Dr. Sastry Kompella, an engineer at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), received the 2013 Outstanding Young Alumnus Award from Virginia Tech College of Engineering for his career achievements. Dr. Kompella received recognition for his work in developing new theoretical foundations for wireless networks and cognitive radios, with a focus on tactical networks for wartime environments, underwater acoustic communication, and dynamic spectrum access.
Beginning his basic research in wireless ad hoc networks and breaking ground in the area of wireless link scheduling, high-tech network and sensor design, and radio control for the battlefield, Kompella's research is currently focused on developing new approaches for pushing performance limits of complex wireless network systems. Dr. Kompella continues to work with cognitive radios—super-smart radios aware of their own environment, capabilities, and operating rules, that are adaptable to changing scenarios. Dr. Kompella is also involved in developing new methodologies for optimal relay placement and media access control (MAC) in underwater acoustic networking that are important to the US Navy.
Dr. Kompella completed his bachelor's degree in 1996 from Andhra University, India in electronics and communications engineering. Earning a master's degree from Texas Tech University in 1998, he then began working for an automated test equipment (ATE) company Symtx Inc. in Austin, Texas, as a project engineer. Following an open call from Virginia Tech in 2003 for doctoral students in wireless networking and network optimization, Dr. Kompella entered the doctoral program in electrical and computer engineering at Virginia Tech as a National Science Foundation (NSF) fellow. Dr. Kompella began working at NRL as a research engineer in 2006 following completion of his doctorate. Currently he heads the wireless networks research section in the Information Technology Division at NRL.
Dr. Kompella is a senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and received the NRL Alan Berman Research Publication Award in 2009. Kompella co-chaired the technical program committee for the 2011 Military Communications Conference (MILCOM) IEEE and is an area editor for the Elsevier Computer Networks (COMNET) Journal.
Dr. Kompella is one of two recipients of the 2013 Virginia Tech College of Engineering Outstanding Young Alumni Achievement Award.