Multi-channel Decisions for Opportunistic Access in Delay-critical IoT-based Sensor Networks. IEEE Sensors Journal. 22(3), Feb. 2022.   

Hussein, A., Elgala, H., & Saha, D. (Sept. 2021). Mixed-Carrier Communication for Technology Division Multiplexing. Special Issue: Optical Wireless Communications and Networking: A Pathway towards 6G. The Open Access Journal Electronics, 10(18), 2248 (Invited, IF 2.412)   

Khadr, M., Elgala, H., Rahaim, M., Khreishah, A., Ayyash, M., & Little, T. D. C. (April 2021). Machine Learning-Based Security-Aware Spatial Modulation for Heterogeneous Radio-Optical Networks. Proceedings of the Royal Society A, 477 (2248).   

Bany Salameh, H., Ayyash, M., Elgala, H., Hraiz, S., & Almajali, S. (April 2021). Novel Trust- and Energy-aware Clustering Using Stochastic Fractal Search in IoT-enabled Wireless Sensor Networks. IEEE Internet of Things Journal, doi: 10.1109/JSYST.2021.3065323, 1-12 pp.   

Al Hammadi, A., Muhaidat, S., Sofotasios, P. C., Al-Qutayri, M. & Elgala, H. (Jan. 2021). Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access for Hybrid VLC-RF Networks with Imperfect Channel State Information. IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology, vol. 70(1), 398-411 pp.   

Hussein, A., Elgala, H. (2020). Wireless Link Pairing (WiLP) towards secured 6G networks (2020). Optics Letters, 45(14), 4005-4008 pp.   

Khadr, M., Elgala, H. (2020). Augmented Communications: Spectrally and Security Enhanced Visible Light Communications by Design. Chinese Optics Letters 18(9), 090601 pp.   

Hussein, A., & Elgala, H. (2020). Design and Spectral Analysis of Mixed-Carrier Communication for 6G Networks. Proceedings of the Royal Society A, 476 (2238).   

Tran, H. V., Kaddoum, G., Elgala, H., Abou-Rjeily, C., & Kaushal, H. (2020). Lightwave Power Transfer for Federated Learning-based Wireless Networks. IEEE Communications Letters, 24(7), 1472-1476 pp.   

Khadr, M., Walter, I., Elgala, H., & Muhaidat, S. (Feb. 2020). Machine Learning-Based Massive Augmented Spatial Modulation (ASM) for IoT VLC Systems, IEEE Communications Letters, 25(2), 494-498 pp.   

Elgala, H., Alouini, M. S., Haas, H., Rahaim, M., Tabassum, H., & Watanabe, T. (2019). Introduction to the Special Section on Coexisting Radio and Optical Wireless Deployments (CROWD). IEEE Transactions on Cognitive Communications and Networking, 5(4), 1178-1181 pp.   

Shao, S., Liu, G., Khreishah, A., Ayyash, M., Elgala, H., Little, T. D. C., & Rahaim, M. (2019). Optimizing Handover Parameters by Q-learning for Heterogeneous Radio-Optical Networks. IEEE Photonics Journal, 12 (1), 1-15 pp.   

Almajali, S., El Diehn, D. I., Bany Salameh, H., Ayyash, M., & Elgala, H. (2019). A distributed multi-layer MEC-cloud architecture for processing large scale IoT-based multimedia applications. Multimedia Tools and Applications, 78(17), 24617-24638 pp.

Rahaim, M., Abdalla, I., Ayyash, M., Elgala, H., Khreishah, A., Little, T. D. C. (2019): Welcome to the CROWD: Design Decisions for Coexisting Radio and Optical Wireless Deployments: IEEE Network - The Magazine of Global Internet working, 33(5), 174-182 pp.   

Mazahir, S., Chaaban, A., Elgala, H., & Alouini, M. S. (2019). Achievable Rates of Multi-Carrier Modulation Schemes for Bandlimited IM/DD Systems. IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications, 18(3), 1957-1973 pp.   

Nauryzbayev, G., Abdallah, M., & Elgala, H. (2018). Outage of SEE-OFDM VLC-NOMA Networks. IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, 31(2), 121-124 pp.   

