Education
Doctor of Philosophy, Computer Science
University of Minnesota | Twin Cities
Advisor: Dr. Zhi-Li Zhang
Researching the intersection of Next-Generation 5G and Satellite Non-Terrestrial Networks to enable ubiquitous, ultra-low-latency connectivity for teleoperation applications
Bachelor of Science, Computer Science
University of Minnesota | Twin Cities
Experience
Graduate Research Assistant | GAANN Fellow
Dr. Zhi-Li Zhang | University of Minnesota | Twin Cities
- Designed and implemented algorithms for LEO satellite beam-switching detection in Starlink networks, enabling predictive satellite handoff and low-latency connectivity analysis.
- Conducted field deployments and experiments for Direct-to-Cell (D2C) satellite communications, collecting and analyzing real-world data to inform hybrid NTN/terrestrial architectures.
- Leveraging C-V2X and Advanced Communications/Sensing for Rural Road Safety. Developed and evaluated C-V2X and advanced vehicular communication frameworks to enhance rural road safety and connectivity.
- Investigated hybrid NTN architectures integrating terrestrial 5G/6G networks with satellite backhaul, supporting research on ultra-reliable, low-latency communications (URLLC).
- Developed predictive models for LEO satellite visibility and connectivity using Random Forest classifiers and Maximum Likelihood Estimation.
Undergraduate Research Assistant | NSF/REU Undergraduate Research Fellow
University of Minnesota | Twin Cities
- Designed and deployed a LEO satellite communication testbed in a home lab, integrating USRP B210 SDRs and LNBs for real-time measurement of satellite signals.
- Collected and analyzed high-resolution satellite telemetry, producing datasets for modeling satellite visibility, handoff events, and connectivity reliability.
- Attended the 2025 Gladiators Session at NEU Coliseum, Boston, learning about Digital Twin technologies, signal processing, and NextG wireless systems applied to LEO satellite communications and hybrid NTN architectures.
Undergraduate Teaching Assistant
University of Minnesota | Twin Cities
- Assisted in teaching Introduction to Computer Networks under Dr. Eman Ramadan
- Strengthened expertise in networking fundamentals by guiding student learning
Publications
Demystifying Starlink Network Performance under Vehicular Mobility with Dynamic Beam Switching
Jinwei Zhao, Jack Baude, Ali Ahangarpour, Vaibhava Krishna Devulapalli, Sree Ganesh Lalitaditya Divakarla, Zhi-Li Zhang, Jianping Pan
Explores mobility-aware Starlink satellite identification and dynamic beam switching under vehicular movement and obstructions to better explain performance degradations.
Open Source Projects
LEOViz | github.com/LEOVIZ
Satellite estimation and visualization toolkit for LEO network analysis
Netavark | github.com/containers/netavark
Added MACVLAN functionality to Netavark and Podman which provides a container with a routable IP address without using NAT or port mapping.
Skills/Competencies
| Programming Languages | C/C++, Python, GoLang, Rust, Matlab, R |
| Software Development | Linux/Unix environments, Git, CI/CD, Containerization (Docker, Podman) |
| Domain Knowledge | Wireless networking, OFDM, Networking, 5G, 3GPP, Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence |