ARC Laureate Fellowship for wireless communications specialist

Professor Vucetic from the School of Electrical and Information Engineering is internationally recognised for her work in coding theory and its applications in wireless engineering. She led the team that invented soft output detection and decoding methods that made mobile phones more reliable.

Professor Vucetic’s work will look at how to build wireless networks with almost zero latency, which  means there is no time lost in the exchange of information from one interface to another and also investigate the ultra-high reliability needed for machine-to-machine communications

“We will be investigating response times that are shorter than 1 millisecond. It is these sorts of improvements that will allow us to create the smart environments of the future on emerging technologies.

“The technology associated with wireless communication has developed rapidly in the three decades I have been researching and teaching. Mobile phones, mobile internet and Wi-Fi for example which we now take for granted.

“We face new challenges in building and designing the new technologies we call ‘smart environments and infrastructure’.  But these new technologies have the potential to solve major problems we face in the energy, health and safety sectors.

Professor Vucetic is the recipient of the 2016 Georgina Sweet Fellowship. Recipients of this award undertake an ambassadorial role to promote women in research, in addition to their research program.

“When I was a high school student a teacher challenged me with a question I could not possibly have answered,” the Professor said.

“This motivated me to find out more about physics and wireless engineering. When I did my research in the school libraries I felt inspired. 

“I wish to similarly inspire the next generation of young female students toward a career in engineering, technology, science or math. It is a career path full of opportunities.”

Congratulating Professor Vucetic on her fellowship Professor Laurent Rivory, Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), said:

"Branka’s fellowship is a testament to the sustained excellence of her research and leadership in the field of electrical and information engineering. There is little doubt that young female students will benefit from her mentorship."

The Laureate scheme recognises the best research in Australia and from around the world.  It encourages innovative research considered essential to Australia's development of new ideas, job creation, economic growth and an enhanced quality of life.