Professor Mohamed-Slim Alouini named a Fellow of SPIE and a Distinguished Lecturer of the IEEE Photonics Society

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Al-Khawarizmi Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Mohamed-Slim Alouini has been named as one of 47 SPIE Fellows. He has also been named as one of six Distinguished Lecturers of the IEEE Photonics Society for 2025.

Both distinctions recognize Alouini’s renowned communications technology expertise and his significant scientific and technical contributions to optical wireless communications. The KAUST Communication Theory Lab (CTL) head has been an active member of the SPIE community and IEEE Photonics Society for 15 years, following his mid-career pivot toward optical wireless communications.

Established in 1955 as the Society of Photographic Instrumentation Engineers, SPIE is now one of the leading international professional societies for optics and photonics. The not-for-profit society has 25,000 global members, 1,800 of whom have achieved the rank of fellow.

The IEEE Photonics Society, established in 1965, serves as a vibrant hub for 100,000 professionals committed to transforming groundbreaking advancements in photonics into innovative devices, systems and products that revolutionize our daily lives.

Three decades ago, Alouini began his research career with a focus on radio-frequency (RF) wireless communication. His shift to optical wireless was motivated by a desire to explore new frontiers in communication technologies after he joined KAUST as a founding faculty member in 2009.

“SPIE and the IEEE Photonics Society, along with OPTICA (founded as the Optical Society of America), have been instrumental in providing a platform [for me] to share the results of my research group with like-minded academics and industrial professionals,” he noted. “They have also helped me contribute to the advancement of optical wireless communication.”

Reflecting on these recognitions, Alouini said: “It is, of course, an honor to be elected as an SPIE Fellow and a Distinguished Lecturer for the IEEE Photonics Society. I feel both humbled and grateful to be recognized by my peers. These honors are not only personal milestones but also a reflection of the collective efforts of my current and past group members and collaborators I have been fortunate to be involved with over the past 15 years.”

“My heartfelt gratitude goes out to my talented team of current and past students, postdoctoral fellows, and research scientists. Their dedication and passion not only inspire me to give my best every day but also drive us to push the boundaries of what we can achieve together—continually striving for greater innovation and impact,” he added.

Seeking to bridge the global “digital divide”

Throughout his 30-plus-year research career, Alouini has been instrumental in developing analytical and simulation methods and tools to assess the performance of RF and optical wireless communication systems.

Alouini’s pioneering work on integrated space-air-ground networks, advanced spectrum sharing schemes and cutting-edge optical systems has established him as an academic leader in wireless communications. His farsighted approach is not just shaping the industry—it’s redefining the future of connectivity itself.

In recent years, his KAUST CTL has focused on tackling the uneven global distribution and access to information and communication technologies (ICT). KAUST CTL members are researching and developing new generations of aerial and space networks to enhance connectivity in rural, low-income, disaster-prone and hard-to-reach areas, with the primary goal of “connecting the unconnected.”

The Tunisian researcher’s steadfast commitment to tackling uneven global distribution and access to ICT is receiving increasing attention. In 2023, he was appointed to lead a new UNESCO Chair on “Education for Connecting the Unconnected.” This initiative is directed by the KAUST CTL and involves collaboration with five institutions worldwide.

Advancing the potential of FSO communications

A central research focus of the KAUST CTL is to advance free-space optical (FSO) communications, a cutting-edge technology for transmitting data using laser beams. This innovative approach offers the potential for high-speed, reliable communication without the need for physical infrastructure.

High-throughput satellite and high-altitude platform station (HAPS) systems leveraging FSO communication for backhaul links can revolutionize internet access in remote, rural, and underserved areas. These innovative technologies offer a cost-effective solution for delivering high-speed internet, especially in regions impacted by natural disasters, where conventional infrastructure is not only lacking but also often unfeasible.

“This technology offers numerous benefits such as extensive bandwidth availability, energy efficiency and improved security,” Alouini explained. “We are currently advancing hybrid FSO/RF systems that harness the complementary strengths of optical and radio frequency technologies. These systems provide reliable communication in adverse weather conditions by seamlessly switching between FSO and RF links.”

In addition to improving the robustness and alignment of FSO systems, the CTL has developed advanced positioning and tracking algorithms that enhance their practicality for real-world deployment.

“An exciting area of our research is the application of FSO in inter-satellite and inter-HAPS communication. These high-speed, secure links can form the backbone of future space-air-ground integrated networks, enabling low-latency and global-scale connectivity. Along with linking isolated communities, FSO-enabled HAPS networks can also provide connectivity for airplanes in flight and ships at sea,” he noted.

Making a tangible difference

While technological innovation is at the heart of what Alouini and his colleagues do, their principal goal remains to make a tangible difference in people’s lives. Ultimately, their research provides innovative, scalable, and sustainable solutions to meet the growing global demand for data and seamless communication. They hope this progress will cultivate a more interconnected and inclusive world for all.

“We hope our developed technologies can also rapidly be deployed in post-disaster scenarios, enabling emergency communication systems that can save lives and support recovery efforts when traditional infrastructure is compromised,” Alouini noted.

“Our vision extends beyond just connectivity; we aim to develop technologies that help democratizing access, ensuring that even the most hard-to-reach, underserved or low-income areas can benefit from reliable and affordable communication networks,” he concluded.