Chaaban, A., Chi, N., Elgala, H., Rezki, Z., Safari, M., Sandalidis, H. G., & Imran, M. A. (2018). IEEE Access Special Section Editorial: Optical Wireless Technologies for 5G Communications and Beyond. IEEE Access, 6, 63619-63623 pp.   

Bany Salameh, H., Almajali, S., Ayyash, M., & Elgala, H. (2018). Batch‐based Security‐aware Spectrum Sharing with Simultaneous Assignment Decisions in Time‐critical IoT Networks with Cognitive Radio Capabilities. Transactions on Emerging Telecommunications Technologies, 29(11), e3317 pp.   

Khreishah, A., Shao, S., Gharaibeh, A., Ayyash, M., Elgala, H., & Ansari, N. (2018): A Hybrid RF-VLC System for Energy Efficient Wireless Access: in the IEEE Transactions on Green Communications and Networking, 2(4), 932-944 pp.   

Bany Salameh, H., Almajali, S., Ayyash, M., & Elgala, H. (2018): Spectrum Assignment in Cognitive Radio Networks for Internet-of-Things Delay-Sensitive Applications under Jamming Attacks: in the IEEE Internet of Things Journal, 5(3), 1904-1913 pp.

Shao, S., Khreishah, A., & Elgala, H.: Pixelated VLC-backscattering for Self-Charging Indoor IoT Devices: IEEE Photonics Technology Letters: 29(2): 177-180 pp.   

Ayyash, M., Elgala, H., Khreishah, A., Jungnickel, V., Little, T. D. C., Shao, S., Rahaim, M., Schulz, D., Hilt, J., & Freund R. (2016): Coexistence of WiFi and LiFi Toward 5G: Concepts, Opportunities, and Challenges: IEEE Communications Magazine, 54(2): 64-71 pp.   

Sihua S., Khreishah, A., Ayyash, M., Rahaim, M., Elgala, H., Jungnickel, V., Schulz, D., Little, T. D. C., Hilt, J., & Freund, R. (2015). Design and Analysis of a Visible Light-Communication Enhanced WiFi System. Journal of Optical Communications and Networking, 7(10), 960-973 pp.   

Gancarz, J. E., Elgala, H., & Little, T. D. C. (2015). Overlapping PPM for Band-limited Visible Light Communication and Dimming. Journal of Solid-State Lighting, 2(1), p.3.   Elgala, H., & Little, T. D. C. (2015). Polar-based OFDM and SC-FDE links Toward Energy-Efficient Gbps Transmission under IM-DD Optical System Constraints. IEEE/OSA Journal of Optical Communications and Networking, 7(2), A277-A284 pp. (Invited)   

Butala, P., Elgala, H., & Little, T. D. C. (2014). Sample Indexed Spatial Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing. Chinese Optics Letters, 12(9), 090602 pp.   

Gancarz, J. E., Elgala, H., & Little, T. D. C. (2013). Impact of Lighting Requirements on VLC Systems. IEEE Communications Magazine, 51(12), 34-41 pp.   

Elgala, H., & Little, T. D. C. (2013). Reverse Polarity Optical-OFDM (RPO-OFDM): Dimming Compatible OFDM for Gigabit VLC links. Optics Express, 21(20), 24288-24299 pp.   

Mesleh, R., Elgala, H., & Haas, H. (2012). LED Nonlinearity Mitigation Techniques in Optical Wireless OFDM Communication Systems. Journal of Optical Communications and Networking, 4(11), 865-875 pp.   

Elgala, H., Mesleh, R., & Haas, H. (2011). Indoor Optical Wireless Communication: Potential and State-of-the-art. IEEE Communications Magazine, 49(9), 56-62 pp.   

Mesleh, R., Elgala, H., & Haas, H. (2011). On the performance of different OFDM based optical wireless communication systems. IEEE/OSA Journal of Optical Communications and Networking, 3(8), 620-628 pp.   

Mesleh, R., Elgala, H., & Haas, H. (2011). Optical Spatial Modulation. IEEE/OSA Journal of Optical Communications and Networking, 3(3), 234-244 pp.   

Mesleh, R., Elgala, H., Mehmood, R., & Haas, H. (2010). Performance of Optical Spatial Modulation with Transmitters-Receivers Alignment. IEEE Communications Letters, 15(1), 79-81 pp.   

Elgala, H., Mesleh, R., & Haas, H. (2010). An LED Model for Intensity-modulated Optical Communication Systems. IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, 22(11), 835-837. 

