Mung Chiang

Biography

In a very short time, Mung Chiang has made a major impact with his theoretical foundation for optimizing communications networks by addressing real-world problems concerning wireless systems and the Internet. Dr. Chiang’s breakthrough mathematical theory is based on a cross-layering perspective and reverse-engineering approach using decomposition theory. Where traditional methods started with individual layers and the hope that they would interact well later on, Dr. Chiang’s approach provides a top-down process to design layer protocol stacks from successful first principles for more predictable outcomes. This cross-layer approach enables dynamic feedback between layer boundaries to coordinate the demands on different layers based on the needs of network users, thus optimizing network performance. To bridge the gap between theory and practice in networking, Dr. Chiang founded the EDGE Laboratory at Princeton University, N.J., in 2009. The lab provides researchers with a highly programmable network that enables theory-inspired experimentation across multiple layers.

An IEEE Fellow, Chiang is President and the Roscoe H. George Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA. He is the 2025 recipient of the IEEE Founders Medal “For leadership spanning academia, industry, and government propelling advances in communication networks, semiconductor manufacturing, and international cooperation in advanced technologies.”