Unlocking Global Connectivity Using Near-Space Platforms
Overview
This talk will explore the potential of near-space platforms to enable global connectivity. These platforms, which fly at altitudes ranging from 300 meters to 20 kilometers, offer connectivity solutions for areas difficult to reach with conventional communication infrastructure, such as remote ground locations, maritime environments, and aerial vehicles. The talk will feature high-level theoretical analyses, experimental findings, and system integration initiatives.
Presenters
Baha Belmekki, Heriot-Watt University, UK
Brief Biography
Dr. Baha Eddine Youcef Belmekki is an Assistant Professor at Heriot-Watt University and a Senior Member of the IEEE, specializing in the design and modeling of future vehicular networks, advanced air mobility, and non-terrestrial networks. He earned his Ph.D. from the National Polytechnic Institute of Toulouse and conducted postdoctoral research at the Communication Theory Laboratory at KAUST. Throughout his career, he has been honored with the 2024 Arab Scientific Community Organization award and was named an “Emerging Talent” at the 2023 Falling Walls Lab in Berlin. His research excellence is further evidenced by prestigious awards from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) of the United Nations (UN) and the US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Through his Arab-American Frontiers Fellowship, he has also applied his expertise to social causes, serving as an invited scholar at UC Santa Cruz to develop remote biology labs for underserved communities.