Elgala, H., Mesleh, R., & Haas, H. (2009). Indoor Broadcasting via White LEDs and OFDM. IEEE Transactions on consumer electronics, 55(3), 1127-1134.   

Elgala, H., Mesleh, R., & Haas, H. (2009). Non-linearity Effects and Predistortion in Optical OFDM Wireless Transmission using LEDs. International Journal of Ultra-Wideband Communications and Systems, 1(2), 143-150 pp. (Invited)   

Elgala, H., & Stanczak, S. Single Block Index Modulation OFDM (SBIM-OFDM). IEEE Middle East Conference on Communications and Networking, 17–20 Nov. 2024, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, MECOM 2024 [Best Paper Award].   

Selina Shrestha, Shimaa Naser, Lina Bariah, Sami Muhaidat, Paschalis C Sofotasios, Hany Elgala, and Ernesto Damiani. Autoencoder-Based Spatial Modulation for the Next Generation of Wireless Networks. TechRxiv. 2023.   

Mohannad Alhafnawi, Ala’eddin Masadeh, Haythem Bany Salameh, Moussa Ayyash, Reyad El-Khazali, and Hany Elgala. A Review of Indoor UAV-Based Tracking Systems: Classification, Status, and Challenges. In 2022 International Arab Conference on Information Technology (ACIT), pages 1–6., IEEE, 2022.   

Khadr, M., & Elgala, H. (2021). Naive Bayesian-Based Augmented Spatial Modulation (ASM) for VLC Systems. In Signal Processing in Photonic Communications. Optical Society of America accepted (oral presentation 26 July – 30 July 2021)   

Khadr, M., Ross, Anya, & Elgala, H. (2021). Autoencoder Model for OFDM-Based Optical Wireless Communications Systems Employing Augmented Communications. In Signal Processing in Photonic Communications. Optical Society of America accepted (oral presentation 26 July – 30 July 2021).   

Khadr, M., Elgala, H., Ayyash, M., Almajali, S., & Bany Salameh, H. (2020). Testbed Validation of Security-Aware Channel Assignment in IoT-based Cognitive Radio Networks IEEE World Forum on Internet of Things (WF-IoT), doi: 10.1109/WF-IoT48130.2020.9221302, 1-6 pp.   

Khadr, M., Bany Salameh, H.., Ayyash, M., Almajali, S., & Elgala, H. (2019). Securing IoT Delay-Sensitive Communications with Opportunistic Parallel Transmission Capability. IEEE Global Communications Conference (GLOBECOM), 1-6 pp.   

Khadr, M., Elgala, H., Ayyash, M., Little, T. D. C., Rahaim, M., & Khreishah, A. (2019). Technology Independent Security Aware OFDM (SA-OFDM). IEEE 30th Annual International Symposium on Personal, Indoor and Mobile Radio Communications (PIMRC), 1-6 pp.   

Khadr, M. and H. Elgala (2019). Augmented Spatial Modulation (ASM): Secure and Efficient IoT Compatible MIMO Based VLC Links. IEEE 30th Annual International Symposium on Personal, Indoor and Mobile Radio Communications (PIMRC), pp. 1-6.   

Pachpande, P., Khadr, M., Hussein, A., Elgala, H., & Saha, Dola (2019). Autoencoder Model for OFDM-based Optical Wireless Communication. In Signal Processing in Photonic Communications. Optical Society of America, SpT2E-3 pp.   

Walter, I., Khadr, M., & Elgala, H. (2019). Deep Learning Based Optical Camera Communications. In Signal Processing in Photonic Communications. Optical Society of America, SpT2E-3 pp.   

Almajali, S., Bany Salameh, H.., Ayyash, M., & Elgala, H. (2019). Extending NS3 to Simulate Cognitive Radio Wireless Networks in a Jammed Environment. 6th International Conference on Software Defined Systems (SDS), 118-122 pp.   

Shao, S., Khan, Z., Liu, G., Khreishah, A., Ayyash, M., Elgala, H., & Rahaim, M. (2019). Optimizing Handover Parameters by Q-learning for Heterogeneous RF-VLC Networks. IEEE INFOCOM 2019-IEEE Conference on Computer Communications Workshops (INFOCOM WKSHPS), 1069-1070 pp.   

