Electrical and Computer Engineering alumnus Siavash Alamouti wins 2022 Marconi Prize

Siavash Alamouti smiles for the camera while seated in a room filled with vibrant artwork
February 9, 2022

The following is an excerpt from an article published on the website of UBC Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

UBC Electrical and Computer Engineering alumnus Siavash Alamouti is a recognized innovator and leader in wireless communications and the cloud. If you’ve studied wireless systems, his name might be familiar; he’s the inventor of the famous Alamouti code, a milestone solution in mobile signal reception technology that’s included in billions of devices around the globe.

Siavash has been a leader and researcher at multiple top companies including AT&T, Intel, and Vodafone. He’s been on the cutting edge of communications technology for many years, and was instrumental in the development of 5G and LTE standards worldwide. Siavash is now working towards the decentralization and democratization of the cloud and personal data use. Influenced by his background in activism and his experience of the Iranian cultural revolution, he’s a dedicated advocate for technological solutions that prioritize the rights and needs of their users.

Since his time at ECE, Siavash has believed strongly in the potential of wireless innovation to improve people’s lives.  In recognition of his impact on the accessibility of wireless devices, Siavash has been awarded the 2022 Marconi Prize, the top honor in information and communications (ICT) technology. This prize (whose past winners include World Wide Web inventor Tim Berners-Lee and Google co-founders Lawrence E. Page and Sergey Brin), is awarded to ICT innovators who have made a significant contribution to increasing digital inclusivity. Siavash’s award recognizes his dedication to the power of wireless technology as a democratizing force.

ECE spoke to Siavash about his work and this significant recognition.  Read the full interview, where he discusses his long and varied career, his time at UBC, and the insights and inspirations that lie behind his work on wireless technology and decentralized cloud infrastructure.

Read More from the Marconi Society: “Democratizing Internet Access: 2022 Marconi Prize Awarded to Wireless Innovator Siavash Alamouti”

UBC Crest The official logo of the University of British Columbia. Arrow An arrow indicating direction. Arrow in Circle An arrow indicating direction. Caret An arrowhead indicating direction. E-commerce Cart A shopping cart. Time A clock. Chats Two speech clouds. Facebook The logo for the Facebook social media service. Social Media The globe is the default icon for a social media platform. TikTok The logo for the TikTok social media platform. Calendar Location Home A house in silhouette. Information The letter 'i' in a circle. Instagram The logo for the Instagram social media service. Linkedin The logo for the LinkedIn social media service. Location Pin A map location pin. Mail An envelope. Telephone An antique telephone. Play A media play button. Search A magnifying glass. Arrow indicating share action A directional arrow. Speech Bubble A speech bubble. Star An outline of a star. Twitter The logo for the Twitter social media service. Urgent Message An exclamation mark in a speech bubble. User A silhouette of a person. Vimeo The logo for the Vimeo video sharing service. Youtube The logo for the YouTube video sharing service. Future of work A logo for the Future of Work category. Inclusive leadership A logo for the Inclusive leadership category. Planetary health A logo for the Planetary health category. Solutions for people A logo for the Solutions for people category. Thriving cities A logo for the Thriving cities category. University for future A logo for the University for future category.