Gerard J. Foschini

Biography

Gerard J. Foschini, distinguished inventor at Bell Laboratories, Alcatel-Lucent, has made key contributions that have changed wireless communications. Dr. Foschini discovered how, using multiple antennas, wireless signals could be expressed across time and space for maximally efficient spectrum usage. His research has influenced several emerging wireless communications technologies including Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO), IEEE WiFi (802.11n) and WiMAX (802.16e) wireless data communication standards as well impacting discussions on 4G cellular standards worldwide (3GPP and 3GPP2).

A Fellow of Bell Labs where he joined in 1961 and an IEEE Fellow, Dr. Foschini has authored more than 100 published works and holds 14 patents related to communications technology. His work has been one of the most widely cited in technical journals and other publications, earning him the designation of “One of the most highly cited scientists” by the Institute of Scientific Information. He has previously taught at Princeton University, in Princeton, N.J. and is currently on the Graduate Electrical Engineering Faculty of Rutgers University, Piscataway, N.J. He has received numerous awards and honors, including the IEEE Eric E. Sumner Award and the Patent Award from the Research and Development Council of New Jersey. Dr. Foschini holds a bachelor’s from the New Jersey Institute of Technology, a masters from New York University, both in electrical engineering, and a doctorate in mathematics from Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, N.J. Foschini was the recipient of the 2008 IEEE Alexander Graham Bell Medal.