Hussein, A., Elgala, H., & Little, T. D. C. (2018). Evolution of Multi-Tier Transmission Towards 5G Li-Fi Networks. IEEE Global Communications Conference (GLOBECOM), 1-7 pp.   

Pachpande, P., Khadr, M., Hussein, A., & Elgala, H. (2018). Visible Light Communication Using Deep Learning Techniques. IEEE 39th Sarnoff Symposium, 1-6 pp.   

Khadr, M., Elgala, H., Ayyash, M., Little, T. D. C., Khreishah, A., & Rahaim, M. (2018). Security Aware Spatial Modulation (SA-SM). IEEE 39th Sarnoff Symposium. 1-6 pp.   

Careem, M., Khadr, M., Hussein, A., Saha, D., Elgala, H., & Dutta, A. (2018). CHRONOS: A Cloud-based hybrid RF-Optical Network Over Synchronous Links. IEEE 5G World Forum (5GWF), 351-356 pp.   

Li, Z., Shao, S., Khreishah, A., Ayyash, M., Iman, A., Elgala, H., Rahaim, M., & Little, T. D. C. (2018). Design and Implementation of a Hybrid RF-VLC System with Bandwidth Aggregation. IEEE 14th International Wireless Communications & Mobile Computing Conference (IWCMC), 194-200 pp.   

Nauryzbayev, G., Abdallah, M., & Elgala, H. (2018). On the performance of NOMA-enabled spectrally and energy efficient OFDM (SEE-OFDM) for Indoor Visible Light Communications. IEEE 87th Vehicular Technology Conference (VTC Spring), 1-5 pp.   

Bany Salameh, H., Almajali, S., Ayyash, M., & Elgala, H. (2018). Securing Delay-sensitive Cognitive Radio IoT Communications Under Reactive Jamming Attacks: Spectrum Assignment Perspective. Fifth International Conference on Software Defined Systems (SDS), 20-24 pp.   

Almajali, S., Bany Salameh, H.., Ayyash, M., & Elgala, H. (2018). A Framework for Efficient and Secured Mobility of IoT Devices in Mobile Edge Computing. Third international conference on fog and mobile edge computing (FMEC), 58-62 pp.   

Zhang, Z., Chaaban, A., Shen, C., Elgala, H., Ng, T. K., Boon, S. O., & Alouini, M. S. (2018). Worst-case Residual Clipping Noise Power Model for Bit Loading in LACO-OFDM. Global LIFI Congress (GLC), 1-6 pp.   

Hussein, A. & Elgala, H. (2018). Lightweight Multi-carrier Modulation for IoT. In Broadband Access Communication Technologies XII. International Society for Optics and Photonics, 10559, p.105590W.   

Hussein, A., Elgala, H., & Little, T. D. C. (2018). Visible Light Communications: Toward multi-service waveforms. 15th IEEE Annual Consumer Communications & Networking Conference (CCNC), 1-6 pp.   

Mazahir, S., Chaaban, A., Elgala, H., & Alouini, M. S. (2017). Effective Information Rates of Single-carrier and Multi-carrier Modulation Schemes for Bandwidth Constrained IM/DD Systems. IEEE International Conference on Communications (ICC), 1-6 pp.   

Bany Salameh, H., Almajali, S., Ayyash, M., & Elgala, H. (2017). Security-aware Channel Assignment in IoT-based Cognitive Radio Networks for Time-critical Applications. Fourth International Conference on Software Defined Systems (SDS), 43-47 pp.   

Hussein, A., Elgala, H., Fahs, B., & Hella, M. (2017). Experimental Investigation of DCO-OFDM Adaptive Loading using Si PN-based Receiver. 26th Wireless and Optical Communication Conference (WOCC), 1-5 pp.   

Rahaim, M., Little, T. D. C., Elgala, H., & Govindasamy, S. (2017). An Ultra-Dense IoT Architecture using Hybrid CSMA with Sector Based Scheduling (CSMA/SS) via Visible Light Communications. International Conference on Embedded Wireless Systems and Networks, 335-336 pp.   

Mazahir, S., Chaaban, A., Elgala, H., & Alouini, M. S. (2017). Effective Information Rates of Single-carrier and Multi-carrier Modulation Schemes for Bandwidth Constrained IM/DD Systems. In 2017 IEEE International Conference on Communications (ICC), 1-6 pp.   

Hussein, A., Elgala, H., Fahs, B., & Hella, M. (2017). Experimental Investigation of DCO-OFDM Adaptive Loading using Si PN-based Receiver. 26th Wireless and Optical Communication Conference (WOCC), 1-5 pp.   

Ali, R. & Elgala, H. (2016). Energy Efficient LED Layout Optimization for Near-uniform Illumination. 15th International Conference on Solid State Lighting and LED-based Illumination Systems. International Society for Optics and Photonics, 9954, p. 995406.   

Mirvakili, A., Elgala, H., Little, T. D. C., & Koomson, V. J. (2016). Dimming and Modulation for VLC-Enabled Lighting. In Optical Wireless Communications. Springer, Cham, 409-430 pp.   

Vadeny, D., Chen, Ming, Huang, E., & Elgala, H. (2016). VSLAM and VLC based localization. Microsoft Indoor Localization Competition, Tech. Rep.   

Butala, P., Elgala, H., & Little, T. D. C. (2015). Performance of Color Shift Keying under Non-Linear System Model and Illumination Constraints. IEEE Globecom Workshops, 1-7 pp.   

Mirvakili, A., Koomson, V. J., Rahaim, M., Elgala, H., & Little, T. D. C. (2015). Wireless Access Testbed through Visible Light and Dimming Compatible OFDM. In 2015 IEEE Wireless Communications and Networking Conference (WCNC), 2268-2272 pp.   

Elgala, H., Wilson, S. K., & Little, T. D. C. (2015). Optical Polar OFDM: On the Effect of Time-domain Power Allocation under Power and Dynamic-range Constraints. IEEE Wireless Communications and Networking Conference (WCNC), 31-35 pp.   

Butala, P., Elgala, H., Little, T. D. C., & Zarkesh-Ha, P. (2014). Multi-wavelength Visible Light Communication System Design. IEEE Globecom Workshops, 530-535 pp.   

Little, T. D. C. & Elgala, H. (2014). Adaptation of OFDM under Visible Light Communications and Illumination Constraints. 48th Asilomar Conference on Signals, Systems and Computers, 1739-1744 pp.   

Shao, S., Khreishah, A., Rahaim, M., Elgala, H., Ayyash, M., Little, T. D. C., & Wu, J. (2014). An indoor hybrid WiFi-VLC internet access system. IEEE 11th International Conference on Mobile Ad Hoc and Sensor Systems, 569-574 pp.   

Elgala, H. & Little, T. D. C. (2014). SEE-OFDM: Spectral and Energy Efficient OFDM for Optical IM/DD Systems. IEEE 25th annual international symposium on personal, indoor, and mobile radio communication (PIMRC), 851-855 pp.   

Butala, P. M., Elgala, H., & Little, T. D. C. (2014). Performance of Optical Spatial Modulation and Spatial Multiplexing with Imaging Receiver. IEEE Wireless Communications and Networking Conference (WCNC), 394-399 pp.   

Elgala, H. & Thomas DC Little. (2014) P-OFDM: Spectrally Efficient Unipolar OFDM. In Optical Fiber Communication Conference. Optical Society of America, 1-3 pp.   

Butala, P., Elgala, H., & Little, T. D. C. (2013). SVD-VLC: A Novel Capacity Maximizing VLC MIMO System Architecture under Illumination Constraints. IEEE Globecom Workshops, 1087-1092 pp.   

Mesleh, R., Elgala, H., & Little, T. D. C. (2013). On the Performance Degradation of Optical Wireless OFDM Communication Systems due to Changes in the LED Junction Temperature. In ICT,1-5 pp.   

Mesleh, R., Elgala, H., and Little, T. D. C. (2013) A Novel Method to Mitigate LED Nonlinearity Distortions in Optical Wireless OFDM Systems. In Optical Fiber Communication Conference. Optical Society of America, p. JW2A-69.   

Stefan, I., Elgala, H., & Haas, H. (2012). Study of dimming and LED nonlinearity for ACO-OFDM based VLC systems. IEEE Wireless Communications and Networking Conference (WCNC), 990-994 pp.   

Mesleh, R., Elgala, H., & Haas, H. (2012). Performance Analysis of Indoor OFDM Optical Wireless Communication Systems. IEEE Wireless Communications and Networking Conference (WCNC), 1005-1010 pp.   

Ghimire, B., Stefan, I., Elgala, H., & Haas, H. (2011). Time and Frequency Synchronization in Optical Wireless OFDM networks. IEEE 22nd International Symposium on Personal, Indoor and Mobile Radio Communications (PIMRC), 819-823 pp.   

Mesleh, R., Elgala, H., Hammouda, M., Stefan, I., & Haas, H. (2011). Optical Spatial Modulation with Transmitter-Receiver Alignments. 16th European Conference on Networks and Optical Communications, 1-4 pp.   

Stefan, I., Elgala, H., Mesleh, R., O'Brien, D., & Haas, H. (2011). Optical Wireless OFDM System on FPGA: Study of LED Nonlinearity Effects. IEEE 73rd Vehicular Technology Conference (VTC, Spring), 1-5 pp.

Mesleh, R., Elgala, H., & Haas, H. (2010). On the performance of coded optical spatial modulation. 21st IEEE International Symposium on Personal, Indoor and Mobile Radio Communications (PIMRC), 820-824 pp.   

Elgala, H., Mesleh, R., & Haas, H. (2010). Impact of LED Nonlinearities on Optical Wireless OFDM Systems. 21st IEEE International Symposium on Personal, Indoor and Mobile Radio Communications (PIMRC), 634-638 pp.   

Mesleh, R., Elgala, H., & Haas, H. (2010). An Overview of Indoor OFDM/DMT Optical Wireless Communication Systems. 7th International Symposium on Communication Systems, Networks & Digital Signal Processing (CSNDSP), 566-570 pp.   

Mesleh, R., Mehmood, R., Elgala, H., & Haas, H. (2010). Indoor MIMO Optical Wireless Communication using Spatial Modulation. IEEE International Conference on Communications (ICC), 1-5 pp.   

Elgala, H., Mesleh, R., & Haas, H. (2009). Modeling for Predistortion of LEDs in Optical Wireless Transmission using OFDM. IEEE 10th International Conference on Hybrid Intelligent Systems (HIS), 12-14 pp.   

Elgala, H., Mesleh, R., & Haas, H. (2009). Predistortion in Optical Wireless Transmission using OFDM. IEEE 9th International Conference on Hybrid Intelligent Systems (HIS), 2, 184-189 pp.   

Elgala, H., Mesleh, R., & Haas, H. (2009). Practical Considerations for Indoor Wireless Optical System Implementation using OFDM. 10th International Conference on Telecommunications, 25-29 pp.   

Elgala, H., Mesleh, R., & Haas, H. (2009). A Study of LED Nonlinearity Effects on Optical Wireless Transmission using OFDM. In 2009 IFIP International Conference on Wireless and Optical Communications Networks, 1-5 pp.   

Elgala, H., Mesleh, R., Haas, H., & Pricope, Bogdan (2007). OFDM Visible Light Wireless Communication based on White LEDs. IEEE 65th Vehicular Technology Conference (VTC-Spring), 2185-2189 pp.   

Afgani, M. Z., Haas, H., Elgala, H., & Knipp, D. (2006). Visible Light Communication using OFDM. 2nd International Conference on Testbeds and Research Infrastructures for the Development of Networks and Communities (TRIDENTCOM).

Patents

Elgala, H. & Little, T. D. C. System and Method for Embedding Phase and Amplitude into a Real-valued Unipolar Signal. U.S. Patent 10,491,305 issued November 26, 2019

Ahmed Hussein & Elgala, H. Provisional Patent. Title: Simultaneous Communication and Sensing Through Parallel Transmission of Single-carrier Modulation, Multi-carrier Modulation and Beaconing Signals Using a Multifunction Modulating Waveforms. SUNY/SUNY RF, 10/2017, case # 010-17-05   

Elgala, H. & Little, T. D. C. Optical Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (O-OFDM) System with Pulse-width Modulation (PWM) Dimming. U.S. Patent 9,621,268 issued April 11, 2017   

Elgala, H., Barcode, Sende- und Empfangssignalfolge sowie Kommunikationsvorrichtung. Barcode, Transmitter-Receiver Signals and Communication Chain. German Patent DE DE202012102711U1 published October 22, 2013   

Elgala, H. & Mesleh, R. Nonlinearity Compensation in Optical Communication Systems via Alternative Signal Clipping and a Multiple LED Transmitter. WO/2011/082713 published July 14, 2011   

Haas, H., Mesleh, R. & Elgala, H. Transmitter for Optical Data Transfer having a Non-Linear Light Source and Associated Receiver. WO/2011/003393 published January 13, 2011   

Haas, H., Bassow, E., Elgala, H., & Mesleh, R. Optical Free Space Data Transmission", WO/2009/132877 published November 2, 2009

Talks & Presentations

Invited Talk, Speakers Program, AI & Society College Initiatives, Host: University at Albany’s Emeritus Center, October 20th, 2025   

Invited Talk, workshop on "AI & Ethics: Opportunities and Responsibilities", Host: The Graduate School at the University at Albany, September 25th, 2025.   

Invited Talk at the IEEE RFIC conference, the talk is on “Optical Wireless Communication: applications, challenges, and competition,” focusing on VLC/LiFi technologies, June 2025.   

Invited talk at the webinar organized by the Center for Information & Security Education and Research (CINSER) and the Center for Assured & Resilient Navigation in Advanced Transportation Systems (CARNATIONS), the talk is on “High-Altitude Pseudo Satellites (HAPS) for Reliable Connectivity and Navigation Services”, March 15th, 2025.   

EDGE Symposium, Inventing the Future with Latest Advances in Edge, 5G, Controls, Cybersecurity, AI, and Robotics, "Augmented Waveforms for Next-G Wireless Networks," General Electric (GE), Niskayuna, NY. (September 2023)   

MAI Colloquium, "Integration of services using new LiFi Waveforms," Fraunhofer HHI, Metro, Access and In-house Systems Group, Berlin, Germany. (August 2022)   

Department Seminar, "Augmented Waveforms for Future Wireless Networks," TU Berlin, Berlin, Germany. (July 2022)   

University Seminar, "Augmented Waveforms for Future Wireless Networks," Al Ain University, Al Ain, UAE. (February 2022)   

Online Webinar, OSA CareerLab, "Visible Light Communications for 5G-and-beyond," Optica; a leading society in optics and photonics (formerly OSA). (September 2020)   

Symposium Series, "Visible Light Communications: From Classical to Machine Learning Links," IEEE Schenectady Section, Albany. (November 2019)   

The European Conference on Optical Communication (ECOC), Optical Wireless Communication workshop, Visible Light-Based Backscatter Communication. (September 2017)   

The International Conference on Information Optics and Photonics (CIOP 2016), workshop on Visible Light Communications, Flavors of optical OFDM and their dimming compatibility. (July 2016)

The IEEE Wireless Communications and Networking Conference (WCNC 2016). (April 2016)

Helen and John C. Hartmann Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering Seminar, New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), Get Connected Through Light. (April 2016)

The Solid-State Lighting (SSL) Ecosystem 2014, Lighting in the Information Age. (September 2014)   

The New England Workshop on Software Defined Radio (NEWSDR 14). (June 2014)   

The Advanced Energy Conference (AEC 2014), Wireless Communications Potential of Solid-State Lighting: Visible-Light Communications. (April 2013)   

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Seminar, Boston University, High-Speed Wireless Networking Using Indoor LED Lighting (November 2013)   

Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Colloquium, Tufts University, A Visible Approach to the Spectrum Crunch. (February 2013)

Instruction & Advising

Courses
  • IECE 465/565: Intro to Machine Learning for Engineers
  • IECE 472/572: Advanced Digital Communications
  • IECE 462/562: Digital Signal Processing
  • IECE 417: Optical Communications
  • IECE 371: Signals & Systems
  • IECE 231: Digital Systems + Lab

Additional Information

Awards & Honors
  • TÜBİTAK Visiting Scientist Fellow, Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey, Turkey, 2025
  • Best Paper Award at the IEEE MECOM 2024
  • Top 2% Researchers List, Stanford University study/Elsevier, 2023
  • Fellow, Center for Technology in Government (CTG), USA, 2023
  • Humboldt Experienced Researcher Fellow, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Germany, 2022-2024
Service & Outreach
  • Acting Director, AI & Society College
  • Member, Policy Committee, INSPIRE Center, SUNY
  • Associate Director, AI & Society College
  • Provost Fellow, AI and Academic Integrity
  • Leadership Academy Member
  • Program Director, MS in ECE